100 Things Every New Triathlete Should Know

What PTC members have learned about the sport of triathlon

Compiled by Eric Glass

TRAINING
1) Practice transitions and work them it into your training plan! Include mount/dismount,
getting into and out of your wet suit, putting on socks with wet feet, etc.
2) Train for the course you will be racing on. (Hills, wind, heat, etc....)
3) Do core work and flexibility work. Start now. Twice a week. Never stop.
4) Fall in love with swimming, biking, and running. If you don't LOVE it why do it?
5) Take a mental break when you need to. You'll come back stronger and more passionate.
Just try not to take that break in the middle of your season.
6) Above all else have fun. Know why you are in this sport and remind yourself of it on the
tough days.
7) Mistakes are just a different way of doing something. Learn from them and move on.
8) Just because it works for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you. Don't be afraid to
try different things to find what DOES work for you.
9) Choose a training plan and stick to it for an entire season. You'll never know what does or
doesn't work if you are "changing it up" every couple of weeks.

PRE-RACE
10) Know how to find your bike in the transition area. Before the race, walk from the swim exit
to the transition area and locate your bike. Find a stationary landmark near your bike (light
pole, sidewalk, building, etc) that will be easy to see when you enter the transition area.
11) Make a list of every single thing you “Must Have” or “Might Need”. Do it two days before
the race so you will not forget something important. Lay out a towel and put all the “must
haves” there. Make a separate pile for all the “might needs”. Conditions change, so you
“might need” a trash bag to keep your shoes dry if it rains, lighter lenses for the
sunglasses if it's overcast, a hat instead of a visor if it's going to be a long day in the sun,
etc. Have a check list of “must haves” and “might needs”.
12) Clip your toe nails a few days before the race. Fingernails too, so you don't tear your
wetsuit.
13) If you experience pre-race "GI issues" on the way to the race, like many of us, stop into a
Starbucks, or McDonalds, or a nice gas station. Spending time in a nice clean bathroom
prior to a race instead of the race site porta-potties is priceless!
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14) Always carry a flashlight to the transition area and don't get a black one. Try finding that in
the dark in the bottom of a duffle.
15) The night before the race, lay out your "transition area" and practice moving through it.
This will help you make sure you have everything, and also show you the best place to put
things and the fastest way to get through transition.
16) Remember that all the training you have done is the hard part. Racing is the fun part!
Relax and enjoy the experience. Take it all in and have a good time.

CHIP TIMING
17) Put the timing chip on your left ankle, away from bike drive train.
18) Once the race has started, do not walk over any kind of timing mat unless you are on the
course racing. The mats may pick it up and foul up your results.

TRANSITIONS
19) Ride your own bike out of the transition area. It may seem obvious but when there are
1,000 bikes in the transition area, a lot of them look alike.
20) Don’t forget to take off your bike helmet in T2. Place your run hat ON your run shoes or
put a “Helmet” note inside your shoes. This will remind you to take off your bike helmet.
It gets really hot and uncomfortable running with your helmet on, and even hotter if you
still have your swim cap on under your helmet
21) If you wear socks, roll them up before the race so you can roll them onto your wet feet
easily. Some people sprinkle baby powder, Blister Shield, or other friction reducing powder
inside their socks to help get wet feet into socks quickly.
22) Bring an extra water bottle to rinse your feet in the transition are after the swim. The run
from the swim exit to the transition area will sometimes take you through grass, sand or
dirt.
23) DO NOT move someone else’s bike in the transition area. You do not get to show up late
and get a prime rack spot.
24) You don't need a beach towel's worth of space in transition. Think hand towel.
24) It really stinks when you have to run back into the transition area because you forgot the
bib with your run number. Place your bib number and race belt on top of your running
shoes so you won’t forget them.
25) If you pin your bib number to your jersey, you have to swim and ride with it which is a pain.
With a race belt, you just clip it around your waist on your way out of T2. If you have to ride
with a bib number, wear it on your back (out of the way) during the ride and then spin it to
the front for the run.

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26) Adjust your race belt before the race. You would be surprised how many people you see
messing with them on the course. Take two seconds to make sure your number is right
side up.
27) For Ironman racing, mark your transition bags and special needs bags so you can easily
identify them and make sure you don't get the wrong bag. Tie a colorful ribbon or boa to
the top. This will ensure no one grabs your bag by mistake, and that you'll get the one that
is yours.

SWIM
28) Take an extra pair of goggles just in case a strap breaks before the race. A good idea is to
have one pair with clear lenses and one pair tinted. It’s nice to be able to see when the sun
is glaring in your eyes, or when it is dark and overcast.
29) Put your goggles on first, then your swim cap. Goggle straps under the swim cap can keep
a stray arm from pulling them off your head.
30) Open water swimming is NOTHING like pool swimming. Try to practice in open water
(never alone!) whenever you can, that way it won't be a surprise on race day!
31) Make sure to get in the water before the race start and warm up. Get used to putting your
face in the water, swim easy a bit to get the blood flowing, and get comfortable in the
water.

BIKE
32) EBT - Every Bolt Tight. Find any problems before race day, especially brakes and shifting.
Every part of the bicycle needs to be in superb condition. If in doubt, replace it 2-4 weeks
before the race. Re-check your bike after your last ride before race day.
33) If it has been a while since you changed a flat tire or you are not proficient at this, practice
with your rear wheel two weeks before the race. Use the exact kit you will carry on race
day. Practice this skill.
34) Make sure you have bar-end plugs, and some spares if you have a unique aero bar. There
is nothing like finding out, and you have no spares. It is a USAT rules violation and race
officials will not let you race without bar end plugs.
35) Check you’re gearing when you rack your bike after your last warm up before the race. You
want your bike in the proper gear for the terrain you will encounter once you exit the
transition area. It’s hard to get going on a steep climb if you’re in the big ring.
36) Pump your tires before the race, not the night before. In the Arizona sun your tires can lose
40 PSI overnight.
37) Ride to the right. Pass on the left. You don't need 5-10 feet of road on your right, especially
in a situation where the person passing you may be getting passed as well.

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38) If someone riding up behind you says "On your left" it means they are…on our left. HOLD
YOUR LINE and let them pass you. If you need to move to the right, first check and make
sure the lane is clear, then signal your intention to move right.
39) A passing cyclist has 15 seconds to pass you once they enter the drafting zone. Once the
passing cyclist’s front wheel passes your front wheel, you are required to immediately
move to the rear and out of the drafting zone (7 meters long, 2 meters wide) and let them
pass you. You must move completely out of the drafting zone before attempting to re-
pass the other cyclist.
40) Always look over your left shoulder before passing on the bike. Strong riders get tired of
saying “on your left' all morning, and rapidly advancing packs of wheel-sucking cheaters
won't bother to do so either.
41) Don't wear a loose tee or muscle shirt on the bike; it acts like a parachute.
42) If you are doing a multiple loop bike course there is a good chance the lead cyclists will
pass you at some point. Make it safe for them to pass you by being predictable. Hold your
line and don’t make sudden movements.
43) If you have never practiced mounting your bike with your bike shoes already in the clips,
don't try it race day. You will probably hurt yourself and the guy next to you when you fall
over coming out of T1.
44) Clean and lubricate your chain the day before the race.

RUN
45) Have your race number facing forward on the run if you want pictures. The race
photographer uses the bib number to identify you.

GENERAL
46) Bring wet wipes, deodorant, and fresh clothes for after the race. Nothing feels better than a
quick wipe down and some clean dry cloths.
47) If you experience nipple chafe, deal with it proactively. Yes men, this means you. Body
Glide, Blister Shield, Vaseline, etc is your unsung hero! Use it liberally in places you’ve
never had problems before. Better safe than sorry.
48) No matter how much you "go" at home, you're going to have to use a port-o-john when you
get to the race site. Learn to love the aroma.
49) Throw a roll of toilet paper in your bag for the porta-potties. They will inevitably run out and
most people only have one pair of socks with them.
50) Be prepared for a rainy day. Bring some trash bags to throw your wet stuff into after the
race and to keep post race clothes and towels dry for the ride home. There is nothing good
about a ride home when you are soaked and muddy from head to toe.
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51) Once you put your wetsuit on in the transition area and head over to the swim start don’t
wear shoes you want to see again. There will not be a place to store your shoes at the
swim start. Another idea is to stock up on disposable flip flops. It'll make your walk to the
swim start more comfortable, and if they aren't there after the race, you won't be too upset.
52) Spray sunscreen is brilliant. Allow it to dry before getting body marked.
53) On any race longer than a sprint, re-apply sunscreen before going out on the run. Rub it in
while exiting the transition area. Sunburn can suck the energy right out of you.
54) Get a race belt for your run number - and actually BRING it to the race.
55) Say THANK YOU…A LOT! The volunteers and police that are keeping you safe, giving you
water and making the race possible. And for FREE they stand out in the hot sun so you can
have fun and be safe.
56) Don't litter, even in the transition area. This includes your swim cap on the run from the
swim exit to the transition area. Leaving any personal gear on the course (including water
bottles, swim caps and trash) is a violation of USAT rules and can result in a time penalty.
57) Glass containers are a violation of USAT rules and grounds for disqualification.
58) Have fun.
59) When you see a little kid on the curb excitedly waiting for high-fives from the runners, help
them out and say thanks. It’s amazing what a boost it'll give you both.
60) When the going gets tough, thank your lucky stars that you're able to be out there at all.
Remember we get the chance to do this for fun, a luxury many don’t have.
61) It is a violation of USAT rules to “at any time during the race, use or wear a hard cast,
headset, radio, personal audio device, or any other item deemed dangerous by the Head
Referee. Any violation of this section shall result in a variable time penalty.” Some race
directors will blacklist you from other races. It’s a safety rule and just one you will have to
learn to live with.
62) Never have your I-pod turned up so loud before the race that you cannot hear the race
announcer. One athlete we know of did his first Olympic distance triathlon by mistake
because he did not hear the announcement that the wave order had been changed. When
he got in the water he realized that the sprint race had already taken off.
63) Never try anything new on race day.
64) Don't leave your helmet at home. Nobody has a spare. Don’t leave your front wheel at
home. Nobody as a spare. Don’t leave you shoes at home…you get the idea.
65) Your race number will come in various forms/sizes in your race packet. The small number
goes on the front of your helmet. The number that is on the paper like those FedEx
envelops is your bib number. It goes on the race belt or pinned on the front of your run
shirt. The paper number (which may or may not have an adhesive backing) goes on your
bike. Most folks place the paper number on the seat post. Placing it on the top tube is fine.
Make sure you can get to your bottles.
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66) The vast majority of triathletes are good people - be one of them.
67) Scrub off your race numbers (or at least get them well faded) in the shower before bed
(remember the ones on the backs of your legs). Your spouse will kill you if they imprint on
the bed sheets.
68) Don’t forget to thank you family and loved ones for putting up with all your training and
time away from home.
69) Don't be afraid to ask.

NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

70) Drink before you're thirsty.
71) Take it easy on the roughage in the days leading up to a race.
72) Practice your race day nutrition during training. Know how much you need to eat, when,
and what agrees with your stomach. Don't try anything new on race day!
73) At the aid stations pinch the top of the cup a you take it from the volunteer. It keeps the
liquid from spilling and is a lot easier to drink while you are running. If the cup is more than
half full dump some out.

THE FUN LIST

74) Buy the most expensive tri bike out there because this sport is all about looking good.
75) Go nowhere without your Garmin. This includes church, dates and work.
76) Wear spandex everywhere. Grocery Store, Dinner, Teacher’s Conference, etc.
77) Wear Race T-Shirts everywhere. Especially in the race registration line.
78) Don't forget you're not the only one in the race. Your mother thinks you're special but no
one else does.
79) Always wear your oldest race t-shirt to the carbo load dinner and award banquets, or
alternatively, the race t-shirt from farthest away.
80) Never wear compression socks under long pants, or nobody will see that you are wearing
them (common sense, really).
81) Take your fins off before you exit the water.
82) When kicked in the face during the swim, you could speed up, get in front of the culprit,
and return the blow. However, doing so will result in a heart rate spike, and possibly worse
performance. Instead, proceed to kick the person behind you in the exact same fashion as
the original kicker. While some may believe in "An Eye for an Eye", conscientious
triathletes should stick to something more like "Pay It Forward".
83) Go real fast. Don't fall down.
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84) Black bikes are fastest.
85) An un-matching race kit is not acceptable.
86) If you are doing a sprint, and you have two water bottles and a camelback for your 15 mile
ride, we are laughing at you.
87) If, for any reason, you bleed during the race, make sure your spouse knows about it. It can
be good for more uninterrupted post race couch time.
88) If you forget your race belt, hit the expo early. Apparently everybody forgets them and
rushes the expo to buy a new one.
89) During the swim just remember....in every body of water there is something waiting to grab
you, pull you under and eat you
90) Some people who look fit aren't very fast. Some people who don't look very fit are damn
fast.
91) If you are a man, at some point you will get passed by a woman. This is known as getting
“chicked”. Accept it, get used to it and move on. It will happen often.
92) If you are slim, at some point you will get passed by someone who is fat.
93) If you are young, at some point you will get passed by someone who is old.
94) If you just bought a brand new $5,000 tri-bike, at some point you will get passed by
someone on an old beater bike.
95) Drink the cola; dump the water on your head. Double-check before you dump.
96) Don’t give into the temptation to dump a cup of water on your head at the office water
cooler.
97) Don’t get depressed when your family does not seem outwardly excited when you offer to
give them a mile by mile recap of your last race.
98) Although compelling, do not seriously contemplate researching the ways you can urinate
on the race course without stopping at a porta-john.
99) When a race volunteer or spectator yells ‘Your looking good!” they are not being forthright.
100) You know you are coming of age as a triathlete when you can use the words “hammer”
and “brick” in a conversation that has nothing to do with construction.

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