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There is so much to read about preparing for
triathlons, but it's true that doing one will be the
best learning experience you'll ever have. If you would like to
hear about some important tips before you actually compete in your
first triathlon, please read below.
- Find a training method and stick with it! You can
view a daily
journal of a Team TriathaNewbie.com staff member for ideas
on how to enhance your own work out or you can find great workouts
in triathlon
training books at your local bookstore. There are also race
results listed from past triathlons from this same staff member.
- Begin searching for the races in which you'd like
to compete. Some of the more popular races fill up before the
spring even begins! You can view a list of websites that run excellent,
well-organized triathlons.
- Pack your race packet, money for fees and a photo
ID.
- Pack your swim stuff: bathing suit, goggles, cap,
wet suit
- Pack your bike stuff: bike (make sure tires have
air), pump, water bottle, repair kit, bike gloves, shorts, shirt,
helmet (cannot compete without this), bike shoes, socks and some
sort of brightly colored item to tie onto the bike.
- Pack your running stuff: sneakers.
- Pack other things: sunscreen, hat, sun glasses,
towel, bucket and a garbage bag.
- Print off our Race
Day Checklist so you don't forget anything!
- Have a healthy dinner including carbs.
- Set your alarm clock to get up in the early hours
of the a.m. and go to bed early!
- Check your bike to see if the air is still in your
tires. If not, replace tires.
- Eat a nice healthy simple breakfast. Be sure you
eat at least two hours before the race to prevent an embarrassing
scene. Try eating a bowl of healthy cereal or something full of
carbs.
- Arrive at the race at least an hour before the
race begins. This has a real advantage!!! One, you get a parking
space within a mile of the race and two, you have time to relax
and take care of any problems without missing the event.
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- Remember where you parked your car!
- Some large races have you register the day before
the race and all you have to remember is to bring your race packet
with you the day of the race.
- If you are registering on the morning of the race,
put your bike on the general racks and sign in. Bring your bag,
race packet, photo ID and cash to the sign-in area.
- Tell the registrar that you do not have an ankle
timing device and ask where you fill out the information to rent
one. This will cost money to rent and more money to lose. Strap
it on your ankle as soon as you get it so that nothing happens
to it. It's purpose is to chart YOUR swim, bike and run splits
and overall time.
- Tell the registrar that you are a new swimmer if
you feel like it may be an issue. You will receive a colored bathing
cap to wear that indicates to the lifeguards on the race course
that you may need an extra eye.
- Strap the timing device around you left leg with
some extra room in case your leg swells a bit.
- Go to the bathroom. The longer you wait, the longer
the line will be.
- Enjoy the people around you. Triathletes are great
people!!!
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- Get your bike and all of the rest of your stuff,
including your bib numbers from sign-in, and head into the race
area.
- Remember, NO spectators are allowed in the race
area. You can be disqualified!
- All of the spots on the bike racks are numbered.
Find your bib number and set up your spot.
- First pick up the front of your bike and lean the
hand-brakes over the rack.
- Take that brightly colored item you brought with
you and loosely tie it to your bike so you can find it when you
get out of the water. Some people use helium balloons. You can
lose a lot of time looking for your bike in the chaos and it's
worth having something.
- Lay your towel next to your bike but be sure it
doesn't overlap your neighbor's space.
- Fill up your bucket of water and place it on/next
to the towel (for sandy feet)
- Neatly place the following things on your towel:
bike shoes, sneakers, hat, sunglasses and anything else you might
need for the bike and run.
- Affix the bib number to your helmet and/or the
front of your bike
- Place your bike helmet on your towel or on top
of your handle bars. Do not buckle it or you will have problems
unbuckling it when you get out of the water.
- Pin the number to your bike, if required.
- Pin the number to the shirt you will be wearing
for both the bike and run. OR if you don't want to wear a shirt,
you can pin it to the front of your shorts.
- Walk over to the officials WITH your number so
that he/she can write it on your arms and legs.
- Go back to your spot and make sure that everything
you need is on your towel and organized so that you don't have
to fish through your bag during the race.
- Put the things that you don't need in your bag
to cut down on the confusion.
- Put on your suit and sun screen.
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TriathaNewbie.com
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GO!
- If you are a beginner bike racer, stay to the right.
- If you are Lance, Yahoo!
- Cheer people on as they pass you or you pass them.
- Enjoy the beautiful surroundings as you get into
your pace.
- Be careful and aware of road surfaces.
- Be careful of traffic.
- Let bikers know when you plan to pass them.
- Pass on the left.
- Drink some of your water throughout the course.
- There are a trillion different strategies for every
ride. You pick which one works best for you and you'll succeed!
If you've taken time to look at the course before the race (either
online or in person) you'll have a better idea of what to expect
on the actual day! That's our suggestion.
- Do not draft or you will be disqualified or penalized.
Drafting is when you ride too close to the person in front of
you and you gain an advantage from them breaking the wind (not
to be confused with breaking wind). It is dangerous and against
the rules for this type of competition.
- When you are approaching the end of the bike course,
there should be an official waving at you to slow down and prepare
to dismount. Follow the instructions and remember that you can
never be riding the bike within the transition area at any time.
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- Walk bike inside the transition area to your bike
spot.
- Put your bike on the rack.
- Put on your running sneakers if you don't
already have them on.
- Take off your helmet.
- If you are a beginner runner, stay to the
right.
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- GO! Your legs will feel like jelly. Everyone's
legs feel like jelly! It will pass though. You may think you look
funny, but you don't and your legs will get used to the run within
a couple of minutes.
- Cheer people on as they pass you or you pass them.
- Enjoy the beautiful surroundings as you get into
your pace.
- Be careful and aware of road surfaces.
- Be careful of traffic.
- Let runners know when you plan to pass them.
- Pass on the outside.
- Drink water at stations.
- Remember, the finish line where the timing carpet
is -- not anywhere before that! Finish the race hard so you know
that you did your best to the very end.
- Most of the time, an official will be waiting just
after the finish line to collect the ankle timing device. You
might not be able to bend over to get it without feeling like
you'll fall over. Don't feel bad about asking them to bend over
and get it -- they will!
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- Congratulate yourself! OR, let us do it, "
Well done!", "Way to go!", "Excellent!".
You can even write to us about your first experience, and we'd
be thrilled to post it on TriathaNewbie.com so others can be inspired.
- DRINK LOTS OF WATER
- Eat a Bagel or a power bar and talk to the other
triathletes about your experience.
- Take off your running gear, go over to the water
and take a couple of strokes to warm down.
- One of the best moments after a Triathlon is floating
on your back in the water and thinking about how amazing it is
to cross the finish line! Enjoy the wieghtlessness of the moment
and let that feeling of accomplishment fill your entire body!
- Be curtious to other racers and move out of the
transition area if there are still racers finishing behind you.
Some events have over 1000 participants and you may be finished
while other heats are just finishing up their swim portion. Be
considerate.
- Walk over to the register area and return the timing
device that's strapped around your ankle to the officials if you
haven't already returned it. Otherwise you will be charged for
it!
- Be sure you have all of your belongings before
you return to your car. Put all of your wet, smelly things into
the trash bag to avoid stinking up your car or getting other things
wet.
- You may or may not want to stick around for the
awards ceremony. It's a great social opportunity.
- If you have someone with you, have them drive home.
You will be tired!!!!
- If not, take a nap on the beach or drive home and
take a nap. You'll need it!
- Be sure to take your wet things out of the trash
bag when you wake up or you will truly know what low tide smells
like in your own house! Put your wet suit in the bath tub, rinse
it off and hang it up to dry. Take off your bib number and pins
and wash the rest.
- The numbers that are written on your body will
be your personal souvenir. They come off after a few days of showering.
- Reward yourself with a great healthy meal and smile
at the fact that you completed your first triathlon.
- Check the triathlon website. It should list your
final time including the splits for your swim, bike and run. Copy
them down into your results
log to track your progress.
- Quality pictures are normally taken by professional
photographers along the route. The website should have a link
to a page where you can enter your name and bib number to view
the images. You can also order them for a ridiculous amount of
money, but you're worth it and you'll only compete in your first
triathlon once! Congratulations!
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6-9 months before the Triathlon
The night before the Triathlon
The morning
of the Triathlon
Upon Arrival
Setting up your spot
Part One: Triathlon Swim
Stretch
out
Transition1, Swim to Bike
Part Two: Triathlon Bike
Transition 2, Bike to Run
Part Three: Triathlon Run
After the Triathlon: