If you are new to triathlon or you are just looking for ideas to enhance your experience, maybe some of these ideas can help. Here are some tips that may help to improve your times or just get you out of a jam.

Forgot anti-fog spray for your goggles?
Use liquid soap! Most places where you swim have a restroom close by. Add a touch of liquid soap into the inside of each goggle and swirl around with your finger. Rinse out well and you will be good to go – and it’s FREE!

Put your goggles UNDER your swim cap!
This was a lesson I learned the hard way. I was always a goggles-over-cap guy. I guess it seemed easier that way to take off both the cap and the goggles when coming out of the swim. I have heard of people getting them knocked off by others, but I was comfortable with my decision. Then I was finishing lap one of a two-lap ocean swim when I got caught by a wave and tumbled. The goggles came off and I freaked out at the thought of swimming lap two in the sea without goggles.

Thankfully, a generous and faster swimmer who was completing their second lap noticed me and handed me his goggles so that I could continue. Lesson learned.

Use a checklist, and break it down to three parts.
Assuming that you already use a checklist, consider customizing it into three parts and bring it with you on race morning. My checklist consists of…

1) An overall list of what items I need to pack.

2) The next section is actually in two-parts, things I should do the night before (shave, tri tats, charge devices) and what I should do in the morning before I leave for the event (double check for timing chip, swim cap, etc.).

3) Finally, when you arrive in transition you may want to prepare yourself and your bike in a certain order. For example, fill bottles, pump tires, walk transition, then put your wet suit on.

Your list will be your guide as to what to do when and keeps the anxiety at bay. Set ups are different from race to race, so not everything on the list is necessary. Just remain relaxed and flexible.

Here is an image of my list(s). It’s laminated and separated into three cards because I’m a nerd, but it keeps me organized and I can use it repeatedly.