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Last minute Dos and Don'ts for the Keskinada
By:  Team XCOttawa   (2005/02/18)

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DO... eat a substantially breakfast.
DON'T... stuff yourself to the point of feeling bloated.

DO... remember the things learned in training.
DON'T... try anything new during the race. (New skis, new boots, new socks, new drink, new food.)

DO... wear a light toque if it's warm.
DON'T... cut your hair the day before the race. (I once got a hair cut 3 days before a race that was run at -15C. My hands and feet never get cold while racing, but on race day I froze even though I wore all my usual cold wether clothes.)

DON'T... forget to go to the bathroom before the start.
DO... bring a stash of toilet paper in your water bottle belt!

DON'T... wait until you're thirsty to have some of your sport drink,
DO... take small sips regularly..

DO... position your water bottle upside down in your holder so you
DON'T... get stuck with a frozen mouth piece...No use in luggin' around the extra weight if you can't even drink it!

DO... wear sunscreen.
DON'T... put it on your skis.

DO... ski strong but calm once the start gun goes.
DON'T... be overly aggressive or impatient with the tightly packed skiers around you - save your energy for later on in the race when you need it. Broken equipment or crashes are no fun for anyone!

DO... pay attention to your waxing, it can make a HUGE difference with every stride! (And you'll be taking a lot of strides in a 25k or 50k race.
DON'T... forget to check www.xcottawa.ca for some up to date wax tips.

DO... invite friends and family to come out and cheer along the course.
DON'T... forget to encourage them to come out and race next year!

DO... expect some mild contact with others in the starting 500m of the race.
DON'T... lose your head about this, remember there's still 49.5km to go. You'll make better decisions with relaxed frame of mind.

DO... check your ski speed with others around you during the race,
DON'T... "show it off" too early before the finish.

DO... take advantage of the feed stations if you don't have your own supply of food and drink. Have a look at the course map beforehand to figure out where these are.
DON'T... forget to thank the volunteers!

DO... focus on your technique so you'll get more speed with less effort.
DON'T... forget to have fun!

DO... smile at the volunteers at the feedstations.
DON'T... forget your feed.

DON'T... hammer Pink's.
DO... sprint at the finish.

DON'T... forget your binder for the 50K Classic.
DO... remember your bib.

DO... talk it up with old ski buddies at the start area.
DON'T... miss the gun.

DO... have a plan of how you're going to distribute your energy through out the race.
DON'T... bonk!

 
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