So You Signed Up for Your First Triathlon

 Written by Jessica Kaiser, Working Mom, Triathlete, and BRINGtheKIDZ Ambassador

You’ve taken the plunge and signed up for your first triathlon.  Congratulations!   Maybe you are already fit.  Maybe you are working through a training plan.  Maybe you have no idea how you are going to accomplish this goal.  Here are some tips on how to get to that first finish line.

First off, fair warning – I am not a coach.  I hold no certifications that relate to endurance athletics.  I have not stood on any podiums.  I am not going to Kona.  I am not an Ironman.  So why should you listen to my advice?  Perhaps you shouldn’t, or at least, don’t listen only to me.  Find those Ironman coaches and listen to them too.  But I’ve found that some of those folks don’t remember what it’s like to take the first step, to start from nothing.  So take my advice in the spirit it’s intended as things I’ve learned since I signed up for my first sprint distance triathlon, one year ago.  My memories are fresh, and some of these lessons were learned the hard way. 

1. Safety First.

Make sure you carry some sort of ID with you when you are training outside.  This could be as simple as carrying your license in a zippered pocket.  I personally wear a RoadID which is a bracelet that has my name, my husband’s name and phone number, and my allergies.  That way in the event of an emergency, I won’t be anonymous.

For cycling, make sure you have a quality helmet, some kind of glasses, some gloves, and high visibility clothing (to make sure you are seen by cars, pedestrians, etc.).  If you aren’t comfortable on the bike, find low risk places for your starting rides – a quiet trail rather than a busy street. 

For swimming, particularly open water swimming, always go with a buddy. 

2. Learn to Swim

If you’re starting from ground zero, you can walk (and likely run at least short intervals).  You can probably ride a bike – maybe not quickly, maybe not a road bike with clip in pedals (or what the experts call clip-less pedals for some reason) – but you can likely pedal something.  Swimming is a whole different ball game. 

I never took a swim lesson as a child; I learned to not drown.  I could paddle around my grandparents’ pool, but I never learned to swim properly.  If this is you, go take a swim lesson or a few and get comfortable in the pool.  Bad habits are hard to unlearn, but good habits will help you avoid panic and wasted energy on the swim in your race.

3. Make a List

Let’s face it  - triathlon has a lot of stuff.  Some of it you need for the swim, and a lot of it you’ll need to have organized in the transition area (the area for the stuff you need for the bike and the run).  There are plenty of checklists available online.  The important thing is to have a list and customize it for you.  For example, I wear glasses, but of course, I don’t swim in my glasses.  I need them in transition so I can wear them on the bike.  Therefore, my glasses better be in the transition area before it closes.  That’s the sort of thing that’s on my list (and highlighted with exclamation points). 

4. Practice Transitions.

At a triathlon, there will be an area for your gear so you can “transition” from swim to bike (“T1”) and bike to run (“T2”).  Once you have your list, practice setting your gear up the way you want it.  Here’s a pic of my transition area at my first race (I get there early…)

This also will let you go through your list, and make sure it’s complete.  It doesn’t hurt to practice changing your gear (for example, for bike to run, practice taking off your helmet, changing your shoes (if you’re going to), how you’re going to put on your race number, etc.).

5. Trust Your Training.

Triathlon requires training – how much depends on the distance you plan to do and your current level of fitness.  Find a plan – there are all kinds of resources: books, free online plans, etc.  Follow your plan as closely as you can.  And once you’ve done that, trust in yourself and your training.  The night before the race don’t worry about the missed bike ride or wish you had squeezed in one more run.  You had a plan, and you (likely mostly) executed it.  Time to go out and do the best you can in your race – no regrets.

6. Have Fun.

I never have a bigger smile on my face than when I am at a race looking over the transition area.  All those athletes; all those bikes; all the people in wetsuits.  And I get to be one of them.  Be grateful for every minute you spend in your race.  Race your race – winning is not my goal; wishing I were faster than I am is not my goal; being the best version of myself in that moment on that day is my goal.  I tell other people “good job.”  I sometimes make a new friend out on the course.  Just remember to breathe, relax, and enjoy the wonderful chaos that is triathlon.

Nom Nom Nom

Today I am going to write about a subject very near and dear to my heart: FOOD. I will begin by noting that this post has not been extensively researched by this writer, scientifically or otherwise. Rather, it stems from years of personal experiences and observations of food consumption, rejection, vilification and deification. So let’s dig in!

Mardi Gras Feast - did I mention I LOVE a good theme meal?

First let me say this: I love to eat. A lot of people say this, but I am not exaggerating when I say that I would rather eat that do most anything else. Given the option of eating something delicious or participating in some other activity, I am likely to choose the food probably nine out of ten times. Off the top of my head, the only activities I can even think of that sound likely to draw me away from a plate of nachos or sweet fresh fruit are hugging my children or tending to an urgent need of a child. (Note: In the realm of the child, “urgent” may include situations such as a serious injury, having been given the wrong cup, or needing a tissue even though the tissues are well within said child’s reach.) I was even accused by my French host family in college of being “gourmande”, the French version of a foodie. Now if even the French are calling you out, you know it’s not your imagination. Who loves food more than those guys?!

Boiled dinner! About 17 people attended our annual dinner this year. One of my food highlights of the year!

Having stated all that at the outset, I will also note that I do remain a productive adult, which means that I do not let my responsibilities fall by the wayside for the love of a seductive meatball sandwich (even when I would like them to), but I do think about food most of the time, and have for as long as I can remember. In this regard, it is lucky that I am tall and have a relatively fast metabolism (though it is slowing with age…), so weight has not been an issue, but I did have a tall, thin father who suffered a fatal heart event at the age of 41, so food and its relationship to health has been on my mind for a very long time.

In-N-Out Burger. It is a blessing that there are no locations in Colorado. 

I’ve always considered myself a relatively “healthy” eater, mainly due to my lifelong love affair with fruits and vegetables (and partially comparing my diet to those around me), but have come to realize as an adult that simply consuming fruits and veggies does not necessarily mark a healthy person. As an endurance athlete, in particular, nutrition during sport has always been a challenge for me, as it is for most of us. In my first marathon, I thought it was weird that random spectators were handing out food to runners, and that runners were accepting food from strangers…until mile 19 when I was totally out of gas and greedily scooping up whatever pretzels, cookies, and Halloween candy (it was October) anyone offered. Over the years I came up with a nutrition strategy that worked well for me, but was based primarily on sugar and chemicals (gels, chews, sports drinks, etc.). Over the last year or so, I have been making a conscious switch to real foods for sport nutrition. They aren’t as convenient or portable, of course, but I am hoping that they will ultimately be kinder to my body and digestive system. It has been working ok so far, but I also haven’t been training for any substantial distances, so stay tuned when I train for a marathon next year! (Substantial = long and difficult enough to require me to fuel mid-workout or race)

In the last few years I’ve been exposed to many varieties of eating style* adopted by different individuals in my life for different reasons. Where I live, in Boulder, Colorado, I think it may be even more pronounced than in some other places just because of the sheer number of options available for eaters of any stripe. At first I scoffed, as is my way, but I’ve been starting to look more closely at these different styles which tend to avoid in various combinations: gluten, dairy, meat, grains, alcohol, nuts, and other items.  Plus, there are the cleanses and elimination diets.

A Paleo Superbowl feast!

Most people I know who practice some kind of eating style that doesn’t include anything and everything tell me that they feel a lot better since eliminating X from their eating habits. My husband is on (nonconsecutive) year 2 of Paleo eating and says it makes him feel much better, stronger, less tired, and more energetic. I’ve done a little reading on the subject of food and arguments for and against eliminating certain things (though not extensively, as I noted early on in this piece), and here is what I have decided for the present: everyone’s body is different. How you react to certain foods may be different from how I react to those same foods. This isn’t a bold statement, but I think it is important when advising people for or against certain foods to take into account what their bodies may need. Sure, we can probably all agree that eating fast food every day isn’t particularly good for anyone. But many people I know have a lot of trouble with dairy, for example, while I can’t go a day without yogurt or cheese.

Plus, there is the social element of eating. I see the difficulties faced by those with nutritional restrictions, whether it is due to personal choice, allergy, or otherwise. Choosing a restaurant, accepting an invitation to someone’s home for a meal, or, God forbid, attending an event with a set menu such as a wedding or corporate affair, can be quite difficult. If there is anything I love more than eating and my children, it is socializing with friends and family over food and drink. So, if it is within my power to choose, I choose moderation and the ability to slide easily into social situations involving food.

Valentine's Day cookie making!

Finally, as a parent, I want to do my best to model balanced eating for my kids. I don’t withhold most things from them, they can have a cookie here and there. But not a sleeve of cookies. They rarely get fast food and have never had a Pop Tart, McDonald’s, or Burger King, much to the horror of my family, but they know Five Guys and In-N-Out Burger. Normal snacks for us are fruit and nuts. Just the other day my five-year-old ate six clementines in a row, which makes me feel pretty good as a mother, and less guilty about the bag of tortilla chips he ate afterwards. I think it’s important to encourage them to eat when they’re hungry and not force them when they’re not. For most kids it all balances out, and I don’t want them to grow up with any eating hang-ups like so many of us have. I want them to know it’s ok to mix up what you eat (as long as there is no allergy in play) and not be too concerned about it. Right now they are normal kids, with likes and dislikes and appetites that change with the wind, so I’m not worried just yet.

Thus, I will remain am omnivore for the near future, and continually reevaluate as my body continues aging and playing tricks and changing and telling me I can no longer maintain my eating style. It’s already given me some pretty clear feedback on alcohol (no more than 1 per sitting or I suffer the next day) and created a walnut allergy in my 30s (little known side effect of pregnancy…), so hopefully it’ll be straight with me when it’s time to reign it in on something else.

What are your thoughts on food? What works or doesn’t for you? Tell us about your challenges and ah-ha moments!

*I’m using the term “eating style” rather than “diet” to distinguish from eating patterns intended solely to promote weight loss.