Tips from Elites – Michelle Dillon

26 June, 2008

Ever want to learn from the pros? We asked some of ITUs top athletes for some race day tips. Today we hear from 2-time Olympian Michelle Dillon:

Getting ready for your swim leg at the start of a race can sometimes be nerve racking. There are so many expectations and what ifs going through your mind. In order to eliminate these from your mind on race day, practice regularly in the open water to overcome any fears that may prevent you from fulfilling your potential in your swim leg.

Try to swim with groups on a weekly basis to get used to having lots of people around you in the water and practice in your wetsuit regularly if you think it may be a wetsuit swim.
Some very important points to remember are:
1.Always use lube (Vaseline around your neck, arms and legs to prevent chaffing and quicker transitions.
2.Make sure your wetsuit is fully zipped up at the back to prevent water from leaking inside while swimming.
3.And finally make sure your wetsuit fits you properly to get the most out of your swim. Get someone who knows how your suit should fit when buying the wetsuit.

Click here for Michelle Dillons website

Unfortunately Dillon wont be racing in a third Olympics after a chronic back injury forced to miss Great Britains Olympic qualifiers this year. “I could be disappointed with not being able to race the Olympic Qualifier in Madrid, but instead I have chosen to turn this into a positive and focus my energy into the athletes that I coach. I have had two experiences of the Games and three would have been a dream come true, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be, said Dillon.

Michelle Dillons career highlights:
2004 Olympian 6th place
2000 Olympian
2002 world championships bronze medalist
2 world cup titles
10 world cup podiums
2005 Duathlon world champion

Dillon finishes 6th at the 2004 Athens Olympics