Even in Kerry, few Gaelic football players have left such an indelible mark following a long and successful inter-county career as Seamus Moynihan has. He has now taken up Adventure Racing on his door step in Killarney. With 4 All Ireland Football Medals, Seamus knows a thing or two about preparing for a big challenge.
SEAMUS TOP TIPS
1. Last week to get some Challenging training In: This is the last week where you can get one or 2 hard training sessions in. if possible, over next weekend try and get a hill run in followed by a cycle and another hill run in to reflect what you will be asking your body to do on the day of the race. From Sunday on, you should be on Wind down mode to make sure you and nice and fresh for the day of the event.
2. Get some Kayak Training: For those who are not used of Kayaking or for those who have never been out Kayaking before, it is vital that you organise one or 2 training sessions with someone who has experience rowing or using a kayak. This will be of major benefit to you on the day of the race.
3. Start planning your Food and Drink Intake. Ensure you have 2 full water bottles on your bike and you have a water supply for the second climb after the Kayak (either a back bladder or a carrier bag with a water bottle). Have plenty of energy gels, jaffa cakes, wine gums, glucose sweets, bananas and salt sachets in your carrier bag. With regard to the Energy gels, try and use the gels which you have been using in training. If you don’t like the gels, try the energy bars. Make sure you eat food that agrees with you and what has worked for you in the training leading up to the event.
4. Get your Bike Serviced: make sure you get the Bike serviced, a chain snapping or a burst tyre could destroy all the good time you made running up Strickeen. It is vital that if you don’t know how to fix a puncture, ask someone who knows to show you. A flat tube or a burst tyre is not the end of the world if you know how to change it – if you don’t well its game up. Always carry a spare tub and a to be safe fold and tie a spare tyre to your bike.
5. Be organised -Get your Gear in Order: You have 2 weeks to get your gear in order – make sure you have the correct foot wear for climbing and running, that you have the correct cycling shorts and your top has pockets in the back to carry your first aid kit and some food. You should write down a check list of all the gear you need for the event and tick off as you have in order, don’t leave this until the last minute as you will no doubt forget something.
6. Sort out those niggling Injuries: make sure you give yourself every fighting chance on the day of the event. If you have some minor injuries or if you are feeling stiff make sure you get in for some Physio work or get a massage – your body deserves this after all the hard work.
7. Stretch Stretch Stretch: if you cant get in for physio, make sure you stretch for 15 minutes every night stretching the main muscle types – calves, quads, groins, glutes. You have trained hard, make sure you stretch out those over trained muscle to keep them nice and supple. You don’t want to pull or strain a tight muscle as this could put you out of the event or make it extremely tough for you.
8. Plenty of Rest: get plenty of sleep in over the next 2 weeks, your body needs plenty of sleep to recover from the hard training. Aim for 7 good hours sleep a night.
9. Eat Well: make sure you are getting plenty of complex carbs and protein into the body – your body needs to be well fuelled for this event so eat up. On the morning of the event try and eat something substantial 3 hours before you start. If you don’t you will run out of energy very fast and will hit the wall.
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