Triathlon training: five tips for surviving your first season
So you’ve decided to give triathlon a go. The chosen event (or events) looms in your diary. Now what? Perhaps you’ve been following a training schedule rigidly and feel all set for race day. If so, congratulations, you are very unusual indeed. If not, however, don’t worry. I was completely clueless when I decided to try this intense, three-legged sport. Here are a few things I learnt (but wish I’d known beforehand):
1. Listen to others, but not too much.
Triathletes can be helpful, welcoming and generous. They also love to give advice. Nothing wrong with accepting help - who doesn’t love a fairy godmother? - but as a beginner it’s easy to assume that anybody more experienced than you knows best. This is your triathlon journey and ultimately you’re the boss of your time, your energy and your life!
2. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself.
With any sport it’s easy to get caught up in performance. Every triathlete wants to improve at swimming, cycling and running. But really, it’s all secondary to enjoying the process. If you’re not able to do that, then consider finding something else to make you wet, sweaty and hungry…
3. Practice your transitions.
In every race I lost minutes in transition that I was unable to make up swimming, cycling or running. Practising transitions is boring (unless you love packing), uncomfortable (unless you love yanking wetsuits on and off) and merits strange looks, but it’s one easy way to be a better triathlete.
4. Consider joining a club or getting a coach
Triathlon is rarely a team sport but that doesn’t mean you should do it all yourself. Joining a tri club or hiring a coach will further support your triathlon ambitions and probably provide with a lot of geeky tri-tastic mates.
5. Don’t assume longer is better
Whilst it’s a big deal to complete an Ironman event, it doesn’t make your sprint distance triathlon any less important. Training to be faster over short distances is just as worthwhile as building up distances.
Run, Ride, Sink or Swim: A year in the exhilarating and addictive world of women's triathlon, by Lucy Fry, is published by Faber & Faber (£14.99)
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