First triathlon - post your advice here ! (Page 2)

Breathe.  If you get too caught up in the anxiety, you may forget to breathe.  Breathing can help you keep a little more relaxed (as much as is possible) and focused on the moment, rather than all the "what if's" that keep you from doing your best.

If the water is cold, get in for 10 minutes or so and get your face in the water and used to the cold.  My first tri the water was in the 60's and I had an awful swim.  Every time I put my face in the water I forgot how to swim.

Scout21

At the minimum, go check out the area the day before. Know where you are going to park (roughly) and show up early.

Go through the motions, take your time, don't set time goals, and just have a fun time with it.

No matter how good you think you can do, it's way better to just have fun with the first one!

Wear whatever you want, no one will care either way. I've only done 3, and at every single one, there were people with the best of the best tri stuff and people wearing board shorts and sweatpants riding clunky mountain bikes. Everyone usually seems to have a good time regardless.

Good luck to all the first timers!! You'll love it!

-5th

x2 to fifthcircle. Use your first race to learn what you didn't know. It's already stressful without trying to worry too much about performance. Just make sure you have what you legally need to race, i.e. helmet, and wear what you're comfortable in. I personally bought tri shorts for my first race so I could swim in them and then have a little cushioning on the bike without having change or feel like I was wearing a wet diaper with bike shorts.

1. Get a race belt.
2. Check to make sure that what you are wearing is not see-through when wet BEFORE race day.
3. Thank the volunteers all day long.
4. If there is finish line photography: don't mess with your watch and SMILE!
5. Actually, smile as much as you can, because its a lot of fun.

One more thing, if the water is going to be really cold put some vaseline on your face, arms, anything exposed it helped keep me a little warmer.

BTW, lots of great tips.  My 2nd season and good to be reminded of a few things and I did learn a couple of items.

1) It's fair game on the swim -- look out for stray hands, elbows, knees & feet

2) You don't have to get naked in the transition area if you wear tri-shorts

Smile and thank the volunteers!

Hello

Scout race location if possible.
Know how to get to the transition area in the dark & get there plenty early.  Some races you pick your spot (first come first serve) & some have assigned spots.
Get set-up & body marked. Walk around and soak up the excitement of race morning.
Practice your transitions with dirty/sandy/wet feet and try to stay standing up when you put your shoes on
When you get out the water walk fast or run to T-1
Get on your bike before your start to ride.  Dont worry about flying mounts or having shoes on peddles. ( save that for race 2)
Race belt-  good idea
Get off bike, slip on running shoes, put on hat & run   Then start putting on race belt
Just finish the race even if you have to walk a bit on the run.  Run across the finish line.


I  guess the best advice is

Train-Race-Enjoy!

Kevin

Practice your transitions.  That includes working out your setup so it fits on towel on the ground by your bike.  Don't be a "rack hog."

Practice open water swim...unless you're tri is in a pool, that is.  (If you're renting a wetsuit, try to get in a practice in the suit.)  No matter how much you've practiced, however, be prepared for a complete freakout during the swim start...cold water, adrenaline rush, jostling bodies.  Just try to relax.

Stay to the right on the bike.  (Unless you're passing, of course.)



Edited by tcovert 2010-01-14 5:42 PM

1. If you've not experienced a triathlon swim start... hang back. Let the chaos get out in front of you. The lead group and even the middle groups will probably be so clumped together, kicking and flailing like mad... the water will be a torrent of white froth! All the air bubbles in the water will actually make it a little harder to stay buoyant. You're better off hanging to the back or side and avoiding the mob... especially if you're not a strong swimmer.

There really isn't any way to practice the swim start unless you participate in some OWS races with a mass start... or if you have a big group of friends that want to help you see what its like by beating you up while you're in a washing machine on the spin cycle.

For me, I'm big enough that I kind of enjoy the swim start! I usually end up laughing at it all!

2. Don't worry about your time. Actually, I would recommend trying to remain conversational during the bike and run. That way you aren't going to risk gassing prior to the finish line. Once you have the finish line in sight... GUN IT! Let 'er rip and jump over the line with your hands in the air! It'll make a great finisher photo for your first race!

3. Cheer on EVERYONE! Tell everyone that they're Doing Great! Looking Strong! Almost There! Heck, I even cheer on the people that are cheering me from the sidelines! I think it raises everyone's spirits to cheer.

4. Thank the volunteers... A LOT! This can't be mentioned enough times. If it weren't for the volunteers many races would not be held. The volunteers are giving their time and energy to make your race possible. The least you can do as a competitor is offer thanks. It costs you nothing and will make them feel that their effort is worth it. They may even volunteer next year because of your graciousness!

Have a plan. For my first Sprint the plan was; Cross the Finish Line, Cross it smiling, Cross it smiling with all the body parts functioning as designed (I had knee surgery 4 mos prior). Done!

My trainer put on three Triathlon seminars before the event, the last being a mini-Sprint. Extremely helpful and very well attended. Try to find one in your area. Even if he/she tells you what you already know its nice having it confirmed.

Swim the entire distance in open water. If the event takes you to the middle of the lake, try to swim there. Its different than swimming along the shore or bouyline.

Bricks are good things

Be confident and refer back to the first suggestion.

Dont worry about not getting sleep the night before.  I could not sleep well the night  before, probably only 2 hours of good rem sleep (if that).  Try to get a good nights sleep two nights before.

I was suprised on how well I did in my first sprint, given the lack of sleep.

So advice here is don't worry about performing due to lack of sleep, you'll do fine.

The training is the hard part. Race day is your reward. So go out, smile and prepare to have the most fun you've ever had with your clothes on!

If you are swimming with a wetsuit: when you get out of the water don't immediately take off your goggles/swim cap, this will leave both hands free to remove your wetsuit.

My best advice-

The first few minutes of my swim were probably the toughest moments of my first race, maybe the toughest moments of my entire tri career thus far.

I felt like people were crawling all over me. So I picked up the pace. Within two hundred yards I was swimming way faster than I should have been, and was getting tired very quickly.

I had trained, but now I felt like everyone was passing me.

I finally got a hold of myself and said, "ok, if they are that fast, so be it. I can only do what I can do." I settled pack into a swim pace I knew I could sustain.

By the time I hit the turn around marker I could see some of those "weekend warriors" were now running out of gas. They were falling back. But I felt ok, I even picked up the pace a little.

I transitioned onto my bike and tried to keep the same mind-set.

Work hard, but don't worry about what everyone else is doing.