I set up an 8 AM bike-ride session with my mentor, Brice, from TANYC this morning. To my surprise, tons of people were already running, walking, and biking as I arrived Central Park at 7:30 AM. Since I arrived earlier than my scheduled ride, I took some photos as my record for the first practice.

About to hop on my bike and start the morning off with a fun and relaxing ride

This was the route we took, starting at 5th Avenue and 90th Street. Brice and I rode 3 laps around the park. A lap around the park is about 6 miles.

During the ride, Brice gave me a Triathlon 101. He gave me some tips on the transitions going from swimming to biking and to running. Brice emphasized the importance of having a solid swim and told me some drills that I can try on my own in the pool, such as practice swimming in a straight line with eyes closed and making half-circles with my head when taking a breath to increase my visibility of the surrounding in an open water. In addition, since my first triathlon is a short distance race, Brice recommended me not to stop for a drink when going from biking to running. He suggested that I fuel myself about 3 to 4 miles before the end of the biking part in order to go into my run smoothly.

I have been feeling less anxious about my race after my Triathlon 101. Besides working on my endurance to improve my time, I hope to shed some time off the clock by practicing transitions and other techniques.