Do’s:

• Create a gear list a few days before your race and systematically cross things off one by one as you place them in to your gear bag.
• Get to bed on time the night before!
• Remember to rub body glide on your neck. shoulders and ankles.  Prevents chaffing.
• Get to the race early enough to warm up.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  You urine should be clear when you start the race.
• Eat clean foods in preparation for your race.  That is, eat foods that you know that you can easily digest prior to the race.
• If you choose a light solid meal in the morning prior to your race, make sure you have consumed this meal 2 hours prior to the start of the race.
• I like a little caffeine in the morning prior to my race.  I usually give up the caffeine the week of the race because it dehydrates you but I like a little jolt of java on the morning of race day.

Don’ts:

• Don’t be late!  You’ll just stress yourself out.
• Don’t take up too much space at the transition areas.  Be courteous to your neighbors and remember that there’s usually a ton of bikes on each rack and a messy transition area isn’t good for anyone.
• Don’t try new gear on race day without properly vetting that piece of equipment during your training.
• Don’t train too much during your taper sessions.  I know its tempting, but the purpose of tapering is to prepare for your race, not burn yourself out prior to it.
• Don’t try new nutrition tips and procedures during your race.  Keep your nutrition and hydration habits familiar.  Remember, training sessions are the proper place for new methods.
• Don’t over think it.  Just go out, compete and have fun!!!

Julian shares one of his favorite recipes with us- Zesty Quinoa Salad. The original recipe is here, but we really like his twist on one of our favorite dishes. Enjoy!

While most triathletes focus their training around volume and intensity, big gains can be realized by focusing on the bio-mechanics of each individual sport. This is mostly known for swimming, a sport that benefits more from technique than endurance or power, although cycling and running can also benefit from motor programming.

Swim

Since water is very dense, becoming “streamlined” is critical to improving your efficiency. Dedicate at least half of your time in the water (especially early in the season) to performing drills that improve your form. I am a big fan of the Total Immersion program, which provides excellent guidance on how to increase the efficiency of your body moving through the water. Both their book and DVDs are great resources.

Bike

Cycling, too, can benefit from improvements in bio-dynamics. Pay special attention to your stroke. Your goal should be to provide a smooth power transfer throughout the entire 360 degrees of your stroke, and not use a “push-pull” technique. Exercise “pushing your toes in shoes” and “scraping mud off your shoes” and do not be concerned with “pulling up”. Throughout these exercises keep your cadence high around 90 – 100 rpm.

Run

Running has probably received the most attention recently in regards to bio-dynamic improvements. The barefoot running craze has reopened the conversation around strike efficiency and mechanics. No matter if you run barefoot, with lightweight trainers, or with supportive shoes, you will benefit from practicing a midfoot strike that avoids transmitting large loads through joints and create a breaking force that heelstrikes do. I recommend Chi Running to help you improve several aspects of your form–they offer several books and training programs.

By keeping bio-mechanics in mind and including technique focused drills in your workouts you can ensure that all that hard-earned endurance and power has the wanted effects on your swim, bike and run and set yourself up for a new personal best.

The idiosyncrasies that come with the world of multisport racing can be quite overwhelming for the novice athlete to grasp. There are so many things that can go sideways in training and racing. Learning the ropes early on, and being flexible, can be key elements to enjoying yourself and having memorable experiences.

I believe that there are no secrets in multisport training or racing. I believe this because anytime someone comes up with a new concept, they want to share it with the world. However, what works for one may not always work for most. I’m going to highlight some of the things you should be doing, and some you might want to consider not doing from an etiquette standpoint. These are things that are nice to know, so you don’t become “that guy” at your first or next event. I hope these tips will foster the enjoyment you receive from the sport, and by so doing, make you the kind of person we all appreciate competing with. I’ll break this down into the three areas of swimming, biking and running, but first I’ll talk about your transition area.

Transition Area

Do This:

Get there early and choose a spot that is advantageous to you. Maybe you like the end of the rack where there’s a little more room, or you can hold on to the rack while stepping into your shoes? If there are open spaces on “extra” racks that are not designated for any bib numbers, ask the race staff if you can set up there. Don’t worry if they appear to be farther away from your exit. The time you save by not having to wrestle into your space could mean a quicker transition anyway.

Put your gear beside your bike, on the same side as wheel that’s touching the ground. This is actually a little known (and adhered to) USAT rule. No matter how you rack your bike, either by handlebar or seat, your gear goes on the same side as the grounded wheel.

Establish your space with a towel. Not a beach towel, and not a “bath sheet”, but a towel just wide enough to stand on when changing shoes. All of your gear should fit on this towel and return to the towel when you make your transitions.

Keep you transition gear orderly. Nobody should risk tripping over your gear. And if they do, you’d be surprised how far things will end up from where you actually left them. It shouldn’t look like a 15-year-old’s bedroom.

Respect others’ gear and space, always!!

Don’t Do This:

Move other bikes or gear without the owner’s permission. They got there ahead of you and might not be the ones who should move their gear.

Leave your gear in the aisles after changing. Room is tight, and again, nobody should be tripping over or kicking your stuff.

Use spray-on sunscreen in the proximity of others’ gear or bikes. Not only is this dangerous if it’s any oily type of sunscreen, but some of these products have been known to damage paint, decals and clear-coats on frames.

Go blasting through transition without regard for others. It’s kind of like “pit row” at Indy. Save the speed for out on the course.

SWIM

Do This:

Position yourself at the start according to your real ability. If you’re not going to mix-it-up with the Big Dogs, then stay out of their way and save yourself the abuse. This is not the time to be losing time while repositioning goggles knocked off in the first 40 yards or checking to see if your nose is really bleeding.

Continue to swim with those of similar ability. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t draft behind someone faster, it just means you’ll avoid getting constantly pummeled as you sight for the next buoy, if everyone around you is moving at the same relative speed.

Move out of the swim line if you need a break, need to use a resting stroke (breast, back, side etc.) or need help. You’ll avoid disrupting others and in the case of needing help, you’ll be more visible to safety personnel.

Swim all the way to the sand. Chances are you can swim faster than you can walk through waist deep water, so keep swimming until your hands start to hit bottom. You may be surprised that you’ll be passing people who’ve stood too early.

Don’t Do This

Abrupt starts or stops can injure other swimmers. If you suddenly stop to take a breather, someone can swim right into you. If on the other hand you start swimming again and decide to breaststroke, your sideways kicking action can be a hazard to those coming up alongside you.

Hitting back at someone who unintentionally or seemingly-intentionally hits you, is a waste of energy and falls into the category of poor sportsmanship. If you notice it’s a continuing problem, report the participant to the race director when convenient, for further action.

Crowd the turn buoy. If you aren’t keeping up with the group you’re swimming in, don’t expect them to show you any courtesy if you decide to take the inside line on the turns. You will get swam over, or at the very least, irritate those around you

BIKE

Do This:

Be cautious leaving T1. This is not the place to light the afterburners and show the crowd what you can do. There will be others still wobbly from the swim, who’ll be doing all they can to stay upright. This could include inadvertently weaving into your very path with no warning.

Familiarize yourself with any course abnormalities, as well as the USAT Rules for bike course conduct.

Ride to the right side of your lane. It may not always be the “with traffic” lane in every case, so stay right and pass left.

Because most triathlons in the U.S. are non-drafting events, you’re not required to point out obstacles for competitors behind you. But if you’ve just made a legal pass on someone, and they’ve not dropped out of your draft zone yet, as a courtesy, you could point out an obstacle they might be unable to see. It’s the right thing to do.

Ride your line and be predictable. Erratic riders can be dangerous, so give them space when you overtake them too.

Don’t Do This:

Littering is a penalty and includes anything that falls off your bike too. Ejected water bottles can be quite the hazard on the bike course, but so can a slick gel packet or CO2 cartridge. Make sure your gear is secure enough to withstand the bumps and jolts and occasional railroad tracks.

Roadside repairs should be done far enough off the road so as not to create a hazard to you or others. They may not be expecting you while you’re concentrating on the final steps of repairing a flat. It might not be that you’re in the way, but that they just didn’t see you soon enough to react. Better safe than sorry.

Spit or blow your nose anywhere but to your right. Need I say more?

Carry too much speed through aid stations. The volunteers might not be expecting you to come through so fast and so close. Don’t put either of you in jeopardy.

Ride on the tops of your shoes into the dismount area, when you’ve only seen it done by others. It takes a fair amount of practice to control your bike while getting your feet out of your clipped-in shoes. Don’t be a hazard to others.

Blast into the dismount with enough speed that you skid to a stop or nearly run into the back of someone else. This is not the place to show the crowd what a crash looks like.

RUN

Do This

Just as on the bike, run to the right, pass on the left.

If you are not taking aid from one of the stations, move one or two steps to your left. This will keep you from running into anyone leaving the station or impeding anyone heading in.

If you plan to walk through the station, it would be best to grab your aid before slowing to walk, then move over as far right as you can after passing the station. Again, there may be someone coming up behind you, wanting to grab and go.

If you plan on refilling your hydration bottle or system, most aid stations are happy to help. It’s best to go to the end of the station and step out of the flow of traffic to do this.

Make your intentions known. If you’re looking to grab water, go ahead and vocalize this so they’ll expect you to take it.

Use the trashcans. Every one of those cups needs to be picked up by the volunteers. Help those who help you.

Thank the volunteers, as often as possible. Without them, the events can’t take place.

Don’t Do This:

Hog the path if you’re on one. Everybody is entitled to a fair amount of room. If you decide to pace with someone, you are still required to yield the right of way where necessary. If this means you need to run single file in some sections, so be it.

Assume that someone wants your company. Whether the person is pacing nicely at a speed you like, or struggling, they may not want you in their space at the moment. Be courteous and ask if you might run along with them, or if they’d like some company and “teamwork” to finish.

Be a Chatty Cathy. I know people who would rather go their whole run without having a single conversation with anyone. They find their groove or zone, and you might not be a part of it.

Spread your negative attitude. Just because the course is kicking your butt, doesn’t mean we all need or want to hear about it, especially if it’s doing the same to us. We all deal with hardships differently, and for some, it may mean going internal and getting the mind straight. Positive thoughts to pull you through.

Berate any volunteer. These people are out on the course to help you, make sure you get what you need within their power, and try to make it enjoyable for you. If the water jugs are completely empty, yeah, it’s a problem. But take it up with the Race Director, because they’re the ones who dole out the supplies. And maybe someone’s already on the way with more water?

You probably have your own list of Dos and Don’ts that you’ve built. The main thing is to help those just starting out in the sport, and hopefully over time, all of these things just come naturally.

Good Luck Out There, and Train With Grain!

[Editor's note: You can watch a video from Doug Carr over here, where he details his prep for Rev 3.]

Most of my triathlon race reports, or any event for that matter, usually start with “The alarm clock went off at 4:30 a.m.” This one will be no exception. I’m the kind of guy who likes to be methodical and relaxed on the morning of race day, and if that means losing half of an hour of sleep, then that’s just the way it goes. That’s not to say that I sleep very well the night before, but that’s another story.

This half-iron distance race would be my wife’s first tri at that length, and since she’d be facing “time cut-offs” for each of the swim and bike legs, there would certainly be some anxious moments until the gun went off for her wave. The more I could do to keep things calm, the better off her race would be.

Being as bikes were already at the lake, it was just a matter of grabbing our gear for the day and heading out for the 45 minute or so drive. We took a cooler to keep water chilled, as we both new the day would be getting long and warm.

The transition area for this event was approximately half a mile from the swim venue. That meant, once you made a last check on tires, hydration, T-1 and T-2 gear placement and size up your competition, it was time to head over to the start. The start would go off in five waves. Pro Men, Pro Women, All Women, All Men under 40, and the rest of the Men over 40, Relays and Aquabike. The weather was spectacular and the water temp was sitting at 72 degrees. This meant no wetsuits for the pros, and most of the Age Groupers would be sleeveless, given the option. I like the temps to hover near 63, as I feel just warm enough after the initial facial numbness subsides. Unfortunately my sleeveless top was sitting comfortably at home. Oh, well, that’s what it means by remaining flexible on race day.

SWIM

Our wave hit the water at 8:40. This is a pretty late start for long course races, and most folks new that sunscreen would be an essential piece of equipment. The swim would comprise a single lap around a rectangle, measuring 1/2 mile on its longest sides, and about 1/10 mile on its ends. Counterclockwise meant buoys to your left, but there were so many intermediate sighting buoys, that it really wasn’t a problem for us right-side breathers. The second buoy was at the end of the first “long-side” and was dead center of the sun’s reflection off the water. This made sighting more difficult for those who watch the buoy instead of a distinct landmark above the horizon. A friend of mine actual ended up heading for the third turn buoy, and was directed back to the second buoy by a kayak.

All in all, the swim went well even though it was a little warm. We were allowed to hang dry bags at the swim, so if you wanted to run to T-1 in shoes, you could have them there. You had the option of bringing your wetsuits with you, or stuffing it in the bag to be brought over to your bike by the event crew. That’s what I chose to do, and was actually surprised when a volunteer came and help me strip my wetsuit. Bonus! The 1/2 mile run to T-1 was a new experience, but I have to say that I actually liked it. It gave my legs a chance to warm up some of the biking muscles, and be ready to ride.

BIKE

T-1 was uneventful, just like I prefer it. Hopefully the sunscreen was still going to work? It was a short trip up to the main road to join the course, which was laid out as two loops of 27 miles each. The helicopter was already in the air for coverage of the swim course, and now it was zooming up and down the Columbia River catching the pro bike action, along with motorcycles getting footage on the course. It was a pretty cool experience being on course with the pros and watching them (hearing them actually) come whizzing past you turning 26 ~ 27 mph averages, including four complete u-turns. I managed to average 20.51 mph for the 56 miles and felt pretty comfortable the whole time. Wattage was right where I wanted it, as was heart rate. My bike performed flawlessly, and I had no problems passing when needed. Water stations were well equipped for hand-offs and distances were appropriate.

RUN

I felt better coming off this bike leg than I have in some time. I believe that it was a combination of controlling the output? But then something started happening about a mile into the run. My left inner quad and inner hamstring felt like they both wanted to cramp up. My right side was fine. I thought, “Great, this is going to be a long 13 miles!” At the first aid station, I took my weight to my right side, lifted my left foot off the ground while keeping my knee out in front of me. I then poured a cup of ice water on the head of the quad, and like magic, the feeling of cramping went away and never returned. It was weird. So I ran. The heat was starting to get to me, and I even used ice under my hat and in my back pocket of my jersey to keep cooled down. It turned into a struggle, but I had a lot of company. Misery loves company, right? I’d surge every once in a while and pick out landmarks or the next aid station to get to. I knew where the finish line was and just kept trudging ahead. I felt good to see the crowd still cheering everyone in, and likewise it felt good to cross that finish line. I can say that I did it with a smile on my face. In this link to the age group video, I have the unique honor of being the only one shown being presented with a finisher’s medal. Age Group Summary Video

Train With Grain!!

Mark provides a guide for best practices when shaving your legs and explains why that is desirable for male racers.

Multisport training, like any other type of athletic endurance training, requires commitment to a plan. If you’re married, it also means scheduling your training to keep your relationship from suffering neglect. When you have both children and spouse in the picture, balance becomes even more critical to everyone’s well being.

If you’re treading in these waters for the first time, it’s important to share your plan with those who’ll be affected by “your new found passion” for training in multiple sports. What follows are my suggestions for keeping the peace in the household, while still maintaining a training schedule that helps you meet your goals. Since I’m male, I will use the word “she” in this case as if I’m referring to a female spouse. Hey, I gotta go with what I know, right?

Let Her Know!!

Let her know what you’re training will entail and what the goal will be. When you start spending more time at the gym, pool, on the bike or running, it’s a definite time to have her on your side. Just saying you want to do a triathlon for example, may not be enough. When she says, “Tri-ath-a-what?” you know you’ve got some “splaining” to do, Lucy. If it’s something you’ve been curious about for some time, and she knows this, then your approach might be that you think the time is right to test the waters. On the other hand, if you’ve just found out “we’re pregnant” as the saying goes, you could be in for more than you bargained for and might want to reevaluate your timing. I’m just saying…

Be Transparent With Your Schedule

Our family uses a whiteboard calendar to keep track of everybody’s commitments throughout the month. If you can simply jot down your schedule for the week, everyone will know why you’re not at the dinner table. I put morning workouts towards the top of the day, and evening towards the bottom. Simple words like swim, bike or run in the appropriate areas will do wonders at keeping things from becoming a surprise, when you’re expected to be at that violin recital everyone else is heading to.

Ask For Her Help

If you can involve her willingly, in some way, she’ll feel like she’s a part of your new found lifestyle, and resentment towards your training will be lessened. Maybe you can solicit her help in planning weekly meals to ensure you’re getting enough energy, then offer to do the grocery shopping. Depending on what length of event you’re training for, food can play a bigger part in how you feel on a daily basis. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who’s continually cranky due to a lack of energy. If you feel there’s something in your nutrition that needs tweaking, the “I’d like to try…” approach works ten times better than the “Why didn’t you put xxx on the list?”

Is There A Common Interest Of Participation?

Does she participate in any of the sports you’re training in? I’m very fortunate in that my wife is a triathlete, too, who’s been working her way up the distance ranks. She found a passion in swimming, learning only a few years back, and is now pretty fearless in the water. One thing she’d always do is treat her goggles with Baby Shampoo after each use. I’d never heard of this, and just suffered with fogging goggles as a fact of life. One day I asked her if she’d do the same thing to my goggles. Soon enough she was asking me to hand them over so she could get them ready for their next session. It was this little thing she did, that solved such an annoyance, and made me think about her when I’d swim “fog-free”. Let her know it’s appreciated too.

Do Your Share

Training does not give you a pass on things like dirty dishes, toilets or laundry. You have to continue to pitch in and do your share. Since the chances are that your pile of dirty laundry and water bottles will be growing, expect to do what needs to be done to keep them taken care of, and then some. You’re tired, that’s a given, but life goes on. No one is going to automatically clean your favorite training jersey, water bottle or bike shorts. Step up as you usually do and do what needs to be done.

Rest Days Are Not The Same As Recovery Days

Rest days are total “off” days from training. They are typically built into the schedule preceding high volume or high intensity days. These are the days to plan for activities within your other life, that of husband, father, gardener etc. They might not always happen on the same day, so this is where being transparent becomes important. Is there something she’s been wanting to do with you? Is there a movie she wants you to see? Maybe she just wants to go for a walk and enjoy some time with you? This is the time to do it, and do so without fuss or bother. You might be tired out, but you have an opportunity to spend time with her and make her feel important. And unless she asks, she’s not going to want to hear a play-by-play rundown of the last training week. Give it a break, reconnect if only for a little while, and enjoy the off day.

Keep The Peace

You may find that your training requires some pretty early morning wake-ups. If you plan ahead and have your gear ready the night before, you can avoid having to turn lights on to find that missing piece of gear. Up and out the door at 5:00 a.m. can be an un-Godly hour for a swim or run, much less getting up period, for the rest of the family. Minimizing their sleep disturbance is the goal. They will be much happier with you. I put my gear bag in another room that minimizes light pollution into their bedrooms.

At The Race

Asking for help from other family members can pay big dividends in your sanity too. If you’re traveling to a big race that includes some family-vacation time, have them search local attractions that might be of interest to them. Being able to tune out of your schedule leading up to race day is healthy for them and for you, as well. In the case of an Ironman event, the athletes have certain responsibilities and commitments (check-ins, briefings, test-swims etc.) that pull you in different directions and can eat up a fair amount of time while standing in line. Make sure they have something to occupy their time and catch their breath as well.

Your most supportive fans are usually the ones living under the same roof as you. Be good to them and life as a multisport athlete will be good to you.