Everyone tells you what to do before and during a race, but what about in the hours that follow a big outing in your favourite tri-suit? Because, and especially if you have another race on the horizon, what you do in the immediate aftermath of a race can have a big impact on how well you recover and therefore perform in the days and weeks that follow.
Once you cross that finish line, it's really easy to throw all your usual discipline out of the window, and to immediately reach for the recovery beers. But by applying some simple strategies, you can still have a celebratory beverage and also feel tip top and ready to go again in just a few days.
Similar to your pre-race routine, getting your nutrition and hydration right can have a big impact; combine that with a few tricks and tips used by the seasoned elites, and you too can be recovering like a true pro...
10 WAYS TO RECOVER LIKE A PRO
Race recovery done right means you can jump back into full race fitness, ready to go again in no time. Here are Non Stanford's top pro tips to help you race strong all season...
01 USE THE 20MIN WINDOW
After a tough race there's a magic 20min recovery window where your metabolic rate is elevated. If you get your nutrition right you can capitalise on this and speed up muscle repair. You should be aiming for 200-300 calories in a mix of carbs and protein (roughy a 3:1 ratio). A recovery shake along with a banana is a great option as you can easily stash a sachet in your bag. Carbohydrates are the priority at this point as you're aiming to replenish your muscle glycogen stores; and while a little bit of protein is needed to begin the muscle-repair process, too much can hinder the body's ability to absorb carbs.
02 DON'T NEGLECT A COOL-DOWN
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Esta historia es de la edición September 2023 de 220 Triathlon.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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How to Carb Load - Packing your working cells with carbohydrates in the build-up to your big race is a proven strategy to race stronger and faster...
Whichever distance triathlon you're racing, the intensity and duration of your activity will see your body tap into its stores of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) to power your effort. While it's possible to top up your tank on the go, it's better to start your event with your stores full to the brim.
The Olympic Champion - On 31 July, Great Britain's Alex Yee put together arguably the greatest one-day performance we have ever seen at an Olympic Games to win gold. And we were there at the finish line to speak to tri's new poster boy...
The opening line of the race report read how 20 years on from New Zealand’s first and only Olympic triathlon gold medal, Hayden Wilde had put in a careerbest performance to regain the title for his nation. Then Alex Yee comes around the corner.Yee’s charge, seemingly from nowhere on the final lap of the 10km run in Paris, didn’t just help him become the most decorated Olympic male triathlete of all time, and didn’t just cap a rivalry that has been building for six years, it left seasoned watchers of swim, bike, run in awe. It will go down as one of the greatest triathlon races; Yee, still just 26, as one of the greatest triathletes. His medals from Paris added to the two from Tokyo, leaving his haul at two gold, a silver and a bronze, and counting.
"I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE GROWTH OF TRIATHLON"
British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels talks Paris, her plans to grow tri and her own personal goals... knees allowing
ZWIFT RIDE
£1,199.99 Zwift's new Ride is an indoor bike that might help you break your PB... but won't break the bank
PARIS SHOWED THE VALUE OF OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
With the spotlight on triathlon like never before at these Games, debutant athletes talked about being overwhelmed by the unique environment
GAMES AT THE GAMES
After watching and enjoying the Olympic triathlon events, Brunt amused himself by playing the 'guess how far into each event I would die' game...
WHERE EAGLES DARE
With little heat prep, the wrong gear choice and a course-recce mistake, would experienced extreme triathlete Sean McFarlane soar like an eagle or drop like a stone in Italy?
HOW TO INCREASE RUN PACE WHEN FATIGUED
The ability to dig deep in the latter stages of a race helped Alex Yee achieve Olympic gold. Here Ben, a member of Team GB's coaching staff in Paris, explains how you too can find that extra gear...
BUYER'S GUIDE: BIKE COMPUTERS
Log your rides, find your way and monitor your multisport training with a quartet of impressive bike computers...
POLAR GRIT X2 PRO
\"You can't be anything other than impressed with the GPS, whose design is one of the significant changes to the V3\"
