what do you do to prepare for a race? mentally or physically

[NXLVL]

im not talking about paddle, paddle, paddle, up wind, down wind, etc.. im talking about an individual ritual that separates you from another racer. it could be pre-race or a training routine. id like to hear your own unique racing behavior before, during, or after any kind of race that you participate in.

[PonoBill]

Drink a lot of red wine and smoke some nice cigars. That's what we did before the first CBCC.

Other than that, nothing much. When the horn goes off you paddle harder than you expected to. Races are weird like that. Its a really good idea to get all the detail stuff done (entry, board and pack prep, etc.) well before you expect to need to. More than once I've seen races start early. You don't need the stress

[venice mace]

i don't train or paddle the day before a race.  carbo load the day before.

[J.Riggs]

I made the mistake of trying one of those gel packs before a Maliko race. I'd never used the gel packs before. My stomach was turning during the race and felt like I was going to get sick at the finish. So now I just treat race day like training days. Don't try anything on race day that you haven't been using during training.

[greatdane]

Espresso... lot's of espresso... oh, that's every day

[WB_BB]

I think that it is like training for any type of athletic event. Develop a regiment and stick to that during your training period, then in the final days ,about a week, before the race get one dry run in and then really tone down your training and just do basic paddling to keep the heart rate up up until the race. I would take off the day or two days before the race depending on length and how serious you are.

As Jeremy suggested do not try anything on race day that your body is not use to having or you could really regret it.
Hope that helps

[NXLVL]

Espresso... lot's of espresso... oh, that's every day

oh i do that! but i makes me shyot fast, not paddle fast!

[Ronan "Doc Jacobs"]

I eat carbs 3 hours before, and during the race, dry fruit like pineapple or prune(avoid apricot). I drink rehydratation solution (from my camelbak), usually every 1/4h. But I'd like to find something to carry around my waist better than carrying that camelbak, to free the shoulders.
Any suggestions?

[JonathanC]

Hi Ronan,

I have a Camelbak lumbar pack and prefer it to the regular backpack style for paddling. Its only 1.2 litres but also has a good pocket for snacks, phone camera.

I don't bother with tying the tube to my upper body, just let it hang down from the pack.

I'm doing a 24k race in about a week and planning to wear both the lumbar pack and the backpack style to give myself 3 litres.

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/CamelBak-FlashFlo-Lumbar-Pack-170cu-in/CAM0153M.html

[greatdane]

I just put my Camel Bak bladder in a fanny pack and the drinking tube hangs around my neck from an adjustable cord.  Works great... no chaffing from shoulder straps and the tube is only about 6 " from my mouth the whole time.

[PonoBill]

I go back and forth between a camelback fanny pack and a North Woods hydratiion pack. I find the slim North woods pack rides best of all the packs I've tried, the hose holder is magnetic so you can just stab the hose at your chest and it sticks, likewise just pull to get it to your mouth. the chest buckle is a whistle, the waist buckle is designed to clip blind (splayed receiver buckle) and the pockets drain instantly if you fall in and crawl back on your board.

Best I've found for paddling

The fanny packs are comfortable and keep weight low, but don't hold much and you need a separate holder for you music. I find in a pack I don't need headphones. I just stuff my iphone in a waterproof back and let it play over it's internal speakers. High in a pack the 3GS seems as loud as many portable radios. In the lumbar pack I can't hear it as well.

[greatdane]

I put either a 70 or 100 oz. bladder in my fanny pack, no problem.  More than enough H2O for a 13 miler.

The North Woods Pack sounds cool... what does the magnetic tube holder stick to... something in the chest harness?  Or... a pace maker?

[NXLVL]

my fault! should have made the subject," what kind of fanny pack do you prefer?" just kidding guys, love the input.

[PonoBill]

In my case I have steel everywhere so I can stick it where I like, but it has a steel disk on the chest strap.