Tips the Mags don't tell you

Silverback

As a newbie I'm learning things the hard way. You can read all the articles you like but they just don't tell you the (stupid) things you can do when excited by the impending race and you join the ranks of the great unthinking.

Like what you ask?

Well placing your box of kit under the back wheel when bike is racked. Seemed like a good use of space in congested transition area but made it impossible to pull it off the rail.

Or

Placing foot in plastic bag before putting it into wet suit. Leg went thru double quick and was dead chuffed until realised that zip shouldn't be at the front...

Am I alone in pre race stupidity? Is this the reason they ban mobile phones from transition so no-one can record these moments for posterity?

Flavadave

I've done the zip at the front trick on my first tri! I'd only pulled my wetsuit up to my waist, so didn't realise my mistake until 5mins before my wave! Cue a frantic effort getting out and back on again, run to the water, get in, klaxon goes, I go off like an idiot, 20secs later I'm gasping for breath thinking 'I CAN'T DO THIS'. Managed to breaststroke my way round in the end... I also left my wetsuit when I packed up!

Last tri I did (swashbuckler 2010), I was loving the swim so much I didn't sight for ages and swam into a yacht! Yes... a yacht!

Despite my stupidity I bl00dy love this sport!