Why should you Race Local?
Many people know about the significant events on the race calendar. In fact, one of the bigger, more well-known events is probably how you got into the sport or learned about triathlon. However, smaller, more low-key events are critical to the success and popularity of the sport. In this article, Coach Denise looks at the perks of racing local and how you can use local races to succeed this season.
We are finally getting back to some form of normality with race events; organisers are putting events back into the diary, and athletes can compete again. But now there is the issue of the cost of entering events just as inflation is increasing and the cost of living is putting the squeeze on us all.
How can a triathlete satisfy their need to compete, test themselves against the course, others and their own goals without crippling the family’s finances? After all, it is not just the race entry fee to consider, especially with the big-name races. There are transport costs, hotel or camping costs, and other incidentals.
Tempting as it is to race the big-name events, looking locally for races is a great way to satisfy the urge to race while not breaking the bank. There are many races run by local clubs as a means to raise funds and promote the sport to a broader audience.
There are many advantages to racing locally. These are just a few of them:
you probably know the area, can undoubtedly recce the course, especially the bike route
you can spend the night before the race in your own bed, where you are more likely to get a decent night’s sleep
you can eat at home so that you can control the food available both the night before and on the morning of the race
if you persuade a few other local triathletes to enter, you can race your training buddies
the entry fees for local events, especially those organised by local clubs, are significantly lower than the big-name events
you’ll be supporting a local club and helping others in the area get into the sport
your family and friends can come along and cheer you on
you’ll be home much quicker, able to recover on your own sofa / in the local pub
Furthermore, as we saw in Coach Alan’s recent article, experience counts the most as a performance predictor. Racing local races will mean you can increase the frequency of racing and, therefore, the rate of learning and, as a result, reduce the time to your own improved performances.
While the big-name events certainly have their place, and it is exciting to be able to travel to international races, there are great alternatives just around the corner. Even if you are planning to take on a long course or qualifying event with one of the major companies, racing shorter distances can help smooth out the details of racing, such as transitions and checking kit works in actual race conditions. Taking on a local sprint or standard event can provide a valuable experience without taking up all of your travel budget and holiday days.
With tough times ahead for all businesses, racing local is a fantastic way to enhance your race calendar and support the sport and the industry, all while gaining experience which will lead to better results in your A-Races.
#racelocal
Denise has been coaching triathletes since 2019 as a coach at her local triathlon club in West Lothian. Between 2019 and 2022, Denise was the Head coach in the club, working with a team of coaches to support and develop triathletes with a wide range of capabilities, completing her BTF Triathlon Level 2 coaching qualification in 2021.
Denise joined Tri Training Harder as a coach in 2021, building on the qualifications through the experience and knowledge passed on by the coaching team.
In 2019 Denise set up and continues to run her own Jog Scotland running group, a mixed ability group of runners who meet weekly. This delivers on her passion for helping people to do much more than they think they can.
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