Club News

TIPS ON TAKING PART AND RACING GALWAY AQUATHON

• Galway Aquathon usually starts around mid-day or later, so plan for this and think about what is the most suitable thing to eat and when. May be just have a big breakfast of foods you know will sit well with you and digest relatively quickly followed by a high sugar snack before the event (e.g. Dressed porridge or pancakes followed by a banana and rice cakes)
• Arrive early get your registration out of the way so you can focus and relax prior to your event.
• Warm up in run to swim order. Revise the run course. Run a lap (2.5k) of the course at least as part of your routine.
• Set up your transition area which should include; runners, visor/sunglasses (optional), and a water-bottle (optional to rinse salt water from mouth). Using talc powder in and on the heels of your runners will help with slippage.
• Rehearse your transition from exiting the water to exiting transition, this is to ensure the process is automatic and you don’t lose seconds or even minutes flappin about.
• Take note of where your transition position by identifying a landmark such as a banner that will be easy to spot when running from the swim. You cannot mark your transition slot with talc etc.
• Plan your trip to the swim start-line. Depending on your race of choice, this will be at some point along the prom toward the Blackrock diving boards. If you are entered in the long distance event, the swim start is 2k away. Use the shuttle bus and leave your gear bag at the bag drop, or have someone drop you to the start-line. Don’t run/walk barefoot in your wetsuit! 
• Don’t get into your wetsuit too early, especially if it’s a hot day, you’ll sweat and feel uncomfortable. Leave it about 20mins before entering the water to get into your suit.
• Roll your wetsuit on inch by inch. Be gentle with neoprene, its easily ripped. Make sure that the suit is well up on your hips and shoulders and that have full range of movement at these joints. This is a good time to do some shoulder stretches and pre-swim activation exercises. Squeeze out any air so that the suit is stuck to the skin and to avoid air pockets. Make sure your wetsuit zip is fastened correctly, and you can unzip it easily without getting caught in your tri-suit underneath. Otherwise you are going to have a lengthy tangle in transition!
• Use Vaseline on your neck line to avoid chaffing. Chaffing in sea swims is often worse due to the saltwater. Vaseline your elbows and ends of your legs so that the wetsuit slips off. Make sure to wipe your hands free of the Vaseline before touching your goggles.
• You’ll be given a specific hat for the swim, but I suggest wearing a second silicon hat underneath. Typically the water is quite cool for the Galway Aquathon, and the second hat will help with warmth but also serves as a back-up if the race hat slips off.
• Buy tinted goggles, just in case the sun comes out! Do not use ‘Swedish’ style goggles in case you get a knock to the eye. Use a pair that you have tried before, that are comfortable and have good peripheral vision in open water.
• At the Galway Aquathon you will be counted into the water by race volunteers. Swim in a relaxed way over toward the start-line, you’ll get about 5-10mins here to do a swim warm up. Perform some sharp 10sec efforts, to switch you on, and trigger muscle activation. Follow with 2-3 longer bouts of 100m of race pace or descending (getting faster over 100m) work. Keep moving and don’t move too far from the start line.
• If you are a confident swimmer and familiar with swimming in a bunch then you’ll know that the ‘hot-spots’ of the race pack will be at the front middle of the pack in line with the most direct route to transition. If you are not comfortable swimming in a group or a less confident swimmer then I suggest moving to the peripheries or the back of the pack. When the horn/whistle goes really push, go out hard (but not max). Kick your legs fast and use power strokes to get you up out of the thickness of the pack. This is the same action taken if you come together with a pack at a buoy, do not stop! 
• The swim route is in the shape of a ‘dog-leg’. There are big buoys marking the route which you will keep to your left (check this before starting), also there will be paddle-borders/kayaks and a rescue boat close-by as well as marking the line.
• Sight ‘n’ swim sight ‘n’ swim! Once in race pace rhythm sight frequently to ensure you are staying on track, look for significant landmarks and the buoys to keep you on track.
• The bottom at Grattan Beach is sandy and perfect for dolphin dives for a quick exit. Start diving once my hand hits sand. Once you are knee deep in water you can start running whilst unzipping your wetsuit and taking it down off your shoulders. By the time you reach transition the wetsuit should be down at your waist and your hat and goggles removed. Kick off the rest of your wetsuit, get your runners on and go go go.
• There is a water station at the bottom of the run loop, use this on every trip to stay hydrated, refreshed and or to wash salt out of your mouth. If it’s a hot day, poor water over the top of your head to stay cool. Don’t over-drink.
• The Galway Aquathon is a super event, the club do a great job and it is always really well supported. Have fun and enjoy yourself, sure isn’t that why you entered in the first place?!