Ever wanted to try a Tri? Would you do a Du?? You should! There’s nothing more fulfilling than the feeling of accomplishment after just rocking your race (except maybe after you just kicked butt by placing top 10 female in your first Spartan beast!)
So you’ve taken the first steps and signed up for one…or maybe you’re considering it, you just are wondering exactly what you would be signing up for……well, I’m here to tell you!
I would definitely say start small. You may look at the distances on the sprints and think I can do this in my sleep! While yes, separately they don’t look tough, until you’ve actually put them all together, you have no idea! I always dream big and like to bite off more than I can chew, but I will say the best advice I got was start small.
Once you have your race picked out, as with any race, it’s time to start training. When I start to think about training for a du or tri, my first thoughts are:
1. Realize your distance
I’m sure everyone thinks this is a no brainer and for the most part it is, but you have to think total distance too. Especially in a duathlon where your run then bike and then run again. Never underestimate the course/distance and overestimate yourself!
2. Understand your transitions
This is probably the most important part of the race. This may sound odd, but your transitions set the tone for the entire leg of the race. It also can shave or add unneeded time to your finish time. If you can’t efficiently transition or if you don’t practice your bricks, you’ll have a rude awakening on race day.
Have you ever tried to run after cycling even just 15-20mi? It’s the oddest feeling ever! You feel like a penguin trying to run. The best advice I can give you here is practice, practice, practice!- I can’t emphasize this enough!
It’s also important to think about the transition space and how you will set your space up. Everyone gets a section, but you are basically all on top of one another, side by side. It’s important to practice this as if you were doing it on race day so you know exactly how you transition best—do you put shoes on first? Do you need to dry your feet so you won’t get blisters or are your shoes equipped for that? Can you have one shoe clipped in and strap it as you ride, or are you like me and super clumsy, so need to have both shoes on before mounting the bike? Don’t forget to put your helmet where it’s easily accessible and won’t get tangled- you MUST have this on before you can mount.
A few other tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way--
When you practice swimming, it’s important to practice pulling and swimming with your arms- you need to save those legs for the rest of the race! There is a certain art to swimming in the motion you make as you “coast”.
This is another leg that requires a lot of practice. Swimming is an anaerobic/aerobic mix and therefore, if your body is used to running and cycling, your anaerobic muscle fibers may not be as strong…high intensity sprints and rowing can help with swimming performance as well. It’s also important that you learn your rhythm and learn how to establish it as soon as possible. You have to be super comfortable in the water as well because if you do an open swim, it is CRAZY! Feet and arms everywhere, so just be prepared. If it’s an ocean swim, you will also have a tide to consider, so do some homework before the race because you can tend to use the tide in your favor.
So you’ve taken the first steps and signed up for one…or maybe you’re considering it, you just are wondering exactly what you would be signing up for……well, I’m here to tell you!
I would definitely say start small. You may look at the distances on the sprints and think I can do this in my sleep! While yes, separately they don’t look tough, until you’ve actually put them all together, you have no idea! I always dream big and like to bite off more than I can chew, but I will say the best advice I got was start small.
Once you have your race picked out, as with any race, it’s time to start training. When I start to think about training for a du or tri, my first thoughts are:
1. Realize your distance
I’m sure everyone thinks this is a no brainer and for the most part it is, but you have to think total distance too. Especially in a duathlon where your run then bike and then run again. Never underestimate the course/distance and overestimate yourself!
2. Understand your transitions
This is probably the most important part of the race. This may sound odd, but your transitions set the tone for the entire leg of the race. It also can shave or add unneeded time to your finish time. If you can’t efficiently transition or if you don’t practice your bricks, you’ll have a rude awakening on race day.
Have you ever tried to run after cycling even just 15-20mi? It’s the oddest feeling ever! You feel like a penguin trying to run. The best advice I can give you here is practice, practice, practice!- I can’t emphasize this enough!
It’s also important to think about the transition space and how you will set your space up. Everyone gets a section, but you are basically all on top of one another, side by side. It’s important to practice this as if you were doing it on race day so you know exactly how you transition best—do you put shoes on first? Do you need to dry your feet so you won’t get blisters or are your shoes equipped for that? Can you have one shoe clipped in and strap it as you ride, or are you like me and super clumsy, so need to have both shoes on before mounting the bike? Don’t forget to put your helmet where it’s easily accessible and won’t get tangled- you MUST have this on before you can mount.
A few other tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way--
When you practice swimming, it’s important to practice pulling and swimming with your arms- you need to save those legs for the rest of the race! There is a certain art to swimming in the motion you make as you “coast”.
This is another leg that requires a lot of practice. Swimming is an anaerobic/aerobic mix and therefore, if your body is used to running and cycling, your anaerobic muscle fibers may not be as strong…high intensity sprints and rowing can help with swimming performance as well. It’s also important that you learn your rhythm and learn how to establish it as soon as possible. You have to be super comfortable in the water as well because if you do an open swim, it is CRAZY! Feet and arms everywhere, so just be prepared. If it’s an ocean swim, you will also have a tide to consider, so do some homework before the race because you can tend to use the tide in your favor.
You should be very familiar with cycling and how to hold a pace on your own, how to keep proper distance (regulated so you can’t hop a ride on someone’s wheel), and how to make a break for it to get around the rider in front of you. Again, the best way to learn is to practice, practice, practice!!
Racing is a strategic game (which is why I am obsessed with it)- you should be constantly thinking about your next move and how to execute it. It’s also important to learn to run and ride without music because most events don’t allow you to use music/earbuds. Each move should be calculated and you should have a plan for each reaction scenario- for example: you don’t know what the transition area situation is going to be like as you approach until you’re there, so depending on how crowded it is, you need a plan: how will you get your bike out; helmet or shoes first; etc.. I know this sounds slightly obsessive, but that’s how I roll; and while I definitely have room to improve, I think it’s what helped to make me so successful in these races.
Feel free to email or facebook me with any comments, questions, or concerns you may have! I’m definitely more than happy to help!!
Happy –athalon training!!
Peace, Love, & Strength,
Jayme
Racing is a strategic game (which is why I am obsessed with it)- you should be constantly thinking about your next move and how to execute it. It’s also important to learn to run and ride without music because most events don’t allow you to use music/earbuds. Each move should be calculated and you should have a plan for each reaction scenario- for example: you don’t know what the transition area situation is going to be like as you approach until you’re there, so depending on how crowded it is, you need a plan: how will you get your bike out; helmet or shoes first; etc.. I know this sounds slightly obsessive, but that’s how I roll; and while I definitely have room to improve, I think it’s what helped to make me so successful in these races.
Feel free to email or facebook me with any comments, questions, or concerns you may have! I’m definitely more than happy to help!!
Happy –athalon training!!
Peace, Love, & Strength,
Jayme