10 ways to improve your triathlon time

A beginner's guide to a faster triathlon

There's no getting away from dozens of dedicated swimming, cycling, and running sessions if you are going to perform well at a triathlon, but the gains can be slow and hard-won. If two hours of running can only give you a 10-second gain (hypothetically), how many of those tough runs do you have to do to hit your goal?

There are more efficient ways of cutting your time, that don't involve endless hours of sweat or weeks of trial and error. You still have to commit to those endless hours of sweat, but in addition, you can consider the following. Each requires minimal effort but can cut your time considerably:

1. Case the joint - Free

OK, you aren't robbing the transition area, but if you scope it out in advance (the night before for an IRONMAN or Half IRONMAN) you may be able to steal a few seconds. In particular, look for your spot, marked by your bib number and maybe your name, and walk the transition. If it's a shorter race, and you can't visit the transition area the night before, arrive early.

Your spot will be marked with your bib number

Walk to the swim area. Then, walk the route from the swim, entering the transition area. Make note of where the timing sensor is, and the direction you'll have to trot, the shortest way to your bike. Then, walk from your spot to the "Bike Out" sign, and pay attention to where the line on the ground is. That is, the line before which you cannot mount your bike.

Next, look for where the bikes come in, where you'll enter, and trace your way back to the bike. Finally, follow the most direct path to the "Run Out" sign. Memorise this. Before I go to sleep, I like to replay it in my head, making clear note of each exit and entrance.

Some people attach balloons to their bike to make their spot easy to find, but I think that's amateurish and inconsiderate (they may get tangled in other people's things.) Some people will bring a bright towel which they will notice as they run up towards their bike. In the Bintan 70.3 I placed a large leaf on the ground in front of my bike.

2. Practice the transition - Free

Well before the event, you can set up a mock transition, complete with everything you'll have in your race. Bike, helmet, sunglasses, bike shoes, race belt, running shoes, sunglasses, etc. Then practice running up to your transition, getting on the bike, cycling, getting off the bike, and doing the run.

This is a good time to learn how to push your bike from the saddle while jogging in the transition area - it shouldn't swerve or fall, but roll in the direction you push it.

3. Ditch the gloves - Free

Save time, have one less thing to carry, worry about, and deal with.

4. Use elastic race laces - $5 - $15

Don't fiddle with normal shoe strings when putting your running shoes on. Get elastic laces. I like Nathan Lock Laces.

5. Use a race belt - $10-$20

Forget about pinning your bib to your tri suit. Just string the elastic ends of the race belt through the holes in the bib and wear that for the cycle and the run. To the rear on the bike, and to the front while running.

6. Wear a tri suit - $50 - $350

Changing clothes will slow you down. Wear only one thing for all three stages. A triathlon suit will have minimal padding (don't want to swim with sponges between your legs), no sleeves, and a zipper in the front. You will feel equally at ease swimming, cycling, and running in it. Try to find one that has gel padding, not sponge. It'll last longer and absorb less water.

It might not look very fashionable...

...but you swim, cycle (and run) in the same thing.

In cooler climates, you may wear a wet suit - but here in the tropics we don't need those so I'm only commenting on what to wear in hot weather.

7. Use aero bars - $80 - $500

Aero bars clipped on to my road bike

If you're using a road bike, the most effective thing you can do to make yourself faster, especially over a 70.3 or full IRONMAN is to use aero bars. For just a hundred or two, you'll get close to the position you would be in on a tri bike, shaving minutes on a half IRONMAN.

8. Wear triathlon cycling shoes - $100 - $400

Tri bike shoes usually have only one strap (as opposed to two or three for road bike shoes), and that strap may open the opposite way road shoes do. This makes it easier to quickly pull the velcro open from the inside of your foot to the outside. They also tend to have holes in them to allow water to drain out so your wet feet can dry off before the run. Last, they may have little loops to allow you to thread a rubber band through them and connect them to your bike, while they're clipped in to the pedals.

9. Get a bike fit - $100 - $500

Personally, I believe this to be one of the best investments you can make. In fact, I'd do this before buying any bike equipment or anything of real value. A bike fit expert will ensure you're seated in the optimum position to get the most power out of your body without compromising on comfort, all the while staying aerodynamic. Do it, it's well worth the pain you won't feel in your neck!

Here I am getting my road bike better fit for tris

I did this at Loue Bicycles (Singapore). Ask for Timothy - you will thank me later.

10. Wear an aero helmet - $150 - $500

You may look like an alien, but you will also be fast(er). This is one of those things you do before dropping $3k on a new wheelset, as the time gains vs the cost are well worth it.

Cornering Fast on a Mountainbike

Being able to corner well at high-speed is a skill that can really make your riding faster, smoother and of course more fun. If you can't take corners fast enough you will end up losing your momentum, coming to a crawl around bends, and just looking goofy around your faster friends. (Don't worry, we all have faster friends.)

Here are a few tips I recommend trying:

Brake In
A general rule is to enter slow, exit fast. So coming into the corner, apply the brakes evenly and smoothly, but not too much. You'll be leaning the bike so you can take the corner faster than if you were not leaning the bike - more about that below.

Weight the Bike Properly
Keep your weight on your outside pedal, which should be at a down or 6 o'clock position, with your other foot just resting on the other (inside) pedal at the up position for balance. Your outside knee should be close to the frame. Grip the bar so that your arms are more weighted on the inside of the handlebars.

This combination of applying weight to both the inside and outside of the bike gives you leverage and 'huckability'. It allows you to have total control to lean the bike as much or as little as possible. Which leads me to the next tip...

Lean the Bike
I'm sure you rub your knee around the corners on your Ducati or Yamaha but now you're on your Bianchi or Fuji - bicycles are different than motorcycles.

Yes, you still lean the bike, but now that you have your inner handlebar and outside pedal weighted, you are in a good position to keep your body fairly upright. The bike can be down as low as 50 or 60 degrees, but in tight technical corners, your body's momentum can't afford to drop with the bike if you want to pull out of the corner quickly.

So keep your inside arm straight, only bending the elbow slightly, and drop the bike.  You'll be able to quickly pull it up without losing momentum, as you exit the corner.

Point your Body
Your bike will go where you look. Look to the exit of the corner, not to any roots, rocks, puddles or other obstacles in the corner. If you look at them you will likely hit them.

Point your hips and shoulders square with where you intend to go. This rotation will help guide the bike. As you bring your knee towards the frame in the first tip above, you should also twist your hips and body.

In short, face where you want to go.

Weight Your Tires
Just as you have to be careful how you balance left-right, you need to also be aware of your front-back weight distribution. You may have to bring some weight forward to your front tire in order to make it grip the ground better.

Otherwise, it may wash out, making you fall. Doing this right takes a lot of practice, knowledge of the ground conditions and how slippery they are, and an understanding of your tires and their grip characteristics.

Understand the Apex
Just like on the racetrack with your motorcycle or car, you should be able to identify and take the racing line. This is the straightest line between the entrance of the corner and the exit of the corner. The apex is the inside of the curve or corner you are taking.

So what you need to do is:

1. Approach the corner as wide as possible - so if you are taking a right corner, enter from the left side of the trail.
2. Turn right and aim for the apex. Taking it this wide will increase your radius.
3. Cut right across the apex.
4. Exit wide, as fast as possible, using all the width of the trail. You should end up on the left side of the trail.
5. Power out as to gain back any speed you may have lost.

Exit Fast

This is point 5 in the previous tip. Once you've successfully negotiated the curve and are back on track, you need to pedal out. If you know the trail or know what to expect, you would have already shifted into the right gear to anticipate the upcoming terrain, so that your pedaling will be efficient.

Conditions

All of these variables depend on your tires, your bike geometry (especially headtube angle), the state of the surface you're on (sandy, wet leaves, water, etc) and especially your knowledge of the trail.

Practice again and again in a corner you're comfortable with and soon you'll find you are taking corners faster, smoother, and like I said before, having more fun.