What if I’m doing my first event, if it’s raining or cold?
Well, if you’re living in the UK that’s usually the main thing that you’re going to have to deal with.
In fact, my first ever triathlon was in monsoon rain.
I was wetter when I got into transition than I actually was in the pool, and that was in June.
You just have to deal with it.
There’s a good saying that says there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
Obviously don’t be stupid, if it’s throwing it down with rain and you’ve got a long bike to do, or intervals on your bike?
Get on your turbo in your garage .
There is no better training for me on your bike than on a turbo because you get concentrated effort and you’ve not got anybody trying to knock your bike
Always look at the weather conditions, but if you’re going to be racing in it, then you just have to do it.
There is no easy way of racing in cold and wet weather.
If you are on your bike, one of the best things you could have is a pair of marigold gloves.
Now, I know that sounds really daft, but they’re easy to pop on.
When you get into transition, you’re not fumbling about trying to pull ’em on your hands.
Because they’re waterproof, you’re not gonna get freezing cold hands either.
They’ve got grips, so you’re not gonna lose control of the handle bars.
My top tip for cold weather training, especially on a bike or in the rain, is to get a pair of marigold gloves.
Get them a little bit bigger, cuz then it makes them easier to put on in transition.
The other thing I would suggest is if you’re running outside and you still want to go running and it’s cold, you’ve not got a treadmill or anything like that, then get a good rain jacket.
Now, rain jackets come in all different price ranges and it depends on your budget.
But I would always say get the best one you can afford because it will be worth its weight in gold.
I hope there are a few tips there for training in cold and wet and racing in cold and wet.
If you’re racing in the cold and wet, just embrace it.
At least at the end, you can go and have a nice hot shower or an Epsom salt bath and recover and think I’m dead hard.
But anyway, that’s for another day.
