Return on Investment for the Serious Triathlete
Fast, expensive, new top notch gear will not make you better.
So, you want to raise your game and you’re willing to spend a little cash to help you do that? Well, there are a lot of ways to do so, maybe too many choices. Most triathletes who have done a race, or a whole season, usually first think of a fast bike. If they just had a lighter, more aerodynamic, sexier machine to ride… Or, perhaps a nice new (expensive) wetsuit. You’ll punch through the water like a dolphin, right? New, minimalist, light, sexy running shoes…? Well, guess what? None of those things will make you significantly faster.
Instead of getting a fast, new bike, maybe focus instead on the engine – you. (A wetsuit won’t swim itself either.) You can really up your horsepower if you’re consistent, focused and smart. Yep, smart. Not a natural-born triathlete? Not willing to train ’till you puke (actually not smart), nor even available to train like a pro (i.e. all the time)? Well, that is all the more reason smart training is very important for a triathlete’s performance. And one of the best ways to train smart is to enlist the guidance of someone who knows how to help you train smart, keep you on track making progress, injury free. That would be a great coach.
So, if you’re thinking about getting a new bike for say $5,000 – or even 3 to 4 times that amount in the hopes of getting a lot faster – consider this: per dollar invested, getting a fast bike (wetsuit, running shoes, etc.) isn’t the best way to get faster. What will make you faster is the same thing that makes a fast car fast, the engine. A good frame and a fast design help, but ultimately it comes down to horsepower, and power per unit weight (W/kg). The best way to develop your engine in athletics is to train well, i.e. smart. In triathlon, smart training is not as common as you may think. And smart training is greatly facilitated by training with a smart coach.
Smart training in triathlon ultimately means more return, i.e. faster race times, per dollar invested. Smart training involves balancing the underlying science with the art of training. It truly is a balancing act. So before you invest a significant amount money in a fast bike, perhaps step back and give it a little more thought. Per dollar invested, you’ll go a lot faster by training smart, which means training with a smart, experienced coach. Give it some thought. Be smart 🙂
