I have read that many pros don’t use caffeine for a week or so before a race. I don’t drink coffee but I do drink diet coke. and use no explode before lifting and tri training. I’m racing ST. Anthony’s this week and thought I would give the no caffeine thing a try. I am just a couple of days in and i feel like I have the flu or something. I have zero energy. Is this normal?
In my n=1 experience yes; I feel like absolute crap for the first 7-8 days after I cut the caffeine off. After that I feel approximately “normal” with no caffeine.
I have had success with just reducing the amount. No mid day caffine 7-10 days before race. I just can’t do no coffee in the am. Then a little caffine toward the middle of the bike and grab all the cola I can on the run. Works for me.
Thanks for the reply. I hope I feel normal after a mega dose of caffeine race morning
Studies show that caffeine provides the same benefit to caffeine users as well as non-caffeine users. Therefore cutting caffeine will just make you feel like crap, and won’t be more beneficial then cutting it out for a week.
So go ahead and have your morning coffee, why feel like crap the week leading into race week?
I think that there is said to be 2 possible benefits from caffine on race-day.
Firstly it gets you awake and ready for action from the start and also acts as a pick-me-up later in the day. You may find that this effect is not so noticeable if you have taken caffine leading up to race day. I often find that however early a race starts and however little sleep I have had the night before, the prospect of the race in my mind usually ensures that I am not half asleep come the start.
Secondly, caffine is supposed to alter the fat/carb-burning ratios which may assist with better endurance, as you may be less likely to bonk if more energy is being produced from fat stores rather than your relatively small carb store. It is often said that this effect of caffine use is not greatly (or at all?) reduced by caffine use leading up to race day.
I try to back off of caffine as much as I can in the week leading up to a race, but will still probably have a normal coffee once a day (usually in the morning) and I’ll try and use decaf when I get the urge later in the day. Wouldn’t like to say if it actually has any noticeable effect on me or not.
Andy G