We’ll start with this – if you’re going to do the Noosa Triathlon then enter early. Don’t be like quite a few people and think “I’ll enter in a few weeks.”
This is a fantastic triathlon and one of the most popular – it always closes early and there are often hundreds, if not thousands, of disappointed triathletes who have trained for this race all year and who don’t get a spot.
Next up is Noosa accommodation – the triathlon in town equals thousands upon thousands of competitors and fans.
So the apartment rental prices go up and up – book early and with firends. That’ll keep your costs down just a fraction.
Registration for the Noosa Triathlon usually closes on the day (Saturday) before the race at about 5 pm – check your guide book you’ll get when you enter.
You’d think the registration would be a mass of people, many of them confused, wandering in a daze. Nope.
The guys and gals of USM are a well-oiled, brilliantly organised machine and registering has taken me, at most, 1 minute. Yep, 12 minute.
That includes registering 3 people in my team and picking up the free stuff you get, along with wristbands, timing chip, etc.
I have to mention that the volunteers do an amazing job at the Noosa Triathlon – be sure to say “Thanks”.
Your bike has to be checked in the night before the race.
The Noosa Triathlon Expo
The Expo is an interesting one.
The Hammer team took a spot at the Expo for many years, but we didn’t last year for the first time.
There are 2 reasons for this:
- Cost – it’s very, very expensive for us and the return isn’t there any more.
- The Expo itself – it’s a very, very crowded Expo and almost impossible to give each person the time they deserve when they ask about our products.
The Expo has a ton of stuff, but it’s pretty crowded much of the time and you’ll be better off picking a quiet time.
Day of the Noosa Triathlon
The big day dawns and the road closures start early.
If you’re thinking of driving to the race start, if you need to, then be prepared to have to park a long way away (I’m talking 2-4 kms) and walk in if you don’t get in early enough.
My advice is either:
- have someone drop you in nice and early, or
- cycle in.
You’ll have a coloured wristband on that will give you access to the bike area – this is where most people get prepared.
Once you’re organised you just head for the Noosa Tri swim start – this is accessible for a while from the bike section (closes about 1/2 hour before the first wave (the professionals) goes off.
Then various age groups, family groups, the mighty Clydesdales (people above a certain weight) and other groups go off at 3-5 minute intervals.
If you’re in a family group you might have a while to wait.
Your Noosa Triathlon Starts
You’re in the water and the gun goes off.
The Noosa Triathlon swim course is 1.5 km canal swim essentially around an island.
It’s one of the tougher swims because of the sheer number of people in the water, along with watercraft.
More information coming soon on the Noosa Triathlon.
In the meantime, check out the interview with age group Australian Triathlon champion Campbel Maffett here – Campbell won the sprint, Olympic and long course triathlon in his age group in 2007 (35-39 yo) and is one of the most respected athletes in the sport.
Triathlete’s Guide To Success
Endurance Athlete’s Guide To Success – this hugely popular ebook from Hammer Nutrition for triathlon training that has been downloaded over 70,000 times! It contains the endurance training nutritional information you need to get keep your energy high during triathlon training and racing. Written by experts for the benefit of every level of triathlete.
Steve Born, author of the Guide, is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best ever ultra endurance cyclist and has a expert knowledge activities such as marathon running.
Steve’s a regular visitor to Australia (his wife is Cassie Born – Cassie was the first non-American to win the gruelling Race Across America cycling event) and he gives seminars to Hammer customers and interested partries (we announce those seminars – which have a nominal fee – on this web site).
Some of Australia’s (and the world) leading athletes use Hammer Nutrition products both in training and on their big race day.
Fueling Strategies For Triathlon Training
(Metric conversions for your convenience)