Lauren Goss’ Pay Attention to Detail

Pay Attention to Detail—10 things that have helped me this season

• Swim with a group– swimming with a group keeps you from getting bored and from letting the mind wander. It is good to have a group of positive people to push you during swim workouts so that you can reach your maximum potential.
• Make sure every run has a purpose– I used to just “run”. I had no goal paces or HRs and I just ran for time. Now, I have been doing all of my runs on the treadmill at very specific paces that simulate racing. Now, going into races I am confident that I can run 10km at my goal time because I have already done it in training.
• Train with a power meter– Another way to feel prepared for a race is by training with a power meter. Training by “feel” is not accurate and cannot be carried over into racing. Now, going into a race, I know that I can hit a certain number of watts for 40km because I have done it already in training.
• Sleep-This season I have forced myself to get 8-9hr of sleep every night no matter what. I have not let myself go to sleep and wake up during the same day. (after midnight )
• Dial in nutrition– It is important to train with the exact same gels/drink mix/gummies/bars that you plan on using on race day. There is no reason that anyone should ever say they had stomach problems from nutrition. You must be prepared and know that what you are using works for you individually.
• Cut the alcohol- I cut out alcohol completely this season and I feel SO much better in training, racing, and just in life in general. It is amazing how much you don’t miss that evening glass of wine or beer after a long day of working out. I have substituted these things by rewarding myself with a chai latte or a smoothie.
• Think about everything that could go wrong on race day and have a back up plan-You can never be over-prepared. Always have spare tubes/tires, back up race suit, back up goggles, back up nutrition, flat kit, salt tabs for cramping, etc. Nerves often come from not feeling prepared. If you show up on race day with a back up plan then those nerves will go away.
• Study the course map and drive the bike/run course– As athletes, it is our responsibility to know the course. It is a good idea to drive the bike course the day before the race so that you can note any potholes, train tracks, sketchy turns, or elevation changes. Once again, it is better to know what is coming instead of seeing it for the first time while racing. I also like to ride the run course to make sure I know the turns so I do not skip or take a wrong turn.
• Take airborne and stay hydrated while traveling– The immune system is so depleted after a hard race and you are very susceptible to getting sick. I have started taking airborne and vitamin C on every flight to boost the immune system so that my chances of getting sick are decreased. I also pay attention to staying hydrated so that I do not feel fatigued.
• Massage/foam rolling– the body is only going to get older and more worn down. Maintenance is key in injury prevention. I see a massage therapist once a week and I foam roll/ use my Norma Tech every night to keep my legs loose and ready to perform the next day.

Lauren at Rev 3.

You can find out more information about Lauren Goss at her website http://laurengoss.com/home/