USA 2/24/2010 9:59:28 AM
Ironman Triathlon
3 Things They Don't Tell You About During an Ironman Triathlon
No matter how prepared you are on race day for your Ironman triathlon, there are a few important issues you should know about that will help you have a smoother race. So in no particular order, straight from the Rock Star Triathlete Academy at http://www.rockstartriathleteacademy.com/Ironman, here are six things you may not know about Ironman triathlon.
1) The Volunteers Don't Have Built-In Auto-Banana Releasing Switches. When you zoom past on your bike, with your hand extended for a water bottle, gel, banana or any other aid station item, the Ironman triathlon volunteers don't necessarily KNOW to release their death grip on that item as you grab it. This especially holds true if you're a fast swimmer and one of the first cyclists to reach an aid station. So be prepared to "miss" a few hand-offs, don't get angry with any volunteers, and don't wait until the end of the aid station to go for your fuel, or you may be disappointed.
2) For The First 5 Miles of the Bike, Drafting Rules Don't Really Count. If you swim anywhere from 55 minutes up to around an hour and 20 minutes, you're going to be in a "sea of bikes" for the first few miles of the Ironman triathlon, as the majority of swimmers are going to exit the water around this time. Plan for this cycling cluster, and don't let it upset you or ruin your day when you glance around and see a half dozen riders who appear to be drafting off your wheel. It takes a little while for everyone to get spread out.
3) All Your Pacing Rules Get Broken In Transition. You know your tidy little heart rate graph or specified zones that you plan on following during your Ironman triathlon? Be warned that as you rush into transition from the swim, and go from a horizontal to upright position, and also as you leap from your bike and power it into the transition area, your heart rate is going to go sky-high. Don't let this bother you. As a matter of fact, it will likely be a good 10-20 minutes into the bike before you really achieve the heart rate that you want to follow. It also typically takes about 5-10 minutes into the run for your heart rate to "settle in".
