There is a lot written about how to prepare before a triathlon race or a significant triathlon training session. Carb-loading and achieving a proper hydration level are always mentioned with respect to this.

There is also lots of information about sports nutrition and hydration needs during an event or training session.

What is sometimes lacking is attention given to what a triathlete does after a triathlon race or training session in terms of recovery.

This is particularly true when it comes to training.

Trust me, when Christmas rolls around or a birthday, a triathlete will be thrilled to receive a triathlon-related gift.

You don’t necessarily need to wait for a special occasion. Show a little love to the triathlete in your life by surprising them with a special tri surprise.

Let me give you some ideas on picking out the perfect triathlon gift.

You probably need a line-item in your personal budget for triathlon.

The financial investment in tri gear, events, nutrition, and an endless list of other things definitely adds up.

A person could easily spend in the thousands of dollars for a year of training and competing in triathlons.

What follows are some ideas on cutting tri costs.

Last night, the NBC coverage of the Olympics had a piece about what USA swimmer phenom, Michael Phelps, eats in a day.

Answer: about anything he can get into his mouth in the largest quantities possible.

He spends a minimum of 5 hours every day training, and it takes a tremendous amount of carbs and calories to keep up.

One article states that Phelps’ “secret” is eating lots of pasta and pizza. This alone could be enough of a motivation for people to take up the sport of triathlon -- the reward of eating whatever you want, as often as you want.

But before you go down that road, I’d encourage you to take some time and investigate the specifics of a sound triathlon nutrition plan. If you are a newcomer to triathlons, this may involve a major diet overhaul.

Yesterday I did a Sprint triathlon, which is typically 0.5 mile swim, 12.4 miles bike, and 3.1 miles run. Some are shorter, some are longer; the bike ride for my Sprint triathlon yesterday was 16.5 miles.

The first triathlon many newcomers do (which I suggest) is the Sprint triathlon, and yesterday I tried to see it all through the eyes of a beginner. Here are some suggestions that I hope will make your first triathlon race a great experience.

 

#1  Do I wear underwear?

Okay, here are a few things on the underwear issue.

As you do your bike training, on rides over 50 miles I suggest wearing cycling shorts or bibs, which have pads in the seat to save your rear end. As you can see, they are not cheap. No, you don’t wear underwear beneath the cycling shorts or bibs.

Tri shorts are shorts you can swim, bike, and run in. The seat pads aren’t quite as thick as the cycling shorts, and I often use them on rides under 50 miles. You don’t wear underwear beneath the tri shorts either.

I use running shorts in my training, and most running shorts have an underwear-like liner within them. Most people still wear underwear beneath them.

For a female transitioning from swim to bike in a triathlon event, most females pull their bike/run gear over their suit, as opposed to changing out of their swimsuit. For female triathletes, sometimes the women's swim suit offers very little in the way of chest support. As a solution, some people wear a 2-piece swimsuit with support or wear a tank top that has a built-in bra over your swimsuit during the bike and run.

While we’re at it, I might as well mention Udder Cream, which comes in handy for long bike rides.

*Warning: I am not a medical doctor. Neither am I astronaut, nuclear physicist, or a Zoo monkey handler. So, anything I say about treating injuries, flying rockets, experimenting with nuclear energy, or adopting a chimpanzee for a pet ...take this into consideration.

Triathletes are especially susceptible to certain injuries because triathlon training and competition pushes the human body to its limits.

The best way to deal with injuries is not to get them, which means incorporating an injury prevention mentality into your training.

Here are some suggestions:

#1  Make injury prevention a focus for off-season training.

#2  When it comes to swimming, focus on developing proper technique. Bad swimming technique leads to unnecessary injuries. I know from personal experience.

#3  Be sure your bike is set up correctly for your body. If your saddle is too low, it will mess with your knees; too high, your hamstring.

#4  Have good running shoes. Many triathletes have shoes fitted just for their feet, which is a good idea. Foot Solutions is one avenue; check and see if there’s a store near you.

#5  Maintain a stretching routine during the season. Here are three stretching videos: Stretching: Part 1, Stretching: Part 2, and Stretching: Part 3. To stay faithful to a stretching routine, some triathletes join a yoga class.

#6  Don’t fudge on proper nutrition, recovery, and rest.

Do all you can on the prevention side!

When I decided to do my first triathlon, I weighed 210 pounds.

Yesterday, I weighed in at 166. That was after a training session, so really my normal weight these days in somewhere in the range of 168 to 172.

There was once a time in life when I worried about eating too much. Now, I worry about eating too little.

Recently a friend of mine and I decided to explore a new bike route that went through a rural town, Gladeville, TN. It seemed like we were out in the middle of nowheresville when suddenly we biked past a gated yard that was filled with grazing Zebras!

Hmmm... Zebras in Africa - check; Zebras in a zoo - check; Zebras in Gladeville, TN - huh?!?!

We hopped off our bikes and took the above pic. I'm guessing it was some sort of refuge for injured Zebras but not the sort of thing you expect in a town where the Nashville Super Speedway is the major attraction. I don't see any connection between Zebras and NASCAR.

By the way, if you want to find or share new bike routes, you might be interested in Map My Ride.

There will be times as a newcomer when you will be tempted to reconsider doing triathlons.

Here are some situations that made me think twice:

1. The first time I tried open water swimming, swallowing mouthfuls of nasty lake water, and floundering around in the breakers while fearing for my life. I really wasn’t in any danger because I was swimming alongside a long float buoy pipe, but I felt like a complete idiot.

2. The day our kitchen began looking like a medical clinic. No lie; here’s what I currently have sitting on our kitchen counter: IB-Relief, Organic Tendon Rescue, Traumeel Homeopathic Ointment, Arnica Ointment, Flexall; and IcyHot. The freezer is filled with Styrofoam cups with ice for icing down my shoulder, foot, groin, hamstring, and the rest of my anatomy!

3.  The cost of training and competing. Wow, you can save a lot of money eating at McDonalds compared to organic foods such as Rebound Cereal and all the organic alternatives to regular food items. The cost of equipment accessories and the registration fees for bike, run, and triathlon events add up.

4.  The learning curve as a beginner. I remember when I first began my training that I practically was killing myself trying to keep up with more experienced cyclists when biking in group rides. It was also a little demoralizing while swimming in the YMCA pool when other swimmers would lap me. Just face it: it’s not easy being green.

I said all that to say this...