Questions about my first sprint triathlon on Sunday!

1- As far as nutrition, what should I eat the Friday and Saturday before the race?
I wouldn't change my diet to much right before a race. I keep it balanced. You don't need to do a bunch of carb loading before a sprint.

2- Food on race morning?
What works is different for everyone and as you race more you will get more comfortable with what works for you.  I wouldn't eat anything different than what you eat before a longer training day...for me that's a half bagel w/ peanut butter, banana and I sip on a sports drink.

3- Is it ok to use strictly Gatorade during the tri?
I don't see an issue with using it for a sprint race.  Have you used it in training? I try to drink water mixed between as well.

4- What are some spares that you take on your bike?
I don't carry anything on a sprint.  If I have a flat I'm done...hasn't happened yet.  I use to carry a tube, tire tool and a CO2 filler.

5- Any tips for bike to run transition?
I don't stretch before the run but I do bring my cadence up in the last mile to get my legs loose.

6- Is it ok to take a longer T2 time to catch your breath (4-5 mins?) or do you recommend just starting off slower on the bike?
I typically don't take any time to catch my breath...just standing around...run a little slower out of the swim.

7- Advice for hills/bridges?
Gear the bike so you can spin a little more up the hills so you don't burn out your legs and if needed take the hills on the run at a slower pace so that you don't feel like you have to walk at the top to recover.

I'm no expert, but this is my thoughts.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Eat what you normally eat especially on race morning.  Maybe some extra carbs the day before.
Gatorade should be fine for a sprint
Take a spare tube, levers, & CO2 cartridges for flats
I personally don't stretch at T2, just get your stuff and get going
It's a race, I don't intentoinally take extra time at T1 or T2.  4 -5 minutes is a very long transition for a sprint.
It's a little late, but practice on hills is my only recommenation

First off, relax!  Enjoy it.  You only get one first triathlon. 

1- Eat what you have normally eaten before training.  Personally, I eat something like chicken and pasta the night before just because it is easily digested.  I would love a steak, but it just doesn't digest as well.
2- The morning of I usually eat a bagel, some fig newtons and drink water and sip on gatorade on the way to the race. 
3- Yes.  Use what you like.
4- Some say if they flat in a sprint they call it a day.  I carry a spare tube and would change it and finish the race.  I would rather finish with a slow time than to quit.  I carry a CO2 cartridge, spare and levers to change the tire.
5-In the last mile before T2 try and stand up as much as you can to stretch your legs.  When you come out of T2 run slow until you get the rubbery feeling out of your legs.  If you really feel like you need to stretch in T2 do so, but you will probably be hyped up enough you can start on the run.
6-I wouldn't sit in T2 that long...if I did I might not leave!  Just start at whatever pace your body allows for.
7-Best way to improve on climbing hills....is to climb more hills.  You will hear that a lot here.  You know it is on the course, just focus on getting over it and, one more time, enjoy your first triathlon!


Edited by triton63 2010-09-24 10:00 AM

Congrads on your upcomming Tri

1. As far food goes stick to stuff you know of course don't eat anything greasy like cheeseburgers or any thing like that i'd recommend so grilled chicken or a lean source of protein and some good carbs and veggies

2. As far as food for race morning either eat Wheaties Perform or have some Rolled oats with sugar free syrup on it, and a bananna with a little peanutbutter. 15 Mins before the swim I take a gel.
Big thing is DON'T try anything your not use to eatting on race morning stick to what you know that works for your body.

3. Gatorade is ok but being a Sprint Tri in reality the race may last at best an hr to maybe tops 2hrs all you really need is just water. Or you could do a 50/50 mix in a bottle of half gatorade and half water. "Works better or at least thats what they taught me at military survival school"

4. For a Sprint your really don't need a spare kit but it's always nice to have that extra reassurance. I'd recommend a spare tube, patch kit, 2 tire levers, and a CO2 cartridge. Just make sure you have practiced and know how to change a flat.

5. Bike to run can be tricky me being a cyclist by heart sometimes go too hard on the bike and it comes back and bites me in the on the run. The goal is establish a good pace for you and then start backing it down as you get closer to the finish of the bike to conserve your legs. When you hit the down hills once you get up to a nice speed let the legs relax before you get to the bottom and start pedaling again. for me at about a half mile to a mile my legs feel fine and I can book it the rest of the way.

6. Remember triathlon if fun if your doing this souly to finish and have a great time take a breather before you move on to the next thing. if your in it to win it and get on the podium or top of your age group your going to have to book it esp if it's a sprint.

7. As far as hills go take them as they come and get into a gear your comfortable climbing at or even get out of the saddle if you'd like. If your good at hills you can def pass alot of people because hills can seperate the boys from the men if you've praticed them and are good at them.
On the run becareful comming down the hills to fast as you can eat it or hurt your knees if your going down too fast.

Overall just have fun this sport is a very fun sport and not alot of people can say they are a triathlete go out give it your best and have a great time. Good Luck on your Race.

1- Whatever you normally eat that doesn't bother you.
2- See no. 1
3- I drink about 4oz. or so in a sprint.  I like gatorade.  But, whatever you normally use in training will do.
4- Spare kit.
5- Go fast!
6- I think you mean T1.  I'm not a strong swimmer.  When I come out of the water, I'm pretty gassed.  The thing about sprints is.......you're gonna (or should be) maxx'd out, aerobically (whatever your fitness level will support) the entire way ----------- "almost".
7- Ride and run the course before the race if you can.  Strategy takes a little (very little, IMO) exploration. 

You're basically looking for that "spot" where you're going as hard as you can sustain......for as long as you plan on being on the course.  Again.....your strategy will take a little exploration.

Good luck.  Plan on hurting!

I just ran my first tri last Sunday, so by no means am I an expert but I will share what I did in preparation, YMMV:

1- As far as nutrition, what should I eat the Friday and Saturday before the race?
Friday I ate pizza and drank several beers, not ideal but had a bunch of college buddies in town.  Saturday I went to the OSU game and had a big cheeseburger afterwards.  My basic answer, I didn't really stress over pre-race nutrition, just avoided anything that I knew may upset my stomach.  After all, this is a sprint, not a long distance race...

2- Food on race morning?
Woke up and ate a banana and a bowl of grape nuts cereal then drove 1.5 hours to the race.  Prior to the race I ate a gel not because I needed a gel but because I wanted a few more calories and this was a convenient means to get those calories.

3- Is it ok to use strictly Gatorade during the tri? I heard its better than water for race day. When I mean strictly, I actually mean primarily.
I used only 1 bottle of water on the bike and a few sips of water on the run.  The temp was only in the 70's so I was not sweating too heavily, no need for gatoraid in my case, water was sufficient.

4- What are some spares that you take on your bike? Its only 13 miles but just in case....
I just had my normal flat kit, a spare tube, patch kit, levers, CO2 inflator. 

5- Any tips for bike to run transition? It is really difficult for me to get going...do any of you stretch before the run?
After I racked my bike I did a very quick touch my toes stretch and started out on the run.  My legs felt pretty good, it was more my heart rate I had to control as the run started on a gradual uphill stretch.  No heart monitor, just ran by "feel."  I did a few bike/run bricks while training but race day honestly was the best my legs have felt coming off the bike, must have been the adrenaline.  Just accept that your legs are going to feel "funny" at first but belive me, you will be running at a faster pace than you think you are.

6- Is it ok to take a longer T2 time to catch your breath (4-5 mins?) or do you recommend just starting off slower on the bike?
My T2 was under a minute, I actually took a longer T1 to compose myself after a less than stellar swim and get my mind right.  My answer would be to do what feels right to you at that moment.  For a sprint I would think that a 5 min transition is excessive but again, do what will enable you to finish the race.

7- Advice for hills/bridges? This race Im doing has a climb during bike AND run =(
My bike was mostly flat, one small hill near the 1/2 point which I just spun up, my goal off the bike was to be able to run near my normal 5k pace and that is what happened as I paced myself well.  On the run there were several hills, some of them quite large.  I saw many people walking the hills on the run, this is where I did a majority of my passing, I simply refused to let myself walk, especially on a 5k.

 Really nervous/excited about my first tri this Sunday
Don't sweat it.  I realize that nervousness is normal but honestly, I had a great time with my first race and really, really enjoyed the day.  I had a bad swim but was able to talk myself down during T1 and convince myself that I was going to move past that and have a good race.  I ended up only missing my "perfect race" time by under 2 minutes.  Don't worry if something goes wrong, you can still have a great race and a great time with your first tri! 

Have a plan laid out prior to the race and execute and you will be fine.  Honestly, I didn't even practice transitions, just mentally ran through what I wanted to do and they went fine because I had thought through the process. 

Reading this site I get the impression that we as beginners tend to overcomplicate a sprint tri.  I approached my race with the mindset that it was as simple as swimming, biking and running and this helped calm my mind and let me focus on executing what I knew I was capable of doing.

Good luck and have a great race!

Lots of great advice here.  So consistent as well. 

A tip I received from Cindi Bannink on the Timex Team was to drive the bike course and ride the run course the day before the race.  This allows you to be familiar with both legs of the race and still have a nice easy day before the race.  So far this has worked very well for me at Sprint races.

And to repeat what others have said, make sure you have fun!  You only get one first triathlon.

1 - Eat what you normally eat with maybe a few extra carbs.  Don't eat too much the night before thinking that you'll need it for the race, you don't want to still feel full when the race starts (I've done this, ate waaaay too much pasta the night before and really regretted it)
2 - Eat what you normally eat in the morning (as long as it is 1-2 hrs before the race).  Again, keep it light and you might also want to eat a gel about 5 minutes before the start of the race.
3 - Use whatever you used in training.  Since it is a sprint, water will probably be fine.
4 - Not a bad idea to bring a tube and CO2 cart
5 - It is really difficult for me too, just start slow and ease into the run.  I don't stretch at T2.
6 - Take it easy at first on the bike if you are really winded from the swim, I wouldn't wait around in T1.
7 - Pace yourself up the hill and make it up on the downside -


Good luck and have fun!  You will do great!

I've heard that carb loading the night before doesn't give your body enough time to process it.  So I usually eat a pasta dinner two nights before, then leftovers for lunch the next day and something easy the night before that I know won't upset my stomach.



Breakfast race morning is a good idea, but you want to make sure that it is fully digested before the race.  I try to get up extra early (3-4 hrs before race start) to have an english muffin & PB, then go back to bed for another hour or so.



Any sports drink is fine, just make sure you've used it in training and your body is fine with it.



I take the saddlebag off of my bike and put a spare tube, CO2 and tire levers in a water bottle.  My bike was two bottle cages on it, so I just bring one filled with water and one filled with repair gear.  For an olympic distance I would keep the saddlebag on and bring two bottles of water.



Higher cadence at the end of the bike, and a few brick workouts will get your body used to the feeling.  Though I wouldn't recommend doing any of the latter this close to your race.  Just take it easy at the beginning of the run and your running legs will show up about 0.5 - 1 mile in.



Will resting for 4 minutes in T2 make you run a 5k 4 minutes faster?  Probably not.  If you feel that you are completely spent after the bike, still get through T2 as fast as you can and walk the run course until you feel you can start running.  No point in just throwing away 5 minutes.



Run and Bike hills in training .  On the bike try to spin up rather than mash the pedals.  Mashing will kill your legs for the run.



This is exactly how you should be feeling right now.  Just enjoy the day, and if you have any questions on race day just ask someone in transition.  Triathletes are  very friendly and will be more than happy to help out a first timer.

Most of these answers can be summed up with this: "Nothing new on race day"

Enjoy it. Don't forget to thank the volunteers and have fun.

Good luck!

Great advice.  I'll add one more thing from experience.  Unless you are really comfortable with open water swimming, it is easy to go out too fast, get out of breath, then get nervous.  If you do, plan on stopping about 30  seconds to a minute in, tread water, and look around taking in the sites.  Think about how cool it is that you are doing your first tri, smile, then compose yourself and start swimming again at your normal pace.