The bike portion is the longest section of a triathlon, regardless of distance, so using good training, technique, and most importantly, intelligence is paramount. Execution on the bike will aid in gaining ground on your opponents and set you up for a successful run. Here are a few pointers to follow to help dominate your opponents:
- Study the course--- The best way to study a course is to ride it beforehand. Wear your GPS watch and make mental notes of mile markers, hills, turns, aid stations, and monuments to help feel more confident about the ride. You can also plug in the workout online and observe your speed, cadence, wattage output, and terrain every mile to really hone in where improvement maybe needed. Now, it may not be possible to ride the course but I do strongly recommend you at least drive it. Ask any professional, doing at least that makes a huge difference. Remember, there is no pressure if you prepare properly.
- NEVER go out to fast--- Everyone feels great when they first get on the bike and they start saying to themselves, "This is what I have been training for! I am going to kill this course and destroy the competition! Let's Go!" Then, at mile 40, they bonk out because they delved into their lactate threshold WAAAAYYY to early and struggle to finish the bike and run. (This may
or may nothave happened to me in the past) We all ride the adrenaline wave in the beginning but it is vital to take it easy and find a comfortable cadence - Find your comfort zone--- After you get started on the bike and still drying off from the swim, get comfortable and develop a cadence you can build on. This is to calm your nerves down and give you the ability to attack the course intelligently.
- Build on the foundation you have set--- Once you get comfortable and your heart rate is consistent, start pumping away when you have the opportunity. This harmoniously coincides with item 1. In almost every race course, there are flat sections, hilly sections, and windy sections. How you attack each will determine how the rest of your race goes. Pick your moments carefully.
- Do NOT kill yourself going up hills--- Hills are tough! They have the ability to destroy your race instantaneously if not dealt with correctly. However, if attacked correctly, it will build confidence, strength, and momentum for you to conquer the next type of terrain. Get into your little ring, avoid the climbing position, breath deeply, stay positive, and take it one revolution at a time. You will get up that hill and usually there is a reward after your done. Take a swig of Amino Vital, relax and enjoy gravity when going downhill.
- Hill repeats are the best way to consistently dominate any hill the course may throw your way. If you haven't already incorporate this into your training, do so:
- Find a hill about a 1/4 - 1 mile long and ride up it as fast as you can and then descend down the same hill. Repeat 4-10 times
- This training will build speed, strength, lactacte threshold, VO2 Max, and confidence
- Relax during downhills--- This is the only time to relax during a race. Take advantage of it. Yes, someone will hammer a way and go 45 mph, but in the long run, that same person may have gained 30 seconds on you, and that same 30 seconds becomes irrelevant when you pass them on the run because you took the time to relax during the downhills and recovered by taking a sip of Amino Vital and ate some shot bloks.
- Coast into the transition area--- In the last mile, you are not going to gain any time hammering away into the transition, so take some pressure off of the pedals and coast in. Release your feet from your shoes and take it easy. Give your legs a chance to breath as there is a run still to go.
- Enjoy the run--- Your almost there! Keep Pushing!
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