Top Triathlon Hacks To Make You Faster In Your Next Race

We all want to go faster, triathlon is a race after all. Here are GTN's top hacks to make you a faster triathlete in your next event.

We all want to go as fast as possible during a triathlon. You might spend hours of training in the hope of being able to beat your rivals and lower your personal record. There is no escaping the hard work you have to do in the pool, on the bike and on the run but there are several easier ways to make you faster on race day.

We have chosen a few of our favourites to share with you that will make your race day experience a whole lot smoother and most importantly, faster!

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Music: Epidemic Sound
Rock Me (Sting Version) - Otto Wallgren

Photos: © Triathlon / Getty Images

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Have you got any race day hacks to add to our collection? Let us know in the comments!

[carlbaldwin]

Just wanner say to everyone at gtn, Thankyou for all your videos and tips as I completed my 1st ever triathlon and was a 70.3
I loved it

[cwdgg]

This is a good video. Especially getting out on the bike and run the course the day before. Knowing where you are going is very important. It also provides a bit of comfort as well. I always get into the water and swim at least one or more buoys the day before to feel the water. Each body of water feels different on your skin and hair.

[robg]

Just done my first tri this morning. GTN vids have really helped. Keep them coming

[TravisBuhler]

Tried some of these hacks on my most recent olympic-distance tri and worked like a champ. I especially liked the tips about rolling the socks and taping the gels to the bike--brilliant!

[paiges]

Your videos are wonderful, are helping me feel a lot more confident with my first triathlon ever tomorrow.😁

[stevenmassheder]

Thanks GTN. Watched this before my triathlon again today and helped me to remember how to organize everything for transitions.

[nealeclark]

I used to fill a plastic basin with water to dip my feet and get the sand off. I used to do some short sprint distance races (300/8/2). In those I would use a pair of pedals with tode clips and ride in my running shoes. In a short race like those the time gained from biking in cycling shoes can be lost in T2 as you change into your running shoes.

[RainerTenhunen]

On the day of the race, double-check the number of loops and where you need to turn back (especially if there are multiple distances in the same race) to avoid being disqualified for a too short leg, or adding unnecessary distance to your race (I doubled my run distance in error on my previous race). The organizers won’t necessarily know your race’s permutation if there’re multiple at the same time.

[ianstewart]

These are great and helpful. I’ve got my first 70.3 this week and I’m in a totally different space for this event than past ones (coming off an injury).

[adventure_hannah]

I'd say it's kinda implied in "scope out the course" and "know the transition areas" but I'll say it more clearly. Know exactly where the swim exit, bike mount, bike dismount, and run out are. My first triathlon I'd taken the time the day before to do this, and in the morning, with 500+ people running around with 6 different distances and start times, the people who hasn't were biking out the run or going down the wrong turn to end the bike and ending up in the carpark, or just riding into transition and getting disqualified.
Also, keep your transition area as neat and minimal as possible. REALLY all you need is your bike, helmet, sunglasses, bike/run shoes, race belt, and the energy and bottles on your bike. A lot of newbie transition areas are somehow manage to be crammed with stuff and super messy, and the messy transition areas lead to them getting frazzled.

[RandyArellano]

Great tips, Heather! I learned some of these from Tri friends in years past, so it helped me in my very first 70.3 in Florida last month. Now if I can get better & faster in the swim... ;)

[jonathanzappala]

If allowed use something to identify your transition area. I use a 5 gallon bucket, and toss the items I’m done with in it to contain them. And my pro tip- get their early to get a good bike spot on the end of a rack. Like if the race is at 8 get there at 6:50.

[somersetfan]

Nice video thanks, my first one of the season yesterday and I lost my place in T2. Think I might get a fluorescent towel! As a suggestion for a video, howabout effort levels during racing. Especially bike and run. Obviously sprint will be different to long distance...

[adolfogonzalez]

Knowing the route is always a good idea!!!

[becmango]

Can you do a video on gels? Like when to take them etc?

[alin]

can't wait to do my first tri in a month. signed up for a half-ironman, as there's no olympic ones nearby until the end of summer. really pumped :D

[likemarksee]

All good advice. Put your bike shoes on the bike and your helmet on the bars, to save bending down in transition which can otherwise make you dizzy. If you do suffer from swim dizziness, it’s usually caused by cold water. Dizziness can be reduced by wearing swim ear plugs.

[TiberiusPaulSavu]

My tips are closely linked to knowing the transition areas: know where the mount/dismount lines are after T1/before T2. If you keep the cycling shoes on your bike in T1, make sure you check out the surface to the mount line before the race, easy to get a cut on the soles of your feet if you're not careful on rough surfaces, try doing a full distance after that...

[linbohn]

I use a plastic bag to help get my wetsuit on. I place it on my feet as I am stepping into the wetsuit. It is way easier than rolling around on the ground and struggling to get your legs in.