Race Day Tips for New Triathletes

The nerves and emotions associated with your first triathlon can easily consume you. Your brain will exist in overdrive, as you remind yourself endlessly of everything you need to do right to avoid failing: stay calm in the water, remember to breathe, stay to the back of the pack, find a target to swim towards, don't forget to put your race belt on in transition...etc.

Yet with all of this technical information floating around inside your head, you can easily make some crucial errors before the race even begins. So, to avoid making avoidable mistakes and to allow yourself to focus on the race itself, consider the following tips to make your first race morning smoother and more enjoyable.

1. Pack a bag several nights earlier and re-check it. Draft a list of all possible items you'll need, even down to extra shoelaces and goggle defogger. Like family vacations, it's always better to over-pack.

2. Review all registration information and generate a list that puts in chronological order what you need to accomplish. Always try to check in the day before if possible, and get your race packet in advance-this way you can review the race routes ahead of time.

3. Know exactly when your group/wave starts. Races generally start in shifts, and you do not want to miss your wave.

4. Listen to the pre-race briefing closely. Information about course specifics, transitions, etc. you need to know will be covered by race officials.

5. Lay your stuff out in the transition area, grouped exactly how you need it. For example, get your bike gear organized and aligned in such a way that you can stream through getting it on quickly.

6. Watch other more experienced competitors,. See what they do and how they go about preparation. You'll be surprised how much you can pick up by just looking intently. For example, realize that putting the timing chip underneath the ankle of your wetsuit rather than on the outside makes it much easier in the first transition to get things on and off.

7. Talk to competitors. This will honestly ease your tension and let you relax. Triathlon is a welcoming sport, and everyone there remembers their first time hitting the water. Most people will help you as much as possible if you let them, even during the race.

In the end, arrive early, be organized, and keep your eyes wide open. If you do so, your first race will do the one thing every person involved in triathlon wants it to: lead to your second.