Triathlon and the Bike.
The second stage of your triathlon race is the bike.
Many triathletes find the bike stage of the triathlon the easiest part of the race.
Most triathletes seem to be comfortable with the bike.
And although the bike can be a technical sport we seem to be able to get from A to B without too much hassle.
My thoughts are that as kids we grew up with bikes and that being on a bike was just a natural part of life.
Even if you have not been on a bike for a very long time, your body seems to have a memory and knows what it is supposed to do.
So with a little training most of us can be confident and competent bike riders.
As with any exercise, when you start out, you want to ease into your training.
The great benefit of the bike is that it is not a weight bearing exercise like that of running, so you can push a little harder and longer right from the beginning.
I still suggest starting with shorter distances and then slowly build toward the length of the race that you will be competing in.
As with your swim training it is advisable to build up to a distance that is 10% or more further than your actual race distance.
To have success during the bike portion of your triathlon race you want to train as if you are actually in the triathlon race.
The bike section of the race is the first opportunity that you get to hydrate and refuel (as this is not possible during the swim - unless you decide to take on some water - not highly recommended though!!).
You therefore want to train with the same food and hydration items you will use during your race.
If the race event is providing the nutrition, find out what nutrition they are supplying and train with that particular nutrition or choose not to use what they provide on race day.
You want to make sure that there is not going to be any surprises on race day.
There is nothing worse than trying something new on race day and for it to not sit well with you.
This can spell disaster.
It is critical that you utilise your time on the bike to hydrate and refuel your body, as this will give you the energy that you require for the run section of your race.
If you have not done a lot of cycling, you want to make sure that you get as much practice on the road as you possibly can.
You want to make sure that you are able to make turns and have correct balance on your bike.
If you are unable to get out on the road as often as you like, a great way I find to build cycle strength is to attend an indoor cycle or spin class, such as Les Mills RPMTM.
These classes will greatly improve your technique, speed and strength on the bike.
These classes areeffectively interval training, so your level of fitness will increase quickly and safely.
The last thing to mention regarding your bike training is to spend as much time as you can on the bike that you will be racing with.
The more you can train on the bike you will use during the race, the more confident you will feel and the faster you will be able to ride.