What Should You Do Before You Compete?

You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up to that.     
Michael Jordan

With my first indoor track meet of the year coming up I thought it to be wise to share some of the things that I think help me tremendously with the week coming up to a competition or event. 

Get Good Sleep

One of the biggest things that I think a lot of people pass by is getting enough rest. For those who have busy lives and for those who want to compete, sleep is the number one benefit that we can all get by simply going to bed at a decent time. I have a pretty strict daily routine so I usually get a minimum of seven hours of sleep. Keep in mind that everyone has a different body and needs different hours sleep, however, for the body to function at a high enough level to compete most experts recommend getting at least eight hours the night before the event and at least 7 hours with the days leading up to it. 

Eating Good Food

This one is a little bit harder to do and sometimes I struggle with this one having the busy life I have. However, eating quality food allows our bodies to produce energy and recover over time. If you looking at be at top performance going into a race or an event than you might want to watch what you are eating. The days before you want to keep away from fatty items and processed sugars. Two days before is when the experts say you should carb load on floury carbs such as pasta. You don’t want to do this the day before because you want your body to have time to digest and use the carbs that you have eaten. The day before you want to stick to lean proteins and vegetables. The day of your event you want to eat a good breakfast at least 3 hours before your events start time. If there is a long time between your breakfast and your event stick to small things that boost your energy such as small fruits and granola bars. 

Take Quality Rests In Workouts

Something that a lot of athletes pass by while trying to get everything in before the big event is taking quality rests in workouts. I know that everyone wants to do well in their race or event, but taking good rests in your workouts will keep your muscles from getting sore and weak of the week or days before your event.

Final Words

These are the few things that I always recommend to do on the week or days coming up to your event, race, or whatever you are competing in. I wish every a good season in what ever you are doing and hopefully this will help you achieve your goals.