Question Time

Here we go, three weeks today, the count down is on for Busso.

Been having a lot of "race prep" type conversations with athletes this week.

"Where do I get my wetsuit fixed?"
"How do bike aid stations work?"
"Why do I feel so tired?"
"What spares should I carry?"
"How do day bags work?"
"How early should I arrive in transition on race morning?"

The list of questions goes on.

And I love them.

I like these questions for a couple of reasons. Firstly, giving this sort of advice and information is one of the things I like most about coaching. I love having these chats. The "how does this work" sort of thing. I like to talk. A lot. And these kinds of topics are the sort of thing I like talking about. Set me off talking about a topic I enjoy. Heaven.

More importantly though, I want my athletes to be prepared. For me, the best kind of race day is a boring one, where the athlete is ready for anything that happens. They have asked all the questions, they know everything they need and all they need to do is go and execute. Race day shouldn't hold any surprises.

I try and prepare my athletes well in advance of race day in terms of pacing, nutrition, gear selection, all the usual things. These aren't the sorts of details you want to be figuring out 3 weeks out. However, a race is made up of 1000s of small details and you never quite know what one athlete to another doesn't know. I find that the best way to find these things out is to simply talk about them. You quickly get a feel for each athlete's level of experience and what details they might be lacking.

These chats, and the questions that follow, can be a great way to uncover those little nuggets that make a good day into a great day. In the end preparation makes perfect.