By: Jay Prasuhn<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starts can be daunting. Ask any experienced triathlete, and they will all agree: the most stress-inducing part of a race is the first five minutes. Sometimes, because of a rolling start or cold conditions, you don\u2019t even get to touch the water until a few minutes before the mass start or wave start. You have to jump into the water and go from zero to the heart-pounding chaos of full-speed racing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you get warmed up for this sort of effort? Quintana Roo pro Haley Chura has the answers. She\u2019s regularly first out of the water at any race she\u2019s at, and she was first out of the water at the 2022 IRONMAN World Championships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe key to a great start of the swim\u2014and really, the start of your race\u2014is being warmed up right from the start, both cardiovascularly and muscularly,\u201d Chura explained. \u201cSo an active warmup, and a few little tricks, are part of my plan.\u201d Chura gave us her top 5 pre-swim warm-up tips, so you can feel ready to go all-out on race day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI usually go for a jog,\u201d Chura said. \u201cNot too often for an IRONMAN\u2014that\u2019s going to be a long day, and I try not to add any extra running to a day with a marathon attached to it\u2014but for a half IRONMAN or shorter, I go for a 15-minute jog with a few 10-second pick-ups. For a sprint race, I\u2019ll do a 30-minute run. It helps get your heart rate up for that race start, so you\u2019re not starting cold. My rule is that the shorter the race, the longer the warmup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf the race start is cool\u2014and it quite often is\u2014wear warm clothes so you can build up a bit of a sweat. And it\u2019s really easy jogging. Like a 10-minute pace, with those little pickups being the thing to elevate your heart rate. Sometimes I\u2019ll do light squats and lunges to keep blood flowing. And again, keep it light and only do a few of any of those movements. Everything should be kept super easy. I\u2019m gonna emphasize it again: light, light, light.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a swimmer\u2019s bread and butter warm-up to wake up the muscle groups\u2014the deltoids, shoulders, and triceps\u2014that will literally pull you through your swim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo all those classic movements we see: arms criss-crossed back and forth, the arms thrown in an overhead circle to loosen the shoulder joints and surrounding muscles,\u201d Chura said. \u201cThey provide a little mobility to stretch and wake up the muscles. Do a few arm swings and shake out your arms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chura doesn\u2019t often bring stretch bands to a race venue and strap them around a light pole, but she recognizes their value. While she doesn\u2019t use stretch bands in her own routine, she recommends that athletes give them a try. Many athletes swear by bands, and they can help mobilize and activate key muscle groups, particularly if done in moderation. Part of dialing in your warm-up routine is experimenting in training to find what works best for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not someone who brings stretch cords to a race, but if you really like them, keep it to really light resistance,\u201d she said. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to make yourself sore with too much tension focused on any one muscle group.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wait, what? Putting on your wetsuit is a warm-up? Chura contends it is\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven putting on your wetsuit is a warm-up. You have to get it pulled up, and that takes a fair bit of effort,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it takes time to make sure it\u2019s fitting tight enough and snug with no gaps under the arms or in the crotch. I like to give myself five to 10 minutes to get the suit on. And if the air is cold, I\u2019ll get the suit on earlier to keep the heat in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chura\u2019s pro tip if it\u2019s still cold: warm the suit from the inside out\u2014just add warm water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf the water is going to be cold, I\u2019ll put water in the suit to start warming that layer of water that\u2019s going to be against your skin,\u201d she said. \u201cBring a thermal bottle full of warm water that you can pour right in and warm up right away. On a cold morning, it\u2019s pretty nice!\u201d With a bit of foresight, you\u2019ll be warm, comfortable, and ready before you even enter the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Socks? Why? The rationale is pretty simple: getting cold feet before a race is more than a metaphor. Warming up or waiting to get into the water with bare feet on cold, ice-cold sand, or cold, wet grass (brrrrr!) is unpleasant and potentially counterproductive. Just thinking about it sends a shiver down our spine. The solution? A pair of socks you can dispose of right before the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re probably not going to be able to warm up in your shoes,\u201d Chura explained, \u201cso I bring a pair of socks that keep my feet from feeling cold. Then I just peel them off and toss them as soon as I\u2019m called into the water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With these tips, there\u2019s no reason to go into the water cold. You\u2019re poised to start your race with your engine warmed up and ready to go. Hopefully, these 5 warm-up tips will help you achieve your next PR!\u00a0
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By: Jay Prasuhn Starts can be daunting. Ask any experienced triathlete, and they will all agree: the most stress-inducing part of a race is the first five minutes. Sometimes, because of a rolling start or cold conditions, you don\u2019t even get to touch the water until a few minutes before the mass start or wave […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":628,"featured_media":27831,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27830","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n