Lockdown helped many people explore their fitness and now that races are starting to happen; for those keen to sign up, Kyle Buckingham shares his tips on how to prep for ultra races.
North West, South Africa (29 April 2021) – South African elite triathlete and Ironman Africa Champion, Kyle Buckingham, will be taking on the Sun City Ultra Triathlon this weekend. Due to Covid this will Kyle’s first race for 2021 and his first time racing the Ultra brand format.
Like Kyle, this race will be a first for many South Africans since the pandemic. Unlike Kyle, not everyone has the experience of taking part in these races. So Kyle has shared some of his top tips for anyone wanting to take part in ultra races.
“My training has gone very well for the last 2 to 3 months, and I honestly can’t wait to race again,” says Kyle. “My swim and cycle are feeling great, and I have put a lot of focus on my run for this race to be able to maintain a fast pace for the 21km route!”
Kyle shared some of his pre-race week race training tips with us for aspiring athletes:
- Race week is near, and its time to wind down the training and let all the hard work sink in before race day. It’s important to still activate the muscles in race week, by incorporating a few short but sharp efforts.
- Nutrition is key, getting in a clean source of carbohydrates especially 3 days before the race and incorporating good fats and protein is important. Don’t skimp on meals, as this is vital for a strong race where you can burn anywhere upwards of 5000 calories on race day. Sip on an electrolyte drink the week of the race, stay hydrated especially the day before the race and in the morning of the race.
- Obsess a little, double & even triple check your nutrition strategy and gear a few days before the race, as you don’t want to run around and be manic the day before the race.
- Make sure your bike in peak condition, clean, and that your tyres are in good condition.
- Eat at least 2/3 hrs before the race start so the food can settle in your body before the swim.
- Dress warmly on race morning if it’s cold.
- Do a warm up before jumping into the water, and this can even be with stretch cords or a short run with some 10 sec sprints to raise the heart rate a bit.
- Stick to your plan on race day on the swim/bike & run, as you don’t want your race to be ruined by getting distracted by other athletes.
- It’s been a while since most of us have raced, so have a fun day out there.
Are you taking part in any races this year? Let us know in the comment section.
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