Hey dudes, any tips for doing a 6 day/leg race over around €160 Kms. Do I gun it at the start of each day?  Do I try at least aim to win half the legs?  I´ve never paddled that many days in a row and doing so many Km´s. Cheers

Sebastian, whereabouts unknown

This sounds like one of the 100 mile paddle races over here in the states. 100 miles over 6 days?  Totally doable if you want to do it. As long as you have your training in order and you are going into the race fit, here are a few things to keep in mind as the approach to multi-day races and events are a little different than single stage ultra endurance SUP races. Although there are many approaches to multi-day events this is what works for us:

1. You are always going to feel good on day 1. Your nervousness about the duration of the race, the fact that you have been training for it, and all the rest will translate into a high energy state. Don’t go all kid in a candy shop and kill it on the first day. Conversely, don’t fall off the pace and get too far behind but let someone else take day 1. Keep in the running but remember 6 days is a long time. Keep some in the tank because…..
2. You are going to feel your worst on day 2 and 3. It does not matter how much training you do, chances are that days 2 and 3 are going to hurt. I have done loads of adventure racing (and vacationing in Costa Rica) and endurance stage racing and the pattern for everyone on our teams is that days 2 and 3 hurt. You are going to have to get through them but getting back to #1, even if you are feeling great on day 1 you need to hold back so you can get through days 2 and 3.
3. Once you get through the first 3 days – it is game on.  This is your time to win some stages. See how you feel. Go hard if you want. Hold back if you want. What you are going to find is that your fitness might IMPROVE once you get to day 4,5, and 6. There are a lot of theories why this happens but as they say in other sports “your fitness will come around.”
4. What you do during the race probably wont make or break you unless you are way over your head with regard to your competition. What is going to make or break you without fail is 1) your nutrition and 2) how you handle your recovery between stages.

• Plan your nutrition based on a plan  you determine before the race. Do not wait until you are hungry. You are going to be tired of eating so much carbs by the end of a few days and you might not want to eat. Deal with it. See the nutrition chapter in our book for more information
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate when you are not racing. Carry a water bottle with you and be sure you pee clear every night. Beers with the boys wont help.
• Get off your legs between stages. Chill. Relax. Recover.
• Consider wearing compression on your legs at night. Although the evidence for the value of compression garments is anecdotal, when it comes to recovery, loads of athletes swear by them.

Roch