This Sunday, Aevitas will host our fourth Triathlon at Tawasentha Park! We are so excited to see many familiar names on the registration list, as well as plenty first-timers! We thought it might be a good idea to give some helpful tips for race day, so that everyone can perform their very best and have a great experience!
Keep reading to learn how to best prepare yourself for the 2023 Tawasentha Triathlon, and win the day!
Overall Health & Safety Tips
In general, there are some things you’ll need to be prepared for in this event. While some things, like weather, can be a little unpredictable, a few things are certain with the Tawasentha Triathlon:
- The event is OUTSIDE. That means plan for whatever weather there may be! Bring sunscreen and sunglasses, a hat, extra socks and shoes, etc.
- You will be in NATURE. Everyone completing the Triathlon will be heading through the trail for the running portion of the event. The trails are cleared, but that doesn’t mean there are no bugs or potentially irritating plants around! Please prepare yourself accordingly, pack some bug spray or other repellent, and stay on the cleared trail.
Swim/Ski Tips
Whether you are swimming or skiing for the first portion of the race, please note that everyone will be around the Tawasentha pool. The pool deck will be wet in some areas, so please make sure to step carefully and avoid falling while transitioning to and from the pool portion.
Swimmers
You will have a judge helping you to count laps, so if you lose track don’t worry!
A portion of each lane is in the shallow end of the pool, so if you need to stand up you may do so in this area. The pool gets deeper farther away from the main deck
You’re allowed to rest at the walls of the pool. Obviously, the less rest you take means the faster your time will be, but please don’t sacrifice your safety for the sake of a race!
The best strategy on the swim is to pace it out, take a quick break at the edge when you need to, and check in with your lane judge periodically in order to keep track of how many laps you have remaining.
Skiers
There is no rest on a ski-erg! Your best bet is to start the first few strokes aggressively, then sink into a pace that you can hold for awhile. You’ll be able to see your progress on the monitor, so no need to check in with a lane judge, but volunteers will be around to assist you as needed.
Want to know how to set up the Ski-erg to maximize your capacity?! Put the damper setting at a number that doesn’t slow you down on the pull. Each stroke should be fast on the way down, with a relaxed recovery allowing you to breathe. Find the rhythm that works for you, and get to work!
Bike Tips
Road Bikers
The Tawasentha course is a bit tricky! You’ll be travelling 12 times around the main traffic loop of the park. If you have never been to Tawasentha before, and even if you have, we highly recommend getting to the park early enough to scope out the loop! You’ll start each loop by heading down a big hill, with a curve at the bottom – so watch that speed! Then the back half of the loop is a more gradual climb back up to the top.
For safety of yourself and others, please stay to the right of the road as much as possible, so that any bikers with more speed may pass on the left. If you are coming up on someone, please make sure they hear you coming by saying “on your left!” or something similar.
While there shouldn’t be cars on the loop at the time we’re running the race, please stay aware of your surroundings just in case!
Assault Bikers
Hopefully, you’ll end up in a lane next to your bestie – as far as I’m concerned that’s the only way to make the bike slightly less terrible (!) Short of that, here are some ways to make your stationary ride go a bit more smoothly:
- Set up your bike to fit you! You can adjust the seat up and down as well as forward and back! Take a moment before the race (during athlete registration) to figure out where you want the bike to be, then ensure it’s in exactly the right spot when you start.
- In a distance event, proper pacing wins out over going really hard for a bit then burning out. Set yourself at a comfortable RPM, and use that as your gauge of whether you need to speed up or slow down.
- Set some intermittent goals to keep your mind from wandering and your pace from waning. Check in with yourself every so often to make sure you’re putting in what you can
Trail Run
Like we said in the beginning – everyone will be completing the run on the trail around the park! Make sure that you have shoes you don’t mind getting dirty or muddy, and take a second or two to apply bug spray before the run if you’re going to use it!
For trail runs, you really need to focus on where your feet are. Look up ahead of you, but not so far that you don’t know what your next 5-10 steps will look like and what obstacles you may encounter.
The trail is self-explanatory in most places, and in any spots where you might get confused, we will place either directional signs, or cones, or both! Check your surroundings often to make sure that the way ahead seems logical and clear.
Finally, the pace on the run is all about strategy – pick up the pace when the path is clear and flat, then slow down as needed on the hills or where there are lots of roots or other potential hazards around you.
After Party
This isn’t strategy advice, per se, but make sure to stay after you’ve completed the race to help cheer others on, and participate in the finish line festivities! Whether or not you take home an actual prize, take a moment to reflect on and be proud of the work that you put in to complete the race!
We can’t wait to see all of you at this year’s Tawasentha Triathlon, and wish you all the best of luck in this fun event!
