Jo’s Top Tips for the Novice Triathlon Supporter

Triathlons often take place in spectacular open air environments and if the weather is playing nicely can form the basis for a really pleasant day out for the whole family or social group. Stu’s been triathloning for a couple of years now and while I have no desire whatsoever to join him racing, I really enjoy supporting him while he’s competing.

It is harder work than you might imagine, and sometimes I can see disasters taking place around me.

If you are a triathlete about to take part in your first race, show Jo’s Top Tips for the Novice Triathlon Supporter to your friends and family as it could make them much more likely to come to your second.

Toilet Breaks

If you are passing a toilet and you have time, always go.  Especially if you have children.  I have lost count of the amount of times I have heard:

“What – you need to go NOW? 
Can’t you hold it? 
But Mummy/Daddy will be coming past in a moment and we’ve been waiting here for an hour!
Fine. Lets go.” 

Many, many spectators.

Children have an amazing ability to need the toilet exactly 60 seconds before your athlete is due to come round the corner.  And from my own experience with small children, you will usually get approximately a 2 minute warning which is simply not enough time to get to toilets and queue for 5-10 minutes which you may do at events.  Stu has told me it can be crushing if he’s struggling in an event and he doesn’t get to see us at the agreed location.

Christmas / Birthday Presents

If your athlete has an item of triathlon clothing on their Christmas or Birthday list, buy it in the brightest colour you can find.  I know black or navy items can be worn in more places and will get more use but when you are trying to spot your racer coming round the corner amidst 100 other athletes you will be really pleased they have a bright yellow hat amongst all those black and navy ones.  It means you can spot them easier at a distance and have your camera ready. Even lairy socks can make a real difference picking someone out of a pack. Your competitor may also find this makes it much easier to pick out their photos from the official collection.

Photos

I always try to take as many photos as I can, even though I am not expecting the world’s best photos.  The official photographers have access to much better spots to take photos than you will be able to get to, and they have much better equipment than I have on my camera phone.  

However I have a secret weapon. 

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Stu will always smile a genuine smile of happiness when he sees me and our son which comes across much nicer in the photos.  The smile (if there is one, there often isn’t!) on the official photos is much more of an “I am having fun – honest” smile, and while the position might be better on the official photos I usually prefer mine.

An added advantage of taking photos is my memory is fading as I get older.  At some point in the event I often have a memory blip – when did Stu last come past? Spectating at events is affected by time warps and it will sometimes feel like you have been waiting much longer on a lap than you expect (or sometimes shorter).  Endless waiting – thinking something must have gone wrong – as you expect them round the corner is horrible, equally so is missing them as you think that they can’t possibly be round yet.  Having a photo means when I forget what time he passed on the last lap, I can check the timestamp on the photo I took and reassess my estimate of when to expect him on the next lap.

What to take

What to take with you is very much a personal thing, but this is a list of things I have found helpful over the last year.

• I tend to take a picnic blanket and sit on the floor between laps.  While I know several people who bring chairs and I am sometimes envious of their comfort, for me the inconvenience of having to carry a chair from the car is enough to put me off. 
• I will always have some kind of snacks for the spectators and for Stu.  I’ve been to huge events where you can buy teas/coffees/bacon sandwiches etc but I’ve equally been to events where there is nothing for spectators to buy at all.  I have a small bag where I can take a few apples, strawberries etc, as well as a bar or two of something nice and maybe some crisps at a minimum, it depends on how long you will be at the event. 
• Always take water.  Even if you can buy water, you will never regret having at least a bottle with you. 
• Also a banana for your athlete when they finish.  They often don’t want to eat anything but half a banana (Its always half they never eat a whole one!) will often be appreciated a little while after they have crossed the finish line.
• Sun cream is a must in your bag, a lot of these events can be lengthy and exposed and the British weather can be very unpredictable. For a sprint triathlon, which could take two hours, registration and transition setup can easily add another ninety minutes for supporters. Even on a cloudy day you can burn very easily. 
• Hats and sunshades can be a very good idea indeed if it looks like it’s going to be hot; waterproofs are probably worth having at least in the car.
• Something for the children to do will vary on what your child likes to do.  But supporting Daddy/Mummy especially for a young child will lose its appeal very quickly.  They get a short glimpse of a sweaty blur and then nothing for ages (in their mind)  A colouring or sticker book, or a small toy they can play with on the rug will help them and reduce your stress levels.  There are only so many times you can guess the letter R on I-spy 😊
• Battery Charger for your phone.  Don’t underestimate how much taking photos and keeping the phone ready to take photos while waiting for your athlete to come round will drain your battery and you don’t want to miss that amazing finish line photo you could have got if your phone hadn’t died.

Approximate Timings

Don’t forget to ask your athlete how long they expect to take on each part of the triathlon,  you can then work out your approximate timings.  For example if they expect to take 45 minutes on the bike and you know its 3 laps you can expect them every 15 minutes.  That means once they have gone past you have time to go and get a cup of tea or have a toilet break before they come round again.  Otherwise you will find you are constantly waiting at the barrier for your opportunity to smile and wave.

The initial excitement quickly wears off.

Your outfit for the day

Layering is definitely key to your outfit when supporting.  You will often be leaving the house early in the morning for registration and it could be dark and cold.  By the time the race starts it will have warmed up and by the time the run is on it could be very warm.  Having layers you can take off or put on will help your comfort level throughout the day.  I’ve developed a very classy look when supporting at events with a nice sun dress (and cardigan if early in the day) and trainers.  While it may not look amazing you will be surprised how much walking you do as a spectator and you don’t want shoes that will hurt your feet or get stuck in mud as you travel around to get a good view of the various stages. 

Stu and his group are now up to IronMan distances which means we can be on point for 17+ hours – the tips above have stood me in good stead so far even as the times stretch out, but they still can make or break your enjoyment of a day as a supporter.