Getting Back To Triathlons

My Most Recent Race - I forgot several things!

For a lot of people it’s been a while since you’ve raced.  During COVID in person races were cancelled so if you’re like me it’s been a few years since I’ve done a race.  As you prepare for your first in person race here are some things to keep in mind.  

Nutrition: Make sure you practice with everything you plan on consuming during your race.  I would’t try anything new race day!  I know of someone who forgot the particular salt tablets he used during training.  He borrowed some from a friend and he had a horrible event with a lot of stomach issues which he thought was from the different salt tablets.  Something that simple can mess you up for your race.  Dial in your calorie consumption, water consumption, and make a checklist for your event so you don’t forget anything.  Also make sure weeks ahead of time you have enough product to get you through your event.  I’ve personally gotten close to a race and realized I was almost out of my carbo pro and that particular product can’t be purchased anywhere locally that I know of .  As your race approaches check to make sure you have enough: 

• Bars
• Gels/blocks
• During workout powder such as carbo pro/heed/gu or whatever you use
• Electrolytes
• Breakfast food before workouts and races

Everyone is different when it comes to nutrition during a race.  When it comes to racing shorter races are usually easier to manage your nutrition during a race.  As you start training for longer races it gets a little more tricky.  It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what will work for you.  When you get to half and full Ironman distances it is extremely important and  it can make or break your race.  You can go into a race in excellent physical condition ready for the event and if you don't have the nutrition dialed in you will possibly have a horrible race.  All the training means nothing if your nutrition isn't dialed in for race day.  Here is my race day nutrition plan:

• Breakfast will usually consist of bagel with peanut butter and honey, coffee,  and orange juice. This is my breakfast everyday. 
• Depending on how long it will be until the race start, I might have a bar before the race with  some water.
• On the bike I try and take in most of my calories.  For a full I use carbo pro mixed with gatorade powder and endurolytes.  I will make it double concentrated for my aero bottle drink and the first sips will be super concentrated then I will start to dilute it with water throughout the race.  I try and take in about 100-150 calories an hour of this.
• I also use cliff zbars on the bike.  These are 100 calories per bar and I will usually eat 1/2 or a whole bar every 90 minutes.  
• I use a few cliff blocks with caffeine but not too many. I mostly use these on the run but will sometimes take them on the bike. 
• On average I try and take in about 200 calories an hour on the bike during a full ironman.  

Gear:  Try all your gear in training. I recently purchased new bike shoes, pedals and cleats.  I am racing tomorrow but I have not had a chance to use them in training a lot so I’ll be racing with my old shoes, cleats, and pedals. I’m excited to use my new gear but don’t want to have anything go wrong during a race.  I could potentially have trouble clipping in and the cleats may need to be adjusted a few times to get them right.  

• Get your bike tuned up several weeks before the event rather than right before the event. 
• Try all the containers you’ll be using for your fluids during training.  Use water bottles that you’ll be using during your race in training. 
• Wear your racing kit in training and practice swimming in it under your wetsuit if you’ll be swimming in a wetsuit. 
• Watch/computer - make sure you train with the watch you’ll be using in the race or the computer on your bike.  
• Shoes and laces should be the same in training and racing. 
• Use the wetsuit you will be racing in a few times before the race and if you have different goggles for training and racing make sure you use your racing ones a few times before the race. 

As you set up your race schedule it’s always nice to have a few shorter distance training races leading up to your main race.  These races will give you time to practice and work out any kinks!

Happy Racing!

Coach Cyndee