Tapering & Race Day

#31 TAPERING & RACE DAY PSYCHOLOGY
WITH HANNY ALLSTON

Amazingly, having dealt with it all emotionally before I got to the race day, meant that there was really nothing left that was going to surprise me. I was prepared for the fact that any event could happen and I was just going to deal with it.

I know what you must be thinking… how does Hanny have anymore to say on the topic of psychology? Haha! Well hear me out for a moment…

This episode is very different to previous Find Your Feet Podcast episodes and actually one of the topics that I get asked the most about. In this episode Jess and I discuss the physical, mental and emotional strategies around tapering before a peak performance and psychologically how to maximise your enjoyment on the day itself.

A positive mindset and outlook on the day should not be overlooked. For those of you who have been building towards Ultra Trail Australia for the past 6 months, you have done the hard work. When you find your feet on the start line, you need to know that you are emotionally ‘checked-in’ for this event and thinking, ‘how enjoyable can I make this for myself?’ My biggest tip for this is to smile at everyone you see, smile through your low points of suffering and especially through your high points!

The Main Points Are:

Tapering – how to navigate the unusual sensations
The physical benefits of rest and recovery before race day
Working through ‘what if…’ scenarios
How to understand the lessons from ‘missions’ & practice runs
Simulate running with a full vest pack of mandatory gear, nutrition and hydration.
Adapting nutrition & hydration for tapering
The importance of briefing your support crew
Race day mentality
Tips to minimise your time spent at aid stations
Setting process goals – be realistic
Starting the race with purpose - not ‘slow’
Avoid chewing up crucial mental energy worrying and comparing yourself to others or your past capabilities
SMILE! Enjoy yourself. Inevitably you will have points of suffering but if you asked yourself, ‘where else would I rather be?’, the likely answer would be ‘nowhere’.

I hope you find this episode a valuable resource towards your own journey with performance. If you would like to support the continuation of this resource, I would encourage you to check out my trail running and outdoor retail store- Find Your Feet. I would like to offer you 20% off your first online order with the discount code – FindingMyFeet. Once you have proceeded to the online check-out there will be the option to enter the code, please be aware this discount does not apply to watches, electronics and some other products. Also after your first order, you will be eligible to receive 10% off every time you shop as a part of your new Find Your Feet membership!

“On the start line…it’s really important that you get in your own bubble…even if you are running with other people."

I really hope you enjoy this conversation. You can show your support for the podcast by ‘liking it’ in Souncloud or ITunes, and sharing your favourite episodes and quotes with friends and family. Let me know if there is anyone you would like to hear on the podcast too!