Triathlon is NOT just about Swim, Bike and Run

If you are training for triathlon, you know that it is important not just swim, bike and run. You need to have strong core and glut muscles, so you are adding gym session in to your weekly program. You also know that fast and smooth transition can save you valuable time. You would think that transition can't be difficult, but you would be surprised how many mistakes people do under some stress or pressure. Usually the faster you want to do something, the slower you are (taking off your wetsuit, putting shoes on or just clipping up your helmet…). People learn by mistakes, so if you for example had problem to find your bike in the transition after the swim leg, you will probably next time make sure you know exactly where your bike is racked. (for example remember that your bike is in the third row, just behind the big LIV banner or so. That will help you to navigate in the transition easier ) Practise at home putting your shoes on and of as fast s possible, so you know this movement and you can do it under pressure. But the main reason why I am writing this article is to tell you about the importance of being able to change a flat tire or fix the flat with 'pit stop'. Many female athletes (even professionals) are training and racing on their bikes without knowing what to do in case of a flat tire. (usually we are lucky enough that there are always gentleman around who will help us…:-) And so we are never forced to learn how to change a flat by ourselves … But if that happens in a race, you are in trouble! Or what if you are training alone? It is nice to be independent and so this evening while watching TV, ask your boyfriend to show and explain you how to change a flat and you can practice at home. (if you don't have a white carpet in your living room:-))) Or you can surprise your boyfriend and secretly practice alone with help of YouTube video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sGdu4fkrQ9M I remember when I was 15 years old I have joined a MTB cycling team and when we were at a training camp, one of the things we had to do was cleaning our bikes and changing tires and tubes ! (the coaches would time us!) At first, I hated it as I was new and I was very bad at it. Usually I would break two tire leavers before someone would take my wheel and would help me :-) But with practice I was better and better and now? Changing tires and tubes and working on my bike is my hobby :-

If you are training for triathlon, you know that it is important not just swim, bike and run. You need to have strong core and glut muscles, so you are adding gym session in to your weekly program. You also know that fast and smooth transition can save you valuable time. You would think that transition can't be difficult, but you would be surprised how many mistakes people do under some stress or pressure. Usually the faster you want to do something, the slower you are (taking off your wetsuit, putting shoes on or just clipping up your helmet…). People learn by mistakes, so if you for example had problem to find your bike in the transition after the swim leg, you will probably next time make sure you know exactly where your bike is racked. (for example remember that your bike is in the third row, just behind the big LIV banner or so. That will help you to navigate in the transition easier ) Practise at home putting your shoes on and of as fast s possible, so you know this movement and you can do it under pressure. But the main reason why I am writing this article is to tell you about the importance of being able to change a flat tire or fix the flat with 'pit stop'. Many female athletes (even professionals) are training and racing on their bikes without knowing what to do in case of a flat tire. (usually we are lucky enough that there are always gentleman around who will help us…:-) And so we are never forced to learn how to change a flat by ourselves … But if that happens in a race, you are in trouble! Or what if you are training alone? It is nice to be independent and so this evening while watching TV, ask your boyfriend to show and explain you how to change a flat and you can practice at home. (if you don't have a white carpet in your living room:-))) Or you can surprise your boyfriend and secretly practice alone with help of YouTube video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sGdu4fkrQ9M I remember when I was 15 years old I have joined a MTB cycling team and when we were at a training camp, one of the things we had to do was cleaning our bikes and changing tires and tubes ! (the coaches would time us!) At first, I hated it as I was new and I was very bad at it. Usually I would break two tire leavers before someone would take my wheel and would help me :-) But with practice I was better and better and now? Changing tires and tubes and working on my bike is my hobby :-)

During my career I was pretty lucky as I haven't have many flat tires in races, but I had a flat last year in Challenge Shepparton and recently in Challenge Kanchanaburi. I could finish both races just thanks to the skill of being able to fix the problem. In Kanchanaburi I was 'lucky' that the hole in my tire/tube was only small and so I could use a pit stop which is a special spray with a foam and pressure. So when I stopped during the race, my tire was completely empty. I have just sprayed the foam inside my wheel and that was it! Problem fixed and could continue.

In Shepparton my rear tire completely exploded so there was no possibility of using the pit stop. I had to change the tube.

In both cases it is important to stay calm as if you are angry then everything goes wrong. What helps me to stay calm is just thinking positive: being thankful that you can fix the problem and later still continue and finish the race! There is nothing worse than the bad feeling of an unfinished race you were training for.

So, I wish you good luck in practicing changing tires (and also putting the rear wheel back on the bike as that is also sometimes problem for us girls :-)