5 Reasons Why You Aren't Winning the Triathlon

Any professional athlete who has taken part in a triathlon will tell you it is incredibly hard work.
You don’t just start at the top, you have to work your way up, improving with each race you do. There are certain things you should avoid doing when participating in a triathlon. Here are 5 reasons why you aren’t winning the triathlon:
 

You Go Too Far, Too Fast, Too Soon

The first rule of any sport is don’t push yourself too much, especially when you’re first starting out. You need to take it easy and work your way to the top.
Injuries happen when the normal stress of training gets distributed to structures that aren’t designed to (or ready to) withstand it.
Many times, triathletes push themselves until they break down and get an injury. If your training plan has you down for an easy day, respect it.
The worst thing you can do is push yourself past what you are capable of. Your body needs to adjust and rest so don’t overdo it.
 

Going to a Race Without A Plan

Many first time triathletes go into the race without a game plan. This is something you should never do.
A good racing plan has contingencies included regarding problems that may or may not occur on the event day.
If the plan is written down, you can continually rehearse and refine it so you know it by memory. A coach should help develop your plan, but you should never go to a race without one.   

Ideally, you should sit down with a coach, trainer or fellow athlete and map out a game plan so you will be prepared to give it your all throughout the entire race.
 

Don’t Forget To Stretch

You will not perform well (in any sport) if you do not warm up properly. This is the biggest mistake you can make when running a race, or participating any sport.
Some athletes think they can just show up and do well. Wrong. You need to warm up if you expect to do well.
I realize you may not be able to swim prior to your race, but bringing stretch cords is a way to mimic the swimming motion. If you feel that you don’t have time, doing some dynamic stretches ahead of time is a great and quick to get the blood moving.
If your race starts extremely early and you don’t have as much time as you’d like to stretch, there are still some quick but very effective stretches you can do to get you warmed up quickly. Bottom line is do not go into a race without stretching beforehand. This is the worst thing you can do for your body.
 

Don’t Quit

No matter how bad of a day you are having and feel like you want to give up, don’t stop! Whether you’re a first time or veteran triathlete don’t give up bitch.
Even for you professional athletes, all endurance events should be finished even if you have to walk to the finish. You’d be surprised what you can learn about yourself, about others, and more when you take a different perspective on a day that you just want to quit.
Sometimes you come out of a difficult situation stronger than you ever thought you could. And often times you’re glad you had to endure that because without it you wouldn’t have known what you’re capable of.
 

Accessories and Equipment

Make sure you have the proper accessories and equipment to get you through the race. You should be prepared with the right clothing, shoes, bicycle, etc.
You should make sure you have your waterproof iPod with you at all times. You can get through the toughest moments of the race with music motivating you. Plus the waterproof iPod functions just like a regular iPod so you can use it for the running and biking portion of the race!
These are the 5 biggest mistakes athletes make when participating in a triathlon. Knowing what to avoid will prepare you and put you ahead of the game!
What are some other things you should avoid doing when competing in a triathlon?