From: A first time triathlete, To: A first time triathlete

Written By: Jenna Hermann

Everyone says that having even a single race under your belt will iron out many of the bumps you run into when doing a triathlon. Why not just use someone else’s experience to provide you with some of that knowledge? Having just done my first triathlon this summer, we thought it might be beneficial to share a few ideas/questions that popped up after my first race, including “How did I spend that long in transition?” and “Why didn’t I learn how to crawl stroke?” Trust me, side stroking a half mile is neither pleasant nor speedy.

To start out with, wear a wetsuit. Buy one, rent one, borrow one; do whatever you need to, just wear a wetsuit. It will make you far warmer and more buoyant, and make the swim, no matter how long, considerably more doable. The only exception to this would be if you’re racing in warm water or are a very competent swimmer in open water. I am far from a competent swimmer, let alone in open water, hence, my wetsuit was my lifeline. If you don’t already know the crawl stroke, learn it. Take a few evenings, at least, and go to the pool for a lesson. Once you can do fine in a pool, take it outside to a lake or bay, and give it a go with the wetsuit on before you plunge in blind on race day.

For the transitions, note that time flies. The two or three minutes you thought it took will double when you look at the results, so practice once or twice. Also, bring a towel! They tend to be handy if you’re soaking wet and about to hop on a bike. An accessory that will be useful, even if your first race is your last, is a race belt, which is an elastic belt that clips around your waist and holds your race number. As frivolous as that sounds, it’s incredibly useful, and there are no safety pins involved (ouch). It’s perfect if you ever do any other sort of organized run or bike ride.

As far as what to wear goes, you don’t need to buy triathlon specific clothing for your race, but if there’s one thing to invest in that will make race day notably more comfortable, it would be a pair of tri shorts. They’re designed to dry quickly after the swim and have a chamois thick enough to help with your bike, but thin enough not impede your run. Investing in some shorts will not only make your first race more comfy, but it’ll encourage you to sign up for more races later on (no excuses!). If you don’t want to go that route, make sure the clothes you do end up wearing are synthetic. Cotton is your worst enemy! Any of the modern synthetic clothing will do the job.

Other than that, have fun! Enjoy the race. Watch everyone around you to learn what they do. The down time before your swim wave starts is the perfect time to people watch. Whatever happens, don’t get discouraged. The ridiculous looking guy next to you with disc wheels and an aero helmet was in your shoes once too.

Chicken Soup is not only good for the Soul, It’s Good for the IM Athlete

Let me put a disclaimer on this: it has been 6 years since my last Ironman race. I have never been fast and really don’t aim to be—I’m simply slow and steady. 

That said, I’ve enjoyed IM racing in the past, and I’m a firm believer that most anyone with determination and some relatively consistent training in the three disciplines, can easily finish an Ironman distance race.   I’m not saying that the hours of the race are going to be a breeze, but I will say most of them are enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong—you will have some battles in your own head that day. I have dropped out of two ironman races due to the fact I let my head get the best of me. If you are anything like me, there will be moments that you ask yourself, “Why the hell am I doing this?” I have wished for catastrophic bike failure, because that would be a good excuse to quit. I have wondered if I could possibly injure myself in a manner not too damaging, but something enough to provide a good excuse to not continue the day. As with anytime you get lost in your own head, each of these thoughts took me a little further down the Ironman road, a few more miles conquered. That’s the day, slow and steady.

Both times I dropped out of an Ironman, I was suffering from the most typical symptoms and reasons that people drop out. I was weak, bloated, feeling terrible, and generally feeling defeated. Both times, I’d convinced myself that I was probably on the road to death if I didn’t throw in the towel soon. Both times, I was offered some chicken soup and Gatorade while waiting for an aid vehicle to take me back to the transition area. And here is the real lesson learned: both times I felt so much better within 20-30 minutes of this little rest break while sipping chicken broth and Gatorade.   If I had simply been patient and smart, I could have continued each of these races easily. I should have either stopped to rest and take in some chicken soup at an aid station, or I should have continued to slowly walk through the next few aid stations while sipping on this lovely, salty broth. Either way, had I done this at the time, I feel certain my day would have ended with a finishing time, rather than a DNF.

Customers ask all the time what my advice is for finishing an Ironman. It’s really quite simple. While I’m sure I could come up with more specifics, these are the basics:

1.)  Be willing to roll with the punches that day. You might have a time in mind, but your broader (and more important) goal should be to finish. Sometimes the weather changes, sometimes your goggles getting kicked off in the swim, sometimes you get a flat tire…Yes, these are all bummers to encounter, but these are also the hazards and the hurdles of Ironman racing.

2.)  If you come up against a period on the bike or the run when you feel that your stomach is working against you, be willing to either throttle back in intensity or even stop and take a break. A break of 10-30 minutes is really nothing when it comes to a day that allows you 17 hours to finish. During this break take in hydration, but more importantly, make sure this hydration has a solid amount of sodium. This is where the chicken broth comes in so handy. They don’t always have broth on the bike aid station, but all of the run stations are typically stocked. Give yourself a little break and then reevaluate how you feel.

3.)  Finally, try a friendly and supportive attitude for the day. You are not the only person out there choosing to suffer/experience this event. If your day isn’t going as planned, I promise you are not the only person feeling the same disappointment. The crowd support is fantastic, and really fuels the athletes. That said, in every Ironman race there are some lonely, quiet periods that can start to feel long and endless. When you come across another athlete, even if they are passing you, say “good job” or even just flash a thumbs-up. You will be amazed how this can help fuel your own positive attitude, each time taking you another few steps down the road. 

Good luck, and have fun. Remember, you have paid good money and spent valuable time to train for and participate in this. Enjoy the journey, especially the chicken soup.