These are awesome. I do all my swimming with them now.

Is that a euphemism?

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Swim. Overbike. Walk.

Definitely.

Which reminds me, I've done some monkeying with my bars. I need to check them against Dan's fit numbers.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

My old man gave me good advice back in Pony League Baseball that still applies today. Sitting in the car before an imporant game he looked over to me and gave me this advice:

"Try not to suck today."

That is my goal every day. Try not to suck at whatever I'm doing.

I always do the same thing. But 4 years ago I was standing in the water waiting for the start of Ironman Sweden one minute ahead when I noticed I forgot to take off may wedding ring. I quickly thought and managed to open my wrist watch strap, put the ring around it (without letting it fall into the water) and close it again before the start.

Take a small head torch with you on race day, it will help with any adjustments to your bike/checking tyre pressures etc, first thing in the morning when the light may be poor. Particularly useful for us older types with crap eyesight.

You might also ride into someone else who is getting on their bike because you are too busy trying to get your shoes on to pay attention, and then I will yell at you. (The guy hit my front wheel and knocked me into the grass but I didn't crash).

Put baby powder in your socks. That way, they will slip on easily even if your feet are wet, and it prevents blisters.

It's not about any one long ride or long run. It's what you do day in and day out that matters most

Count the racks or find a landmark at BOTH swim-in and bike-in, especially if you're entering transition from two different spots. "Turn left after the second rack/big tree" is a lot easier than running up and down each row trying to remember where your spot is.

To go with the above, I always take two BRIGHT green towels. One on the ground with my stuff, one laying on my bike to help me find it and then for a quick dry off.

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http://mediocremultisport.blogspot.com

What is this "drying off?" Nobody got time for that!

Don't do that, as this will leave your chain under minimal tension and therefore at high risk to fall off before you even get on the bike.
Instead: Big ring up front, and an easier gear in the back.This should be easy enough to start pedaling (unless its a hill right out of T1) and puts the chain under maximum tension.

Other tips:

• Put gels in a little Gel-Flask to avoid having to mess with the packaging and risking a littering penalty.
• Stash repair kit under your saddle (like in between the rails). Totally hidden from the wind.
• Don't ride too hard uphill, Crush the downhills.
• Never go out too hard on the run (unless tactically necessary fighting for a position)
• Bring backup goggles, race-belt
  
• Always have enough zip-ties, safety pins, rubber bands, electrical tape
• And as always: Don't draft (unless the race allows it)
  

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if you can read this
YOU'RE DRAFTING!

Mine are pretty minor, but here's two:

1) in cold races (looking at you, IMNC, nee Beach to Battleship), bring those chemical little heating packets. In T1, put them in your gloves & toe warmers. Coming out of 60 degree water and riding in 45 degree air can be pretty miserable.

2) in T2, put a bunch of your run gear (visor, race belt, nutrition, sunglasses, etc) into a ziplock freezer bag. In T2, just change shoes, grab your ziplock bag, and start running. Deal with the stuff in your bag while jogging the first half mile.

+1 . . . And remember to take them out.

I got my finisherpix drafts from an HIM a couple of years ago and the damn white wax plugs were still there around mile 7.

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_____________________________________
What are you people, on dope?

—Mr. Hand

Accept the fact that you are going to hurt at some point in the race. The sooner that you are ok with hurting the easier it will be when the suffering starts.

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2x Deca-Ironman World Cup (10 Ironmans in 10 days), 2x Quintuple Ironman World Cup (5 Ironmans in 5 days), Ultraman, Ultra Marathoner, and I once did an Ironman.

Stay to the outside to start the swim. No need to join in the washing machine -- the 20 seconds you lose are well worth the time you don't spend getting punched or kicked or both.

Supposedly cyclists time trial faster (on a closed course) with earplugs in their ears, the theory being that they don't get as much wind noise at high speed. I don't think it's a good plan for safety reasons to do in a try bike split though.

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Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram

General triathlon tip: Nobody, and I mean nobody (not even your dog), cares that much about your results. If it seems like they do, they are probably just trying to be nice. It's like listening to someone talking about their fantasy football team. "Yes Brad, everyone knows you drafted Jordy Nelson...and nobody cares."

Actual race tip: a little sandwich bag with some Vaseline in it (that you grab and carry with you out of T2) can do wonders for you if/when you need it.

If you race long course, three critical equipment elements come to mind. Goggles that don't leak, bike saddle that is (relatively) comfortable, and run shoes that are supportive, light, and don't tear up your feet. If any of these fail, life is miserable.

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tinman