So this weekend I completed my first half ironman at the wonderful Sunsmart Bussleton 70.3 event! I have only ever done 3 shorter distance triathlons –
– the first the swim got cancelled as no surf life saving so it was a duathlon and I won my age group
– the second the Swim got changed from 1.5km to 300m due to currents but it was an Olympic distance so still a fair cycle and run although I got a puncture but smashed the run
– the third was womens only sprint distance and was really fun

I therefore am not a triathlete yet and still learning the ropes of it but I like a good challenge and to push myself to new limits each time and this was what I decided for my 2014. I trained but not ridiculously enough that I could feel like I could complete it but for the next one I’d follow a more strict training plan rather than following my own ideas and how I was feeling.

Basically though I didn’t feel that prepared on how the swim would feel at the distance and that many people and having never swum in a wetsuit was one of the very few people swimming without one in 17degrees!! It was fine though and only after 30mins did I start to lose feeling in my toes.

From the swim transition was quicker without a wetsuit and I had a cycle top with all my nutrition in, I had
– hi5 gels (the only ones I can stomach)
-bounce ball peanut flavour (as they are yummmmm)
– a lovely Superfudge fudge from Little Shop of Plenty and I would definitely take one again as easy to stomach, Healthy and raw, full of natural protein and energy boosting
I definitely found it good to use an extra top to stash the food in.

The cycle was good – long and I got a bit bored but it was only 2 laps so the scenery didn’t get too boring. I didn’t know how to collect a bottle off the aid stations but luckily I had a bottle in my tribars with plain water (for post gels and incase I was feeling sicky) and a bottle on my bike with Boost from my sponsor SupplementPro, an energy and electrolyte drink without shed loads of sugar – nutritious and delicious and always gets me round a race!

From the cycle I was actually feeling ok, I like running so I knew I could make it from there but I had no ideas how my legs would work after 3hrs cycling and I was feeling a bit sick but actually it was fine, chatting to people, taking on water(the only thing I could stomach) and to chuck over to cool me down and a coke (accidentally got given it and downed it before I realised). I met people and chatted and cheered and took it all in and enjoyed the entertainment from local residents along the way.

All in all an incredible experience, happy to repeat again however there were some important lessons learnt and these are the ones I want to share with the world for those first timers who like me are nervous as he’ll at any distance esp the 70.3…..
1. It’s your first so don’t set yourself an expectation, you’ll do a PB regardless and you really want to enjoy the event you can do the event again and push it harder and you’ll have a time to beat and know where you find the transitions a struggle and how hard to push yourself without hitti a wall, or having to walk
2. Before the swim stay calm, know your course and where the turns are. If your nervous in the ocean in the kerffufle at the start find a pair of feet you trust and stick to them concentrate in nothing but those feet and it will help direction, it will give you focus other than panicking about being in the sea or anything else and also it will push you to stay close to them, keep your speed up and gain from drafting off them a real godsend to be able to draft effectively on the swim.
3. Avoid chaffing on the swim – I didn’t but others had tape around their neck to avoid chaffing. I would definitely do this in future as I am still suffering today with red raw on my neck from chaffing
4. In transition take an extra second to ensure comfort, make sure your nutrition for the bike is stowed somewhere and ready to go, also make sure that it is unwrapped and easy to access. Littering is a disqualifiable offence so have somewhere to stash your rubbish. Also tAke time to put socks and your shoes on properly you’ll be on the bike in for a while and you can’t really stop. I took time to put Sports Shield from 2Toms on – it’s a roller like deodorant where I knew I chaffed on the run and also aforementioned chaffing from the swim. I still missed a good spot under my arm – so know where you are likely to chaff from training in similar clothes if you don’t wanna run in your tri suit always so you can prevent it on race day with this stuff.
5. Make sure your food is something you have tried before, you know you can stomach and you have enough. Have a plan I decided to eat solids until an hour before the end of the bike and then do gels as too much gels would make me sick but solids need time to settle pre run. Get the water in on the bike but again don’t drink to much that you’ll be sloshing around for the run.
6. Another mistake of mine – check the padding on your tri suit is in the right place – I didn’t and it was round almost up to my belly button and not under my butt which meant a rather painful and butt numbing 90km and as hard as I tried I couldn’t wiggle it down I would have had to stop and readjust, so make sure you sort that before clambering on the bike
7. If you think you might need a drink from the water stations maybe practice grabbing a bottle off someone pre event, I didn’t need more fluids but if I had then I would have had no idea how to grab it.
8. Run for me is the easy part, so I just enjoyed it but there are a lot of tired people in this part and don’t let other peoples fatigue or speed get in the way of you doing your best go with how you feel not how others look. There was a lot of nutrition options sweets, gels, coke, water, ice, electrolyte – pick wisely. I knew I didn’t like the gels they were giving out so I had a gel on me, and even if dying wouldn’t have taken one. I’m used to eating lollies on course so once I felt less sicky had a few of those easy to suck on or chew and quick sugar rush but make sure you can chew and breathe if your gonna choose lollies as you don’t want to choke. A lot of people were suffering from cramps on the run so if you know your prone to them get the electrolyte in even if it does taste rank. Water is always good to take even if you chuck it over you as you feel refreshed with some cool water oner you to keep you going.
9. Always sprint finish, you’ll feel dead at the finish line and know you’ve put you all in
10. Wear your medal for 1-2 days even if it’s secretly under your clothes so you know your totally awesome!!! Be proud of yourself even if other around you aren’t phased by your incredible feat.

Hopefully this helps, these were my big things I found, all the usual tips apply – don’t use new gear, don’t draft on bike, learn how to change a tyre, memorise where your bike is and where swim entry and cycle and run entry and exit are so you don’t get confused or disorientated etc etc.

Mainly enjoy yourself it’s a bloody good feat, take it in, look around, thank the volunteer, hi5 kids cheering along the course and smile!!!