Change up Your Route

You know that there is a set course for race day. You know you can probably practice it until you are swimming, biking, and running it in your sleep. However, it is much more difficult to practice the unfamiliarity that race day brings-the crowd, the weather, the other racers, even your health. So challenge yourself. Map out a route that you have never done before-whether it's one leg of the race or all three, and go for it. See how you do on a course that your body has not adapted to and if your time is not as quick as a similarly distanced familiar route, take note. Continue looking for new courses and tracking your time, and eventually your body will stop responding irregularly to them. The more route-changing you can do (along with regular training), the more ready you will be no matter what comes your way on the big day!