**The Saturday race is provincial championships, I’m aiming to make the podium in my AG for that. Sunday’s half-iron is a race I’ve done probably eight times in the past, so my goal for that one is more fluid and more in the “beat a buddy” range.// **
Ok good. So with that in mind, you need to just go all out in the swim/bike of day 1, and then really, I mean really, monitor your position in the run. Take it out on the conservative side and hold a steady race pace, and just see where your comp is stacking up. If half way through you find yourself locked into either a battle to catch someone, or hold someone off, then just go for it. But once you know your place is locked in, and that could be at 3 miles in really, just soft run and hold that place. Hopefully there are out and backs where you can assess your position relative to your comp, but otherwise use a friend or family member to get you some splits. This requires a real heads up approach, like getting race numbers of the few you will be competing with, and making sure your support knows those folks too.
Best case scenario for you is you got your podium spot, guys up the road are too far and too fast to catch, and no one really close behind. Not having to go balls to the wall on those last miles, even last mile really, can make such a difference in how you recover and feel the next day. Also going into the run with a negative split attitude can help a lot. Not only gets you your fastest run usually, but the least intrusive on how you are going to feel the next day…
You got good nutrition advice, get a medium massage if you can, if not find a hot tum and use the jets to flush out what you can. Hit the Advil or aspirin right after the race, and continue to the morning the next day. Get good sleep if you can, and eat the meal that really suits you night before races. For me it is a super fatty Mexican meal, lots of rice, beans, cheese with all that grease that floats on top of it. For breakfast I would opt for the shakes that are around, I just use the old peoples food Insure. Usually drink a couple/few of those, and then hit a couple gels just before the swim. Keeps the stomach light and mostly empty, then do your normal 1/2 nutrition plan…
And of course you can kind of practice this in workouts, back to back days, but nothing is really going to simulate all out racing. Just keep in mind that it is the run that screws you, so being really fit there and hill fit too is your best prep for this… Have fun, let us know how you do…
Thanks for the advice. I agree that the run is the part that will make or break Sunday’s race in particular. I have occasionally done back to back days of hard cycling sessions but I don’t ever run hard two days in a row.