Tri Training Tips

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kristinareisinger
kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am doing my first tri in a few weeks (sprint) and was wondering if anyone has any pointers for coping with anxiety and/or for performing well. Thanks!

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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited May 2015
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    IMO, anxiety comes from not being prepared. At this point, the bulk of your training is behind you, so practice laying out your gear and going through transition. That can make a huge difference. Also, if it's a local race, you ran ride/run the course a few times. As for performing well, you aren't going to make any earth shattering gains in speed at this point. Use the next few weeks to make sure any food/gels/fluids you plan on consuming during the race don't bother you, make sure your bike is mechanically sound, make sure your clothes fit and don't chafe, etc.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    IMO, anxiety comes from not being prepared. At this point, the bulk of your training is behind you, so practice laying out your gear and going through transition. That can make a huge difference. As for performing well, you aren't going to make any earth shattering gains in speed at this point. Use the next few weeks to make sure any food/gels/fluids you plan on consuming during the race don't bother you, make sure your bike is mechanically sound, make sure your clothes fit and don't chafe, etc.

    That's all the advice you need right there.

    Oh, and race hard and have fun!
  • amandabullock120
    amandabullock120 Posts: 110 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    IMO, anxiety comes from not being prepared. At this point, the bulk of your training is behind you, so practice laying out your gear and going through transition. That can make a huge difference. Also, if it's a local race, you ran ride/run the course a few times. As for performing well, you aren't going to make any earth shattering gains in speed at this point. Use the next few weeks to make sure any food/gels/fluids you plan on consuming during the race don't bother you, make sure your bike is mechanically sound, make sure your clothes fit and don't chafe, etc.

    ^^THIS^^

  • Equus5374
    Equus5374 Posts: 462 Member
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    I agree; trust your training. If you have worked hard and feel strong, you'll be fine. It's normal to have pre-race jitters; try to focus your mind on something else on race day - listen to music or talk to friends/other racers. Since it's your first, just compete against yourself and use it as a benchmark to determine how good your training regimen was and what things you'd like to improve upon. Good luck!
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
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    SuggaD wrote: »
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    IMO, anxiety comes from not being prepared. At this point, the bulk of your training is behind you, so practice laying out your gear and going through transition. That can make a huge difference. As for performing well, you aren't going to make any earth shattering gains in speed at this point. Use the next few weeks to make sure any food/gels/fluids you plan on consuming during the race don't bother you, make sure your bike is mechanically sound, make sure your clothes fit and don't chafe, etc.

    That's all the advice you need right there.

    Oh, and race hard and have fun!

    All that good stuff. Give it your best and have fun. You will probably have a list of "to dos" for the next one! But that is fine...it's a learning process :) Also, I like to listen to my favorite music and visualize what a successful race for me would look like before the start. So for TRI's I pictured perfect strokes and smooth transitions. For my OCR's I picture myself swinging across the monkey bars, etc. You just have to stay calm and focused till the start...then (for me at least) it's all business and I am just out there racing against myself.

    PS - If your googles are getting old and have leaked once or twice in practice - GET A NEW PAIR. Had to do half the swim with leaking googles once....worst experience ever ;)
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    Trust your training. At this point the hay is in the barn. Remember the point is to go out and have fun being awesome. So go out, and have fun being awesome. Don't sweat the small stuff.

    You can practice transitions if you feel like you need to do *something*. Lay out everything like it will be at the race. Put your helmet on the ground, bike shoes open, socks if you are going to wear them (I like to condom-roll my socks so they are fast to put on), sunglasses. Next to that put your running shoes, bib on a number belt, a gel (maybe).

    Run up to the little setup, put on helmet, sunglasses, socks, shoes, grab bike, go. Then go back to it, bike on rack, bike shoes off, run shoes on, helmet off, bib on, go...

  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    Thanks to all who responded!
    I feel good about my training so far but I still have yet to practice an open water swim in my wetsuit. That is on deck for this weekend!
    I guess most of my anxiety (beside doing a new kind of race) is due to the nature of the start - its a 12 foot jump off a ferry into the water and swim to shore. No way to prepare for that one, I guess. :(
    You all gave me some great advice that I will reread and try over these last few weeks. Thanks!
  • csman49
    csman49 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    kristinareisinger wrote: »
    - its a 12 foot jump off a ferry into the water and swim to shore.

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! that sounds like a drunken night out in Dover!!

  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    kristinareisinger wrote: »
    Thanks to all who responded!
    I feel good about my training so far but I still have yet to practice an open water swim in my wetsuit. That is on deck for this weekend!
    I guess most of my anxiety (beside doing a new kind of race) is due to the nature of the start - its a 12 foot jump off a ferry into the water and swim to shore. No way to prepare for that one, I guess. :(
    You all gave me some great advice that I will reread and try over these last few weeks. Thanks!
    Escape the Cape in New Jersey?
  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    Escape the Cape in New Jersey - yes sir!
    Freaking out a little...
    Not even worried about the shark sightings. That jump at the start. SIGH. I'm gonna panic. Just have to figure out hiw to break through the wall of fear.
  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    csman49 wrote: »
    kristinareisinger wrote: »
    - its a 12 foot jump off a ferry into the water and swim to shore.

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! that sounds like a drunken night out in Dover!!

    Or Cape May. Both ways its still the Delaware Bay!
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    kristinareisinger wrote: »
    Escape the Cape in New Jersey - yes sir!
    Freaking out a little...
    Not even worried about the shark sightings. That jump at the start. SIGH. I'm gonna panic. Just have to figure out hiw to break through the wall of fear.

    I have never done that race but many of my friends have. I would have been there with you but for my full IM only a couple weeks later in Atlantic City (incidentally run by the same race director as Escape the Cape!)
  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    oaa9kn50dz6o.jpg

    A full IM? You have my full respect!
  • HillOE
    HillOE Posts: 61 Member
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    I think the jump would be my issue place too! On the bright side, it's the first step and everything else will be familiar for you, and judging by the picture it doesn't look too far, lol.

    Remember to breath out and stay as horizontal as possible in the water. People panic and just try and get a breath, but forget to exhale their breath. exhale, exhale exhale, swim slow swim slow swim slow. head down, head down, head down. I'm a experienced swimmer and these are the things I replay in my head on my swim because I still forget to do all 3 when I'm racing. You need the energy to get through the rest of the race as well as the open water.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    That's a shorter drop that most diving boards I've been on.
    Got a board you can practice diving off of??
  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    I did it! Thanks to all who gave tips and encouragement! It really helped.
    My husband and I did a practice tri on the Chesapeake, we participated in the swim clinic the day before the race and I ended up coming in the top 50% overall and the top 30% women.
    It really does feel incredible to do something you previously thought was impossible!
    And to the genius who said to "condom roll" our socks? Super helpful! Thanks to you!63osmtdgx6av.jpg
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    Awesome! I heard that race went really well. Tough swim conditions, as usual for that race.
  • kristinareisinger
    kristinareisinger Posts: 37 Member
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    @glevinso It was the run that got everybody. Down the dunes across soft sand and back up dunes - twice. Torture! And hot!
    Plus my T1 was 8 min long b/c it was raining in the morning so I just covered my bag with a trashbag and hoped it would stay dry. Then the sun came out which was great but i had to basically unpack my whole bag in T1.
    Oh well - lessons for next time! Thanks for your advice!

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