When racing Long Course Triathlons, we at TEAM thought we would share some advice on how to break down your race so you don’t get overwhelmed.

We coach first timers through to podium contenders and are aware of the pressures that athletes place on themselves (we’ve been there before).

Athletes often over think race plans and end up getting anxious and stressed.

Our race plans are broken down into segments (just like eating a pizza – cue those who say they eat it all at once!).

Think of a large pizza (8 slices) and then think of breaking down your race into similar. The swim being 1 slice, the bike 4 slices and the run 3 slices.

So before you look at the run (the last three slices) you need to get through the first 5 slices.

For the upcoming races here in Australia/ NZ the courses are similar style, swim, lapped bike and run courses.

Swim makes up 1 slice – no matter, don’t think about getting to the bike until you finish the swim, that’s where you drop valuable ingredients from your slice of pizza (technique and time in swimming). Once you stand up and start removing your wetsuit, then move onto the next slice/ segment (the bike)

Bike being 4 slices (2 x out back on bike) you can just focus on the 1 slice at a time and make sure you execute that slice/section properly before you move onto the next section. If you don’t get through that piece, the next piece becomes harder. Stay in your current situation focussing on intake (Nutrition and Hydration) and output (HR, Power, Speed). Get through that segment and then look at the next one.

The run being the most daunting part of the race for a lot of people being at the end, just focus on each slice/section as you get to it. If you haven’t executed the first 5 slices (swim/bike) properly, then the last 3 are very tough to consume.

As per the swim & bike, just break the run down into smaller sections, whether it be lap by lap, or aid station by aid station, looking just in front will be less daunting than trying to conquer the entire distance in 1 go. Before you know it, you will have ticked off k by k (or mile for USA race) without even thinking too much about it.

So no matter if it’s an Olympic/ Half Distance or Ironman Distance, if you break the race down into segments and execute each one the best you can, the end result will take care of itself.

Most of all, reward yourself for all the training, commitment and early mornings. Have a fun race, smile and soak up that finish chute!

If you want more information on how we can help you execute your race, feel free to comment below or contact us through our website: