Dave Murry's Le Mans Journal
Submission #2
"Get Thee to A Clinic"
Once I found out that I was hired, Porsche sent me to Willie Dungl's clinic in Vienna, Austria. Niki Lauda had Willie Dungl help prepare him for Formula One, and since then so have a lot of other F1 drivers. I spent two days there with Stefan Johansson, Bob Wollek, and Pierre Raphanel.
They did a lot of tests, including having us ride a stationary bike while they draw blood every 2 minutes...until you drop! (It's to see when you go from aerobic to anaerobic.) They also checked our body fat content by having us step on what looked like a bathroom scale with flat electrodes that sent electrical currents through our bodies (you couldn't feel it, thank goodness). Mine was at 8%. To test sensory perception, we did this exercise where lights light up and tones sound. You push the button or foot pedal that corresponds with the light or sound. Nintendo it's not, but it was still pretty interesting. To keep in shape, I've been running a lot, as I do before Daytona.
Then, they checked things like breathing and flexibility. In the confined quarters of a race car cockpit, it's important to stay loose so you can react instantly and not cramp up over long stretches of time. We had a class that taught us exercises for stretching and increasing flexibility - somewhat like the exercise TV shows on Saturday mornings. Best of all, we were privy to a massage anytime we liked. During the race, the team will have two massage therapists standing by. Nice touch. Literally.
Of course, nutrition is also important, so we learned what to eat and drink - mostly carbohydrates, some protein and a little fat. Willie Dungl will be at the race to prepare foods designed to optimize our performance levels...with some help from special additives and a lot of fiber. And I don't have to tell you what that does to you. A pair of drivers will share one motor home during the race. Given our diet, that could be dangerous.
Sincerely,
Photos courtesy of www.cyberspeedmedia.com
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