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Touchline • Issue 16 • 21
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Touchline: Could you give us your basic tips for a first time
triathlon competitor – what are your tips for the swimming?
Peter Robertson:
Firstly, not to be daunted by the swim. If
you’re a weaker swimmer or you haven’t done much swimming
before, just place yourself behind the lead guys at the start of
the swim and you’ll get out of the mad rush at the beginning. If
you’re allowed to wear a wetsuit that can help your confidence
and buoyancy a bit.
Also, make sure your goggles fit correctly as it can be really
annoying if they don’t - make sure they don’t leak before you
jump in the water.
What’s your tip for the riding leg of the triathlon?
Have all your equipment ready to go. Make sure your tyres are
pumped up, brakes are working, that your helmet fits properly
and that you’ve got your shoes: whether you’re wearing cycling
shoes or running shoes. Have that all sorted about a week before
so that you’re really confident and relaxed going into it.
Don’t go flat out from the start: you’ve just come out of the swim
so all the blood is in your arms and upper body so it will take
some adjusting. Ease into the cycle leg.
Use your gears; make sure you’re in the right gear before you
head out.
Do you have any running tips?
Your legs will use different muscles when you go from the cycle
to the running event, so you might feel a few weird sensations
when you get out into the run.
Again, just ease into the run leg, and try to focus a bit more on
getting your breathing right.
Regarding your technique – use your arms a lot more and try to
use your whole body to run forward and run well. Try to save a
little bit, but if you’re sprinting down the finish line then maybe
you could have gone a little harder during the event.
Transition is often something that people find a bit difficult, any
tips for transition?
Transition is the fourth event of a triathlon. It can save you a lot
of time, but it can lose you a lot of time as well.
Again, have everything set up in the transition area, have a little
routine so that you know exactly how you’re going to do it.
Putting your helmet on first is generally a good tip as you have
to have your helmet on the whole time you’re holding your bike.
TRIATHLON
TIPS
WITH 3-TIME WORLD ITU CHAMPION
PETER ROBERTSON
Touchline recently interviewed Peter Robertson, 3 time ITU World Champion
who now has his sights set for the Iron Man - a gruelling 3.8km swim, 180km
cycle followed by a 42.2km marathon. Peter gives us some of his tips on how to
compete in triathlon events.
