You’ve signed up to for the Noosa Triathlon for the first time as an Individual or with your friends to race in the relay team this November. Congratulations on making the start line!

If the now much wiser triathlete in me could go back and give Jaimielle the newbie triathlete some advice it would be this!

BELIEVE! BELIEVE! BELIVE!

• Believe in yourself and/ or your team on race day. You are all as important as each other, an integral link in the chain.
• Believe in your training sessions (even if you only have a few quality sessions under your belt) leading into the event and your mental strength (this far outweighs your physical ability.
• Believe that you deserve to be there and channel your team members (if this works for you) or your training partners.  I often will do this in a race when my heart rate is higher than what I am used to. I imagine I have the strength of my training partners in addition to my own and as a result, I find another gear.
• Throw all your fearful thoughts out the window, never question your ability or worthiness in the event.
• Think it, Achieve it, Do it! Your mind is a powerful tool, far stronger than your body in the physical sense. If you think you can, you can. If you see yourself achieving it, you will achieve it. Doing it is the easy part.
• Before you go to bed at night picture yourself in the race, feel the endorphins, see the atmosphere and the joy at the finish line. I do this the night before a race. This gives me some ammunition against the fatigue in the race. You have that extra determination to cross the finish line and thirst for those feelings in real time. It also takes some of the nerves away and the fear factor for it is simply an exciting challenge that you can’t wait to start.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Your more experienced friends will be chuffed that you are asking them. I wish I had asked Pete (husband) more questions over the years. What to put in my drink bottle on the bike? What nutrition to take and when during the race? What to focus on during the race etc? What training sessions to do? There is no question not worth asking!
• Get photos of you, your team and your supporters (family and friends) days before around scenic Noosa and if you can during the event – if you have a supporter that’s a bit snap happy. These pictures are priceless memories that you will cherish forever.
• Hydrate well in the days leading up to race day.
• Ensure you have had some nutrition before the race start. Your body has just slept for 8 or so hours without food so have a banana or a gel before you start.
• Make sure you love what you are wearing on race day – whether it is your swimming costume/swim skin, your bike kit or your running outfit.

You want to feel good – just do it.

The most important tip that far outweighs all the rest would be SMILE!! Smile because you can. You are racing with your friends and/or family and you are doing it in Noosa. How much better does it get????

This is YOUR experience, YOUR time to yourself with YOUR thoughts on YOUR terms so MAKE IT COUNT!

Happy, Healthy and FIT – with love

Jaimielle

Jaimielle Jacobs has been participating as an age group triathlete for 4 years. She has competed in the Noosa Triathlon as an individual and as part of a relay team with her husband World Champion Triathlete Pete Jacobs and Olympian Emma Moffatt.

Jaimielle is a 4 time 70.3 Champion who passionately lives all things health and fitness.