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PREPPING FOR THE RACE
Jerry Seah, a Triathlon Association of Singapore coach, gives some advice on getting your kids geared up for the cycle-and-run event:
TRAINING
- Explain the process to your children: They start with cycling, and then transit to running.
- Train your kids twice a week, keeping each session to an hour.
- Get them to do a combination of short and long distance training for both running and cycling. The short distance is for improving speed, while the long distance is for training up their endurance. For example:
- Short distance: 4 x 100m and 4 x 25m.
- Long distance: start with 1 x 100m, then increase gradually to 1 x 200m, 1 x 400m and 1 x 500m.
- Teach your kids to pace themselves - they should dash only towards the end. Do running drills like kickbacks and knee lifts to improve agility. Remind them to take deep breaths too.
- While cycling, observe road safety. Your kids should keep to the left and overtake on the right. Show them how to signal and manoeuvre the bicycle.
ON THE DAY
- Make sure your kids take it easy 24 hours before the race. They should reserve their energy and get sufficient rest - approximately eight hours of sleep.
- Ask your kids to drink lots of water. Their urine will sport a clear colour if their bodies are hydrated.
- For breakfast, prepare food that is rich in carbohydrates, such as bread. Get them to take the meal at least an hour before the race, so it will have time to be digested and not slow them down.
- Ensure that your kids' sports clothes, shoes and accessories are in good working condition. Advise them to wear a cap so they can shield themselves from the heat.
- Remind your kids to inform the nearest official if they feel unwell during the race.
- After the race, get your kids to drink water and walk around slowly. Wind down with streching exercises to loosen the muscles.
SAY CHEESE
Include cheese to ensure a balanced diet so your kids can enjoy physical activities like Young Parents Pedal 'n' Run. Dairy Products From France highlights the most important facts about the food:
- Cheeses contain a high amount of calcium, as they are essentially concentrated milk. Calcium helps to form strong bones and replenish bone mass that gets lost naturally through everyday physical activities.
- Cheeses contain proteins that are easier to digest as the proteins have been broken down during the ripening process. Proteins help to build and renew cells and tissues.
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