Personal Preparation Part II
Stretching & Comfort
You’re all cooped up, competition & cross country gliding, in general, involves sitting in the one position for between 3 and 6 hours. I saw many times, my father hoping out of his LS4 barely being able to walk. To get the maximum points or enjoyment out of your soaring, one must be comfortable and prepared. So how is your cockpit, comfort-wise? Generally, we can make ourselves comfortable for this length of time, but the lack of activity does take its toll on muscles and flexibility. So to avoid aches, pains & stiffness, a program of stretching should be commenced. Make the effort as it will be worthwhile. 5 to 10 minutes twice a day is sufficient, certainly, at the very least, just prior to hopping into the cockpit for the days soaring.
Naturally, you can spend some time on the ergonomics of your glider too. Purchasing the right parachute for your body (I personally will be buying a “Softie” next), thinking about what room you have available for your lunch & for your water, how you’ll store it and get to it, etc. Need lumber support? Why not use your canopy cover for that as an example. Confor Foam or memory foam is great for long term seating comfort, great crash protection too!
Nutrition
Eat the right foods for your body, plain and simple. Take note of the days you feel great and the days you feel sluggish, the days you’re thinking clearly and sharply, versus those other sort of days. Perhaps it’s something to do with both your daily activities or what you’ve eaten that day or the one prior. Naturally, we’re looking to keep our brains and bodies alert and excited for the long competition ahead. Keep a competition record of your eating patterns and learn from it for future championships, make every day count for something.
The 80/20 system works well. A balanced diet is recognized as 80% fruit or vegetables, 20% protein (meat). Generally, though, I find at least in my part of the world, it’s more like 30/70! As you could imagine, which I guess it’s not so obvious, is that most meats contain fat. While fat is high in energy, that energy is not readily available and is usually stored, which is not what we want. The result is simply a lower level of fitness, your brain not staying sharp when we need it to be focused. Quality decisions count in racing!
A well-balanced breakfast is a great way to start the day if you don’t already do so of course. My morning breakfasts are like this now (no James, not sausage rolls and a 750ml iced coffee anymore!), some fruit, cereal (low on sugar) an egg and bread, or toast. Balance this against eating less in the evening, and well before sleep time. Food eaten early in the day gets processed to be readily available as energy while food eaten at night is mostly stored, and can upset your sleep if eaten too late.
The problem at competitions is that it may not be possible to get anything but restaurant meals or fast food. With some care, even with these, it is possible to keep a balanced diet. It is essential that any change of diet does not cause irritations in your body, or upset the pattern you’ve developed for yourself. Of course, if you remember in my previous article, if you have a good level of fitness you will get through the two or three weeks of poor nutrition without difficulty. Naturally, though, plan ahead, take the creature comforts of home with you where possible.
Adam Woolley was born into the gliding world, being the 3rd generation in his family. Going solo at 15, his thirst for efficiency in soaring flight & quest for a world championship title to his name has never wavered. One big passion is sharing his experiences & joy with other glider pilots all around the world. Adam is an airline pilot in Japan on the B767 & spends his off time chasing summer around the globe. He has now won 7 national Championships & represented Australia at 5 WGC's & 1 EGC.
