Monday, August 24, 2009

Top tips?

I have tales of dead arms and monstrous hills to come, but first help me out. A facebook friend has asked for tri-tips. She can do all three, and has done team tri events before (swim leg once, bike the other time). She's not looking to break records, just to have fun and get it done. I wrote a huge mega reply, but facebook ate it.

So before I write it all out again, give me your best tips, do's and don'ts and sneaky tricks!

3 comments:

Mike said...

Dead arms and monstrous hills ... sounds like fun! :)

This is a tip that I still haven't tried but I like the idea of it ...

After a 'wetsuited' OW swim you hold onto your goggles and swim cap in one hand and as you pull your arm through the wetsuit you let go of them and leave them securely held in the sleeve of the wetsuit. Your hand emerges without them and it frees up both hands to do whatever as you run back to T1 ... and keeps your wetsuit, swim cap and goggles all together. Saves absolutely no time in the race but I think it's good to incorporate a bit of disappearing magic into the T1 routine.

I'm sure others will have proper tips!

Are you going to post your re-written list of tips for us all to see?

philippa_moore said...

Bring toilet paper on the day because 9 times out of 10 the porta loos will be out of paper :P

Put a wad of vaseline somewhere on the bike (I think I might have put it under a flap on my helmet, from memory?)that you can reach if you need it for chafing relief, dry lips etc.

Practice your dismount on the bike well before the day!

Check out the site of the race the day before, and make sure you know where your transition space is - memorise how to get there from swim and bike exits.

Grease the openings of your running shoes with Vaseline, gets them on much faster when your feet are wet from the swim!

I think that's it...I'll let you know if I think of anything else!

Aaron said...

I don't know if this applies for triathlons but I keep reading it in running books so it might still apply.

Don't try anything new on race day!