Race Day Tips for the Experienced Triathlete

Written by Sarah Beerman, Triathlon Coach at Grit Endurance. Learn more about Coach Sarah here!

At a certain point in our triathlon journeys, we transition from being an athlete who is excited to finish the distance, to wanting to see just how fast we can go. Here are some tips to get the most out of yourself when you are an experienced triathlete, because as Ironman says, every second counts:

Pick a course suited to your strengths

While an experienced triathlete is ideally strong across all disciplines, it can be helpful to choose a course that plays to your strengths. If you grew up swimming, you may consider picking a course with a challenging swim, such as a choppy ocean swim, whereas if you are good at climbing and bike handling, you may opt for a bike course with elevation and technical elements.

Consider upgrading your equipment

Experienced triathletes may want to upgrade their gear to shave seconds off their finishing time. Some equipment that can buy you time on course include a high-quality wetsuit; an aerodynamic helmet, a triathlon specific bike, and/or carbon plated racing shoes. While these tools will certainly support your finishing time, remember the most important element is a well-trained engine.

Simplify race week

We have all had the experience where race week feels like Murphy’s Law when everything that can go wrong seems to go wrong. This can contribute to increased stress which can have a negative impact on performance. To avoid this, plan ahead to make race week as easy as possible. This may include travelling to your race destination a few days early to settle in, not scheduling stressful work or life events during race week, and prioritizing sleep and nutrition. We cannot predict for everything, but controlling the controllables will support a more successful race day.

Pre-ride and run the course if able

If you have the opportunity to arrive at your race location early, you may have the opportunity to pre-swim, ride, and run sections of the course. Course familiarization allows you to see potential challenges and advantages you may face during the race. For example, you may notice a series of climbs at the end of the bike course that you will want to conserve energy for early on in the race or see a flat and fast section that is ideal for gaining speed. Don’t forget to consider how weather conditions may impact your plan. Wind or rain may require a different plan of attack.

Avoid complacency

As we gain experience, it can be easy to become complacent. This complacency can sabotage your race day. Be sure to double check that you have all of the gear you need before travelling, otherwise you may forget a helmet or bring two different cycling shoes (speaking from experience). You also want to prioritize attending the pre-race briefing. Some races have specific rules that you will want to be aware of (such as no pass zones) so you do not unintentionally get a penalty and lose time.

Streamline transition

Transition is an excellent place to gain time on your competitors. First, keep it simple. Only bring what you need to transition to avoid having to make a split-second decision that leads you to bleeding time. Many athletes opt to not wear socks on the bike as they find it saves them time in T-1. Lastly, you may want to practice doing a flying mount or dismount to get in and out of transition more quickly. That said, this is not something to try for the first time on race day as it can be dangerous.

Practice patience

A winning athlete is a patient athlete. Many athletes find that they burn all of their matches in the swim and the bike trying to get ahead, only to bonk on the run and lose position. Ahead of race day, practice finding your edge so that you know when you are pushing too hard. Staying patient and executing your race will allow you to gain position on athletes that may have been a bit too cocky. Ask Solveig Lovseth, who went from third to winning the 2025 Ironman World Championships in the last 3 miles of the race as the athletes in first and second could not finish.

Involve your sherpas

Information on course can be extremely helpful. Coach your loved ones who are spectating the race on how to share splits with you. They can let you know how close you are to the person ahead of you and behind you which may inform your strategy.

Have fun

Don’t forget why you started triathlon – to have fun. Podiums and trophies do not mean anything if you are not enjoying the experience.

If you want help finding that next level to get you onto the podium, a slot to a World Champs, or just the simple joy of improvement, reach out to us about personal coaching!