Tips To Get A Personal Best At The 2018 Benalla Triathlon

With the Benalla Triathlon only a week away, I thought I would share some tips to help get you to the finish line a bit quicker.

These are all very simple tricks, but they could literally shave minutes off your time if done well!

As always, never go into race day trying something new…practise before hand!

1) Baby Oil, Baby!

If you plan on using a wetsuit, one of the hassles of T1 is getting the damn thing off! If you rub baby oil on your shins, elbows and forearms before putting your wetsuit on, it can make your wetsuit slide off much easier.

If you don’t wear a wetsuit, you probably don’t need baby oil. Up to you!

Another common problem with tech-savvy triathletes is that many of us wear watches that are massive. This can also make taking the wetsuit a bit harder.

One tip is to cut a bit of the sleeve off your wetsuit, this will help you slide your arm out easier.

3) Set Your Bike Up 

When you rack your bike in transition, attach your shoes to the pedals and use elastic bands to keep them still.

Then during the race when you run into transition, put your helmet on, grab your bike and get out of there!

When you mount your bike, start pedalling with your feet on top of your shoes, and then slip your feet in once you’re up to speed.

(there is a bit of a knack to this so practise it before the race, it could easily save you 30+seconds)

When approaching T2, do the opposite. Slip your feet out and pedal with them on top of your shoes so you can hit the ground running into T2

**apologies for the pictures above, my bike is filthy! Which brings me to my next point…

5) Elastic Laces

These are a must-have for any triathlete, they are cheap and available at most shoe stores. You’ll save heaps of time by not having to tie your laces. Bright colours make you go faster too!