Katherine Legge is preparing to become the first woman to attempt The Double on Sunday, racing in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca Cola 600 on the same day.
Her ambition will test her fitness levels as much as her driving skills, and will see her undertake extreme measures in order to complete the entire distance.
Immediately after finishing the Indy 500, she will hop on a plane from Indianapolis to Charlotte, NC in order to make the start of her second race.
Speaking on Friday following the final Carb Day practice before the Indy 500, Legge discussed that she has not actually changed her physical routine much heading into the events, but has made plans for how race day will go.
“I’ve been drinking a lot of this new sports drink called Rip It, and I’m hoping it will get me through,” Legge said. “In all reality, nothing different.
“I have spoken to a few people about what I should be hydrating with in regards to like electrolytes and IVs and things like that. So I’m going to do an IV when I finish the 500 in the plane on the way to the 600.
“I might need one after the 600. I don’t know, I hope I don’t collapse.
“My biggest concern is how to get enough calories because it’s probably 2,500 calories just doing Indy, maybe more, and it’s another 3,000 calories plus in Charlotte. Which is a lot of energy that you’re expending that you need to put back in.
“I have to force myself to eat on the plane because once you get out of a race car after 500 miles, you don’t want to eat. You feel sick. It’s hot. It’s brutal.”
Preparation steps
Legge also revealed that she has had troubles travelling this past week, which has impacted her preparation steps.
She had planned to review historic races, talk with engineers on both teams, and spend time on the sim, all of which were limited by the time she had available.
“I think this week has been getting everything bad luck-wise out of the way early,” continued Legge.
“We had a disaster traveling back from New York City. It took us like a day and a half. Then this morning’s practice was — if it could have gone wrong, it did go wrong.
“Hopefully now we know, and we’re in the clear travel-wise, car-wise, all the things. Get it out of the way today.
“I wanted to sit down and watch last year’s 600 and last year’s 500 and switch between the two and get my head in the game and spend time with my engineers.
“I haven’t had that luxury, so it feels like we’re on our back foot a little bit.
“In all honesty, it’s not that much to do in Charlotte. I would have loved the opportunity to go over there and drive the sim again in preparation.
“Unfortunately, again, with travel and everything else, that didn’t happen. So we will do our best, and I don’t know when I’m going to get the chance now because we’ve got a pretty packed schedule.
“I’ll figure it out. It’s either that or sleeping. It’s preparation or sleep. So there’s got to be a compromise in there somewhere.”
Legge’s historic attempt takes place in two days, beginning with the 110th Indianapolis 500 at noon and the Coca Cola 600, taking place 430 miles away, at 6:00 PM.
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