17 Triathlon Hacks That Will Save Time And Money
Triathlon is a game of racing against the clock. People are looking for ways to surpass their rivals by legitimately achieving a new individual record.
Ever since the inception of the triathlon over 45 years ago consisting of the three individual components of swimming, biking, and running, athletes have consistently tried to improve their performance by inventing shortcuts and techniques that can help their time and performance.
Sticking rigidly to your exercise routine and having a nutritious diet, plus getting adequate rest, are the ideal approaches to becoming a healthy triathlete with all-around strong fitness. While these are the top tips to follow, there are also additional useful insights within the triathlete community.
1. Give your wetsuit a trim
Take scissors to your precious, expensive wetsuit?! Say what?! Yes—carefully.
By cutting your wetsuit around the ankles and wrists, you can make it simpler to take off quickly in transition, saving you the time that it usually requires to struggle out of it. This will be particularly beneficial in the swim-to-bike transition (T1).
Perkins, the Head Coach of the University of Denver Triathlon Team and a two-time Kona qualifier, showed her expertise in helping athletes accomplish sub-one-hour Iron-distance swims: She suggested that cutting the ankles and wrists of the wetsuit would create a better process when the swimmer reaches transition. By using this trick, you will save yourself both time and aggravation.
Pay close attention to detail to prevent ruining the outfit. Perkins advises that it’s better, to begin with a minor amount of inches at the ankles and to place the wetsuit flat; it is better to not put too much on at the start.
Draw a curved line with a ruler, two inches up from the leg or arm opening of the wetsuit while it is lying flat. This will make it more comfortable when it is worn.
Put the suit on and determine if the initial cut is satisfactory for you. If not, you can always cautiously trim slightly more.
Take notice of our cautionary advice: if you trim your wetsuit too much, it’ll diminish its buoyancy and heat retention, resulting in a less effective swim and nullifying the perk of this trick.
2. Zip-tie to tri
The most effective strategy to remain on a bicycle is to use cable ties to secure yourself to it. Just kidding.
For many athletes, traditional saddles may not be the right size for their slender hips and bottom bones, causing them to constantly wiggle around, trying to avoid any irritation or friction that could be caused.
The saddle industry has made huge advances over time, and it is now not difficult to find unusually narrow saddles. However, it is important to remember that each individual requires something different to find the perfect fit in such a small area.
To make your bike seat adjustable and custom-fit it to your preference, you can use a cable tie to make the width of the seat narrower. It is advisable to carry out this hack using either a trainer, a bike stand, or having someone steady your bike for you.
Then, pass a resilient cable tie through the bars located beneath the cushioned area of the saddle close to the front end of the seat. Tighten the cable tie and pull on it until the rails reach the width you want them to be. Grab the front part of the seat as you lift it up to make it simpler.
Take care when attempting this hack. If your bike seat has carbon rails instead of aluminium or some other metal, do not attempt this trick as putting too much pressure on the rails in a sideways direction will cause them to crack, damaging your bike seat and making it a potential danger.
3. Tape ‘em up
Most of us have had the experience of getting out of the water and beginning to feel cold at the start of the cycling leg of a triathlon, even though people usually wish for warm weather on race day.
Mateo Mercur is a highly proficient triathlon mentor located in Boulder City. For ten years, he served as the chief coach of the University of California, Santa Barbara triathlon team, and he now works with triathletes at all ability levels.
He is well-versed in budget-friendly training techniques that make sense.
Mercur suggested that if the weather becomes cold, you can use packing tape to cover the air vents on the bottoms of your cycling shoes and on the vents of your helmet to help trap warmth. You might want to think about placing your helmet race sticker over a vent for a tactical purpose.
Have you ever taken a good look at the bottom of your cycling shoes? Chances are you wouldn’t have noticed it before, but a lot of triathlon-specific cycling shoes have several mesh air vents built into their soles to help get the water out of your feet after the swim.
This innovative idea is a great thing, however, it can be hard to handle on cold days.
This hack should be easy to understand, however, make sure to cut the tape (it could be duct tape, electrical tape, or even some clear packing tape) as exactly as you can to have it fit perfectly over the vents. You should avoid having any adhesive tape flying around your pedals, chain, or being a nuisance while riding.
As you feel your heart rate rising during your bike ride, it’s straightforward to remove the athletic tape and place it with the other nutrition-related rubbish!
4. From trash to tri treasure
We’ve noticed multiple occasions in the past twelve months where the weather can switch unexpectedly despite staying in the typical wet and chilly range.
At 2021 70.3 World Championship at St. George, competitors encountered a thunderstorm while biking. For Ironman Cozumel in 2021, the competitors were greeted with rain pouring down on only one side of the island.
Due to the frequently changing weather patterns, it can be a burden to bring bulky and costly items such as a windbreaker, gloves, and base layer to have ready in your transition area or special needs bags.
Think about using trash bags and plastic shopping bags, which are largely water-resistant.
Although they are not a flawless alternative to sophisticated gear for endurance activities, large plastic bags can provide a layer that will protect you from the weather as well as preserve your body heat.
This is something you can take advantage of (with a play on words intended), changing your recently acquired tools as you desire. Some popular ways to put the bin and plastic bags into play include:
- Cutting a hole in your head and arms, then wearing a bin bag as a poncho
- Using plastic grocery or doggy bags in place of gloves on the run
- Stuffing a bin or grocery bag between your cycling kit and torso (if you wear a sports bra, keep the bag over your sports bra) to serve as a makeshift base layer—the impenetrable bag layer will block the wind or rain but leave your back free to perspire as you heat up
5. No fuel mix? No problem
Coach Mercer suggested an alternative approach which was to put lemon juice, salt and water in a bottle if a regular electrolyte mix was unavailable.
It may seem like something you’d never forget: nutrition. In the hustle and bustle of getting ready for a lengthy race or competition, it’s simple to forget to take an important beverage powder to bring along.
It can be difficult for triathletes to make it through airport security when they have a bag of white powder with them, and unfortunately, the place where they are going may not stock what is necessary.
If you don’t have any pre-made electrolyte powder, Mercur suggested adding a pinch or two of sea salt and a good squeeze of lemon, orange or grapefruit juice to a bottle of potable water. Close the container securely and mix vigorously to make your own sports beverage mixture.
Citrus fruits and other types of juice contain many of the nutrients that are beneficial for your health, such as potassium and magnesium. The salt present in this mixture will avoid muscle spasms, and it can take the place of the sodium lost while exercising.
6. Free bike fit
You can do your own bike fit. A plethora of online tools are available to assist you. A trainer may be required to check the location when it is not moving, which is something you can obtain. A smartphone application could be incredibly beneficial for your bicycle fitting endeavour.
Learning the perfect bike fit requires experimentation and adjustment. This article covers everything a person needs to be aware of regarding the expense associated with bike fitting and what the experience can be like for amateurs, experts, and professionals.
7. Volunteer for free credit races
The entry fee for certain Triathlons which carry a logo could be as high as £500 to £600. It is unnecessary to put out a lot of money for the race as an amateur. You do not get access to a triathlon race without paying (or signing up as a volunteer), but most organizers offer a reward for volunteering which can be in the form of free or discounted entry to their next event.
For example, Greenwell is offering this option. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to send the race organizers a message if they don’t explicitly offer the information you are looking for.
8. Exchange gear with athletes
You can always post a request on your local triathlon club’s Facebook page if you need any specific item of equipment. Some people might be willing to use your equipment for a while in exchange for one of their own. This could be enough for you.
9. Borrow, borrow, borrow
Here is the phrase to remember for completing triathlons without breaking the bank: Find out as much as you can through others–inquire from your buddies, relatives, and the triathlon community in your area. It is possible to take out anything from the swimming goggles to the triathlon bike.
10. Make your own food
Being a good chef is advantageous for a triathlete. You will consume an enormous amount of calories when you are exercising and competing. Dining out with your newly acquired appetite will cost a lot. Preparing your own meals will give you greater value for the money you invest.
11. Travel with groups
Moving around to compete in a triathlon is second in expenditure only to the cost of entry to the event. If you plan to compete in a triathlon at a faraway location, you’ll likely be spending a lot of money on transportation (especially for transporting your bike) and somewhere to stay.
The most economical solution is to divide the cost between all people involved and take advantage of any group discounts offered. Investigate if there’s someone who would like to race with you, or if there’s an individual that has already organized a race and you would like to be part of it.
12. Local Triathlons are good enough
If you would like the entire experience of a triathlon but don’t want to pay for an Ironman, then have a look into the cheaper, less well-known races going on in your community.
Some small companies are running triathlons with local coordination, providing essentially the same experience as larger races, but at a much lower cost.
13. Always evaluate cost vs return
However, It always comes down to cost and returns. For instance, after spending thousands of pounds on a bike, all extra expenses are insignificant. Additionally, a triathlon GPS watch will not affect your velocity or simplify your contest, and it might be as expensive as £500 plus.
14. Safety is a priority
You must not make any concessions regarding his safety. Get a proper helmet. You don’t need to invest in something brand new or costly; explore the market for a lower-priced option that meets international standards.
15. Join Swimming, running and cycling clubs
Probably, you will not discover a triathlon team in your region, yet even if you do, think about enlisting in the three activities club. They could be as handy as a triathlon club.
16. Triathlon watch does not have to be expensive
£120 Triathalon Gps watch Will do. If spending £160+ is not in your budget, a regular digital timepiece will suffice. You can also use a normal digital watch.
If you don’t have a computer, perhaps your cell phone is the best choice. You can still use Strava on your smartphone. Strava is like the Facebook equivalent for athletes. The GPS feature will enable you to document your outings.
17. Book way in advance
Usually, Triathalon events have a cost that is dependent on when you register, meaning you may be able to get a price cut if you book your race ahead of time.
It is not only possible to save money by booking ahead, but there are also other places too. The greatest savings can be found when booking hotels, flights, and train tickets.
