
As a coach – I fully encourage athletes to plan for some B races to allow them
- Practice key race skills e.g. open water pack swimming, transitions, pacing etc in a realistic environment
- Make and learn from mistakes without risking the A goal
- Have fun!
So for me depending on the race distance – I would recommend the following amendments to your plan to allow for adequate taper/recovery
- Sprint distance:
2-3 days taper [light sessions only with one short equipment test brick],
2 days post race recovery
- Olympic/international distance:
4-5 days taper [Short/sharp sessions only with one moderate equipment test brick -10km bike/3km brick run],
3-4 post race recovery including 1 x recovery swim and either recovery 6km/40km recovery bike
- 70.3:
7 days taper [Easy moderate sessions only with one light equipment test brick -20km bike/5km brick run],
7-8 post race recovery including 3 x recovery swim and 2 x recovery 8km + 2x 40km recovery bike