Since I raced in my first triathlon over the weekend, I have collected a few tips on ways to enjoy and not freak out about your first tri! If you are teetering on the edge about whether or not to sign up for a sprint triathlon or you have an upcoming first race, check out these 6 Triathlon Newbie Tips.
1. Get to the race early!
It takes a few minutes to set everything up in the transition area, so give yourself plenty of time. The race officials close the transition area early (at least 15 minutes before starting), no matter if you are the 1st or 15th wave. A few minutes of extra sleep is not worth the stress of getting to the race late!
2. Ladies – wear a low ponytail
I got this tip from Meghann, and feel that it is definitely worth bringing up again! If I were to have put my hair in my normal ponytail, there is no way that I would have been able to get my helmet on without having to redo my hair at transition. That would have added a ton of time! Instead, since Meghann mentioned it before, I remembered to keep the ponytail low so that there was no issue. Success!!
3. Don’t get out of the water until your hands hit the sand.
When you are finishing up the swim, it is very easy to want to get up as soon as you see the ground. Rather than getting up when you see the ground, get up once your hands hit the ground. Felipe and Courtney both reinforced this in my head! It is way, way too difficult to try to run out of the water when it is still super deep. If your hands can touch the floor, then you can bet that your legs can clear the water too!
4. Find an experienced triathlete to guide you
I feel so lucky to have an amazing group of very experienced triathlete friends that helped me through this race! I asked them all so many questions, and it was amazing to feel like I was incredibly prepared. They never made me feel like I was asking dumb questions or too many for that matter – they had been in my position at some point in time, and they were more than happy to help. My friends are the greatest!!
5. Don’t focus too heavily on the swim
Before I actually signed up for the race, the swim was what really was holding me back. I was so nervous that I wasn’t going to be able to do it, and that it was going to be really tough. It was completely the opposite. It was incredibly short! There were so many people swimming all kinds of strokes – breaststroke, backstroke, and I’m pretty sure I passed someone doing the doggie paddle! I was in the water for a little over 6 minutes – that’s it. I feel like I can do just about anything for 6 minutes!
6. Go over the rules before the race
Running Road races are pretty simple. You run. That’s pretty much it. Triathlons are a different story. You have to know where to get on and off your bike, how long to keep your helmet on, how many bike lengths you must keep between you and the person in front of you – and it goes on, and on, and on. Be sure to make an effort to at least read over the rules quickly before race day. You wouldn’t want to get a penalty and then have a bunch of unnecessary seconds added on to your finish time! If you are having trouble, revisit #4 above. 
Knowing these few little things made my race day much more seamless. What about you? Have anymore tips to add?
Congrats on your first race, Mary! It was great to see you out there, and happy to be racing with you in the future.
One thing to be sure to remember is to dry and clean your bike when you get home. All that salt (or chlorinated if you’re in the pool) water will get into the bits and components.
Thanks Colleen! And that is such a good idea to rinse off the bike – something I would definitely not have thought about!
Great list! Love your tips about swimming. I’d add to always have a checklist when packing your transition bag the first few times. There are just so many pieces to remember!
Congrats again on an awesome first triathlon!
The list is an awesome idea!
Way to tackle that first race. Great tips for someone considering a Tri…for example, I wouldn’t have thought about the low ponytail. It’s the small things we forget that matter most!
If only my first Tri was a 440 yard swim rather than a 1.5K swim
(GULP) I would feel the same about the swim.
But you are right, the swim will take me as long as it takes me and I just hope Lake Michigan stays cool enough for me to wear my wetsuit.
Can’t wait to see you in October for the Chicago Marathon!
I Can’t wait to see you all too! And OMG – a 1.5K swim!!?? That is intense!
Congrats!!! way to go and rock your first triathlon!!
Those are great tips! Especially the one about getting there early. I made that mistake as a noob and almost died from the stress. Lol!
lol, I am the same way! I get sooo nervous!
Depends on how early in the season but bring spray on sunscreen, over heated skin on the ride can really kill your energy. Also put your sunglasses in your helmet, that way your not looking for them. Loosen laces on your run shoes and skip socks. I also bring two towels, one for a quick dry off and one to stand on, plus you’ll be able to get sand or stones off your feet. I’m doing my first sprint tomorrow, have done 3 tri-its in the past. Congrats and I’m sure you’ll find yourself in another tri soon enough.