How to select the right races for your head racing season. Ways to build up to the big race event. Improving race plans and race execution.
01:00 The big event is your focus. It's easy to choose the big event. But the season starts with smaller events.
If you are new to head racing choose local events you can do in a day trip. Choose those with uncomplicated courses and reliable water. More experienced racers choose races to help me perform better in your peak event.
3 things to consider when choosing your head races
04:00 Check the rowing regatta calendar to find events,
David Biddulph's rowing calendars, Regatta Central, Row2k, Rowit.nz, are other calendars for different countries.
Few people are good enough at racing to just do one big event - most of us need preparatory events to test ourselves out. Get a reminder about fitness, steering, race craft skills all need practice.
Work back from the date of your big event and get a race, a race simulation or private match every 2-3 weeks leading up to the big event.
Have something every 2-3 weeks. Marlene thinks every weekend is too much for her preference. Consider the time it takes to travel, load boats, get equipment to the event - it all takes planning. You can do simulated races too - doing a time trial at home is different from a regular practice outing.
Your recovery and age are also considerations if you choose to race every weekend.
09:30 Marlene chose low-key Maine races during summer for her comeback season. She raced 6 times just to get ready to go back to HOCR in the fall.
Make a list of what to do - improve the list as you practice different regattas in order to refine it. Create a trusted system that works for you. This takes a lot of stress off you because you have a reliable timetable.
Carlo Zezza Winning Head Races book
14:30 Create a simulated race at your home water.
Do a warm up, check over the boat. See if you can get another club to come and race against you.
Next time we talk about race plans. Think about your race, what are your strengths and improvement points? Build skills into your workouts - this is what the Faster Masters training programs include. Each workout has technique as well as workout recommendations.
After the summer racing regattas end, it's time to rest, reflect and plan the long distance races you want to do.
This episode explains how to organise the 3-4 month training block to suit your peak event and the training you need to do.
02:30 This Past Week - we had an article published on Ludum
https://ludum.com/blog/athlete-health-fitness/managing-your-training-in-masters-rowing/
First take the calendar and find the events you'd like to do. Select your peak event first - the big one. Your first race should be something local to where you live / train. You can row twice in one day and it should be low key and easy to travel to logistically.
14:00 Choosing your first race. The night before the race you may be nervous or excited. Practice sessions may be race simulations but they don't create this tension. Get your checklists sorted.
16:00 Spacing between races. Get 2-3 weeks between each race. Try to pick ones which dob't involve a lot of travel. Some people like to race the weekend before the peak event to kick off their training taper.
19:30 You can choose to race not at the peak event intensity e.g. rate limit your last race before the peak event.
23:00 How peaking works. The goal is to be fully rested before you race.
Super compensation is the principle of accumulated tiredness from a training period or block. The Taper period is reducing the volume of training. Maintain the frequency of training. The duration of sessions decreases over time. Your muscles start to recovery and replace muscle glycogen.
27:00 To tolerate pain you must be rested.
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