BEIJING, China — Laurent Dubreuil isn’t particularly superstitious, and the Lévis long-track speed skater will be relaxed before performing in the race, even if his pre-race routine is disrupted by health measures at the Olympics in Beijing. Beijing.
“If someone makes a good joke 30 or 40 minutes before a race and I’m not laughing, it means that I’m too stressed”, recently told Dubreuil, who kindly shared with The Canadian Press how he spends his 24 hours before a race.
Most long track speed skating events at the Olympics take place in the late afternoon in Beijing. The day before the competition, Dubreuil does not impose any particular restrictions at dinner.
“I think a lot of athletes are stricter than me when it comes to nutrition. I’m going to eat what I feel like, but make sure I have a complete meal, ”said Dubreuil, who however avoids dairy products due to an intolerance.
“Otherwise, I try to de-stress. Often you are less hungry when you are stressed. So by eating what I like, it gives me a chance to eat enough, added the 29-year-old athlete. Now is not the time to have a small meal because you need a lot of energy. »
Dubreuil therefore does not have a favorite meal and he notes that this is a good thing since the athletes are often at the mercy of the options available at the hotel cafeteria buffet during the World Cup, or at the Olympic Village in this this case.
Dubreuil’s most important meals before his 500 and 1000 meter races in Beijing are his dinners. If possible, he opts for pasta with meat, to replenish his energy. Dubreuil then eats snacks before his warm-up, and then between the warm-up and his race.
“I also make sure I’m well hydrated. It’s easy to forget to drink,” he noted.
In terms of his physical preparation, Dubreuil participates in tempo training the day before. He completes a timed 400 meter run the day before his 500 meter race, then spends the rest of the day relaxing in his hotel room, not thinking too much about his run the next day. He might visit the physiotherapist for a little treatment or a massage, “but not too much. You shouldn’t be too soft either, ”he stressed.
“In my bedroom, I try not to sit all day. It’s a plan to have a little back pain the next day, said Dubreuil. I’m going to lie down on the floor and relax. I go to listen to shows or play video games. I will speak with my family if the jet lag permits. »
It is usually in the evening that Dubreuil learns in which pair he will run the next day, the identity of his direct opponent and in which lane he will find himself.
“When I’m learning my pair, I focus for 15-20 minutes on how I’m going to attack the run, how I can use my opponent to have a better run, determine my plan and my route on the ice, explained Dubreuil. I write it down and send it to my coach. Writing it down helps me get it clear in my head and easier to remember the next day. »
Dubreuil does not then want to go to bed too early. He goes to bed around 11 p.m. and then gets up around 8 or 9 a.m. the next morning. Apart from another possible visit to the physiotherapist, he waits for the time to pass in his room before heading to the ice oval in the early afternoon for the warm-up on the ice, a few hours before the race.
It was only when he arrived on the ice about ten minutes before his race that Dubreuil entered into a slightly stricter routine.
“My last effort before my race is a four-second 100% moving start when I hit the ice. I spend the last 10 minutes relaxing. I also tighten my laces, said Dubreuil. Two minutes before the race, during the pair before mine, I sit next to the starting line. I look down and I mentally tame the pace of the person responsible for the start. Then I take off my warm-up jacket and pants and go to the line. »
It’s that attitude and routine that allowed Dubreuil to win eight medals in as many 500-metre events on the World Cup circuit this fall. If he is able to remain so relaxed in Beijing, Dubreuil has every reason to believe that he will be able to stand on the podium again on February 12 in the Olympic 500 meters.
