Zone3 athlete Dan Pinn shares his key tips on racing the Blenheim Triathlon

I’ve now taken part in 3 Blenheim Triathlons and I won the adult super sprint race in 2014. This year will see me step up to the Elite level and compete in the super series events. It will be a huge step-up but im looking forward to the challenge and feel equipped to succeed with my new Zone3 Vanquish wetsuit!

Blenheim is one of my favourite events on the triathlon circuit. It’s a great course set against a spectacular backdrop of the Palace and lake. The support is awesome and it’s really well organised.

I’ve taken a few moments to put together a few key tips so that you’ll enjoy your experience of the Blenheim Palace Triathlon

Blenheim Triathlon Guide

Swim:

·       Wetsuit – Ensure that you have trained in your Zone 3 wetsuit prior to race day. You’ll need to feel comfortable swimming and breathing correctly. Practice taking off your wetsuit beforehand.

·       Positioning is key- if you’re a speedier swimmer position yourself towards the front, if you’re not as confident go further back

·       Position towards the left or centre at the start- If you position yourself too far right, you will end up swimming a longer distance than necessary

·       Pace it- Don’t start off too quick, pace your efforts and find your rhythm; race your own race!

T1:

·       Pace the 400m run up to T1- it is quite a steady incline from the water to transition so don’t knacker yourself

·       Pull your wetsuit down halfway- this makes it easier to take off once in transition

·       Know where your kit is- pick out something in the surrounding environment to line your kit up with

·       Practice, Practice, Practice- Practicing your transition before the event is crucial

·       Zone3 Race Belt- having your race belt underneath your wetsuit helps save time once in T1 

·       Helmet on first- before touching your bike, your helmet must be put on first

T2:

·       Zone3 Elastic laces- elastic laces on your running trainers will help with a quick, smooth and efficient transition

Bike:

·       Know how many lap you are doing- don’t go into the race unprepared, know your distance and know it well. The marshals won’t count your laps for you.

·       Higher cadence- towards the end of your bike leg, increase your cadence. This helps get your legs ready for the run

Run:

·       Be Prepared- the run is quite undulating, be prepared

·       Pacing- don’t start off too quick, it is better to have a stronger finish

·       Enjoy it- it is an amazing event with fantastic spectators, Enjoy it!

Check out more from Dan on Twitter: @daniel_pinn