Race Tips for THE ROC England
BY Claire Holliman L3 BTF Coach, Total Tri Training
Race Nutrition
THE ROC England is a big endurance day out and you need to ensure you give your body the fuel it needs to perform.
Make a nutrition plan, I love a good spreadsheet & like to see clearly what nutrition I am going to use and when. I will detail out an hour by hour plan for each stage of the race, how many grams of carbs I am going to aim to get in and in what form. I find it useful to pop the nutrition for each stage in plastic bags & label pre swim/T1/Bike 1/T2/Mountain Run/T3/ Bike 2. It makes race morning prep much easier to manage. Think about the fuel your body is going to require to swim/bike/mountain ascent & descent/bike and final run. Ensuring that you fuel well on the bike leg out to T2 so that you start the Mountain run topped up and continue to top as you ascend, It is much easier to fuel on the way up the mountain as you are moving slower, remember once you reach the summit you still have 8.75km to go and the bike leg so you need to keep the carbs going in.
Kit Choices be prepared
There is a mandatory kit list for a reason! On a recent ROC England recce of Scafell Pike the weather in the valley on the first section of the run was hot and sunny and we were sheltered from the wind. It is really hard to imagine at this point how much the temperature can drop and the wind increase as you near the summit. I started my run recce in shorts and a vest and by the time I had reached the boulder field I had jacket, gloves and waterproof trousers on. Top Tip do not wait until you start to feel cold to pop on your extra layers. You can always take them off again as you warm up but if you get too cold it becomes really hard to get warm and to function efficiently. Always carry your mountain kit it is mandatory for a very good reason, and you will have a much more enjoyable run knowing that you can stay comfortable & warm should the weather change.
The run route & what to expect.
The trail run up to the Scaffel Pike summit is every bit as awe inspiring as the ROC Wales route. Both obviously take you up the mountains but the Scafell Pike route in my opinion a tougher run as it is longer at 17.5km’s than The Watkin Path at 12km but the ascent is similar with 906m for Scafell and 931m for Snowdon.
The run out from T2 along the valley is a mixture of grassy fields and then stony tracks which were more like riverbeds on the day we ran it due to the heavy rainfall the night before, so be prepared for wet feet from the off. These first few km’s allowed time for the legs to come good after the first bike leg, you then cross the footbridge and start the ascent. For me it was a hike all the way up, I am no mountain goat! There were a few sections across the top past Angle Tarn and on to Esk Hause where I was able to run. The terrain is technical in sections so you have to be 100% focused on your foot placement to be efficient over the ground during these. A little further on is where you will find yourself in a massive boulder field, pick your way through it and keep an eye out for the course marker flags and the safety Marshals who will be there to guide you. Once through the boulders it’s a short descent then onto the final scramble to the summit!
Then just turn around and re trace your steps!! If it’s clear, take the time to look up as the views are spectacular!
Claire Holliman
L3 BTF Coach, Total Tri Training
I have been immersed in the triathlon world since 2006, coaching since 2009 & over the years have raced across all distances from sprint to Ironman. My journey as a coach and athlete in this amazing sport has led me on a path towards exploring adventurous race routes and locations.
As a Coach I work with many athletes who want to take their triathlon journey off the beaten track, to push their boundaries & explore what is possible outside of the standard race formats and courses. This often requires a change of mindset and the ability to be open to learning new skills, new ways of managing the body and the mind to achieve their goals.
From a coaching point of view, I love it when an athlete comes to me with an exciting challenge & we work together to find the path to make it a reality.
THE ROC series of events tick the box providing iconic locations and environments to allow athletes to really see what they can achieve. For advice & tips around THE ROC please get in touch, drop me an email or arrange a call and I will be happy to answer questions around training and what to expect on race day. Claire@totaltritraining.com or DM me on Instagram @Time2trainClaire
I will also be available on Friday at registration to provide any last minute help, advice, tips for the race so please just come and have a chat!
Claire is a coach at Total Tri Training training partner of THE ROC
