End of bike strategy
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deepbluex posted 21 weeks ago.
I would resist the urge to give an all-out sprint a la TDF stage finish. The key to multisport strategy is the efficient management of your resources - i.e. how much you got in the tank. The best way to stage your race is to try to be as consistent throughout the race and give a steady and constant level of energy. If you can sprint out for the last mile, you didn't go hard enough in the first dozen miles. If you can barely finish the bike or you have to start by walking the run, perhaps you went too hard on the bike.
If sprinting a quarter mile on the bike nets you a 10 second advantage but adds a minute per mile to your running pace, then the sprint wasn't worth it.
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GGehrke posted 21 weeks ago.
I have heard, as well, that you should stand out of the saddle a bit in the last few minutes of riding to get your legs used to carrying your body weight again. I've also heard that you should be sure your cycling cadence at the end matches your target running cadence. Not sure if either of those two tips have any merit, but that's what "they" say. The standing one probably has very little benefit in sprint distance - more for long course where you might be riding for several hours.
Not sure if you're saying this is your first triathlon, but be sure you throw a couple training "bricks" (bike/run combo workout) in there as well so you know how your legs will feel transitioning from the bike to the run. The first time you do it and get that rubberey out-of-control feeling you'll be glad you're training at home not at the actual race.
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TriSooner posted 21 weeks ago.
deepbluex wrote:
Plus, it would dismounting before the line really difficult :) But, if you are doing sprints, I think could push 100% the last mile or so.
I would resist the urge to give an all-out sprint a la TDF stage finish.
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mdd posted 21 weeks ago.
You do not want to sprint to the line, that would be madness! But you should continue the same effort that you have been using the entire ride up until the point you need to begin to slow down to dismount. Some people suggest slowing down a mile or so before the end of the bike to spin out the legs but if your conditioning is good and you have been doing your ride/run bricks then you should be fine just continuing at your normal pace.
Of course you can always experiment a bit during your training bricks to see what works best for your legs. Everyone responds differently to this kind of thing.
Good luck!
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tritoride28 posted 21 weeks ago.
+1 on the MMD comment about brick conditioning.
Also consider that after T2, its not just physical, its a huge mental factor too. If you can get your brain to think its just another run, or another brick and you can run at your normal pace, you will be much better off. I have incorportated 1 brick per week for the last few weeks and at my last tri, I came in on the bike at race pace and hit the run feeling great with a great pace.
What is the general thought on the last couple of miles for the bike leg? Is it better to ease up on your legs to save for the run? I have a problem with seeing the end in sight and wanting to push even harder. ( this is for a sprint tri)