7 tips for your first triathlon

Spring racing season is almost here, and that means a lot of people are ready to compete in their first-ever triathlon. This Is super exciting, but it can also be quite daunting. Triathlon is no joke, and no matter how much you’ve trained, you’ll likely feel pretty nervous in the build to your first race. We can’t ease those nerves completely, but we can give you some tips to help make the day go easier when it arrives. Here are seven to get you started and give you the best shot at success on race day.

Use body glide

You don’t want to chafe and you don’t want to blister on race day. That’s where body glide comes into play. Body glide will prevent your wetsuit from rubbing uncomfortably and it will stop your shoes from giving you blisters. This will allow you to swim, bike, and run just as you always do without modifying your form to make it more comfortable.

Go to the bathroom

Even if you don’t think you need to go to the bathroom before the race, still go. We know that you don’t have much time to get ready and we know that the line for the porta-potties is long, but trust us, you’ll be happy you went before the swim instead of needing to take a mid-race break.

Force yourself to eat

You’re going to be nervous the morning of the race, so you might not feel like eating much. You need to force some food down, because if you don’t, you’re going to lose energy pretty quickly on the race course.

Wear sunscreen

Put sunscreen on before you get into your wetsuit. This should last you through to the end of the bike, at which point it’s a wise idea to re-apply some more before setting off on the run. We know that you don’t want to waste any time, but the summer sun can be pretty brutal, and although you might not care about getting a burn in the heat of the race, you’ll regret not putting more sunscreen on a day or two after the race.

Figure out transition route

After you’ve racked your bike and gotten your transition area set up, go for a walk to find the entry and exit of the transition zone. Walk the route you’ll take coming in from the swim and bike. It is going to be hectic in the moment when you’re racing, so it’s good to be familiar with where you need to go.

Warm up

Do some arm-swings, toss in some jumping jacks, stretch a bit. Hop in the water and get some strokes in before it’s time to race. Do whatever you need to feel ready for the swim.

Remember the transition rules

Remember that your helmet must be on and done up before you can touch your bike. When you’re coming back in, you must rack your bike before removing your helmet. It might just be an age group race that you’re doing for fun, but these are strict rules, and the race officials will enforce them if they catch you ignoring them.