Preparation for NUSBiathlon
Dex Cheong, Faculty of Science, Yr 3, TeamNUS Aquathlon
The NUS Biathlon is an annual event held within the premises of NUS, which comprises of
an 800m-pool swim and a 5km run around campus. This is commonly known as a sprint biathlon, different from a standard 1500m swim and 10km run biathlon. A shorter race will cater to the aim of the NUS Biathlon, which is to promote sporting involvement within the NUS community. For most participants, it is a chance to try out swimming and running back to back as compared to a typical swim/run race. For the teamNUS Aquathlon team, this event is one of the tertiary competitions that we havealways aimed to excel in.
TRAINING AND SUFFICIENT REST
As a member of teamNUS Aquathlon, my teammates and I have been preparing for this race for almost 4 months now. Now, a week before the race, we have started to taper our training. To taper simply means to reduce both mileage and intensity of the trainings while giving your body more rest so as to feel your best during the race. If you have been swimming or running 4-5 times a week, you should cut down to 2-3 times during race week.
CHANGE UP! – FOCUS ON YOUR TRANSITION
An important part of a biathlon race that is neglected by many, is the transition from swim to run. Many make the mistake of fumbling within the transition area or taking to long to transit, thus wasting precious time. If you have not practiced your transition at all, do put in a couple of practice sessions before the race. Visualize the entire transition process and knowing the sequence of events to follow. Here are some pointers:
Before the race, set up your transition area and know exactly where it is from the swim end.
After the swim, remove your goggles and swim cap as you head to transition.
Put on your running top and shorts (if any).
Wear your shoes and head off for the run. For an easier slip-on, use locklaces instead of normal laces.
KNOW YOUR RACE ROUTE (click to view the route)
In order to be more prepared for your race, it is also crucial that you know the race route well. This will include knowing the swim start/end, the number of laps you will need to swim, the run route and finally the finishing line. This will help you mentally prepare for the race as you can visualize the entire race unfolding. Too many times we have seen competitors get lost. Just a simple read up a week before, and you can avoid all these problems and have a good race.
EAT WELL, EAT PROPERLY!
Managing your nutrition is also a key part of race planning. Some of you may have heard of the term ‘carbo loading’,which basically means loading up on your carbohydrates a week or a few days prior to a race. For this biathlon, two days before will suffice. This is to ensure that your body is well supplied with glucose, which is your main source of energy. A point to note, do not try anything new on race day. If you have been eating cereal for breakfast, stick to it. Changing your diet on race day could lead to stomach upsets and unnecessary troubles.
ENJOY YOURSELF!
Last but not least, enjoy the race! The fun and thrill of the sport comes in doing it with your friends and the satisfaction you attain upon completing such an endurance event.
Preparation for NUSBiathlon
Sara Ng, Faculty of Law, Yr 2, TeamNUS Aquathlon
The tertiary invitational teams compete in an 800m swim and a 5km run for the NUS Biathlon. This being a sprint distance, speed and intensity are the main focus.
Training
For shorter races like this, I usually do a half-week taper, which is a reduction in training volume to allow the body to absorb the training from the last few weeks, and also to recover from it. With the race being on Saturday, I start reducing my training volume from Wednesday onwards. I do my usual trainings on Monday (tempo run in the morning and swim training in the evening) and Tuesday (run and strength work) and then keep to one session per day in the days before the race.
I keep my runs short but maintain a higher intensity, throwing in some sprints and striding and hill work after each run. As for the swim, I generally follow my Coach’s training programme, doing high-intensity swim sets on Monday and Wednesday. Two days before the race, I do an easy swim and it is my pre-race ritual to do a 20-minute easy spin on the bike. I typically take a complete day rest before the race, so my training for the week ends on Thursday and I round it off with a sports massage session in the evening to release the muscle tension.
Diet
Another important thing is to eat well. I generally avoid fried food, sweets and refined carbohydrates and build my diet around whole grains, fruits and vegetables and lean protein. I pay special attention to my diet the week before a race – especially to preventing lactic acid build-up, which causes muscle soreness. I make it a point to take in more alkaline-based food. This means a lot of fruits and vegetables and staying away from red meat, which is highly acidic. Drinking lots of water is also important to flush out the acids and to stay hydrated.
On the day of the race, breakfast consists of a good mix of carbohydrates and protein. Don’t try anything new or take any food that you don’t normally take, for me. It is usually a bowl of cereal with soymilk and peanut butter toast. I also keep my fibre intake lower over the few days before the race to prevent any gastrointestinal issues during the race.
Rest and Recovery
I ensure that I get sufficient rest in the few days leading up to the race and at least 7 hours of rest on the night before the race.
Mental training helps as well– I usually run the race route many times until I am familiar with it. In the lead up to the race, I do a few sessions of visualization, where I mentally run through the route and decide how hard I will be going at each portion and how I should be feeling at that point of the race. This helps me plan exactly how I am going to approach the race.
At the start line of the race, the pressure comes off - be confident about the preparation and training that you have put in, and enjoy the race.
Training
For shorter races like this, I usually do a half-week taper, which is a reduction in training volume to allow the body to absorb the training from the last few weeks, and also to recover from it. With the race being on Saturday, I start reducing my training volume from Wednesday onwards. I do my usual trainings on Monday (tempo run in the morning and swim training in the evening) and Tuesday (run and strength work) and then keep to one session per day in the days before the race.
I keep my runs short but maintain a higher intensity, throwing in some sprints and striding and hill work after each run. As for the swim, I generally follow my Coach’s training programme, doing high-intensity swim sets on Monday and Wednesday. Two days before the race, I do an easy swim and it is my pre-race ritual to do a 20-minute easy spin on the bike. I typically take a complete day rest before the race, so my training for the week ends on Thursday and I round it off with a sports massage session in the evening to release the muscle tension.
Diet
Another important thing is to eat well. I generally avoid fried food, sweets and refined carbohydrates and build my diet around whole grains, fruits and vegetables and lean protein. I pay special attention to my diet the week before a race – especially to preventing lactic acid build-up, which causes muscle soreness. I make it a point to take in more alkaline-based food. This means a lot of fruits and vegetables and staying away from red meat, which is highly acidic. Drinking lots of water is also important to flush out the acids and to stay hydrated.
On the day of the race, breakfast consists of a good mix of carbohydrates and protein. Don’t try anything new or take any food that you don’t normally take, for me. It is usually a bowl of cereal with soymilk and peanut butter toast. I also keep my fibre intake lower over the few days before the race to prevent any gastrointestinal issues during the race.
Rest and Recovery
I ensure that I get sufficient rest in the few days leading up to the race and at least 7 hours of rest on the night before the race.
Mental training helps as well– I usually run the race route many times until I am familiar with it. In the lead up to the race, I do a few sessions of visualization, where I mentally run through the route and decide how hard I will be going at each portion and how I should be feeling at that point of the race. This helps me plan exactly how I am going to approach the race.
At the start line of the race, the pressure comes off - be confident about the preparation and training that you have put in, and enjoy the race.