The ultimate test for an athlete, the triathlon. An intense combination of swimming, biking and running lead to the ultimate accomplishment.
It’s an accomplishment that someday I would like to tackle and conquer. It’s this reason why I recently attended a triathlon training seminar at Fleet Feet Sports in Chicago.
It was a very informative seminar and as I looked around the room I saw several others with curiosity, nerves and sheer determination on their faces. We covered everything from do I apply sunscreen before or after I put on my wetsuit? Do I need a wetsuit? What should I wear–tri-racesuit or swimsuit or sports bra? Can I run with an iPod? How do I attach my time chip? How long do I have to tread water before we actually take off? How do I remember where my bike is in transition?
Here’s what I learned:
#1: It’s very important to be prepared. If you rush to the race and aren’t prepared, chances are it will be evident in your overall performance.
#2: Pack a backpack the night before the triathlon. Here’s a checklist we were provided at the seminar..
RACE:
- tri-short/jersey or tri-racesuit
- race belt/number (you can purchase a race belt that securely holds your race number, so you won’t end up wasting valuable time with safety pins, etc.)
- chip strap (you can purchase this at any athletic store, it simply and comfortably goes around your ankle–most races provide zip ties that can be very uncomfortable)
SWIM:
- Wetsuit
- Goggles (always make sure to have an extra pair on hand, sometimes your nerves will have you adjusting and readjusting your goggles causing a snap–better to have backup just in case)
- Swimcap
BIKE:
- Bike (duh!–make sure to pump your tires that morning)
- Bike Shoes
- Bike Gloves
- Helmet (most triathlons with provide labels to attach to your helmet so you can match your race number to your gear)
- Sunglasses
- Water bottles (Professional triathletes like to run with water bottles in hand, it helps them pay attention to their swing and the rhythm of the water swooshing helps with keeping pace)
- Nutrition Bars and Gels (Clif Shot Bloks apparently taste like gummy bears and provide that extra yummy factor to help you go the distance)
- Spare Inner Tube or Tubular Tire (if you have a flat you might end up waiting forever to get it fixed, to save time do it yourself!)
- Spare CO2 Cartridges
RUN:
- Running Shoes
- Hat or Visor (keep the sweat out of your eyes)
- Nutrition Gels
TRANSITION:
- Towel (to stand on)
- Water Bottle (to wash off sand)
- Body Glide (sounds funny I know, but it helps slip that wetsuit on and off which helps if you are in a time crunch)
- Lip Balm
- Sunscreen
- Floor Pump
- Backpack with Wet Storage
- Post Race Clothes and Sandals (sometimes you won’t be able to get your gear immediately after the race–keep that in mind to make sure you have everything you need to hold you over in the meantime)
#3: If you are concerned you can’t buy a pricey wetsuit of your own, don’t worry most races allow you to rent a wetsuit for the race.
#4: Make sure to set up your transition area to be as organized as possible, think office cubicle!
#5: Try not to run with an iPod, it can be very dangerous. Try the water bottle trick I mentioned above to help your run.
#6: Always, always wear sunscreen. Get a very strong athletic brand, we’re not talking Banana Boat here.
#7: There will be many bikes in transition and you don’t want to wander around endlessly during transition, try to mark your bike and transition area. Tie a bright t-shirt around your rack, some people even mark their trail with baby powder and balloons!
#8: Don’t bring expensive bike computers, it may help your ride but is so easy to lose and has a high risk of getting stolen.
#9: Don’t be the last person to grab your bike, otherwise somebody else might grab your nice ride!
#10: Smile and have fun! You can do this!!!
Here is a great site I found that has some helpful stories from newbie triathletes.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
The only one who can tell you “you can’t” is you. And you don’t have to listen. ~Nike
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