The Fix
How do you 'race' the bike?
Long slow bike rides produce long slow riders so there is an art to time trailing a bike. Of course in the age group ranks there is no drafting. So it is up to an individual effort. In your training it is best to use efforts to increase your speed. Once on the course on race day the trick is having a bit of knowledge about the terrain and also not heading out too quick. The great Paul Sherwin of cycling commentary fame talks constantly about dosing your effort and he is completely right. Unlike cycling you can't obviously give it 100% because then your run turns to nightmare. So it is a high wire act. Aim to finish the bike ride as you started. Stay in your time trial position (if you use aero bars) as this is the most efficient place to be on your bike.
How important is fashion?
It's very important dammit! Look let's be honest here. When you are a rookie and coming into the sport of triathlon you may not possess any skill, or knowledge or anything else but if you look good it makes all the difference. So the rules are really simple. Skin coloured lycra is just plain wrong. It has no business in public so if you want to be a pariah go right ahead. The same goes with white lycra. You have to be really special to get away with this too. So be smart. Black race suits are good, so too are things that won't draw attention to yourself. At the same time you do need to make sure that whenever you see a lens pointed at you that you look a million bucks. The photo can be doctored and stories can be fudged. It's win win. Always have your significant other take a look at what you are intending to wear. Or better still ask a small kid. They have no internal censors!
Swimming straighter.
The curse of the open water swimmer. If your swim distance on race day is 500m you don't want to do one metre more than you have to. Before you get into the water on race day sight the buoys. Spend a few minutes sighting the swim course. Note which side of the cans you need to be on and their colour so when you are swimming you know when to turn. All races should have a graphic of the course on their websites. Knowing the shape of the swim course might help you visualise where you are headed. When you are in the water make sure to look forward very few strokes to keep your line of sight. Breathing side to side may work when there is a black line at the bottom of the pool but out there it can cause you to swim off course. So practice then you go to swim training. Remember, triathlon swimming is a contact sport. If you don't feel confident then stay to the back of your wave but if you are a good swimmer use it to your advantage and lead the way.
What are the really important pieces of gear to own?
This is the toughest question to answer. How long is a piece of string? The trick with this is don't be fooled by slick talking salesmen (if such a thing exists) in bike shops or your friends who might be gear freaks. First, assess whether you like the sport. There is a glut of second hand bikes that have found their way into that market, sold by people who went high end and then pulled the pin when they didn't like it or they realised that it wasn't for them. So start out slow. Borrow a bike or buy one that is on the cheaper side until you get your teeth into it. If you are a less and average swimmer a wetsuit helps. It adds buoyancy, confidence and you can use it for a batman outfit whenever you need. The rest is easy. A pair of runners and you're done. Then the rest is up to you. You can upgrade your bike, add wheels etc. These are the big ticket items. Choose carefully and ask lots of questions. Getting into a club or training group can be helpful. Most coaches around will steer you straight product wise.
Important post race tips.
Regardless of the distance it is important to hydrate after your race. Warm down properly. Apart from that there is a tendency for triathletes to overanalyse their races. you know if you are doing this for a living then we get it. But, if you are an age grouper, get a grip. This is not cattle stations and not going to be something that saves the world. Have fun and if you blow the race go enter another.
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