Top triathlon tips

No wetsuit in transition for me

I was asked for a few tips for a colleague who was about to do his first triathlon at Blenheim tomorrow so I thought I'd share wider for anyone who's interested. These are true for sprint triathlon and may need adjusting for others.

Get there early

The closer you can rack your bike to the ‘Bike Out’ out point of transition the better. This is because it is easier to run while not pushing a bike – especially in a busy transition.

Look for a transition landmark

It is incredibly easy to lose your bike.

Get your wetsuit comfy

Ruck it up around chest and thigh to give you maximum movement. When in the water, pull the neck out a bit to let a (very) small amount of water in.

Stay out of trouble in the swim 

Go to the far side or even the back unless you are likely to be leading. It's much easier to overtake a few folk than get hammered in the washing machine at the start. Look for a good sighting point as the buoys can be hard to spot.Tall trees are a godsend.

Take your wetsuit off immediately

Do it on the run to T1. It is much easier to get off when dripping wet and much easier to run without it on.

Get into your cycling quickly. 

It’s tempting to conserve energy but it’s only a sprint so go for it.

Ditch the water bottle

Don’t take a water bottle on the bike (or if you do, only put in 200ml or so). You won’t need it for a 35min cycle and you can get water on the run if desperate. Also you can laugh about the rich bankers who spend £4,000 on a bike and load it with 4 litres of water

‘Spin’ the last 1km of the bike. 

Go into a high gear and spin your legs quickly. This will get the muscles ready for the run.

High step for the first 30s of the run 

It helps get technique going when your legs are objecting after the bike.

Focus on breathing and rhythm 

Get that right in the first 1 or 2km and you'll be set. If you go too fast you’ll pay. Then smash the last 3km!

Above all - enjoy it. Triathlon is great.