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NEWBIE questions
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 2016-04-18 11:59 AM |
 3 |  Subject: NEWBIE questionsHi All! I've signed up for my first triathlon... the DC Nation's Triathlon. My question is about the logistics of race day, the transition, etc. Could anyone explain to me what sort of things I should bring, wear, have with me, have with the bike, etc.. Do racers typically wear their swim gear while they ride ? I'd like to feel comfortable with all of this so I know what to expect. If you can refer me to any helpful resources instead of typing it all out yourself I'd be just fine with that! Thanks, Joseph Tawney |
| 2016-04-18 12:29 PM in reply to: atxjoe512 |
 Chicago, IL | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions Since it's your 1st triathlon, just go with what you're comfortable wearing. Personally, as a non-competitive, casual triathlete, here's how I roll: Transition - Swim - T1 / Bike - T2 / Run - I've used a Camelbak for hydration on some races. It's okay. If you can live off the course, I'd go that route. |
| 2016-04-18 12:34 PM in reply to: Brit Abroad |
| 3 | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions Paul, You're a lifesaver! It seems overwhelming at first. I've been reading and if the water temperature is above a certain degree wetsuits are illegal. In that case what do you recommend guys wearing? Thanks again! -Joseph |
| 2016-04-18 1:06 PM in reply to: atxjoe512 |
| Chicago, IL | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions I didn't wear a wetsuit at Louisville, because of the water temps. I wore my usual compression shorts, and a sleeveless compression shirt. Lots of guys just went with shorts, but I was so accustomed to training in a wetsuit, and feeling the pressure around my torso, I went with the shirt for my own peace of mind.
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| 2016-04-18 1:29 PM in reply to: Brit Abroad |
Veteran 495  Calgary | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions Experienced triathletes generally wear the same clothes for the whole race at Olympic distance or less. Clothes don't slide on well over wet skin. In cold weather you may want to pull on some additional layers in T1. You should be aware of triathlon shorts as an option. They have a bit of padding for the bike, but not enough to interfere with swimming and running. Just wear them for the whole race and there's no need to change shorts. If it's reasonably warm you can just wear a tight fitting triathlon top for your shirt for the whole race. Brit Abroad describes a lot of unnecessary steps in T1 and T2. For your first triathlon there's no need obsess about every second in transition, but there's also no need to fumble about with unnecessary gear. Don't use a Camelbak. A water bottle on your bike is simpler. Don't apply sunscreen in transition? Put it on ahead of time. A fresh shirt in T2 is totally unnecessary. You might consider going without socks. (But wear them if it's necessary for comfort.) Switching socks in T2 is unnecessary. Don |
| 2016-04-18 1:35 PM in reply to: atxjoe512 |
754 | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions You might want to invest in a pair of tri shorts. They are like bike shorts, but the chamois is much thinner so you can swim and run in them. The only things you NEED to race, are a swimsuit, bike, and helmet. Everything else is optional. I have seen men do entire races in Speedos, and women do races in bikinis. I saw one person do a race without shoes. You will probably want more than that, but don't take too much into transition. Space is limited, and when you get in a hurry, you will just have a hard time finding things. Set up your transition like a dinner setting. At dinner, you put the utensils that you use first on the outside and work your way in. Transition is the same way. On most bikes, the handlebars will form a nest that will hold your helmet. Put your glasses and gloves in there if you wear them. Put your bike shoes toward the front on the ground and your running shoes behind them. If you want to dry off, drape a towel over the top tube. Do not put a towel under your shoes if you want to use it to dry off. Your bike will hang from the bar by the nose of your saddle, with the front wheel pointing down on the side with your number. It sounds weird, but once you see others doing it, it will make sense. I tend to worry about things the first time I do them, so I did practice workouts in what I planned on wearing and set up transition, minus the bike rack, in my driveway to practice. After you do them a couple of times, transitions become easy, and you will wonder how some people are spending so much time in there. Also, one of the most useful tips someone gave me was to put baby powder in my socks. They slide onto wet feet much more easily that way. A quick note about rules that catch people on their first race. 1) You must wear your helmet with the strap securely fastened at any time you are on the bike. I fasten mine before I pull the bike off the rack to make sure I don't forget. 2) Pay attention to the mount and dismount lines. You cannot get on your bike before the mount line, and you cannot ride past the dismount lines. No riding your bike in transition. Good luck and have fun! |
| 2016-04-18 2:17 PM in reply to: atxjoe512 |
Master 2429 Falls Church, Virginia | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions Hi Joseph, welcome to BT! Is DC Tri local for you? I'm in Northern Virginia. I haven't decided if I'm going to do DC or Reston this fall. At any rate, you've gotten some good advice, but I did want to mention that I've heard the bike course at DC is pretty crowded. Make sure you're really comfortable handling your bike. Be especially aware of your surroundings at the mount and dismount line.  |
| 2016-04-18 4:22 PM in reply to: Atlantia |
| 3 | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions Hey thanks for the advice! Yes, it is, I actually live downtown DC so I'm familiar with the area. I run mostly, though, so like you said I need to practice biking in the area. |
| 2016-04-18 4:48 PM in reply to: atxjoe512 |
Member 622 Franklin, TN | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions Hi Joseph, The FAQ section for the DC Nations Tri will answer some of your questions. http://nationstri.com/event-info/faqs/ I don't know whether you've signed up for the sprint or Olympic distance but make sure you can handle the swim without a wetsuit (looks like it's not always wetsuit legal). If its wetsuit legal, make sure you use plenty of bodyglide in all the areas that could chafe or cause difficulty getting the suit off...neck, ankles, underarms, forearms. The key to successful transitions is minimizing the things you have to do. Keep your space tidy. Helmet, riding glasses, cycling shoes (socks optional) will be accessed first so they need to place where it's easy to get to them first. You can google images of transition set ups to see what it looks like. Some people put their helmets on the aerobars. I tend to put my helmet on top of my shoes and put my glasses inside the helmet...grab glasses, put on helmet, put on socks/shoes...go. Gloves are a waste of time to deal with, especially in a shorter race when wasted seconds can hurt you. When you come in from the bike, rack bike, helmet off, shoes off, running shoes on, grab race belt and hat/visor (if using one) and go. You can put the hat and race belt on as you are running out of transition. Nutrition-wise, it will be hot in September so you will want fluid on the bike. I would go with 2 bottles of fluid (Gatorade/Skratch) if doing the Olympic and 1 bottle if doing the sprint. If the temps are mild you might get away with 1 bottle on the Olympic. I don't think you need much more than that but some people like to take a gel or 2 when they are on the bike. They will have water/Gatorade stations on the run so you don't have to worry about taking anything with you. Clothing-wise, your best bet is to buy a one or two piece tri suit. They are designed to be used for all 3 disciplines so there's no need to worry about clothing changes. You can't change clothes in anything less than a full distance race (140.6) since no changing rooms are present at the shorter distances. For the swim, I like to bring a couple pair of goggles...one dark and one clear. The dark will help you to site the buoys if its a clear sunny morning and you're swimming towards the sun.
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| 2016-04-19 12:00 AM in reply to: #5177674 |
| 89 | Subject: RE: NEWBIE questions There are a bunch of videos on youtube showing good transitions... As mentioned: sunscreen before race, invest in tri shorts so no need to change. Just get out of water, lose wetsuit if wearing one, helmet on, grab bike and go. T2 is just hang bike, running shoes on and go, putting on race belt as you run. with just a little practice and decent prep, both transitions are right around a minute or less. Good luck on your first time out! |
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