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Twas the Night Before a Tri Race. This is a continuation from Part 1 and will cover the basics of my typical triathlon race day. Hopefully at some point I can add some pictures here...since I don't usually have a cheering section - that equals no race pictures! This section includes: - Day Before (Prep)
- Morning of Race Day
- Pre-Race
- Race Time!!
- Transitions
- Post-Race
Actually my preparation starts about a week out when I check out my bike to be sure everything is tuned and dialed in correctly. I will usually go out for a 30-45 minute ride with all of my gear so that I can see how things are set up. I have had more than one bad experience when wrenching on a bike the night before a race and that usually turns into a long night of bike repair! The night before, I lay everything out that I will need for race day. I have a checklist that I have created and it is organized into different groups of items that go into the car. I make sure my bottles are all around and that I have the different parts for my aerobottle. I don’t know how many times I have forgot to bring the dumb rubberbands and then return from the bike leg covered in Heed. After I have my stuff in order, I double check and then call it a night. I try to keep things ‘normal’ as far as food and bedtime are concerned. I have found that as long as I get a good nights sleep 2 nights before a race, it does not matter how many hours of sleep I get the night before a race. Other than that, not much is different than a normal day.
One final note for the day before, I will usually figure out exactly where the race is going to be held and then I do a Google Maps search and create directions to follow in the morning. I make sure that I know the directions and the time it will take to get to the venue so I am up on time. For every race, I make the attempt to be at the venue between 1:30 – 2:00 before the start time. That means that if the race start is set for 8, I make sure I am there by 6 and plan when I get up, eat breakfast and leave. This is a definite schedule and I try to hold firm to this so I am not late.
Morning of
Usually for an 8am start time, and a 1 hour drive, I will be up at 4:00. That gives me 60 minutes to eat, shower, gear-up, load the car and leave and with the adrenaline of race-day, I can usually get everything done with 10-15 minutes left for the double check. I will have my breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and then another cup of coffee on the road. Many people find that coffee will upset their stomach during a race but through trial and error, I have found that coffee gives me that caffeine boost that I need for a race.
Pre-Race
Once I get to the race venue, I park the car and hustle over to the check in area. Most now require some sort of photo ID so when I leave the house, I put my wallet in my pocket so I won’t forget it. After registering, I make it a point to get the tattoo #’s marked early so that I do not get stuck in the large lines closer to race time. I carry a large black marker to do my own numbers just in case the lines are HUGE. After getting my numbers marked, I get back to my car, remove my bike and the race bag (from the checklist), Fill my bottles with water and Heed and then get back to the transition area to stake my claim on the bike racks. I always attempt to get on a rack right up against the side wall for two reasons. 1. I can claim a bit more real-estate for my stuff. 2. I can get my bike out of the Transition area before it opens. If you are confused by that, here is the explanation. Before and After a race, the Transition area is open to add or remove your equipment. During the race, the Transition area is closed for everyone except the racers going in and out of the area. So, I put my bike near an outside edge so I can grab my stuff and get it back to my car before it becomes a madhouse!
The final pre-race thing is to make sure the transition area is all set up. Make sure your bike is ready for riding and the shoes are ready for running. I usually will put my helmet up on the aero bars with a set of sunglasses stuck in the vents. My jersey will be on the seat with the race belt and sometimes my Heartrate strap draped over. Many times I will use the sunglasses to hold the jersey and belt on the seat. My running shoes will go towards the front so they are out of the way. I make sure the laces are loose and I will also put a gel in the shoe so I have an extra one for the run. My bike shoes will be open and closer to the aisle so I can throw them on quickly. I check everything and then go for a light and easy 15-20 minute warm-up run. I start very slow and work up the tempo and will usually throw in a quick burst or two just to get my legs ready for the upcoming race. During the Pre-race time, you really need to make sure you get to the bathroom at least once so you don’t have the ‘urge’ during the race. Also, make sure you can tell exactly where your area is since you will be coming in to the Transition area fast and in oxygen debt. As time gets closer to the start, I usually take a Hammer Gel and one last drink of water. If the race is a Duathlon, will already have on my racing shoes, jersey, belt, etc. and I head over to the start line to wait for the gun. If it is a Tri, I will take off any warm-up stuff and leave it in my Transition area for after the race. I find the swim cap and goggles and head down to the beach for the start.
Race time & Transitions
Most races start in waves. For Example, Elite Men 20-29 will go first followed by Elite Men 30-39, etc. It is a very exciting and energetic time while waiting for a race to start. You can see the energy in every racer and it is almost an electric feeling. Everyone is cheering and hollering for everyone! It is definitely addicting!
Swim / Run 1
I will usually start my watch a few seconds before they say go so I don’t forget. Then I usually forget to push the buttons during the race so I have to wait for the results and the breakdown of events to figure out if I did good in my individual sports. I hold towards the back of the swimming group since I am not a very fast swimmer. In the Duathlon run #1, I will hold to the front of the pack so I do not lose the race before it starts. I usually start too quickly in both events and suffer towards the end. It is all-good because the bike is where you can fly and recover at the same time.
Transition #1
This is usually the slower one because you need to put on equipment. If I ran first, I do not tighten the laces at all. I drop the running shoes and get the bike stuff on as quickly as possible. The helmet ALWAYS goes on first…after the jersey of course. It is very important to remember the helmet! I get everything on and then touch my watch to my heartrate strap to get that going as I am running out. You are not allowed to ride your bike into or out of the transition area for safety reasons. For a Run-bike transition, I am usually about 45 seconds. For a swim-bike transition, it is more like a minute and twenty seconds. Bike
Once you get out on the course and settled into a rhythm, you can relax and focus on picking off riders in front of you. Most of the time, other waves that are in front of you will have some fast swimmers but slow riders. I use them as motivation and pick them off one by one. I try to get some Heed in my body as quickly as possible on the bike too so I have that nutrition working with me. I sip the Heed from time to time and since most bike portions are out and back, I find that 15 minute mark so I can remember to have the second Hammer gel. Since I am faster on the bike than in the swim, I can usually pick up quite a few positions during this part. The one thing to remember is that drafting is illegal for most triathlons and when you are passed, you HAVE to let that rider be at least a bike length away in front of you before you can attack to pass. You also must only pass on the left of other riders. Check behind you before attempting to pass because even though you might be faster than the person you are trying to pass, you might be someone else’s slow person! That is tough in some of the smaller tri’s and there are many times that I spend the majority of the race ‘on the left’ of the rest of the riders. After I take the second Hammer gel and get closer to T2, I start drinking the remainder of my Heed so that I am all fueled up for the run.
Transition #2
This is usually quicker and only has a few pointers or ideas. First, dismount before you enter T2 because you can be penalized if you ride in. Second, Know where your area is! It is easy to get lost in transition! Other things that I do include unstrapping my shoes about a half mile out and then pedaling barefoot on top of the shoes as I approach the Transition. I also unclip my helmet as I run my bike barefoot to my area. At my area, I rack the bike with shoes still attached, put my helmet on the bars, put on my shoes and get OUT FAST! T2 is usually closer to 30 seconds.
Run
Leaving Transition I try to grab a cup of water to drink and if it is hot, I grab one to drink and one to throw on my head. Just make sure they are water and not Gatorade or cola! As you start to run, you will notice that your legs feel like they are encased in cement but this is normal. It will take a mile or two for them to feel normal again. One way to get used to this is to practice this in your training. It always feels weird but I have come to enjoy the crazy-leg feeling and look forward to it. I try to use it to my advantage. My legs know what to do so I try to push them as hard as I can and let them do their work. If it is hot, I will grab one more cup of water on the run but if the race is close, I will forego that last cup and attempt to catch the guys in front of me. Most of the runs are out and back too so you can see when you are getting close to the finish line. One of the dead giveaways is that there are people around! Once you start seeing people or if you know you are close, clean up your stride, look tall and strong and focus on a victory…it will be a victory no matter what place you finish. Victory is found in the completion of the event. JUST FINISH!! Plus, the photographers take pictures at the finish and you don’t want to see yourself dragging across the line. You want the pictures to make you look like a champion!
Post Race
FUEL UP!!! Whether it is Hammer Recoverite, Chocolate Milk, Pizza, whatever. Eat, drink and be merry! You just trashed your body for an hour or two or three and it needs and deserves whatever you can eat and drink. I usually head right back to my car for a bottle of Recoverite and then go get some dry Team Logo clothes on and then head back to the finish line and eat as much as I can from the ‘free’ bite-size items available. There is research out there that says your body does not care what it takes in as long as it has substance. It keeps burning hot for a few hours after an event. I also make it a point to talk to as many other racers as I can. Especially if they are racers that have become friends or teammates. However, there are many times that I am just burned out after a race and just stretch and sit down to wait for the awards ceremony. One quick thing though, you have to make sure you get your bike and equipment out of the transition area. Make sure you get a meal in soon after a race so your body can rebuild. My favorite post-race meals is Taco Bell 2 – 1/2 pound Cheezy Bean and Rice Burritos! Yum. Just enjoy the finish venue and soak up the energy and let that be your goal for the next Tri, I live on that rush at the end of a race.
Whatever you do or however you finish, just being active and a part of a healty, fun, and energetic tri-family is something! Get out there and Train!
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