It’s now time to get ready for a new racing & competitive season, are you physically AND mentally ready?
Here are some tips that may help you!
Nutrition
Daily you should be eating:
6-11 servings of Breads, Cereals, etc.
3-5 servings of Vegetables
2-4 servings of Fruits
2-3 servings of Meat, poultry, fish and/or alternatives
2 servings of Milk, cheese, and yogurt
Use sparingly- Fats, sweets, and alcoholic beverages
The day before a race, a healthy carbohydrate/protein combination is what you are trying to look for. Spaghetti and meatballs, or vegetable stir fry with rice & chicken. Good, healthy carbs will keep you from feeling low and will keep you energized.
The morning of your race, keep foods like oatmeal, also protein, bread, eggs, and fruit in thought. Water is very important. At least 16 oz with breakfast is considerable.
Training
Concentrating on fitness can be overwhelming, yet very easy. You need to make time for training and make it a priority.
Questions have been asked like: “What if I’m already in good shape, do I really need to work out?”
The answer is YES. You want to increase your strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular, and overall conditioning by working out to your limit, but allowing plenty of time to recover so you don’t over work your body.
Proper conditioning is the key to maintain focus and avoid making mistakes. Mistakes and crashes happen when the body and mind become fatigued. It’s very easy to see who does train, and who doesn’t. Riders who can’t run a whole moto or event without being extremely exhausted and out of breath, obviously, don’t train. While others who are out front running a solid pace, and taking charge, you can tell they train hard and are consistent. Once you leave the line your heart is racing from an increase in intensity and the psychological aspect of wanting to get the holeshot and win. This can lead to a shortness of breath and the muscles tighten up. The better condition you are in, the less this effect has on your endurance. But, without proper conditioning this will lead to fatigue and arm pump and your moto will be over before you know it. Look for other articles to learn how to train for each aspect of conditioning.
Be SAFE and ENJOY!
