Things you learned at your first tri

for me i took everyones advice on what to do and what not to do...i did make mistakes, but until you experience them for yourself you just don't know what will happen at that moment... with the knowledge you know now the only thing you can do is just go for it, and learn as you go!!!!

i did my first tri last weekend, so what i learned was to keep your bike on the end of the rack, which i got to the race so early that i ended up on the end of the rack. i did lose one of my water bottles during my ride too...

good luck to you, you will have a blast, i loved my first Triathlon!!!

 - If you're not into gus and gels M&M's will do the trick on a sprint tri.

 - You don't have to worry about serching for your bike if you tie a balloon to the rack - you just have to get over all the people who call you a dork for doing it.

 - Forget the water bucket and fill a water bottle with a sports top - you can spray your feet off.  Or bring a bucket but fill it with the extra water only when you get to T1.

- Try to find a friend or another BTer before the race starts -it makes it much more fun when you see someone familiar along the course.

- Stay to watch the last person finish - we really appreciate it.   

• Make sure your watch is reset and ready to go.
• Make sure your bike computer is reset and ready to go.
• Dry your feet off before putting on socks and bike shoes. Pruned feet on the bike lead to nice blisters on the run.

Keep thinking that this is a memory that will be with you for the rest of your life and no matter what you stay be 'in the moment' and keep a smile on your face.  

The strongest memories I have from my first tri are which family members were there to see me and just the overall mood of the event (anniversary of 9/11) so it was a bit emotional.  Otherwise I just recall the finish line and how great I felt to be a triathlete. 

Hydrate well before and during the race

Encourage others that both you pass and pass you

Smile because you're becoming a triathlete or currently are a triathlete 

And along the lines of what Mcfuzz said, smile as you pass people that have poured significantly more into their arrow wheels, helmets, or carbon frames than you did on your entire bike

Man there are several things I learned this past weekend in Memphis

1. Damn pros are fast!

2.Its good to ride the course the day before(ThanksLane)

3.Watch putting your bottle back in your cage.A dropped bottle ruins your momentum.

4. Dont be stupid like me and make any equipment changes the day before.

5. Bricks, Bricks, and more Bricks, and I usually do several a month but the more the better.

6.I read this earlier and agree because when I got them I needed them and when I gave em people looked like it helped but inspire your fellow athletes along the way. Like I said its pretty bad to get passed by as many people as I did on the bike but theose that picked me up as they went ment alot.

7.Practice the OWS and get use to the water. I am glad I did.

8.Carry toliet paper becuase even though most had it many were out and it was not fun porta hoppin.

9.Have fun. You are out there to get experience on your first tri and the next few after.

10.Oh an d last but not least when the volunteer tells you sarcastically coming into T1 to take your time give them a stern look and say thats what I plan on doing!!!

So the lesson learned here isn't to wear socks during the race, but to be sure you've trained the way you plan to race to make sure you won't have any issues.  I race without socks but i also train without socks  on a regular basis.

1. if you have to pee really bad and the Porta Potty line is long find a coffee shop/mcdonald's nearby and pee there

2. MAKE A LIST even if you think you don't need to. I forgot my goggles, and had to borrow

3. The race people start your time when your wave is supposed to go, so if you take it upon yourself to start at the back b/c you are nervous you need to subtract the time between the two wave starts to get your real time.

4. Don't forget to shoot a gel before the race.

5. Get there early so your bike will get to have a rack, I had to prop my beautiful piece of machinery against some rusty post.

6. Smile, Smile, Smile

Don't forget to put your helmet on when leaving T1.  I did that on my first sprint until a voulenteer told me that I forgot it!

Bricks, Bricks, and MORE BRICKS.  They will benefit you in the long run.