| No matter how hard you train for your first Ironman | | | | ultimately cost you reaching the finish line in time to be |
| race, it won't necessarily guarantee that you will reach | | | | recorded as an official finisher. Every year there's |
| the finish line if you don't pay attention to details. | | | | people who miss the cut-off by minutes. |
| When it comes to your bike, there are mistakes that | | | | If you've trained for months and months and have |
| are made over and over again by triathletes new to | | | | come to rely on your bike computer for cadence, |
| the Ironman and hopefully I can point them out to you | | | | distance and speed etc., be SURE that your battery |
| and help you realize your Ironman dream. Some of | | | | isn't going to quit on you 10 miles into the bike. I would |
| these mistakes I've made myself over the years, and | | | | spend the ten bucks and put in a new battery for the |
| I've had to learn the hard way. | | | | race. |
| Don't have your bike tuned up a few days before the | | | | Also, new battery or not, make sure the computer is |
| big race. I would suggest 3 or 4 weeks would be the | | | | working properly on your last bike ride when you get |
| best time, so you can put in some mileage on it to | | | | to the race venue. Sometimes travelling can knock the |
| make "sure" that everything is working the way it | | | | sensor out of alignment with the wheel and it won't |
| should. You don't want to be out on the bike course | | | | work properly or not at all. This used to happen to me |
| race day and find out the mechanic doesn't have the | | | | all the time when I travelled by car to the race and had |
| gears set properly and your chain comes flying off as | | | | my bike on a rack. |
| soon as you stand up on the first hill. It happens. All you | | | | If your race is in a very humid, hot destination, I would |
| should really do the last few days is give your bike the | | | | suggest NOT pumping your tires up over 100. Just put |
| best cleaning possible and make sure its lubricated | | | | in 70 or 80, go to the start area early on raceday and |
| properly. If its shifting o.k. and the brakes work fine, | | | | THEN pump the tires up to your race setting. If its |
| don't mess with it. | | | | really humid, tires can expand overnight and burst if |
| This goes for your fit on the bike as well. Race week | | | | they're pumped up to the max. Don't worry about |
| is not the time to be adjusting your seat height or | | | | dragging a bike pump to transition. Without fail, every |
| moving your handlebars. Go with the way it was set all | | | | Ironman race I've ever done, the race organizers have |
| through your training. | | | | plenty of pumps around and someone to help you. |
| On average, the chances of getting a flat tire | | | | (usually from the local bike shop). |
| sometime raceday is pretty slim. However, every race | | | | I would really suggest you have "two" spare tubes |
| you will see people who "do" have flats. As much as it | | | | with you(or tires if you use sew-ups)for the race. |
| bugs you, take the time to learn how to the change a | | | | Should you get one flat, you don't want to spend the |
| flat properly. Do it over and over again in your living | | | | rest of the race worrying that you have no spare left |
| room. Practice on the back tire. Don't worry about the | | | | should you get another. In other words, for your peace |
| front. If its your first Ironman, and you're just trying to | | | | of mind, take two. |
| make the 17 hour cut-off, you don't want to be | | | | I hope these suggestions help you have your best |
| spending 30 minutes on that tire change. It could | | | | possible race. |