(zippy electronic noises)
- [Mark] So here it is,
the top triathlon beginner mistakes.
You wear your underwear under your running shorts
so you'd be forgiven for thinking the same goes for cycling.
It's not so.
Cycling shorts and tri suits are designed to fit directly
against the skin for maximum comfort
and minimum chaffing.
Yes, that does mean you might need a spare pair of shorts
if you plan to cycle two days in a row.
If you do end up wearing underwear out cycling,
you may find yourself needing to take an unwanted stop.
(goofy music)
- [Heather] The bike is an intricate machine.
So it's understandable if you don't know everything
about it when you first start cycling.
Fellow riders will be more than happy to help you out
but relying on them to fix your punches
a few years down the line is less acceptable.
And if they're not there to help you,
well, it's a long walk home.
- [Mark] A tri suit is a good idea for a race,
and it's wise to test out once or twice before the day.
But you don't need to wear it to every single session.
You want to keep that tri suit in good condition.
You might think you look cool,
but take it from us.
You just look like an absolute wally.
There's a lot of kit and rules to think about
during the triathlon.
So it's hardly surprising
to see a few helmet faux pas from time to time.
Firstly, we have the backwards helmet.
Whoops!
Then, we have the "I completely forgot I had my helmet on,
as they run out of T2.
They're particularly embarrassing, so you'll hopefully
never do one of these again.
- [Heather] I certainly did this one.
Some like to call it "grinding your gears"
others like to call it "mashing"
and it refers to our cadence.
A trap many beginners fall into is cycling
in too hard a gear and therefore, too low a cadence.
But research suggests that a higher cadence,
anything from 80 to 100 RPM is more efficient.
I certainly found that myself when I made the change.
- [Mark] I get it, we're triathletes.
We're used to swimming close to each other.
That doesn't mean you need to tap the toes of every person
you follow in the pool.
Especially if you're following someone you don't know.
If you do need to pass someone, though,
I'm fairly sure they get the picture after just one tap.
- [Heather] When you're training with a group,
you still need to be self reliant
and come prepared as you would
if you were going out on your own.
And make sure you've got enough fuel and water
to get you through.
Carry spares in the pump,
and know how to use them.
It's also a good idea to have a fully charged phone
and some money in case of an emergency.
- [Mark] We've all been there,
panicking that you haven't eaten enough before a run session
and stuffing your face full at the last minute.
Spoiler alert: It does not end well.
Your stomach needs time to digest your food
so be kind to yourself and eat well in advance,
or at least, don't eat quite so much.
Otherwise, your body will stop digesting your food
when you begin running hard,
and things get messy.
You could be forgiven for not knowing certain sections
of the triathlon course,
but knowing any of it is less forgivable.
Most of us have tried it, turning up, hoping
we could just follow the course markers on the day.
But once the adrenaline is pumping
and you're travelling at faster pace
it's easy to find yourself,
ever so slightly, off course.
Then we have the hill sprinter.
Man, they're annoying.
Whether it's running or cycling, there's always one
that wants to smash it up every hill
and show you how good they are.
Unfortunately, all they end up doing,
is annoying their training partners.
And likely fuel them to try and drop them
later in the run or ride.
If hill sprints aren't planned, don't do them.
We were all beginners once, so we can be excused
for making a few of these mistakes before,
but let's try not to make any of these mistakes again.
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And to see a video on things you shouldn't do
before you head out for a run, just click above.
And to see how to chose your first triathlon,
just click below.