Pros often have a front row seat when it comes to seeing some of the major mistakes amateur athletes make in their training and racing. From not enough sleep to poor pacing or neglecting mental health, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list from some of the world’s leading professional triathletes (some now retired) that’s designed to help you right some common wrongs and become the best athlete you can be.
🟠 Fueling and Nutrition
Eight-time Ironman champion Ben Hoffman says he sees too many age groupers thinking they can eat anything, simply because they train a lot. “You are what you eat, and the better and cleaner you eat, the better you will perform in training and the better you will recover,” he says. “Sugar is essential for fueling workouts, and I never recommend being super strict or adhering so fanatically to a diet that it becomes another big stress, but almost everyone can improve the quality of the food they are eating. Zero in on better timing, and emphasize quality and purity.”
👉 Follow Ben Hoffman on Strava 🔗 https://strava.app.link/Qcx7CjLDGLb
Justin Riele, who recently had a breakthrough race at Ironman 70.3 Mont Tremblant finishing fourth, says not fueling enough during races was a mistake he used to make. “In my first amateur 70.3 race in 2016, I consumed only protein bars,” he says. “I do not recommend this!” Now he’s trained his gut to consume 90-120g of carbohydrates per hour and takes on 600-1000mg of electrolytes per hour in races. [Note: this, of course, requires practice in training prior to race day!]
👉 Follow Justin Riele on Strava 🔗 https://strava.app.link/0fO0UfODGLb
🟠 Sleep and Recovery
Angela Naeth, a 19-time Ironman 70.3 champion, says: “Many age groupers, juggling training with work and family commitments, often shortchange their recovery time. Pros emphasize that rest and recovery are as crucial to improvement as the workouts themselves. This includes getting adequate sleep (seven to nine hours per night), incorporating rest days into your training schedule, and practicing active recovery techniques like light stretching or easy spins.”
👉 Follow Angela Naeth on Strava 🔗 https://strava.app.link/XPJk9kQDGLb
Sleep is something Sarah Piampiano, who holds the 3rd fastest time ever for an American woman at the Ironman distance (8:40:48), encourages age groupers to invest in a long time before they spend thousands of dollars on recovery gadgets. “Since stopping racing professionally I have become guilty of this too—life is busy with work, kids, trying to get workouts in and trying to have some semblance of a balanced life—so I get it. But if you aren’t sleeping enough, wearing the fancy recovery boots isn’t really going to do much good. Even an extra 30 minutes of sleep per night will make a big difference.”
👉 Follow Sarah Piampiano on Strava 🔗 https://strava.app.link/2dt1n52DGLb
🟠 All the Gear and Big Ideas
In a kit-heavy sport like triathlon it’s hard not to get lured into the world of gear and gadgets, and it’s this overemphasis on gear that many pros see as being problematic. Instead of chasing the newest gear, Naeth instead advises focusing on mastering your current setup. “Ensure your equipment fits properly and is well-maintained,” she says. “If you do invest in new gear, allow plenty of time to adapt to it before race day. Remember, the engine (you) matters more than the vehicle (your gear) in endurance sports.”
If you are looking to invest in triathlon, Metzler views the biggest “bang for buck” items as high-quality coaching, high-quality bike fit, and a good nutrition plan crafted by someone experienced (either a nutritionist or sport scientist). He adds: “These are more service-oriented so you can’t show them off, but they often return many times over simply buying speed.”
🟠 Get Your Training Right
Consistent training and patient pacing are the cornerstones of any successful training block and race season, but sometimes they simply aren’t glamorous and many pros see age groupers failing to bank consistent weeks of training and smart pacing.
Hoffman advises training your weakness, even though it’s more fun to do what you’re good at. “If you want to become a better athlete, make honest assessments of weaknesses and then prioritize them in training and build a plan to improve them,” he says. “Sometimes you have to start small and slow, but improving technique will always pay dividends long-term. Avoid the velvet rut.”
🟠 Pace It Right
Naeth says: “Many age groupers start too fast, get caught up in race-day adrenaline or try to stick with faster competitors. This often leads to burning out before the finish line.”
She encourages amateurs to develop and adhere to a well thought-out pacing strategy that needs to be practiced in training. “This involves knowing your sustainable effort levels and having the discipline to maintain them, even when you feel great at the start,” she says.
🟠 A Happy Athlete Is a Fast Athlete
Hoffman says: “Gear, nutrition, training, recovery….All of these are important pieces of the puzzle, and components of creating a healthy and happy athlete. But one of the most important is to really address whether you are enjoying the process and experience.”
He encourages cultivating a mindset of curiosity, growth, progress, gratitude, and adaptability. He says: “A happy athlete is a fast athlete, so I suggest creating an environment that enriches your day-to-day process and helps you tap into your best.”
👉 Read more tips from pro triathletes designed to help you right some common wrongs and become the best athlete
