I'm doing my first triathlon this weekend. Any good pointers?

Question

The race is at Lake Chelan, WA.

Answer 1

First of all, congrats on deciding to take up triathlons! Some advice I have gathered from my parents last few years of triathlon competition (I've never done one since I am only 15):

Be sure to make a list the day before the race of everything that you will need for pre-race (like a jacket and pants if it starts early), during the race (obvious things like a bike, water bottles, watch, swim cap, wetsuit if you have one, helmet, biking and running shoes, etc., as well as stuff like food you can carry in the back pockets on your bike jersey to eat on the road and dry socks for after the swim), post-race (like food, sports drinks and water, and dry clothes), and during transitions (such as a bucket and towel to wash your feet after the swim, marker so you can find your things, small stool for changing shoes if you want, and maybe an encouraging sign or note to yourself, lol). This will help take away some of the stress of race day, and also allow you to add more items to the list as you remember them.

During the race, remember hydration and nutrition, especially if it is a longer tri. The bike leg is the most important in terms of food and water, so don't neglect it, and do some quick research to find out what to pack for the ride (if nothing else, some packets of energy goo, such as Gu or Hammer brand, and energy bars, such as Clif brand, as long as you try them before the race to ensure that you can stomach them). Don't forget to drink plenty of water for 1-2 days before and after the race to stay hydrated, and eat high-carb meals like pasta and plenty of bananas to avoid muscle cramps the day before the race.

Practice your transitions a few times, even if you feel weird doing it out of the context of the race. It will help immensely by giving you confidence that you can do it with speed and relative ease!

Other than that, have a great race and good luck! Enjoy it, and whenever you feel ready to stop, think of the great feeling of accomplishment (not to mention - most likely - a free massage and free food after the race!) you will have when you finish. Your first tri should be more about the experience and the completion than the competition, so enjoy it. Hope your training will pay off! =)

Answer 2

Fistly, don't do too much the day before. Many people advise to eat a high carbohydrate meal the night before your race. Make sure you don't eat too much. Don't worry about not sleeping well as you've probably been sleeping well all week. Your nerves may not allow you to fall out as fast as you'd like.

Wake up at least 3 hours before the event to give your body time to be ready to race and to get in a small meal. Eat oatmeal with water only and a fruit. Depending on the length, you may want to eat more. If it's an ironman, be sure to get in about a 700-800 calorie breakfast as you'll need it. For a half ironman, i'd say like 500-700 and anything below that i'd say 500 or less depending on how YOU know your stomach will take it.

Make sure you have everything:

Towel
Goggles
Wetsuit (depending if it's allowed)
Swim cap (if not provided by race)
UV Protective lotion (waterproof is best)
Body glide or petrolium jelly - apply under your...uh...nuts or um.. area, your armpits, your ankles, around your neck where the shirt ends, and definitely your nipples(they rub on your shirt and can get soar after long distances of competing).

Bike (duh)
Helmet
Bike shoes
Socks
Spare tube
2 C2 cartriges and pump
Sun glasses
Water bottles (filled not empty REMEMBER TO FILL)
Gel shots or powerbar (choose your poison)
Number belt (race belt)

Running shoes
Running cap (protect from the sun)


Make sure you wear a cool matching outfit. It doesn't matter how slow yoru time is, as long as you finish looking pretty ;)

Go through the transition area from where you enter after the swim so you know where to look for your bike. You don't want to be the idiot that can't find his/her bike.

Drink water or sports drink at every aid station or every 10 minutes if no aid stations on the bike portion.

Make sure you have all your "stuff" laid out neatly at your transition area for easy use and availability.

I can't think of anythign else off the top of my head.

The most important thing to do is to have a great time and enjoy the scenery and the energy from the voluntees. Oh... remember to thank a volunteer or 2. Have a great time pigging out after the race and bring your family to cheer you on. You'll have a great time and you're going to get addicted and your spouse will hate it but love the fruits of your labor when they look at you.. well yes.. naked.LOL have fun, good luck.

Answer 3

Don't be so focused on winning. Make sure you stretch before the race begins to get loosened up. Make sure on the night before the triathlon to get lots of rest and eat a healthy breakfast. Drink enough water, but not too much water. Make sure you eat nuts and things with protein for breakfast, it gives you energy. Triathlons are about endurence and good health, not winning. Just remember that and you will be fine. Good luck :)

Answer 4

Everything will go by pretty quickly so just have fun. Show up early so that you have time to set up your transition area. The start is usually pretty chaotic for the swim and people will crowd around the buoys at turns. Make sure to look up every few strokes when you're swimming to make sure you are still going the right way.

The transition area will look different when you are racing so pick some kind marker to find your bike. Some people attach balloons to their stuff to find it easier. Drink water while you're on the bike, its the best time to hydrate and move at the same time. Remember to stay to the right except when you're passing people and just be aware of those around you.

During the run, remember that you are almost done and just run your pace. Your legs will be a little tired from the bike so don't be surprised if you feel like you're moving slower than normal. Just push yourself a little to get your legs going.

Have a great time and good luck!

Answer 5

For the next few days hydrate and take salt pills, you need to get the sodium level up in your body, also at every meal eat at least one banana, it raises the potassium level in your system and you will have less chance of muscle cramps. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each day and do your stretches each evening. Reduce your training hours the last three days, to build up your energy levels. Pace yourself on race day, and start increasing your speeds towards the middle of the race when your muscles have loosened out. I have done about five triathlons so far and this works for me. BTW, this was the advice given to me by my old college coach and it seems to have worked
Good luck

Answer 6

Drink lots of water before hand, and eat a meal high in carbohydrates the night before, like pasta or potatoes. For breakfast eat a bannana , the potassium is great to reduce muscle cramping. Get a good nights sleep. Good LucK

Answer 7

Drink ALOT of water before you start, and some gatorade too to replenish your electrolites. Remember, you have to pace yourself throughout the entire stretch. Don't waste all of your energy on just Swimming, biking or running, unless you are nearing the finish line, then, if you can, sprint to the finish line! I hope this helps!

Answer 8

i did the triathlon last year so i know all about it!!! here are some good pointers!!!!
wear your bathing suit underneath a pair of shorts
(it really helps)
remember to always tell yourself this thing i made up
im gonna win and not give up
(it really helps to think positive about the whole thing)!!!!!
and ABOVE ALL
just have fun with it and be yourself!!!!!
well, i hope the pointers helped!!!!!

Answer 9

you need lots of calories for energy (of course) eat pasta or other high carb foods the night before and right before the marathon drink orange juice, make sure you have plenty of water and food and show up early so you are not in a rush. Best of Luck

Answer 10

The best way to get ready for a big race is to totally rest early in the week of big race, then steadily build in the final three days before the race. For example for an Olympic dist race - Mon moderate, Tuesday hard workout (like 20k bike time trial), Wed easy, Thursday off, Friday moderate, Sat moderate with 10 minutes of pickups at race pace in each event (like 10 x 50 in pool, 10 min time trial on bike at race pace, 5 x 2 min at race pace running), Sunday race. Just like in the pool with workout sets, the best performances usually come after you proceed thru a few warmup sets and then head into the main set.

Nutrition
The old school approach of ‘carbo loading’ for a big race has rightfully been discarded and updated with advice to always eat a healthy, nutritious diet. Especially in the final weeks before a big event, it is helpful to cut back or eliminate some of your vices like sweets, junk food and caffeine and make efforts to eat clean, healthy, natural nutritious foods.

The day before the race I counsel athletes to eat a huge breakfast, a big lunch and a very, very small dinner. It is critical to get your muscles and your liver completely fueled by race morning, but just as critical to have digestive system light and empty when the gun goes off.

Here are some quick tips to help you improve your diet:

1) Increase awareness of junk food habit

· Eat plenty of fruit for dessert

· Notice when you are satisfied vs. idle snacking

2) Eat more healthy food throughout day

· Stimulates metabolism, regulates appetite

· Large balanced breakfast and lunch, healthy snacks

3) Shop exclusively at an alternative grocery like Whole Foods or Trader Joes. These stores do the homework for you!

· Discover healthy snacks to have around at all times

· Discover replacements for common foods that contain offensive ingredients

4) Eliminate BIG THREE offending foods from diet:

· Refined carbs – replace with whole grain products

· Hydrogenated fat – TOTAL elimination (deep fried, frozen, boxed junk food)

· Caffeine – Build energy naturally and cut back immediately

On race day, the most important thing of all is to have fun and remain in a positive frame of mind at all times. Extreme endurance events like a half-ironman are a physical and mental challenge. If you catch yourself harvesting negative thoughts, look around and enjoy the scenery - an instant cure. Remind yourself how lucky you are to be healthy and able to swim, pedal a bicycle and run. Negative thoughts and verbalizations will make your tired and stressed and compromise your performance. Take the opportunity to re-frame every negative thought or statement into a positive one. This is a great lesson for not only triathlon but all of life!

Answer 11

Make sure you are getting massaged afterward at least to relieve some of the soreness, it may not be a bad idea to get one a few days before as well to loosen muscles that are too tight and improve performance.