PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
By Dave Latourette

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to travel to a number or races and make some observations. One observation I have not been impressed with is the level many athletes are not prepared for an event! I’m not talking about physical preparation, but all the other things that encompass a triathlon event. These things don’t cost you money or energy they just take a little progressive thinking. Two of the biggest occurrences came from the World’s Toughest Half and from the Wildflower Half. The bottom line is this; we all spend a valuable amount of time, energy and money on our sport. Therefore, I believe it’s in our best interest to spend some time preparing ourselves, more than physically, to tackle these events.

My contemplation about this topic began at World’s Toughest Half in April of 2004 while supporting some of my athletes and friends. Before I left home I knew the potential for varying weather in Auburn Ca. I packed gear for all weather types so I could ride the course the day before and also be prepared for riding and watching on race day. I had encouraged the athletes I coach/consulted to pack the same way, and they did! They had a lot of gear with them, but they were all warm and dry when it came time for a cold, rainy, blustery race morning! The other extreme was the table full of athletes we sat next to at dinner the evening before the race. They didn’t know what to wear, how to wear it, if they packed it, where they could buy it, etc.! WOW … for me the decision, if I was racing, would have been pretty simple. (covers on the shoes, knee warmers, shorts, long sleeve jersey w/ tri top underneath)

Part 2 of this started after hearing stories about athletes who participated in the Wildflower events. Wildflower is known for its’ typically hot, dusty, (well, I guess it rained a little in 2003?) hard race with sometimes not well stocked aid stations. What’s interesting is people come back and are disappointed about the same things that happen there year after year. They go back the following year and don’t do anything differently to adapt and improve. I’ve spoken to a number of people and only a couple relished in what was happening, adapted to the situation and displayed the feeling of a “good experience” when the dust settled. (sorry, I couldn’t resist) The stories didn’t stop there as I continued to see similar mistakes through the year!

iIn retrospect to all this, here are some things that help me, and consequently my athletes, prepare for varying weather, conditions, terrain, and situations.|

• Know the geography and weather of the area you are going to be racing in. We knew Auburn Ca. had elevations from 1000 to 3000 feet with lot’s of climbing and descending on the bike course (this means potential weather variances, which means layers of clothing including arm warmers, leg warmers, vests and other items easy to put on or remove).
  
• Know the course. Swim it, ride it, run it, drive it, talk to someone knowledgeable about it and make your race plan based on that information. I feel it’s a responsibility of mine to provide as much information to my athletes as possible and feel I do just that. If you have a coach and they don’t help you do this, you might have to ask! If you are self coached I’m sure you can find good resources.
  
• Know the history of the event. If you have raced a particular venue in the past this is a simple task. If not, talk to reliable people who have and get a feel for it. I have never raced Wildflower but know the history. Therefore, I would prepare for hot, nasty weather with under stocked aid stations, anything better is a bonus.
  
• Train in all types of weather. Take the opportunity to train in “not so perfect” weather once in awhile. This should allow you to at least stand on the start line on race day in abnormal conditions, say “been there, done that” and alleviate the stress that other athletes might be carrying with them. Training in variable weather conditions also allows you to know exactly what type of clothing you need in good and bad weather.
  
• Be flexible. A successful athlete should be prepared for the worst, yet hope for the best. Before an event you should know how you are going to handle the weather if it gets hot, cold, rainy, or if the aid stations have warm fluids or no fluid. The key here? Everybody is in the same situation and the person that figures out how to deal with adversity the best, in most cases, has the best race experience.
  
• Pack the kitchen sink. OK, maybe everything but the kitchen sink. I’m certain the only race I haven’t packed arm & leg warmers for is the Hawaii Ironman. Every race I pack arm warmers, leg warmers, a rain jacket, vest, gloves, hat(s) and the list goes on. Oh, and always pack your wetsuit unless the race says wetsuits are illegal. I’ve seen swim temperatures change dramatically overnight leaving athletes panicking about the situation.
  
• www.weather.com – During race week I visit the site every day, more then I care to count! Even though “meteorologists” aren’t great at being correct for long term forecasts, they will give you an idea of weather patterns and possibilities. Heck, most of the sites and weather folk can predict what the weather will be 12-24 hours before the event!

Anyhow, I hope I’ve made my point. As previously stated, you (we) all invest a lot of time, money, energy, emotion, by choosing this sport and lifestyle. I think it only makes sense to gather information and use that information to protect our investment. I believe one of my athletes may have been on to something when he said I could do “this” as a service. By “this”, he was referring to course and weather reconnaissance and selling the information at each race, hmmm. Wow, I could have made a killing at the dinner table in Auburn!

Until next time; remember to train smart, rest wisely, eat your vegetables, do your homework and protect your investment. OH, and like I say in these parts … “it’s Go Time!”