The Bike
"The most common scenario we see is that people survive the swim, then bike too hard, and then run out of energy and fall apart on the run," Wilson says.
No matter what distance you're racing, it takes a few minutes to get comfortable on the bike, both mentally and physically.
"Let your stomach and heart rate settle in that first 10 minutes, sip on water if you need it, but just settle everything," Chychota says.
A heart rate monitor, power meter or your own internal perception of exertion can serve as a guide to monitor effort. Since everything from terrain to hydration to temperature can affect these numbers, it's important to only use the data as a piece to the puzzle. When it comes down to it, training around the same intensity at which you'll be racing is the best way to help you learn what that effort should feel like.
More: Tips and Tricks to Boost Your Cycling Pace
One of the hardest places to achieve even pacing on the bike is on hilly sections of a course. While the fastest way to get done with the bike portion of the race is to grind up the hills, it isn't the fastest way to get to the finish line of a triathlon.
"The amount of energy it takes to hammer up hills causes a lot of spikes in effort, and the body doesn't like jumps in movement. It likes more homeostatic effort," Wilson says.
In fact, research shows that even pacing on the bike benefits running performance. To do this on a hilly course, you should spin up the hills in easy gears and keep the effort up on the downhills.
"Remember when climbing to stay in a good rhythm," Chychota says. "Gear up or down as you need to keep tempo up."
The Run
The run ultimately determines your triathlon, according to Wilson..
"Running is the last of the three disciplines, and if you go from running to jogging to walking, you start to lose massive amounts of time, Wilson says."
More: 4 Ways to Avoid the Bike-Run Bonk
If you've properly doled out energy through the swim and the bike, you should be well equipped to run a good last leg. With this in mind, it can be difficult, especially in sprint and Olympic races, not to go out too hard on the run. Wilson advises running the first mile easier than what feels best at that point. For a half Ironman or Ironman, it's best to keep yourself in check for the first 5K.
"The body is great at finding a sustainable pace for the distance, but when the first couple miles are difficult and you haven't settled into a rhythm, you're at risk of overdoing it," says Wilson. "Think of your warm up pace for an average training run and that's probably the pace you should be running."
Chychota says that as your settle into a pace coming out of transition, you should have a mental checklist of things to assess.
"Get your feet under you and your cadence up, arms up in the right position, and chin down," she says. "Pay attention to small details, like, 'Is my face and jaw relaxed? Is my posture strong? Is my cadence smooth and quick?'"
By shelving blind ambition and running smart, you're more likely to run even splits that will get you to the finish line sooner than the fly-and-die approach.
If you want to achieve a good result, no matter if you're a seasoned triathlete or newbie, you have to remain persistent and patient throughout the swim, bike and run.
More: 6 Tips to Avoid Bonking in the Ironman Marathon
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