Most triathletes know how to change a tire. But can you do it when your brain is race dumb? In race mode the chance of a snake bite or wasting a cartridge goes way up.

Tom’s solution? Train to be fast so you can be slow. It’s simple math. Tom can change a tube in 2 minutes with a 20% chance of blowing it, or 5 minutes and it’s perfect every time.

World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington says “it’s important to prepare for all eventualities” and you need “a mental plan as well as a physical ‘how to change a puncture’ plan”. (See the 1:50 minute mark in this video). Unfortunately, she blows her C02 cartridge (Kona 2008) because she didn’t attach it to the rim correctly and is left stranded on the side of the road.

Practicing to change a tire quickly is perfect winter-time training. Two suggestions to make it fun:

• Turn it into a competition. Get a few friends together in a garage and give the non-triathlete a stopwatch. Go 8-10 rounds and winner doesn’t have to chip in for the pizza.
• On family movie night practice until you can change a tire during one commercial break.

If you are just getting started do a search on Youtube for “change a bike tire” and you’ll get 1,650 videos showing the mechanics.