Affirmation - another good race

Assuring racing quality and understanding current capacity is crucial. For me the most important thing before a race is warming up, preferably alone. And I need a long one. Even before a long event. The longer the better, the more I know and more prepared I am. The less race anxiety I have and the more the nerves go away. 

Before the past event, the trail des Citadelles, I did nearly an hour. This last weekends event was an 11km race. I did around 40minutes. I went out for a 20min speed walk with 100m of elevation gain, then jogged for 5minutes and ran for 15, did a couple of accelerations and lined up 8min before the start. I was chilled and lightly shivering when arrived in the parking. On the other hand, after  warming up, I had great warmth and felt rayons of heat coming out of me, but also was sweating already quiet a lot. I was ready.

This race the Trail de l'Hers, is a very small event. Nothing majestic. No great scenes or mountains, neither lakes or anything. Forest and hills. That is it. It doesn't want to be much more. Great local event. Very cheap too !

This is why actually, because of it's simplicity, it brings runners to test, to run, to enjoy themselves. Regulations are also light. 16 years old can come to the 11km event and also there is no obligatory equipment really. 

Talking about young lads like 14 to 20 years old. When you don't know pain, when you don't know dehydration, and hypo, suffering and injury, when you don't know blowing up really, you are fearless. You go out from the gun like it was a death race. I personally even as a young lad, never liked it, but this is how it is. The freckin' start line was like a 400m track. The first 100m was sprint and I could not even keep up with the first 40 guys. Then of course after the sprint we were settling into a modest pace of around 4:15/km and those lads were dropping off, then started climbing after 1.5km and more were dropping off. Then at 2km we did 100m of elevation gain and they were really dropping off. When you arrive to the climb, with already so much acid in your legs that you cannot even run anymore, well, the final 8km will be a total agony. 

There is no nutritional component, no heat management, no hydration, no handling chaffing, no poles involved and so. It is simple, balls to the walls. 

Personally I have a hard time eating in the morning. I often wake up, drink 1L of water with salts and a coffee. So race morning, I also did the same, but drank only half a liter of water and the coffee. Did my mobility drills for back, hips, ankles and knees. Glut stretch and activation too. Then ate a handful of strawberries and blueberries. That is it. Nothing else. 
I started the warming up with a gel, took another gel 15minutes before race start. 45grams each. I usually take a double gel as the first one, one with 15grams of sugar, but it is a special high salt and high magnesium gel, then just one. I do this, because moving integrates those sugars into the circulation and flows sugar to the muscle. It helps with the fasts start and the second gel assures energy for the first 20 to 25 minutes.

I of course, like everyone else, had low points. But you just have to push through. Self talk. I say, just go go go, push push, don't worry, in 40minutes you cannot be in hypo. Even if it is very hot, you are well hydrated and it is physically near impossible to dehydrate or overheat in such a short time. Just go ! Rampage mode ! Keep the pace and the pressure up. I focus an awful lot on technique. Even when hands on knees climbing, descending or running flat. When running uphill, small fast steps, low arm carry, breathing. When running flat, bent elbows and high fists, kneedrive. When bombing down, cadence, arms on the side, balance and more. 

I finished 9th and first it in my class. 3min 50 sec between the first and me. Very dense field. Basically every 20 sec there was a runner. I think next year with the same effort I can be contestant for a podium. I am still 88 to 89kg. Getting more and more shredded, but that is a high weight. Loosing 2 kgs is nothing, but I already feel lighter and my shoulders and pecs, my arms and torso already have shrunk. I start slowly showing veins. The next 5 to 8kgs to loose will take time, but I am patient. It will not only be great for my health, but for perf too. The only thing that will be missed out on is brute strength. When you have the weight, you can push, pull and rip stuff. When you are light, you can do the same, but must be smarter. 

I am very happy, how the season advances, two podiums and first class finishes in the basket. One is during the first prestigious race in the season and the second is during a short distance fast race. Winter training and dieting starting to pay off !