The Upside of Racing Internationally—and What Can Go Wrong By Dean Tillman

Racing internationally has been on the upswing for the past few years. Maybe it’s the post-COVID travel bump. I did my first European race in 2015 at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Zell am See, Austria, and have since raced a number of times in Europe. There are pros and cons for racing internationally but overall, racing in other parts of the world has more positives than negatives. Just be prepared to shed that type-A personality at times and go with the flow.

Factors to consider when racing abroad include:

• Race-cation – Taking the family abroad to support your race is a great way to combine vacationing with racing.
• Decide in advance if you’re “racing” or “participating.” Participating will make the race less stressful especially if you’re going with family.
• Different racing styles. Northern Europeans typically adhere to drafting rules while Southern European and Latin American racers tend to view drafting rules as optional
• Jet lag is real. Depending on which direction you’re flying, it can take several days for your body to adjust. Getting your sleep cycle adjusted is a priority.
• Food. As a tourist it’s great to try new foods. As a racer, it’s more about trying to find simple food that will agree with your gastrointestinal system. Save the grilled octopus for post-race.
• Language. I always try to learn some phrases of the language in the country I’ll be visiting. Most larger races will have some aspects spoken/written in English. Smaller races may not. There’s nothing like setting up transition and trying to figure out what’s going on pre-race when the announcements are in a language you don’t understand
• Terrain can be different. Many Europeans train and race in the mountains. Their descending skills are unmatched.
• Traveling with your bike. I got caught up in the hijacking of 200 bikes by TriBikeTransport a few years ago. That was pretty stressful. It’s also stressful flying with your bike hoping it actually gets to your final destination and not broken. In Marbella recently a lot of bikes didn’t make it to the race and even more were stuck in the airport for weeks after the race. I’ll be renting a bike next year at a UK sprint race I’m doing but will travel with it to a few races in France/Spain later in the year.