We may have had a snowfall last week, but we’re officially into spring, and April is the perfect time to tidy up your training plan, training habits, and give your gear a scrub. Here are 5 steps to a sparkling shoulder season.
1. Tune Your Bike
As you move from riding exclusively indoors on the trainer to riding on the road, you should get your bike serviced, or at least give it a good cleaning and thorough inspection yourself. Despite one’s best efforts to throw a towel over the aerobars, sweat (or gels, or electrolyte drinks) can rust the bolts or accumulate in a sticky mess. Windex or your dish detergent will do the trick, but be sure to replace and tighten any rusted bolts. While you’re at it, give your drivetrain a cleaning too, and see if your chain needs lube. Things can get very dry and dusty thanks to indoor heat and that necessary fan.
Don’t forget to change your tire! If you’ve been riding on a trainer tire, this is a must, but even if you’ve been using a standard tire, it can get pretty worn down. A new tire will help keep you upright on the potentially slick, spring roads.
2. Bottled Love
Instead of that typical quick rinse, give your water bottles a good scrub. Maybe those bottles have seen better days? Assess whether it’s time they get recycled. If so, take the opportunity to replace those with new BPA free ones.
3. Chuck the Too Chewy Bars
Check the dates on your training nutrition. Would that protein bar break a tooth? Are those gels about to expire? Use them up if so. Maybe you bought your favourite flavour en masse at a race expo a few seasons ago, but haven’t quite made it through the box yet. Those might be destined for the trash. Do a nutrition overhaul and re-stock as needed. While you’re at it, have a look at your supplements and vitamins. Those expire too.
4. Gear Check
Layers are crucial in the shoulder seasons. Go through your outdoor gear and make sure your toe warmers, arm warmers, half-tights, and rain jackets are where you think they are and haven’t gone missing. This will ensure you won’t be scrambling five minutes before you have to leave for your first outdoor ride of the season.
This is also the perfect time to assess if your running shoes need to be replaced. Don’t start the season off with an avoidable injury because you thought you could extend a worn out pair of Asics for just one more month.
5. Refine Your Race Schedule
You’ve no doubt settled on your “A” race a number of months ago, but you now know a little more about what needs work in your plan. Talk to your coach and refine your build up to that goal race. What about considering an open water race in that plan? Doing so will go a long way towards making you feel more at ease when you line up with 2,000 people for your Ironman swim start.
Follow these tips to get your triathlon shine on. Happy training!