This is just my opinion… Feel free to disagree. You can even drop a comment, so I can see how others feel about unique challenges of each section of a triathlon.
Swim
Comfort in the water. I will argue with anybody disagreeing with me on this one. When you are doing a triathlon in open water, the most important part of the swim is to make it through it. Time differentials are relatively small on this part, since it’s the shortest one. It’s easy to panic and withdraw from the race when you are in the water. There is also a chance that you will require rescuing if water is not your thing. I’m assuming that if you made it to a starting line of a triathlon, you are a decent swimmer. However, open water is not the same as your neighborhood pool. It’s easy to swim in ‘suboptimal’ direction (yeah: no line on the bottom of the pool to follow). There are other people who can kick you and push you around. Water can be choppy or full of critters. There can be a current to struggle against. And, at the end of the day, you can just have a good, old-fashioned panic attack. So the most important thing to practice for the swim: being ok on the open water.
Bike
I would say this is where speed actually matters the most, since it’s the longest part and the speeds are higher, lending themselves to larger finish time variations. So for a successful race, your speed on the bike is crucial.
Personal: getting better at taking corners at higher speeds… but that’s a story for another day 😉
Run
Experience! I know this doesn’t sound quite right, but hear me out. By the time you get to the running portion of your triathlon, you will be tired. Your legs may be shot from cycling. A lot of those carbs you ate for the few days prior to the race are gone. You are tired. You have been at it for a while. You feel like a turtle in molasses comparing to your bike pace. When you start running, you need to know your body well enough and be good enough pacer to pick a speed you can continue during the run portion. As one of my friends (Ironman Lake Placid finisher) once told me: once you start walking, you know you’re done! During the race, I heard a number of other competitors telling me to speed up. Except I am first and foremost a runner, so I know exactly what my body can do. I chose a pace and stuck to it (with minor adjustments for terrain) and just put one foot in front of the other for those 13.1 miles. And I did pass plenty of those people who told me to run faster: they ran out of steam. Hence: experience in endurance running, meaning skill in choosing the right pace under the circumstances, is what you will need most to get to the finish line in one piece.
Bonus
At all times, it helps if you are driven/ stubborn. I have never done a short race (they don’t appeal to me). But on longer ones, you will need to rely at some point on that ‘stupid’ voice in your head saying to keep going – and it needs to be louder than the one advising you to quit!
I wrote a post before about choosing a race, but it focused on running. After my first Ironman 70.3, search for a full Iron distance (ok, I want it to be Ironman because I want to hear those iconic words: you are Ironman!) and talking to other fellow triathletes, I came up with a number of triathlon-specific considerations.
What kind of open water are we talking about?
There is open water and there is OPEN water. What do I mean? Well, thank you for asking! All that is required of the body of water to be eligible for open water swim is that it’s outside and is not a pool. That leaves you with wide variety of possibilities from calm lakes to the raging ocean. If you are a beginner triathlete or a not overly confident swimmer, go with lakes and such. Actually, I heard (second hand) from a man who is a pro open water swimmer and did sprint triathlon in Gdynia a few weeks ago that the water was so awful that he wanted to withdraw several times and had to keep talking himself out of it. Seas and oceans are very unpredictable and you may get yourself into a quite dangerous situation. I’m not saying you should never do a race with swim portion on the ocean. But you should definitely make sure you understand what you are signing yourself up for.
As I was looking last weekend for Ironman races in North America, I tried to pick ones with relatively flat bike course (more on that later) and looked at swim portions of those races. I remembered seeing an ad that Ironman Florida is flat and people come there for their personal bests. I clicked on swim course description and here is what I saw:
And this is the image that immediately appeared in my head (maybe better executed by my imagination than my hand 😉):
Wetsuit legal?
Most race pages will tell you whether the race tends to be wetsuit legal or not. How you feel about swimming in a wetsuit is a matter of personal preference. First of all, you may not own a wetsuit, so you would prefer not having to experiment with that. I also doubt that anybody would argue that swimming in a wetsuit is a pleasant experience. You get to choose between them being too big and ineffective or feeling tight (mine made me think I would suffocate at first, but after a couple of minutes I got that under control) and possibly chafing. On the other hand, wetsuits add buoyancy, making you swim faster and tire less. There is also one more benefit of a wetsuit: it protects you from touching the ‘marine life’. In Gdynia, there were jellyfish in the water. The ones in the Baltic Sea don’t really sting, but that doesn’t mean they are fun to touch. I really appreciated the protective layer between me and jellyfish and their friends.
Ability to bring your own bike
You may have an option to rent a bike, but no matter how fancy it is, it will never be YOUR bike. In case of my race, I couldn’t pick my bike up until the day before the race and there was some discomfort in there. Also the sizing wasn’t quite right…
Whether you can bring your own bike depends on a number of factors. One example: are you flying all the way destination or will you need to load it into a rented car? (God forbid) take it on public transportation? Another example: will it be prohibitively expensive?
Hills on the bike course
I think we can all agree that hills on a long bike ride may be a killer, especially if they are steep ones. If you are just a beginner, you may want to look for a flatter course. Something I find important to keep in mind: you lose more time on uphills than you gain on downhills and they don’t change cutoffs based on terrain. At least majority of races doesn’t. If you’re trying to just finish, flat course increases your chances of making it past the bike part and having enough left in your legs for the run.
Wind
This is a common concern whenever you have to ride a bike. Check typical weather in your race’s area during that time of the year. Getting hit by a gust of wind from the side when you’re trying to grab food or water can be deadly! And headwind is about as great as uphills, so I will refer you to the previous section. I think majority of races are picked reasonably, but it’s better to check and be safe than sorry. You don’t want to look like this:
I don’t think that you need any additional considerations for the running portion of the triathlon past what you looked at when choosing a good bike course or for any sporting event.
Selection process is part of the fun! Choose wisely and enjoy!
Let’s face it: this race was a baptism by fire. I did an olympic distance on a lake not far from where I live 3 years ago. It didn’t prepare me a single bit for this race. I finished Ironman 70.3 Gdynia, but not without learning a few things along the way. So here they are:
Borrowed and rented gear
They always say ‘don’t use new stuff during the race’ and they have a point. I had two items which were not mine. The first one was a tri watch. It was lovely! It had awesome functions. However, if you read my post about the race, you have read that during transition, I went totally dumb and couldn’t figure out how to change it over to bike mode. Not exactly a disaster, but it’s a good example of issues you may run into. Also: because I didn’t start the bike on it until much later, I had issues figuring out how far/ fast I went. Speaking of fast and far: it was in metric system, while I use miles in training. It caused some confusion and frustration to me along the way. On the bright side, it kept my mind busy, since I was trying to convert units.
I also had a rented bike. It was perfectly lovely and the gentleman who helped me was great. The bike was in top shape and even had tires that don’t go flat when you have a small hole. But… It wasn’t my bike. When I was working on renting a bike, I had to pick a size and it turned out that I was somewhere in between the two sizes and went with a smaller one. Sadly, it was a bit smaller than my regular bike and gave me sub-optimal position. It also felt just different. It led to me taking turns and such a bit differently. I don’t think I really lost much time on this, but I wished for comfort of my own bike.
As you can tell, none of my borrowed/ rented stuff was really bad. I just wished for comfort of my own ‘stuff’ during the stress of the race. It’s better to be able to rely on muscle memory.
Speaking of rented/ borrowed stuff: I believe that plenty of people rent wetsuits. Don’t! I don’t get to use mine much and it was a bit uncomfortable. When you rent, you have to tell them what your size is ahead of time. You also probably are not getting to practice wearing a wetsuit. That’s just asking for trouble. You will be uncomfortable. You may have a hard time breathing because it’s squeezing you. Or it may be too big and leaking water. Either way, it will make your race that much harder. As far as I know, open water swim is the hardest part mentally. I can attest to that… You don’t want to make it any harder on yourself than you absolutely have to.
I had one more borrowed item… the strap you hang your number on. They had them in the envelopes and when I was trying to put the number on it, I tugged on something and it fell apart 🤦♀️ . So I had a borrowed one. I don’t remember if I tried tightening it before checking in. Either way, when I put it on, it fell off. Lesson from this issue: try your gear on. Anything you won’t be putting on until the running part: make it tighter. You will burn through water and calories, which makes you leaner. Yes, I totally put the strap with the number on, got up and it fell off 😆
Checking in your gear
They will make you wear your helmet. Things will go faster if it’s already on your head. They will check your bags for your racing number – make sure they are easily accessible. Mine were nicely packed into my backpack and unloading was a bit embarrassing. It also wastes time. Line is already long enough. Make sure to have all of your stuff ready before you get to the check point. Also: be ready for them to take a picture of you with your stuff. So heads up to look presentable… This is not how I like my hair when wearing a helmet. It makes me think of Lady’s (from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp) ears 😅
fot.Pawel Naskrent/maratomania.pl
Waiting to start the swim
It got pretty warm there and we waited for a long time to get in the water. Make sure you bring water or something to drink while waiting. Otherwise you will start dehydrated. For larger races, you may be waiting for a long time.
Turns during the swim
Freestyle may be the fastest and the most common stroke during the race, but breaststroke is helpful. It’s easier to see where you are going, especially when you are turning. During turns, people get closer to each other and things get messy. Breaststroke helps you navigate safely through it. Also: when something bad happens (like accidentally taking in water), breaststroke is helpful in regrouping and calming down.
T1 disorientation
I have nothing… I came out of water looking confused and stumbled around a bit. I could use some words of wisdom on how to do better on that. Just look at that confusion:
fot.Pawel Naskrent/maratomania.pl
Ok, maybe it’s not that clear. But they did have to tell me to move off the stairs when I was coming out of the water. It’s a good thing I didn’t fall back in 😬
Preparing to get on the bike
Bring a towel. I had one and tried my feet before putting my socks and shoes on. It may not make much sense to you, but you will appreciate it when you start running. As a runner, I always make sure my feet are well taken care of. Running in damp socks is unpleasant and can lead to chafing, blisters and general misery. Wiping feet before you get dressed for the bike can go a long way to make you happier on the run.
Hydration before you start riding
One good idea: drink some water. You are probably already a bit dehydrated and it will take a few minutes for you to get going on the bike. For me, it felt really crowded in the beginning, so I needed my focus on the road for the first few miles.
Water and sport drinks along the bike route
Take one water bottle at most. There was plenty of stations with water and sport drinks along the way. Having one bottle cage available for those will be nice, so you can drink gradually. It also saves you the weight of unnecessary drinks.
Caution: during that olympic triathlon I did a long time ago, there was nothing on the bike route. Check on that before the race…
I don’t think I mentioned this before: I admire people hading stuff to cyclists during the race! People (not really me, but other people) were zooming through! It takes guts to stick your hand out towards a bike coming right at you!
Food while biking
Make sure it’s easily accessible. Mine was in the back pocket of my tri suit. It’s a tight, hard to reach spot. I had to give up on grabbing the candy a couple of times because side wind hit me. Or I hit turns. Or an area with bad potholes. I eventually got to them, but I had my doubts.
T2 (and general transition wisdom)
If you lose something, remember that it will most likely reappear in the transition zone at some point, possibly after the race. My helmet disappeared during T2. I am pretty sure I knocked it off the bench while changing and somebody moved it out of the way. I was stressing about it and wasted time. Stuff can’t leave transition zone without a competitor taking it. It’s unlikely that somebody will steal your gear.
There are literally 3 stickers with my number on it and they make people show their helmets when coming and going. Why did I ever worry about it???
Keep a reasonable pace while running
A few people tried telling me to run faster. Uhm… I’m first and foremost a marathon runner (rather than triathlete)… I know what I’m doing with running, thank you very much. I had a lot of satisfaction seeing those same people walking because they ran out of steam. I had exactly the amount of energy it took for me to maintain the same pace through the finish line. Moral of the story: know what your body can do on the running portion and do it. Pacing is important. You don’t want to bail that far into the whole deal!
It’s all in your head
I panicked in the water, but talked myself out of that.
I got demoralized on the bike when hundreds (literally) of people passed me, but I did my best and never gave up.
I was tired on the run and considered just walking to the finish line, but decided I’m too stubborn to do that.
Making sure your head is in the right place is probably one of the most important (if not THE most important) part of endurance sports. Before you show up at the starting line, learn how to deal with yourself. Maybe it’s cursing yourself out (worked on the swim…). Maybe reminding yourself that you are here for your own satisfaction and what others are doing doesn’t matter (worked on the bike…). Maybe it’s something completely different. You need your own arsenal for coping with problems. Come well armed! Here is one of my ‘weapons’:
How can I give up when this smile is waiting for me? Or even better, I hear her little voice telling me to keep running in here:
It’s supposed to be fun!
Before you take off, remember why you’re doing it. Unless you are competitive elite, you are probably out there to have fun. Enjoy it! And keep in mind that stakes are low. We all want to do our best and that’s to be applauded. But remember that bragging rights are probably the only thing you will be winning. So don’t stress yourself out too much. Otherwise you may end up like me: making somebody laugh. I know that your pride will be hurt if you don’t finish or do poorly. It’s not the end of the world. So just take a deep breath and have some fun!
Seriously… Which part of me sweating says I’m interested in some dude’s lame pick up lines? And it’s bad enough at the gym, where there are other people, so it doesn’t feel truly threatening. It’s way worse on the trail! I would really like to know what makes men think it’s a good idea. At best, it freaks a woman out.
Here is something men appear not to think about: how it comes off to a woman. Whenever I get catcalled on the road, I remember a part of Jerry Seinfeld’s routine, which goes something like this:
So a car drives past a woman and the driver honks. What does he expect will happen? She will kick off those shoes, run after her and say ‘Thank god you honked! Otherwise I would have never known how you felt!’
Yes, that’s how I feel every time I hear a guy bugging me when I’m on a run. I once complained to a (male) friend of mine about general harassment while I run. Background: I live in DC and summers get ridiculously hot and humid. It’s easy to start chafing, so I frequently run in knee-length leggings and sports bra (like the ones that are meant for outer clothes, not underweary or anything). When I was venting, the friend in questions told me that maybe I should just wear a shirt and cover up, so the guys won’t look. NO!!! In what world is my choice of wardrobe a permission for a random guy to approach me while I am clearly busy??? Let’s be adult about it: men need to be civilized human beings and control their urges. Mind your own business, gentlemen!
I have been harassed plenty of times, but one sticks out in my memory, mostly due to a happy conclusion. It was many years ago, when I was in Poland. I went for a run (back then, I used to wear baggy shorts and baggy t-shirts – clearly nothing to look at) and I was passing three guys sitting on a bench, drinking beer (mind you: full daylight, middle of a day, not far from civilization). Two of them started to catcall me and be general jerks. To my surprise, the third one told his buddies to shut up and leave me alone (which they did). I don’t think he will ever know or understand how much that little gesture meant to me. We definitely need more men like that!
When I talk to men, most of them never give much of a thought to things women do when they leave for a run. Every woman has to take into consideration her safety. And I’m not talking just the cars and wildlife. It took me a long time to get over my discomfort with running around the National Mall in the morning. Honestly, what changed my mind was biking there and seeing how many other people are there. But I doubt any man ever gives it a second thought.
Solutions for women are relatively ‘simple’, such as run only in ‘safe’ places, such as well-lit paths where there are other people or carrying pepper spray. Sadly, that doesn’t always work – there are plenty of articles out there saying so.
What can men do? Start by not being creepy and don’t talk to women on the road unless you know them. Trust me: you aren’t flattering anybody and have zero chances of success with a female runner randomly seen on a road. Maybe try not to look like you are following them when there aren’t other people around? And most importantly: keep an eye out for shady people who may be dangerous to fellow runners and if you somebody in need of help, please help.
I can only dream that one day, women will be able to go wherever they want without being harassed. For now, please stay safe out there!
Hello all! I decided to open a shop with my various designs, including the logo, apparel, hats and water bottles. Please visit my shop at https://www.cafepress.com/apbtri 😊
A few weeks ago, I got inspired while sitting on a train and started to draw cartoons poking fun at us, triathletes and our experiences in training and racing. They are all here, but for today, here is some:
People will ask you:
And:
But we do get out there. And we work hard. Here is the harsh reality of biking on hills – you get so excited for a downhill until you realize that now you have to climb it!
How about some idiot insisting on giving you (usually wrong) advice at the gym?
I don’t know what about me sweating profusely and being dressed in worn-out t-shirts makes guys think I’m interested in being hit on…
Not so long ago, I saw a sign on the bike trail saying that the speed limit is 15mph. It sounded ridiculous! So I was talking with my friend and I found out that I am not the only one who sees speed limit signs while biking and immediately thinks ‘I have to beat that!’ 😆
Illustration to go with a sign seen during a marathon and one for a cyclist (since I always whine, at least internally) when I try to make it up a hill:
I have seen sharks in the water before, but they were always tiny… But when you swim, wouldn’t this be a better incentive to speed up?
My drawings of dogs leave a lot to be desired, so so far, I only managed to finish one cartoon involving a dog. This one was inspired by a woman walking her dog on an insanely long leash. I was running that day, but this image immediately came to mind:
Isn’t riding on the road just the best? That’s at least partially sarcasm. Sadly, riding on streets and roads shared with cars is very dangerous.
Laws regarding cycling on the roads varies between countries and states, but in the USA, where I live, basic rule is that cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities (although there are roads, mostly freeways, that specifically prohibit cycling on them – but those are few and far between). You can verify that on NHTSA (National Highway Safety Administration) website. I wish more drivers knew this. Just the other day, a cab driver spent a lot of time sitting behind me honking and then flipping me off as he was trying to pass me (illegally, may I add). The thing about that situation: even forgetting that I had as much of a right to be there as he did, it’s not like he could go much faster – we were stuck in traffic and all that passing me got him was sitting in front of me on the traffic light about quarter mile down the road instead of behind me. Also, it was right next to the National Mall in DC, where there is no viable alternative to riding on the street in the afternoon. Yes, there are sidewalks. But they are packed by tourists, making it really unsafe for everybody involved to ride a bike in there. And it’s not like I’m 5, moving at speeds resembling walking!
I looked up some statistics on NHSA’s website and found them actually fascinating! (once again: I’m a nerd and I know it). Sadly, the numbers are from 2017, but they are still quite something. So here are the ones that really stuck out to me:
There were 783 fatalities among cyclists on roads. That’s more than 2 per day! How scary is that?
8 times as many men died in bike crashes as women (based on my observations of people on bike paths: that’s because there are significantly more men riding bikes over longer distances, so there may be actually fewer fatalities per cyclist – although I don’t actually know).
Majority of fatalities happen between 6pm and 9pm. Ok, this one seems rather intuitive and easy to explain: there are more people on the road at that time, both drivers and cyclists, so odds are not in your favor.
There are more deaths in the cities than in rural areas. I can see that – I have seen a lot of distracted drivers running into intersections and I have seen them hit cyclists. Hell, I have close calls every week because drivers really want to turn right in Roslynn and totally ignore people in the crosswalk (but I know it’s a problem, so I have been able to avoid getting physically hurt on that particular intersection).
The most important thing we can all do to improve safety on the roads is for all of us to pay attention to what we are doing. It means that as a cyclist, I make sure that I can hear people and traffic around me. I keep my eyes on the road. And I keep my mind firmly grounded and paying attention to what’s going on. I can’t even tell you how many times I have yelled ‘on your left’ or something else at people and they didn’t react! That’s not cool! And same goes for drivers: you have to obey traffic laws and always stay alert and aware of what’s going on around. Main culprit: people turning without first making sure that there are no bikes coming. Dear drivers: I am sure you will be unhappy about dents in the car, but most likely that’s the worst that will happen to you. For us, it’s a matter of life and death! And when passing a cyclist, give us wide berth. I think that some drivers think that if they aren’t touching us, they are doing well. Unfortunately, there has to be more space between a cyclist and a car. For one thing, we might hit a bump or for another reason veer a little bit. For another: if you are going fast enough, the air coming off your car can hit us hard enough to cause problems. So please, stay as far away as possible. Sharing a lane is definitely not cool!
There is a handful of things we, as cyclists, can do to help drivers see us, too. I wear neon yellow (pictures don’t do it justice) helmet. Wear bright, visible clothes. I know it’s not 100% effective – after all, some car once almost hit me when I was wearing my neon orange Marine Corps Marathon shirt that practically glows in the middle of a sunny day. But it helps. Use lights on your bike: white headlight and red light in the back. I have a strong preference for both of those lights being steady ones. Those blinking ones drive me nuts! So if I ever appear to be passing you at a strangely fast speed looking like I’m doing speed intervals and you have one of those lights – you know what’s going on. My friend Eric (frequently mentioned below when it comes to surviving your bike rides) said that apparently rear lights increase your chances of not getting hit significantly even during the day.
Now that we covered that, let’s talk accidents.
Your most likely injury from simply wiping out: road rash.
It was worse than it looks in the picture… It was actually a pretty deep scratch and it’s healing poorly. Whenever you have open wounds, make sure that you clean them out properly and apply Neosporin (or something similar – in different countries they may have different ointments to help keep the cuts clean). Remember that when you get road rash, you may have picked up little pebbles, grains of sand and other stuff with your would. It can cause a lot of problems if not addressed immediately. A useful tip from my old daycare teacher (she was talking about it for kids, but it works for adults as well): once the scab dries, put some vaseline on it. The reason for it is to keep the scab pliable. It’s most useful when the road rash is on joints, such as knees and elbows. When the scabs are dry, they can crack when you move around, which can hurt and it causes your injuries to take longer to heal. Vaseline prevents the scabs from cracking.
WEAR A HELMET!!!
This is my friend’s Eric’s helmet:
Eric is smart. Eric always wears a helmet. Be like Eric. Be smart. Wear a helmet.
Eric was wearing this helmet when on a bike ride in rural Pennsylvania. It was a nice day and the road was empty. He was doing everything right and riding along like many times before and after until a car came too close to him and side swiped him. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a hospital (which isn’t exactly close to where he crashed, either). He is alive today because he made a smart choice and wore a helmet. I remember years ago hearing a story from a friend about being a juror in a case where a kid got permanent damage from crashing on his bike – and no, he wasn’t wearing a helmet. I have a feeling I wouldn’t be writing this blog post today if I wasn’t religious about wearing a helmet while biking, either. About a week and a half ago, I was riding to work, minding my own business when I hit mud mixed with leaves on a turn at a bottom of a downhill and then hit a small ledge before I fully recovered from that loss of balance. I still have neck problems from it. Since there is a lot to be said about bike helmets, I will be writing a separate, full article on the issue in the coming weeks.
Whiplash is probably one of the more common neck injuries associated with sports and car accidents. It happens when your head is quickly thrown forward and then backward. My neck injury clearly is not that – it’s only on my right side and associated with hitting my head on the side. Either way, if you have neck problems, you may want to see a doctor about it. And most definitely don’t strain it until you recover. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience of being stupid: I went for a run with my backpack (part of commute to work) just a week after my bike crash. And then I couldn’t turn my head for a day and I can clearly feel a setback in my recovery. So: give yourself ample time to fully recover!
And if you are unlucky, this may happen:
This is again my friend Eric, who got side swiped by a car while riding nicely along the side of a road. That’s some serious injury! He is flat out crazy, so it didn’t take him long to be back out there (he was out there before the doctor even got a chance to voice his opinion), but let’s face it: something like that can mean the end of the season.
Let’s all try our best to fix the statistics: no more runners and cyclists dying on the roads!
I get asked frequently ‘which race is the best?’ Actually, there is no good answer to this question, as it depends on your personal preferences and variety of factors. Here are some main issues to consider:
Distance
Local or destination
Timing
Weather
Terrain
Scenery
Race setup and atmosphere
Distance
First things first: what distance do you want to race? I have heard people say things like ‘oh, I want to run a marathon!’, but after further scrutiny, it turns out that they have no time or desire to put in the training it would require. 26.2 is also not much of a beginner distance (although I’m that weirdo that never raced anything other than participating in a couple of fundraising 5ks before I got to the starting line of my first marathon). Maybe starting with something shorter, like a 10 miler or a half marathon would be better? Not that there is anything wrong with 5k or a 10k – all noble pursuits. So figure out what goal you are pursuing. After all, how are you going to choose a race if you don’t know how far you want to run 😉
Local or destination?
Do you want to race close to home or travel some place cool and run there? Obviously, each has its own perks and drawbacks. When you do a local race, you get to sleep in your own bed, eat food you are used to (home cooked?) and have your friends and family around for support. You can also get the opportunity to check out the route beforehand. You are also already accustomed to the weather and altitude. There really aren’t true drawbacks to racing close to home.
But you can always do better, right? First of all, if you are going for a longer distance or specific type of a race, there may not be one near home. Or none of them work with your schedule. Destination races allow you to choose the exact type of the race you are interested in. You can look for specific features you want, such as flat course or cleaner air (some places have such awful air pollution that running a marathon there isn’t really advisable). Flip side of the coin: you may end up in much higher altitude than you are used to, causing you problems like altitude sickness or racing in weather conditions you are not accustomed to (example: I ran Disney Marathon in over 80F weather in January, when it was snowing back home – literally, I got emails from friends with pictures of them shoveling snow). Another potential benefit of a destination race: if you stay in a recommended hotel, they may have logistics of getting you to the race taken care of and you don’t have to look for parking or anything like that (been there, done that, too). On the other hand, you may be in a place where it’s hard to get. I had that issue twice. Once was in Vermont: apparently cabs and Uber are not really a thing there at 6am on Saturday. The other time was trying to get back to my hotel in Disney Springs in the marathon. I know, some of that was self-inflicted because I didn’t plan right. But hey, my stupidity can serve as a warning for all of you and save you potential headaches 😉.
Timing
This would be the natural next question: when do I want to run the race? It’s particularly relevant for longer races, such as a marathon. If it’s your first race (or coming back from longer break or injury), you should take good stock of your current shape and figure out how long you will need to get to the appropriate shape. Keep in mind that most plans assume that you have been running 20-30 miles per week for a while and then you extend your long runs by about 1 mile per week until you get to 20 miles. You should probably also build in some margin of error into your plan. Life happens: you may get sick, have an unplanned business trip or one of many other obstacles that will prevent you from doing an important workout. Honestly, over the period of 3 months, odds are not really in your favor.
There is one more consideration for timing of the race: what time of the year do you want the race to take place in. And I don’t just mean that you are deciding if you’re going to run in, say, VA in the summer or fall. You also have to keep in mind need to train for the race. For example: if you live in, Alaska, training during winter months may be hard, making a spring race inadvisable. On the other hand, if you live in place that gets insanely hot in the summer, you may prefer to train during winter months, making a spring race easier to train for.
Weather
Oh, I have a lot of feelings on this one… I happen to deal poorly with weather, especially heat and humidity and it shows in my results. The coldest marathon I have done was Philadelphia and it was my PR. My hottest race was Disney and I was fully convinced that I was going to die. It took me weeks to recover after that one!
This is usually a pretty easy question to ask yourself before choosing the race: what weather can I race in? I recall seeing on Kona Marathon website multiple mentions that this is not one to attempt PR because it will be hot and humid, so unless you are used to training in these conditions, take it easy. On the other hand, you may have lived all your life in hot weather and the idea of running in gloves, hat and jacket appears preposterous. Not to mention not owning appropriate gear! So checked the typical weather on race day for the area you are looking at before committing.
Terrain
Terrain can mean a couple of different things when it comes to races. For one thing, you need to choose between trail runs and road races. I happen to be a big fan of paved surfaces, but it’s not for everybody. You also have to keep in mind that asphalt gets hotter than trails, so it may impact your decision when it comes to how hot of a weather you can take on race day.
You may also be a fan of hills. Or be worried that hills will kill your knees (mine hate when I run much on hills). Flat races will give you better paces. Some even end up with overall downhill. Before you look at the overall tendency, check the profile of the run. Otherwise you might end up going up and down rolling hills for 26.2 miles. I have to admit that I underestimated severely hilliness of Baltimore when I ran my first marathon and my knees hurt. I also did Luray triathlon and somebody swore to me beforehand that triathlons are done in flat places. Now I know better… It was definitely not as advertised…
And let’s not forget about road races versus trails. I usually hurt myself when I run on trails, so that’s not an option for me. But many people prefer it. Just keep in mind that trail running is more tiring than road running, so if it’s your first marathon or half marathon, you may want to make sure first that you can do it.
Scenery
I already hinted about it when talking about destination races. Some people like to have nice scenery around when they run for a while and some don’t particularly care. I recently saw some meme online showing runners feet and a tiny bit of a road with caption ‘what I actually see when I run’. They have a point… Before you decide you want to go off and run in some scenic destination, go for several runs and make sure you will actually be looking around and that it is something that you value. It may be. Or you may find out that pretty views don’t do a thing for you when you run.
Race setup and atmosphere
Some races are huge and attract crowds. Some, on the other hand, are small and pretty lonely. To my surprise, I learned that Disney Marathon, for example, doesn’t have many supporters along the route. It may have something to do with the ungodly start hour… On the other hand, they have characters you can take pictures with and that’s pretty cool. I didn’t expect much from Vermont City Marathon, but it turned out that it’s like the biggest event of the year in that town and people are basically stuck wherever they are, so everybody comes out and cheers. There were many bands playing music, residents were out banging on trashcans and playing radios. There was so much energy going on in there! Not everybody is into crowds. Some people genuinely don’t care. But for me, it invigorates me. I also use the crowd noise to help me move.
Setup may have nothing to do with crowds, although probably will. Larger, better established races are more likely to have good logistics. The best logistics I have ever seen goes, without a doubt, to Marine Corps Marathon. They were PREPARED. And I mean they had procedures for everything. Their medic tents had basically sets of first aid kits for issues you may encounter. Dehydration? Here is your bag! Period cramps? There you go! Chafing? We were expecting you! It also helped that there were huge, strong Marines ‘parked’ everywhere ready to carry you off if need be (I saw them jump out of nowhere at the finish line to carry off a runner who started to faint). It’s been a while and I am still in awe. Disney deserves an honorable mention here, too. They had heat wave move in and it was getting worse as the day neared. They increased frequency of water stations from every 3 miles to every 1 mile overnight. That’s something! On the other hand, when I ran in Philadelphia, I wanted an Ibuprofen (old injury flaring up) and I couldn’t find a medic station for a long time and even then, it was basically a table with two elderly ladies just sitting there. Philly did do a lot right, don’t get me wrong. But medics were not one of them. So that others get dissed appropriately as well: Marine Core Marathon had huge issues with port-a-potties. Since the run was along the National Mall, there were huge lines of tourists everywhere. It was really hard to stop and pee when you needed to. Spectators were nice and let runners in, but the port-a-potties quickly got dirty and ran out of toilet paper. Not awesome…
So which race should you choose? Well, make a list of all the factors that matter to you and then you can use page like https://race-find.com. You just plug in your requirements and with enough limitations, choice may get really easy.
Good luck! And I hope you enjoy races you choose 😊
I visited the US for the first time 25 years ago. I spent that 4th of July with my sister, my grandmother and my uncle in Albany, NY. As we were watching the fireworks, I decided that one day, I will have my own American Dream one day. Since then, many things have changed. I am older and wiser (it’s hard to be less wise than you are at 13 😉). Everything has changed for me since then, including my idea of what I want in life. But one this stuck and I did deliver on that promise to myself from a quarter of a century ago: I am living the American Dream 😊.
I think most cyclists have the same gut reaction to indoor biking as runners have to treadmills. After all, what can beat the feel of wind on your face and seeing all those beautiful views? Well, not getting rained on, not slipping on ice, not getting hit by a car… 😉 So yes, indoor trainers and spin bikes can have a place in your training routine as well.
Whether you are talking about a bike trainer or an indoor bike, you can rely on it to keep you safe from cars or bad weather. For most of us, at least one of these is an issue. Since I ride mostly on bike trails, cars tend to be lower level problem for me, but they are a concern. If you are a beginning cyclist, getting on the road may be intimidating. Indoor trainers and stationary bikes can be a great place to start. The weather can be a whole another thing. It’s been windy in here for the past few months and the heat is going off the charts. There are also: monsoon storms, ice, snow, fog… Well, you get the idea: mother nature may make it severely unpleasant, if not impossible, to go outside for a ride. Indoor cycling to the rescue!
That’s the main benefit you can read about online. There is a couple of additional benefits I can see to being able to hop on a bike at home any time. Top one: it’s easier on your schedule, especially when family responsibilities keep you at home. I tend to enjoy my indoor trainer while my daughter is asleep. It also keeps you close to home in case of problems and emergencies. Sometimes, I worry that if I get on a bike, I won’t be able to get back in time for a meeting or what if I have a problem (like a broken seat, which happened earlier this season or a flat). You can’t always afford that time-wise, so indoor trainer would be your go-to.
Another consideration for stationary bikes: when you are travelling, the hotel gym (or gym you have membership to) will most likely have a stationary bike. Traveling with your own bike may not always be an option, so alternatives are welcome.
In short: indoor trainer or stationary bike make for a great back-up plan!
Now there are also some additional benefits to both. For example, you can do one leg exercises to gain some strength. It’s a lot safer when your bike stays upright regardless of what you do! You can also set up your training the way you want, hills, flats, whatever. When you ride outside, ‘you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit’, as kindergartner’s mantra says. Sometimes you need to work on something specific and it’s easier to have a targeted workout on an indoor trainer or a stationary bike. Oh, and you get more of a workout, since you don’t get breaks on downhills or anything like that!
Now there are some clear disadvantages to biking inside. You don’t get to experience the weather and the terrain, which can be quite a disadvantage when you go riding outside. Sun beating on you is really not something you can simulate at home. However, stationary bikes tend to be plagued by lack of air flow. I have seen plenty of Instagram pictures of people surrounding themselves with fans. Personally, I put mine next to the AC vent. Either way, make sure you have air to breathe! Oh, and water. Apparently many people forget to bring water to those workouts. I’m not one of them, so I can’t really relate. But yes, always make sure you are hydrating properly.
Another issue: BOREDOM. It’s easy to get bored peddling alone, staring at the wall. Personally, I enjoy watching movies when I’m on my indoor trainer, so in a way, I’m turning lack of visual stimulation of the road into an advantage: I reward myself with something to watch, which can keep me in the seat for longer than I would otherwise want, since I have to know how this ends! (like you don’t know the feeling!)
It’s easy to cheat when you bike at home: you can make all the settings so easy on yourself and think you are getting great workout, while in reality, you wouldn’t have gone more than a block. I guess that’s what makes using an indoor trainer with your regular bike great: you will know what your effort is and you can adjust based on that. Here is one way that an actual stationary bike may be better than an indoor trainer: you can set up a specific course or manipulate settings, adding variety to your training. I don’t know too much about various indoor trainers, but the only variations I can get while I’m riding, I am limited to gear changes. So that’s one for the stationary bike over the trainer!
Although it’s not like the stationary bike is all the way better than an indoor trainer. For one thing: do you have room to always keep a stationary bike right there? Personally, I don’t. Indoor trainers are lighter and easier to put away. They are also cheaper. The expensive part, after all, is the bike. And that you already had. It also doesn’t require going to the gym (in case you are opting for somebody else owning the stationary bike 😉). Indoor trainer allows you to train on your own bike, with all the correct settings and measurements and your bike shoes properly clipped in. On the other hand, indoor bikes may be of the reclined type, which helps if you are having back problems. I also used to find the wider seats easier on my butt.
There is one more thing to say for stationary bikes that most websites refer to: spin classes. A lot of people think of those when they are discussing advantages of stationary bikes. Those have some advantages, such as company of other people and they tend to be on a schedule, which may help you stay on top of it. On the other hand, I have never cared for the noise and being stuck in a room full of sweating people (regardless of how well ventilated the room is).
So should I use an indoor trainer? A stationary bike? Yes! Even a short, easy workout at home when circumstances won’t allow you to ride outside is better than nothing. There are also specific things you can focus on during those workouts. But at the end of the day, nothing can beat hitting the road!
I work close to the National Mall and I got to enjoy cherry blossoms at sunrise during my morning runs. I thought you might enjoy the pictures!
Day 1:
I took my usual route, starting in Roslynn and jumping on the Custis Trail. I crossed the Potomac on the 14 Street Bridge by the Pentagon and ended right next to Thomas Jefferson Memorial. From there, it’s just past the Washington Monument and towards the Capitol Hill. Beautiful sunrise!
Day 2:
Once again, I started in Roslynn, but ran towards the Arlington Cemetery (it was pitch black, so no pictures from that part), then across the Potomac on the Arlington Memorial Bridge and to the Lincoln Memorial. Heads up: that whole bridge is under construction, so finding good spots for pictures was challenging. It took some effort, but I managed to get a shot in front of MLK Memorial without too many people. It was crowded by the Tidal Basin and a couple of times, I wondered if I’ll end up pushing into the water. But the views were so worth it! I made a quick loop around the Washington Monument, which allowed me to take a good look at the WWII Veterans Memorial. Past that, I was back to my regular route. To my surprise, distance was shorter than my regular route. Not exactly what I was going for… But it was a good, fun run!
