Top 10 Newbie Tips for a Personal Best
Over the years I’ve learned a few hard-fought lessons about achieving a personal best race time. As we head deeper into the new year, here are my best hard-earned racing secrets. Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced racer, I hope these tips will serve you well this race season.
10. Find a comfortable race outfit and wear it for the entire race
I recall one of my first Olympic-distance races. I came flying out of the pool (this was a pool swim) heading outside toward transition only to be stopped dead in my tracks by a bare-butt sighting. And this one happened to belong to a rather curvaceous triathlete.
There’s nothing wrong with a bare butt at the right time and place, but this was certainly not the right time nor the place for this…nor was it for changing into bike shorts.
Transitions are free time, so don’t waste them putting on your favorite biking shorts and shirts. I’ve raced in my triathlon race gear up to a half-Iron distance race. Most manufacturers do a great job in designing racing clothes that you can wear swimming, biking and running. You too can race like the pros by investing in race gear.
Once a year I race a local sprint triathlon and use it as a baseline measurement of my fitness. One year I improved my time by about 10 minutes. Five of those minutes came from a faster transition time. I understand that five minutes may not seem like a lot, but try lowering your 5K time by five minutes. I bet that’s gonna cost a lot more in time and effort than a new race outfit.
9. Aero bars
I started my triathlon career on a mountain bike. Over the years, I’ve continued to upgrade my bike until last year I spent a big chunk of change on a new carbon ride. But the biggest difference to my bike times came when I started using aero bars.
This could be because aero bars put you in a more aerodynamic position, but I suspect that it has more to do with feeling like a real triathlete. Almost nothing says “triathlete” more than aero bars (OK, shaving your legs as a guy also screams triathlete…among a number of other non-tri things). I really believe that the more you look and feel like a pro triathlete, the more you’ll race like one.
8. Get a coach or training plan
You don’t have to want to compete in Kona to need a coach or training plan. There’s so much (from just a technical point of view) to the sport of triathlon. It’s much more than just the sum of three sports.
For instance, you may be the best cyclist on your biking team, but when is the last time you raced a 27-mile time trial after swimming and before running? Or for that matter, when is the last time you raced a 27-mile time trial? Most bike racers stay in a pack and draft. They don’t race alone until the end of the race. This is worlds away from how you need to train for a triathlon.
How about the newbies out there, what’s your training plan? I’m sure most of you have done some running, but how do you combine it with swimming and cycling? How do you combine training for all three sports in such a way that you actually get stronger and fitter without injuring yourself?
7. Put your swim goggle strap under your swim cap
This is just a quirky tip: When you race, put the goggle strap under your cap like the pros do. That way, if somebody happens to kick or hit you in the face and knock off your goggles, they’ll stay around your head. And yes, people may kick you in the face in an open-water swim.
6. Figure out your nutritional plan
The longer the race, the more important your nutrition. This is a simple two-part strategy: 1) Figure out what works best for you, and 2) Train like you race. And always remember to bring your own food. There’s a good chance that the race won’t have your preferred gel or drink and this can be a complete disaster.
Last summer I raced a half marathon. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before my race. Not this time. I didn’t have peanut butter so I switched to cereal. The swishing mixture of milk and Gatorade as I ran proved to be an explosive combo at about mile seven.
I stole my best secret race supplement from my 8-year-old son. I love to eat Smuckers peanut butter and jelly Uncrustables during my race. These little sandwiches come individually prepackaged so they don’t make a mess. I like to freeze them the night before so that they’re ready to eat on the bike. Best of all they’re about 300 calories each. For me this is the perfect amount of fuel for a strong run time. Find what works best for you.
5. Visualize victory
The week before your next race, take about 15 minutes at night and get yourself into a quiet place with no distraction. Try to remove all the daily clutter from your mind and visualize the race. See yourself in the water swimming with a strong and steady stroke. Visualize yourself running out of the water and putting on your helmet, your biking shoes, sunglasses and heading onto the bike course.
Did you notice what I just did? I completely forgot to see myself removing my wetsuit. That’s why you do this every night before the race. So that at race time you know exactly what you’ll do, and how you’ll do it. It’s a lot easier to go back to transition for your gel in your mind than it is to do it in a race.
The other reason you want to visualize the race is to see yourself winning, or getting a PB or finishing strong. You pick what you want to do, but the first step in reaching your goal is to visualize yourself doing it.
4. Get yourself a great triathlon mantra
A triathlon mantra is a verbal formula repeated in racing or training in such a way as to innovate a desired outcome. Now that’s a mouthful to read so here’s the easy Everyman definition: A saying you repeat in your mind to help you overcome those difficult moments.
My mantra is a simple one: “Fast, smooth and in the groove.” I know it may sound silly here in writing, but I use this one because it helps me stay focused on the basics.
- Fast. I want to make sure that I know I’m racing for a reason and that reason is to be as fast as possible. Some of you may not care about being fast, so use a different key word.
- Smooth. This word helps me remember that I don’t want to overdo it. I need to be fast, but at the same time I don’t want to bonk or push myself beyond my limits.
- Groove. This keyword is to help me remember all that training I did, and I use it especially to focus on form. To me groove means to maintain that long swim stroke, powerful bike pedal rotation, and perfect running form.
Just as importantly, I use the mantra when my thoughts turn negative. You know–when the pain, heat and distance all conspire and threaten to make you crack. At that moment I say out loud “STOP” and switch my mind to “Fast, smooth and in the groove.” Give it a try, I bet it’ll work for you as well.
3. Write down your goals
If your goal this year is to break a three-hour Olympic-distance race time, write down 2:59 on a bunch of Post-It notes and stick them everywhere. Put the note on your refrigerator so you see the goal when you’re going for that unneeded snack. Stick one on the rear-view mirror of your car for a reason to get to the club for a swim after work. Put one on your computer so you’ll remember to head out the door for that cold-day run.
A recent study concluded that people who actually wrote down their goals were something like four times more likely to achieve them. So pick a goal and remember to make it measurable and attainable. Don’t forget to stick it on your spouses or significant others’ forehead (or any place that you’re likely to want to see often) so that you’ll never forget your goal.
2. PEDs: Performance enhancing drugs
I’m not talking about such banned substances as EPO, steroids and even the ultra expensive HGH (Human Growth Hormone). However, over-the-counter drugs like Advil, Tylenol and Motrin do a great job of numbing some of the pain from a lifetime of sports injuries. I use Advil after a long race to help reduce the swelling in my joints. As with all medicine, please consult your doctor first.
1. Lose weight
I’ve always wanted to write a book called How to Lose Weight Fast. The book would only have three chapters: Eat Less, Exercise More and Maintain.
If it’s that simple, why do so many of us fight the battle of the bulge and lose? Logically, we all know what must be done (eat less and exercise more) and yet we try the newest diets, eat the newest low-cal foods and go to all kinds of extremes to shed the increasing pounds.
I really need to add a few chapters to my book, two to be exact: Be Honest and Stay Motivated.
When I’m trying to lose weight, I turn into a massive liar and I develop an ability to rationalize things that would make Kirstie Alley proud. What’s worse, the harder I try to lose weight, the more I lie to myself.
I come up with all sorts of rationalizations for my poor eating habits like, “I just ran for a half hour so I can eat this peanut butter cup or “It’s OK to have this burger, fries and chocolate shake for lunch since I’ll be going for an extra-long swim tonight.” The problem is that by “tonight” I get tired and that extra-long swim turns into an extra-long nap. Be honest with yourself.
I hope this short list will help you crush your previous best. Good luck. Now I’m on my way to the pool…or perhaps I need snack and a short nap first.
By Roman Mica
EveryMan Triathlon
