Pro Tips Vol. 2 - Triathlon & Equipment

Kate Bevilaqua - Pro Triathlete
"Yes....Swim with your race kit under your wet suit! Lycra doesn't hold water, it will dry quickly once you are on the run and save you lots of time in transition! However well you dry your feet after the swim, they will still be damp, which makes putting socks and shoes on difficult. To help get your feet into your footwear, sprinkle talcum powder into your socks and shoes and you’ll save time struggling in the triathlon transitions."

"Avoid using new equipment on race day (unless it is an emergency!!)“

Gina Crawford - Pro Triathlete
"I think the run is where you can lose or gain the most time. It is also the last discipline and how you are likely to remember your race. If you are doing your first Ironman then make sure you get to the start of the run in the best possible shape. I see the bike as just a means from getting from the swim exit to the run start. This is the place where you hydrate and eat so that you can get to the run without being hungry, weak and dehydrated. There are many that go far too fast on the bike and pay for it later on the run. If many people are going by you on the bike and you are feeling inadequate then try to stick to your own pace, it is likely that you will see these people again on the run most likely walking. If you get caught up in going a pace too fast for you, often you will forget your nutrition and hydration plan and once you get onto the run it is very hard to re-hydrate." 

Donald Reeb - Elite Cyclocross / Triathlete
"Spray and Wash, and I can't emphasize this enough. Cyclocross is rough enough on your clothes, but add to it the fact that for some twisted and misunderstood reason white has become a popular color recently. Without Spray and Wash you're doomed to a brown, stained mess."

Gina Crawford - Pro Triathlete
"I only recently had a really good bike setup done and it took minutes off my bike time. I highly recommend spending the time to professionally put yourself in the ideal position for comfort and aerodynamics. What I found from doing this is that I could get through the bike in less time with less effort and in better condition to do a faster run." 

Emily Cocks - Pro Triathlete
"Carry a multi-tool. They make ones that are very light in terms of weight. Keep it with your flat changing gear.“ 

"A dollar bill makes a great boot if you have a sidewall blowout."