2) Race site warm-up part A: While still a bit overdressed, get your heart rate up with a 6-8 minute run or spin on the bike.
3) Race site warm-up part B: If you can get in the water 15 minutes before your wave start to swim for 8-10 minutes, do that. If not, do some shoulder warm up with swings, crosses, elastic band work or even push ups from your knees.
4) Know thyself. If you’re a slower swimmer who has experienced panic before, position yourself either to the extreme edge or at the back of the group. It’s far better to swim a bit longer or start 4 seconds later and go steady and smooth through your swim, than to go off the front hard for 100m and then pop so you are forced to do head-up breaststroke for 300m to recover.
Jason: What’s the best race strategy an experienced swimmer should use in a triathlon: go all out or conserve energy for their weaker disciplines?
IM: Jason, experienced swimmers should position themselves at the front for the start and give a good effort for the first 200-300m of the race. That will get you away from the field and in with a group of swimmers with similar ability. Then settle in and swim at an efficient pace. Remember, your “cruise” speed is still far faster than most of those in your age group. Don’t go all out, because once your fingers touch and you stand up there’s still lots more effort to give in bike and run.
Christine: There never seems to be any lanes open, and I’m tentative to ask to “share” a lane. What’s the best approach to get in and get going?
IM: Christine, when you walk on the pool deck, make a quick assessment of the pace of each swimmer in each lane. Pick someone of similar ability and speed, then act without hesitation: grab a kickboard and dip it into the water near the wall as the swimmer approaches for a turn. This is an international signal for pool swimmers that means “Hey, stop a sec, I need to talk to you.” If the person somehow misses this sign, gently touch him with the board during the turn to get his attention. If there’s only one person in the lane, simply ask “may I split the lane with you?” This means the person will swim on one side and you on the other. If there are two swimmers already splitting a lane (or if later, a third joins you in this lane), then it’ll be time to circle swim. None of this is ideal, but it is common in today’s world of 7 billion.
Ian Murray is the host of the Triathlon Training Series DVD (
http://TriathlonTrainingSeries.com) and is a USA Triathlon Level III Certified Coach.
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