Triathlon tips?

Question

Ok I posted a question like this before, but I just wanted to know a few more things. My first triathlon is this Saturday. Here are my questions:

Should I run/ cycle with sock or without? My dad said that my feet might get blisters if I don't but I don't want to waste time putting them on.

And what gears should I use. I own a mountain bike (Raleigh Supercycle SC1800), and I've only recently started using the lowest gear. I can go faster on the lowest gear, but I need more effort. It have to pedal a bit faster on the higher gear, but it's easier but I don't go as fast. Any suggestions, especially when I should shift gears?

Answer 1

I don't mean to sound rude, but it doesn't  sound like clued up about the cycle part of the tri - Will you be using the MTB on the day?

Edit - I'm afraid, no matter what socks you wear of how fast you go, the guys on Road/Triathlon bikes WILL be a lot quicker than you.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=tria...

Answer 2

As usual, I cannot understand the negative comments from people on this website (see 1st poster) - this is the guy's first trim cut the dude some slack when there is some clear enthusiasm being shown here.

I would recommend wearing socks for the bike and run - when setting up, roll the socks and put some talc in them and your shoes and spend a second to dry your feet after the swim - just stand on a towel while you out your helmet on for instance. Unless you are used to doing the bike/run without socks, don't try until you are used to it on your training sessions. Its not worth not wearing socks if you end up hobbing around on the run and it ceratinly won't hurt your time overall if you feel comfortable running. Be in control of your transistions and the rest will follow - most advice your are given is on the actual swim bike run discplines themselves, but you don't get a lot of advice on the transistions - they are a race within a race and vaulable time can be won/lost, depending on how prepared you are.

As for the bike - cadence is the key - you should be trying to maintain about 90 rpm (or pedal revolutions per minute). You may not have a cadence monitor, but ideally you should try to keep pedalling at the same cadence, and let the gears do the work - i.e. change the gears for uphills to keep the same cadence and then adjust back for the downhills and flat.

Don't worry - its your first tri - you probably understand that you won't be the quickest (or the slowest probably, not that it matters) so its about testing your self and getting the satisfaction from that. Good Luck.

Answer 3

wear socks, you will be using an mtb bike for a tri which is going to cost you way more time than the 30 second of the socks puttig process.

two things if you have a chnace change your tires to slick tires, this will give you about 10% more speed, if that is not an option, put as much air in to the tires as it is allowed on the side of the tire. this will help you pedal faster

bikingthings

Answer 4

For socks, I would go with whatever your personal preference is...if you get blisters without socks...go ahead and put them on (it is your first race and it is unlikely the time is going to matter that much, esp. since you are on a mtb).  Again, with gears and shifting, it is your personal preference, but if you are going to continue doing tri's or any types of cycling events for that matter, I would suggest getting a cyclo-computer with cadence and try to ride with a cadence of 85-95. I suggest this, because when you are pushing big gears (putting in a lot of effort), you will wear your muscles out and make the run harder.