10 Tips To Help You Prepare For Your Upcoming Triathlon Race
Whether you are newbie to multisport or a seasoned triathlete, this 10 tips will help you prepare for your upcoming race.
1. Make Sure You’ve Done your Homework
Regardless of the distance you are racing, you should find opportunities to be able to complete the distance of each discipline individually at least 2 weeks before the race.
2. Swim in Open Water
You should do 1-2 open water swims prior to the race. Practice skills such as sighting, entries and exits. Ensure you do not swim alone and have a group or a spotter on land to watch you.
3. Do Bricks
Bricks are doing a minimum of two different disciplines back to back. Include swim to cycle bricks as well as cycle to run bricks in your training to allow the body to adapt to the change of disciplines on race day.
4. Don’t Use New Equipment
Don’t try any new equipment on race day such as shoes, suit, bicycle or even goggles. Make sure you have been using your equipment for the last 4 weeks in training so as not to discover the misfitting only on race day.
5. Test Your Nutrition
It’s best to test your drinks, gels and even your breakfast out during training. Do not try new nutrition as it may ruin your ability to digest and affect your race. It’s best you use your own drinks and gels on race day too and do not rely heavily on the provided drinks whenever feasible.
6. Getting To The Start Line
If you are nursing a small injury or just returning to sport, it’s better not to aggravate any injuries. For example, if you have a strain from running, you can still maintain fitness with the other 2 disciplines while getting back on track with your running. Focus on getting to the start line in one piece 😅
7. Triathlon is 1 Sport Not 3
Remember to practice transition skills whenever you can find an opportunity to. This includes mounting and dismounting from the bicycle, putting on your helmet, wearing your shoes etc. You can save minutes in transition.
8. Know The Race Course
Be familiar with the swim, bike, run course and transition area either by checking the site out earlier, and, or with the race briefing notes provided. Don’t forget to know where to park if you’re driving. Being familiar helps to reduce race day nerves as well!
9. Developing A Mental Game
1-2 weeks leading up to race day, find a quiet time, close your eyes and run through the entire race from preparation, setting up, swimming, cycling and running during the race. Using this imagery practice, try to keep thoughts vivid so as it will help develop familiarity, confidence and mental tenacity.
10. Work With Professionals
With a month to go to the TriFactor Triathlon race, find opportunities to work with qualified and experienced coaches to guide you through the build up. You can seek additional guidance with your final preparations with LevelUp Triathlon coaches on Sunday 28 August to fine tune your game.
Alternatively, you can always drop by our classes. http://breakawaytriathlon.com/booking/
Article by Coach Eugene Lee, first seen on https://trifactor.asia/10-tips-to-help-you-prepare-for-your-upcoming-triathlon-race/