Prepping for Fall Head Races

Jitters the morning of a race are a positive signal that you are ready for a challenge. How the rowing universe decides to test you over a given course is unpredictable. It can tangle your rudder ropes to complicate your steering or give your boat some extra oomph to cruise past a crew you’ve been chasing all season. Prepare for your events well before you get to the course.

Train for event-specific conditions. In addition to the right endurance work and distance trials, be prepared for the climate in which you’re racing, especially if it’s different from the one at home. If a warmer location, do some rows during a hotter part of the day; if a cold location, make sure to have warm clothes, especially for head and hands. Before you travel, make a list of everything you plan to bring and plan for nasty weather as well.

Know the course. Study the twists and turns of the race route and row workouts that include similar turns. Commit the image of the map to memory and design your race plan with words or moves that will help you stay in the moment. Row over the course before the race to identify landmarks.

Train your eating. Experiment with pre-row meals or snacks. Once you establish what works for you, stick with that on race day, too. If you race at an unusual time of day, use some weekends to simulate your actual race day and develop an eating/warm-up plan.

Arrive early; don’t crowd your day. If you are traveling to a race, it can take several hours for your body to recover from the dehydration you can experience on an airplane. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, drink lots of water, and wear compression socks on the plane.

Consider arriving 48 hours before the start so you have time to adjust and relax. If racing close to home, arrive at least 90 minutes before you launch so you can pick up your number and rig your boat.

Marlene Royle, who won national titles in rowing and sculling, is the author of Tip of the Blade: Notes on Rowing. She has coached at Boston University, the Craftsbury Sculling Center, and the Florida Rowing Center. Her Roylerow Performance Training Programs provides coaching for masters rowers. Email Marlene at roylerow@aol.com or visit www.roylerow.com

The post Prepping for Fall Head Races appeared first on Rowing News.