Laura Tighe, with Cycle SuperStore staff member Mark Fagan
I’m currently on an altitude camp in Font Romeu France with Triathlon Ireland. I’m having a bit of down-time today and so I’ve decided to share my top 5 Triathlon tips with you guys.
I hope that I’ve managed to give a couple of ideas to both the seasoned age grouper and the triathlon newbie!
I think if you can nail down the first point, ‘Find a Good Coach’, then they should have the knowledge and expertise to ensure that you are doing most of the other items on this list!
Find a good coach
This is one of the most important pieces of advice I can give. This will fast track your progression! A good coach will discuss your goals with you, assess where you are in each of the three disciplines and then put a structure on everything. A plan that suits you and your lifestyle!
Everyone is different
Once you’ve done your research and you’re confident that you’ve found someone that knows what they’re talking about then trust them and follow the plan! Remember that everyone is different and therefore will require certain aspects of their training program to be individualised. But just because Betty or Seamus up the road are doing something doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for you to do!
Recovery is Key!
One thing I’ve noticed about a lot of age group athletes is that they somehow manage to cover a serious amount of mileage in a normal week. This is on top of their family life, 9-5 jobs, 2 hour round trip commutes and all the other stressors going on in their lives. You will never perform at your best if you try to do everything! Your body needs time to recover – my advice, drop a session and don’t feel guilty about taking a day off! I have to do it regularly!
Nutrition
This will depend on the race distance and also you as an individual. I recall trying out flat coke on the bike section of a sprint triathlon last year – I ended up throwing up all over myself – that wasn’t the plan. My advice is to try a few different things out in training and have a plan for fueling yourself during the race – what your going to take on and when!
Have the right equipment
I’m not saying that you need a state of the art bike but you do need a bike that’s road worthy. So make sure that it’s serviced and safe!!! For any newbies, I’ve made a list of the key pieces of equipment you will need for a triathlon
-Wetsuit that fits you properly – preferably swim wetsuit not a surf wetsuit
-anti-chaffing cream – to be worn around the neck and armpits
-Goggles that fit you properly!! A tinted and clear pair to account for different weather conditions
-Silicone swim hat – they’re worth the extra couple of euros
-trisuit
-Roadworthy bike that you are fitted on properly and ensure that it is serviced regularly otherwise you will end up spending a lot of time and money at the Physio
-Helmet
-Tri-specific cycling shoes or if it’s your first time use your runners and toe strap pedals
-Running shoes
-Locklaces – you won’t need to tie laces with a set of these guys which makes for s much faster transition
Small Tips for the race
-Place your goggles over your silicone hat and then place the race hat on top. This will help prevent your goggles from coming off but will also offer extra heat in the cool Irish waters! Also, anti-fog spray is a must for me for my goggles.
-Make sure that your bike is left in an easy gear in transition. Too often I see athletes getting on their bikes in T1 trying to push a big gear out of transition.
-Put talcon powder in both your running shoes and bike shoes before leaving transition. This will help soak up any water left on your feet after the swim/bike.
-Use elastic bands to secure your cycling shoes onto the bike in a position that’s easy for you to mount when leaving T1.
The last few tips most people gain through experience of racing. The more events you take part in, the more you will learn. I hope that I’ve managed to save some of you some time 😊
Best of luck for the season ahead,
Laura 😊
