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5 TIPS TO IMPROVE THE START PHASE OF YOUR ULTRA TRAIL

Written by Cristina Tasselli on . Posted in Nutrition.

Do you always do some mistakes before the start of your  Ultra Trails? Does nutrition before and during the race worry you?

Here are 5 tips that can help you improve and avoid stressful situations

1. THE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE RACE, RE-CHECK EVERYTHING YOU NEED WITH A CHECK LIST PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN ON A SHEET OF PAPER

Check the gear, nutrition, hydration, clothing, shoes, attach the bib and make sure you have everything ready, including the camelback.

2. RACE DAY:

  • IF YOU START IN THE MORNING, HAVE BREAKFAST 2H30 BEFORE THE START
  • IF YOU START IN THE AFTERNOON, HAVE LUNCH 3H BEFORE THE START
  • IF YOU START LATE IN THE EVENING, HAVE DINNER EARLY AND THEN HAVE A SNACK 2H BEFORE THE START

Beware of glycemic peaks partly due to pre-race stress. In the case of hyperglycemia you will find yourself having soft legs, out of breath and dizzy after a few meters from the start. Take a pre-race preparation or a waiting drink 1h-1h15 before the start

3. ISOLATE YOURSELF A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE START

Find a quiet place, mentally review the race, the strategy you have prepared, what you will do at the refreshment points, where you will meet assistance. Breathe deeply keeping your eyes closed and relax focusing on the different parts of the body.

4. CONSIDER THE FIRST HOUR OF COMPETITION AS A WARM-UP

For Ultra Trails over 60km,  it is not necessary to warm up before the start, unless you aim for the top positions in the standings. Leave calmly, keep a pace that would allow you to speak without breathlessness. Don’t worry about how many athletes pass you, you usually find many from km 40 onwards…..

5. EAT AND HYDRATE YOURSELF CORRECTLY FROM THE BEGINNING.

Don’t wait until you are thirsty because it would be too late or to experience energy drops to eat food. You must have a well-defined strategy of continuous integration, take a sip every 20-25′.

Would you like to know if you are feeding yourself correctly during training and competitions? With the GLYCOGENOUS TEST, the nutritional test for professional trail running athletes, you can do it. You can discover your energy consumptions in real time. Click on GLYCOGENOUS TEST

Related posts:

3 appuntamentoDRINKING AT THE REFRESHMENT POINTS OF A RACE, WHAT IS BEST calcium 1CALCIUM IS A GREAT ALLY IN TRAIL RUNNERS DIET EnduranceENDURANCE AND PRE-WORKOUT MEAL

endurance nutrition, endurance nutrition, endurance ultra trail, endurance ultra trail, endurance ultra trail coaches, nutrition in trail running races, trail running, ultra trail races, ultra trail training plans

Cristina Tasselli

Digital Strategic Marketing Director - certified Innovation Manager - in multinational companies, she is still today the only Italian female athlete to have ran 900 km and 55,000m D+ in the mountains in a single stage race (Transpyrenea 2016, 3rd women overall). She counts numerous Podiums and international Victories on races over 100k. She holds a SNaQ CONI certification as a Trail Running Coach, Athletic Trainer and in Nutrition and Sports Supplementation. Since 2014 she is President and sports executive of innovative technology startups and companies, including Trail Running Movement and Digital Sport 360. She trains elite trail running athletes and she teaches in trail running coach certification courses. She is an author of sports articles on training, nutrition and supplementation in trail running and running, both in Italian and in English and Spanish. She manages relationships and collaborations with Federations and Race Organizers.
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