CAMBO’s Top 10 Ironman South Africa Tips for Novices
By Cam "Cambo" Kernes
- Join a triathlon group as this will make training more fun and will motivate you especially on the long rides and runs on the weekends. It is also a great way to meet like-minded people.
- Rest days are probably one of the most important aspects of training for IRONMAN and should not be overlooked (have at least one day off a week).
- Ride in wind at any opportunity you get whilst training as there is more chance than not that you will have a headwind to deal with at IRONMAN
- Arriving in PE on Thursday in my opinion was too early and made me more nervous than ever. I would suggest that novices only arrive Friday afternoon as this is still enough time to familiarize yourself with the route and be part of the build up to race day on Sunday.
- Sort out your bike as soon as you arrive in PE to give you enough time to sort out any issues if they arise as the bike mechanics book up very quickly.
- Pre-book restaurants before heading to PE as they all get so booked up especially the “safer” more well known Italian and meat restaurants which are most popular.
- A pre-race swim is essential especially for “Joburgers” that do not get much practice swimming in the sea.
- Nutrition & Hydration! This is what can make or break your day. Firstly do not try anything new on the day and make sure you drink and eat frequently to keep energy levels up and avoid cramping.
- At the finish arch, make sure you look at the cameras and do not have any other athletes in front of you as you go through the arch as you want that epic IRONMAN finishers photo.
- Try and enjoy every minute of your first IRONMAN race as the day flies by so quickly and before you know it you will be officially announced by Paul K as an IRONMAN.
For Camilla's blog, go to Cambo Adventures