HOW TO PERFORM AT 100% of YOUR TRACK ABILITY
By
Coach Steve Silvey
Texas Tech University
Do YOU understand how to get 100%+ from your body? Here are a few tips to help you.
- Hydrating properly means using the restroom a minimum of every 45 minutes to an hour, then you not hydrated properly. (100+ oz. of fluids every day accomplishes this.)
- Don’t let cool weather fool you! Even on cool days it is important to drink 100 ounces of fluid a day.
- On the day of the meet stay away from fried or greasy foods and the following meats such as: ANY FORM OF BEEF, Bacon, Sausage, etc.
- Bananas ARE your friend and a MUST for everyday. Each morning eat 1-2 bananas. Potassium is found in bananas. It is a mineral that assists in muscle contraction and in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in body cells. Potassium is also important in sending nerve impulses as well as releasing energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates during metabolism. If you can’t eat bananas then it is VITAL that you take some Phosphate Plus Tablets. This helps your muscles to stay loose & limber!
- You need electrolytes in the body. Electrolytes are important because they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. Your kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in your blood constant despite changes in your body. For example, when you exercise heavily, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant. So, many sports drinks have sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them. They also have sugar and flavorings to provide your body with extra energy and to make the drink taste better. So drink 1/2 bottle of “Pedalyte” 1-2 hours prior to your race and 1/2 of the bottle prior to your second event.
- A great warm-up is the key! Too many athletes do a very poor job and end of running a sub-par race because your engine was never properly warmed-up. Start your warm-up 1 hour prior to your event.
- Always do 5 stride build-ups of 60 meters, 15-20 minutes prior to your event. Progression for the stride build-ups should be as follows (60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%). The last stride should be as fast as anything in your race!
- In cool weather, add an additional 15-20 minutes to your warm-up time. In other words of starting 1 hour prior, you start 1 hour 15-20 minutes prior.
- In cool weather wear spandex half-tights and/or a spandex top under your jersey. only tights in practice.
- How do you know if you have “warmed up” properly… by your sweat! If you have done your proper “warm-up”, you will be sweating prior to the EVEN in cool weather!
- 1200 meters of jogging
- 20 minutes of Static Stretching or 20 minute of Stretch-Rite Belt
- Dynamic Flexibility Drills
- Hurdle/Rhythm Drills (Side Skips, Walk-Overs, Over-Unders, A, B, C skips)
- Sprint Drills (6-8 Drills of your choice)
- 5 x 60 meter Stride Build-Ups (60%. 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%)
- “Positive” Mental Imagery Prior to the Race- wipe everyone and everything from your mind. Now visualize your best time or best race – how did it feel at the start, over the hurdle or around each curve? When did you “kick in”? What did that feel like? How did it feel like when you crossed the finish? Now visualize it again! Be ready, FOCUS and have fun running the best you have ever ran!