Bartleys Tri (Triathlon for Beginners: Part 6)

Ahh, busted! I've definitely been dragging my feet on Part 6 of the "How to Do a Triathlon" series. Getting slammed at work, traveling, weekend conferences, and just pooped all around. Woe is me...yeah yeah, you get it.

Bartleys Tri, Parts 1-5 have been all about the details and basics of triathlon. If you read through the entire series, you'll know what to expect in your first triathlon. Since I'm still a beginner and figuring things out as I go, I'm documenting it all for you newbies who are in the same boat and wanting to know exactly what to do and how to do it in your first tri.

Have you seen my earlier posts?

A recap:

Part 1 covers triathlon distances and race day setting up. 

Part 2 is about what to bring on race day, and the little accessories that make the race a comfortable one.

Part 3 is a what-to-wear guide.

Part 4 describes the beginning of the race and the swim event.

Part 5 is all about the first transition and the bike portion.

Transition 2
Welcome to the end of the bike ride. As you approach the end of the bike course, heed my warning about the dismount line, described in Part 5! No need to get this far only to meet up with a penalty or DQ (disqualification). The best advice I can tell you about finishing the ride and getting to the transition is that you should make sure you slow down and are off of your bike before you hit the dismount line. Also, do not take off your helmet until you're off of your bike. Don't even think about unclipping the chin strap! Once off the bike, continue as you did when you got on the bike; unclip from your pedals and run over to your transition area, or pull your feet out of your shoes (somehow) and run barefoot. Either way, be careful. Your legs will feel a little unstable when you hop off!

Am I running yet? I can't feel my legs!

By the end of the ride, you're probably going to feel a little tired. Never fear: you're almost there! In fact, you're 66% done! Again, consider downing an energy gel or having a few splashes of a sports drink. Aim to eat/drink something for an energy boost every 45 minutes. The transition is a good time to do this, but if you feel comfortable with eating on the run, carry it with you and worry about it once you're on your feet.

Here's how I recommend managing the bike-to-run transition:

1. Run with your bike over to your transition area.
2. Hang the bike on the rack to free your hands. (See Part 1 for the illustration of how to hang the bike quickly by the seat.)
3. Kick off your bike shoes, making sure they stay in your area.
4. Slide into running shoes.
5. Run out of the transition area, and out to the run course! There are no speed limits or mount/dismount lines like in the ride portion, but you might see a corral or a lane to divide/separate incoming bike traffic from outgoing runner traffic.
6. Run your butt off!

Optional steps during T2:

• Change to a dry shirt. If you sweat a lot, you might benefit and feel better in a dry shirt to start your run.
• Put on Garmin/watch
• Eat/drink something. You might be hungry by this time, so not a bad idea to have a Clif bar or some kind of solid, easily-digestible food on-hand. (Make sure you have water to wash it down.)

Compared to T1, there's not a lot of preparation needed for the run. To make your transition a little faster, you can use gear bib number belts or speed laces. A bib number belt, as described in Part 2, is basically a clip-on belt to which you attach your race number. Speed laces may also save you the time your would normally spend fussing with shoelaces - just pull and go. Motor skills are sometimes questionable at this point anyway, right?

Run Survival Guide

You'll have to forgive me on this run discussion. I've been around the running scene long enough now that I forget what it's like to be a beginner and not have the experience, so I'm going to lean on you guys to ask questions for the things I'm leaving out and take for granted. [Trust me, there may be a lot!] Seasoned pros, your advice is welcome, so leave a comment!

• It's normal to feel a little unstable. That wobbly-leg feeling will go away after a few minutes. (You can lessen the effects of "bike legs" by running for a few minutes after you ride your bike during training. Eventually, you'll barely notice the wonky legs. Triathletes call this workout a "brick," when you ride and then run. I don't think I need to explain the word choice - do it once and you'll understand!)
• Right off of the bike, you're moving faster than you think. Trust me - you will feel like you are crawling along, but you'll surprise yourself.
• I said it twice and I'll say it again: pace yourself! Don't feel like you need to compensate for a slow pace when you start the run... no matter who you are, you're moving along pretty quickly! Take it easy when you first start off. If you feel good toward the end of the run, go for it, but the beginning of the run is not the right time. Moral of the story: save something for the end of the race when you'll really need it.
• The course should be marked with either directional signs (like realtor/campaign signs), course marshals at the turns, or with spray paint on the road. If you're going to be way ahead or way behind with no one in sight to follow/lead you, study the course ahead of time so you know where to go.
• Photographers. Since the run portion could be the best event to capture a photo of you, smile and wave at event photographers! Most people aren't looking too great or recognizable on the swim and run with all the stuff on their heads.
• Water stops/aid stations. Water stops will consist of tables set up with Dixie cups of water, and sometimes Gatorade or sports drink (and longer races may distribute energy gels). There might be volunteers holding out cups for you, and for a larger race, there may be tables on both sides of the course. After you finish drinking, there will be trash cans, but 90% of people throw it on the road, since volunteers usually clean it up afterwards. This might be the only time you can "litter" during a tri and not get penalized, but if you can hit the trash can, hats off to you! Also a good time to crack open an energy gel so you don't have to carry it with you to the next aid station to throw away.

Holy Dixie cups, Batman! A little extreme.

• Water stop cautions: look around and be aware of your surroundings and nearby runners when/if you stop or slow, so you're not cutting someone off or getting in their way. It's ok to walk through a water stop, but try to grab a cup of water and get out of the way if faster people are coming by. 
• If you stop or slow down significantly, walk through the center of the water station area (if tables are on both sides of the course), since runners will be trying to grab cups from the volunteers from either side. 
• On a one-sided water stop, if you don't plan to stop for water, take the outside of the lane farthest from the water tables to avoid mowing someone down as you fly through the aid station. If you do stop for water, stay on the inside near the tables. If you slow down significantly after taking water, get past the water tables and then slow down so that you're not creating an obstacles for water-stoppers running by.

The one-sided water stop. Via

• There are no strict aid station rules on besides knowing what and who is around you (etiquette) and not getting in the way.
• Sidenote: O.M.G. Speaking of etiquette, you have to read this blog post I stumbled on. The video in it shows a professional runner in the NYRR Mini 10k intentionally knocking over cups of water to force her competitors to dodge the cups or get their feet wet. Not cool! I didn't think you could play dirty with running, but if you can, this is it.

Aid station volunteers are spirited and friendly.
Thank 'em for coming out! Via

• How to drink water without making it go up your nose: Take the cup and squeeze the top of it so you've got a little spout, and nothing can splash out. Put your mouth over the spout you made, and now you can run along and drink it slowly!

Squeeze it! Sorry about the plastic cup...
best I could find around the house!

• Once you get to the end of the run course, listen or watch for volunteers who might be directing you to a certain finish lane or finish chute near the finish line. After you cross the finish line, you can slow down and walk, but don't stop unless you absolutely need medical help-- it can create a bottleneck and affect other finishers' times if they can't get through the finish chute behind you! Safety-wise, if you've got someone barreling in behind you and you stop, you could definitely get mowed down, so keep on moving.
• When you finish the run, keep walking to prevent your legs from seizing up or cramping. If you stop, you're at much higher risk of a cramp! Get the blood flowing and keep on moving - don't sit down.

End of the Race

Congrats! You just did it!

If you have time, stay for the awards ceremony. You might get a finisher's medal through the finish chute also. The awards ceremony usually honors the top 3 finishers in each age group and the overall finishers. It's a nice gesture to stay until the end of the awards ceremony if you are there for it...  It's a great time to celebrate and take victory photos with giant cows, like these:

What now?

Recovery is just as important as the race itself. Try to get some sports drink and/or food in your system within 30 minutes of finishing, if your stomach can handle it. The quicker you replenish and get your body some fuel, the quicker your recovery within the next few days (the less time you'll spend with sore muscles?) Look for something with a mix of carbs and protein. Good examples of recovery fuel might be: a PB&J or Ben's favorite- a big ol' hamburger. Usually the finish area food is delicious! At the Go Girl Tri in Indy, they provided Chick-Fil-A sandwiches for everyone... perfect! Take this moment and indulge in a cookie... or twelve. You need to replace the calories you just burned! (In all seriousness though, probably best to grab something that has some nutrients)

Ben's favorite recovery foods

On the topic of recovery, I also like to wear compression tights. They apply compression to your legs so that the blood is flowing through those areas. I like the CWX brand stuff, but can't say I've tried others either. After a full marathon, I've noticed that wearing compression tights for the next 12 hours results in much less muscle soreness over the next days compared to when I go without. There are also plenty of other types of compression gear, like socks, shorts, etc. Since we're talking about gear, consider also switching into a fresh and dry pair of shoes or sandals, to give those feet a break. Or, you can get a custom-made pair of shandals from Ben... he made 'em himself! So do you think there's a market for these?

To give yourself the best chances for recovering, take a nap too! That tired feeling will kick in soon. :) Meanwhile, you've had a solid and packed day, and it's probably not even noon! Enjoy that awesome feeling of accomplishment. And then, sign up for your next triathlon!

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Thanks everyone for sticking through this SIX PART series of blog posts... I hope it has been insightful, inspiring, and educational. Most of all, if I've convinced any of you to take the dive and sign up for a triathlon, then I'll consider myself successful. Thank you for all of your comments and feedback!

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