Sleeping during the race

Managing sleep during an endurance race is always tricky. It will depend on how used you are to this kind of event and on your training programme, but also on how sensitive you are to sleep deprivation. Here are some tips on how to manage this on the UTMB.

The fundamental role of sleep

Ultra-endurance sports events lasting more than 24 hours impose sleep deprivation on athletes, which can lead to severe drowsiness associated with cognitive and motor problems, which can be significant. Yet sleep is fundamental for cognitive and sporting performance. It is already known in the scientific community that the relationship between sleep and performance is evident through the deterioration of cognitive functions under conditions of sleep deprivation and the observation of the recovery time required after endurance races such as the ultra trail. 

A strategy for sleep

It is not trivial to go running for two nights. It is therefore important to plan a sleep management strategy that is very different from events that involve only one night's running. Here are some general tips for building your sleep management before, during and after the race:

• Get as much sleep as possible in the weeks before the race
• Go into the race with a strategy based on your planned duration and experience.
• Sleep at night and in the early afternoon
• Sleep at low altitudes and in a quiet place
• Take naps of 10 to 20 minutes maximum and according to your needs
• Take naps early in the race on the first night
• Sleep after the race

For your sleep strategy, make a general plan according to the hours and experiment with it during your preparation phase. Once this is established, try not to deviate from it. If you have planned a nap at 9pm, don't take it at 10pm because of race considerations. Instead, try to stick to it. Finally, plan to take more naps on the second night, ideally not exceeding 3 hours without sleep. If you feel very sleepy during the race, don't hesitate to add a nap immediately, even if it means extending it to 30 minutes. In any case, if you are too sleep-deprived, your performance will suffer: it is better to stop to recharge your batteries. You can also read some information on the subject here.

After the race

Do not take your car straight back after the race. It is better to get a ride or to plan a recovery time before starting the race and to respect the driving rules provided by the road safety authorities (stop at least every 2 hours, take a nap in a rest area at the first signs of drowsiness). Ideally, after the race, you should spend some time recovering and stretching, have a good meal and, if possible, sleep for at least 5 hours before any other activity.