Olympic triathlon race tips

— by Cameron Dye

The Olympic distance triathlon is an awesome mix of speed and endurance. For some, it is a test of speed and performance, and for many others, a test of what they are really capable of accomplishing. I have made my living as a professional triathlete, mostly at the Olympic distance, and most of what I love about it is that everything matters. Your ability to swim, bike and run all matter equally and transitions are very important. Here are some of my best tips for beginners and elites alike for the short course distance.

• Race the way you train: If you have trained hard and done intense interval sessions, then, by all means, get after it on race day. If you are coming off the couch, remember it’s not a 100m dash, so be smart about pacing.
• Practice your transitions: This seems obvious, but so many people have never tried a flying mount until race day. Know what you will have in transition, how you will lay it out and rehearse your transition. If you spend an extra 90 seconds in T1, it could be the difference between winning your age group and missing the podium.
• Nutrition still matters: Even though this is not a five or ten-hour race, most people need to take in plenty of fluids, along with calories, to make it through the race. Have a plan that you practice in training and know what your stomach can tolerate at high intensities.
• Know the course: Sometimes people think that if the bike is only 40 kilometres, it can’t be that tough. Having done races with as many as 35 turns, I can assure you that knowing where you are going, even in a short course race, is extremely important.

Cameron Dye
Certified Triathlon Coach at AJ Baucco Coaching LLC, Professional Triathlete, 3x Lifetime Fitness Series Champion, 2x USAT Athlete of the year and Bronze medalist at the ITU Team Relay World Championships