After months of intensive training the moment finally arrived, race-day! You gave it all to get to the point where you are at this very moment. It happens too frequently that triathlon athletes don’t reach their goals because of simple mistakes. These mistakes are avoidable. I would like to share with you 6 frequently made mistakes so you can avoid them!
1. Trying something new on the day of the race
You would think it would be obvious, but it happens still too often, people that want to try new food or clothing on the day of the race. It may be that the diet is wrong or does not give the right energy. This goes for clothing as well. It is not advised to experiment on the day of the race. New clothing can give you blisters. Make sure that you always use clothing that has been run-in, pedalled or swam!
2. Not knowing the rules
A triathlon involves more rules than you would think at first glance. For example, you are obligated to wear a helmet while cycling, you can’t accept help from outsiders (stick a tire yourself!) and you are not allowed to cycle in the transition zone. Make sure you know exactly what you can and can not do before you start a triathlon.
Check all the rules on the Triathlonbond.nl site so that you will not be surprised by the day of the race!
3. Arriving just before the start of the race
You never know what kind of delay you can encounter on the way to the match. Always make sure that you arrive at the location a fair amount of time before the start of the race. This allows you to prepare yourself calmly and make sure you are completely ready when the start signal sounds!
4. Not putting your bike in the right gear at the switch zone
The perfect gear to start the bicycling part in does NOT exist. The right gear depends very much on the course that must be covered. It is important to know, for example, whether the course includes hills or not and whether or not there are many curves in the beginning.
5. Not drinking enough or drinking too much
Especially when the triathlon must be done on a sunny day, it is important to stay well hydrated. Drinking too little leads to dehydration and must therefore be prevented. On the other hand, it also happens that participants drink too much during the race and thus their performance is reduced. Make sure you know how much water your body needs before the start of the race!
6. Forgetting something
Make sure you have already sorted out all the necessary items the day before the race. This ensures that you will not face any surprises on the morning of the training. What you exactly need for a triathlon can be found here.
