Swim: The swim portion of a triathlon is pretty crazy, even for someone who loves the water. Brace yourself to be caught off-guard once you dive in and accept the fact that you will get kicked, shoved and smacked. It’s inevitable. Wear something fitted to reduce chafing and rubbing. You can find a decent triathlon suit online for fairly cheap; if you don’t know if you’ll do more than just one, though, I would recommend just sticking with a simple swimsuit (you can put on a tank top and some spandex shorts during transition after the swim). Your race volunteers will give you a swim cap during packet pickup; this is worn by everyone and is what helps identify you as a registered racer. It also helps you stand out in the water so the kayakers can see you.
Goggles are a must, but you don’t need to spend more than $15-20 on them (I got mine from Target for about 17 bucks). There are anti-fog drops you can buy, but don’t waste your money: I find using a small drop of inexpensive baby shampoo in each lens does the job just fine (just make sure you rinse it thoroughly because, despite the description on the label, it will indeed sting your eyes). If all else fails, a simple drop of spit in your lenses will work for a short race, too.
Bike: The bike portion of a triathlon is, admittedly, my weakest leg of the race. I have a huge fear of crashing, and therefore tend to be overly cautious on my bike. The good thing about the bike portion is you can breathe more freely than the swim. An extra bonus: You’re sitting down. Keep a moderate gear — enough to keep you going fast without burning out your legs too early on. Slow down during the turns and try to take in the scenery around you, especially if you’re lucky enough to be riding in Florida. Make sure you are far enough behind the person in front of you (USAT regulations require multiple bike lengths in between each rider), unless you are passing them. And if you are going to pass someone — which you will; it’s a race — it is polite to give them a heads-up. A simple “Coming up on your left!” will do. Switch to a lower gear for the last mile or so in order to help reduce the inevitable “jelly legs” feeling that occurs between bike and run. Oh, and enjoy the ride. You won’t be this comfortable for another hour, at least.
Run: Almost there! Once you’ve made it to the run, you will feel an odd combination of exhaustion and exhilaration. Try to keep a steady pace, however difficult it may be with legs and lungs so exhausted. Save a little energy for the finish line: It feels pretty awesome to be able to run fast through those last several seconds. Plus, it will make your finisher pictures even more epic.
Transitions: Ugh. Transition area. This is, depending on which triathlon you race, either a fun place to check in and encourage your fellow triathletes, or a total disaster. For professionals and more competitive racers, the transition between each leg of the triathlon makes all of the difference in time. For those of us less concerned with breaking records, the transition area is a place to catch our breath and rehydrate. Bring a couple of bottles of water: One to drink and one to rinse your feet off with after the swim. A small hand towel to stand on and dry your feet with before putting on socks and shoes will suffice. I also bring a bottle of Gatorade (good for electrolytes as well as rinsing the salt water out of your mouth) and some energy gels. Even for a short triathlon, you should eat one or two energy gels to keep your stamina and maintain blood sugar levels.
All-in-all, set some reasonable goals and try to have a good time. Regardless of your finish time, you are doing a freaking triathlon. This is not small stuff! If it were, everybody would be doing it. Trust in your training and be proud of yourself for getting here. This is a place many people will never be; this is a challenge most people wouldn’t dare to take on. You’re a rockstar.
And there’s probably free beer at the finish line.
This article appears in May 25 – Jun 1, 2017.