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What do you wish you had known?
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Hi ladies,
Tonight I am doing a question and answer session with a group of women preparing for their first triathlons. I started doing triathlon a long time ago and a lot has changed since but I was fortunate enough to train with a group of people who really guided my progression. When I first started biggest concern was when I should put on deodorant! Oh how far I have fallen since those days! I am sure several of these women will have some of their own individual concerns but just in case the conversation goes flat I would love to hear some of your tips, tricks, and anecdotes from when you first got into doing triathlons.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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I wish I had known about body glide / vaseline / bag balm etc on nether regions before putting on cycling shorts :-)

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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practice getting out of the wetsuit. If you get hung up on the wrists or calves, you can cut the neoprene up past the trouble spot. You might lose a bit of buoyancy but the gained seconds (minutes argh) in transition are worth it.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Remember where you put your bike!

For my second tri, I set up my things in a hurry in a U-shaped transition area. I didn't even know it was U-shaped until I came back from the swim through a different entrance and couldn't find my bike!

Know the course well and don't expect it to be well marked.

I did a bike course which had Oly and Half-Iron sharing, but one of the loops was longer for the Half-Iron and I did not see the sign (or anyone waving me over) for the Oly turnoff. Ended up doing the half-iron loop so my bike time was the same as the average person instead of 10 minutes faster. DOH!
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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I wish I had known to put my chip on under my wetsuit, I couldn't get my wetsuit off my ankle first time I tri'd. This detail seems to get missed in first timers tips/tricks but is critical especially if you are new to a wetsuit.

Good luck with your chat.

KP
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [Katpete4] [ In reply to ]
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Remember where you park your car.

I spent more time looking for it than I did racing after my first tri.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Some great ones already. Here are a few more:
  • If you are not a strong swimmer then you should line up to the side or the back
  • Visual the ins and outs of transition for each phase of the race
  • Use the port-a-potty at transition if you need to since they don't have them out on the course for many sprints
  • Race belts and stretch laces are great
  • You don't need to buy a bike to start doing triathlons. Ask around. Lots of people with old road bikes in their shed that they no longer use.



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Re: What do you wish you had known? [DawnT] [ In reply to ]
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Oh that reminds me of a good tip. At a co-ed race line up with a group of ladies since they tend to be less aggressive than men.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [karencoutts] [ In reply to ]
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karencoutts wrote:
Remember where you put your bike!

For my second tri, I set up my things in a hurry in a U-shaped transition area. I didn't even know it was U-shaped until I came back from the swim through a different entrance and couldn't find my bike!

Know the course well and don't expect it to be well marked.

I did a bike course which had Oly and Half-Iron sharing, but one of the loops was longer for the Half-Iron and I did not see the sign (or anyone waving me over) for the Oly turnoff. Ended up doing the half-iron loop so my bike time was the same as the average person instead of 10 minutes faster. DOH!


I'm pretty well-seasoned and I STILL forget this simple step! Or, where is the bike OUT again? I inevitably go the wrong way caused by my coming in before sunrise and not studying where I'm going to race...


Also, related to pre-dawn racing, buying a head lamp or at least bringing a flash light is helpful in getting set up. Small races will not normally have sufficient light when you need it.

DFL > DNF > DNS
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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You really don't needs a beach towel to save your space in transition. You don't need most of the stuff you'd set out on it.

I was there. I did that. But I really didn't need to. The sooner you learn that packing for & setting up transition becomes a lot less stressful.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Forget to take shoes off. If anyone is like me and dislike the ideal of being barefoot, shoes in public areas are a must. It is okay to leave them behind for a swim as it will not be forever. Once I nearly walked into the water with my flip flops and ended up leaving them near a portable john only never to see them again.
Also, have no expectations and always have fun.


_____________________________________
DISH is how we do it.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [travelmama] [ In reply to ]
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travelmama wrote:
Also, have no expectations and always have fun.

I like that. It is something we all forget. It is so hard in the moment to remember to have fun. After all this is why we do it, right?
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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On race preparation:

If possible, pick a race where you can ride/run the course in training or at least once before the race.

Get all your clothing and gear ready a week before, so that you've got time to make any last minute fixes.

Understand that the most important night's sleep is two nights before the race, because the night before may not be the best quality/quantity of sleep.

If possible do packet pick-up the day before, and at that time, locate your bike rack in the transition area, and walk through the entrance/exits for T1 and T2. Repeat race day morning.

Bring a black permanent marker, so you can body mark yourself if you get tight on time or there is a particularly long line.

Don't count on getting gels, tubes or whatever at the race site. Whatever you need/want will be the one thing the vendors do not have!thing

No coasting in running and no crying in baseball
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Know the course. Know the course. Know the course.

Hey, maybe know the course?

:D


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Re: What do you wish you had known? [Tri3] [ In reply to ]
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One of the ladies asked me about using buckets. I have seen them used before but I was not sure what to say. I guess buckets are great for carrying all the stuff someone new to triathlon might need in transition but bags are better. And yeah buckets provided a place to sit down but how can I encourage participants not to use buckets in transition? Should I even go there? I recognize not everyone is trying to win the race. I also recognize some ladies really may need a place to sit down. Do I encourage, discourage, or gloss over the bucket issue?
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe frame the bucket issue in a couple of ways:
yes, they are good if you have some type of injury or back issue and have to sit in order to change shoes/socks

BUT
1) they are a trip hazard, for and others, in T and
2) backpacks, which can be had for $20 or less (or borrow your kid's), are more practical because they leave your hands free for your bike, etc. when you're going back and forth from your car to T

No coasting in running and no crying in baseball
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [Tri3] [ In reply to ]
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smile a lot. you'll feel better, and everyone else will think you're having a good time. :)

~~ kate
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Great topic. My favorite newbie tips: don't do your very first-ever open-water swim at a race, and if you can't swim the distance in a pool without stopping, it's not going to be easier in open water!
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [karencoutts] [ In reply to ]
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"Remember where you put your bike! "

LOL!! I did that at one of my very first tris. Must have wasted five minutes at T1 trying to find it.

Two other pieces of advice - remember to fill your water bottle and never wear your speedo inside out for the race.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Thank the volunteers!

Lots of great advice listed above. One of the best tips someone gave me was to pull the neck of my wetsuit out and take in a big swish of water right before exiting the swim. It makes getting out of the wetsuit easier.
Last edited by: QRgirl: Feb 9, 14 15:15
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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QRgirl wrote:
Thank the volunteers!

Lots of great advice listed above. One of the best tips someone gave me was to pull the neck of my wetsuit out and take in a big swish of water right before exiting the swim. It helps getting out of the wetsuit easier.

+ 1^^^

Take the time to identify a few landmarks that might be useful to sight on BEFORE starting the swim. Buoys can be surprisingly difficult to spot once you're in the water and other swimmers aren't always going the right way so a few landmarks to orient yourself can be useful.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [blackthugcat] [ In reply to ]
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As an add-on to this, I found six to be my magic number for sighting. Six strokes and pop up to look. Made a HUGE difference between my first and second races.


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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Lick and rinse your goggles to prevent them fogging up.

Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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Side walk chaulk

If your ttransition is on pavement, mark your ttransition spot with a design you'll recognize on the fly. The chaulk is cheap and will mark exactly where your transition spot is. I highly recommend walking the transition area before the race so you know where you are going. Transition is hectic and worse if you're lost.

I like to leave a squirt bottle in transition. Just before heading out of transition (I leave my shoes clipped on the bike), I squirt my feet. It rinces off most of the sand and grit and will make it that much more comfortable on your feet. A squirt in the face to wash the nasty water off wouldn't hurt.

Pace yourself... Unless you can maintian your HR at 180 for the entire distance (Which you can't) start off a little slower. Trust me, you will pass all those people that are starting like they are gonna win later on and you'll feel fresh.

Don't load your bike with 50 gels for a sprint. You don't need them and won't even use them. Take what you need and what you have trained with, no more, no less.

Have fun and thank the vols. We couldn't reace if people didn't take their time to help us.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." Jimi Hendrix
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Re: What do you wish you had known? [trikitten] [ In reply to ]
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I wish I had known that at age 57 I really can not run like I used too. And basically out of triathlons. I would have enjoyed my running more and not complain about it so much. I guess i am being sapping, and "if i had known" I would have loved every step of those past runs and races.
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