Things I Would Have Liked To Know For My First Triathlon – Part 1

My first triathlon was a try-a-tri in August of 2006. I was not prepared and was using a borrowed mountain bike for my attempt. I had gone swimming twice to make sure I could actually accomplish 300 meters in the water, and was not aware of any triathlon etiquette or rules. Here are a few items I wish I had known that day.

Wetsuits are not mandatory (unless stated) and can be rented.

Don’t be intimidated if you show up and are one of only a handful of people without a wetsuit. I made it through 6 triathlons before I bought a wetsuit (including one with water temperature of 65 degrees). Obviously, the colder the water, the more likely you are to want a wetsuit. Most triathlons will have places to rent a wetsuit on site, or through the local triathlon / swimming store. It’s a good idea to plan this ahead if you are without a wetsuit. Costs range from $30 to $50 for the day.

You cannot draft on the bike.

Drafting is a biking term that means to follow someone closely behind in order to remove wind resistance. While it is common practice in cycling, the sport of triathlon, for the most part, does not allow for drafting. Luckily for me, I was slow enough on the bike that I couldn’t keep up to anyone in front of me. Often times, triathlons have people on motorcycles who will flag you for drafting. A typical penalty is to pull over to the side of the road, get off your bike, and lift the bike up above your head. Rarely will someone get disqualified for drafting – although I have seen it happen.

Your legs will feel really weird when you get off the bike and start running.

My first triathlon taught me this lesson quickly. I was very confused as to why my legs were not running at full capacity. I’ve accomplished several triathlons now and this still is something that requires getting used to. The best thing to do (aside from training for this) is to use very short running strides until your legs feel a bit better. This usually takes a few hundred meters and is probably the hardest part of a triathlon.

You need to have your number on the bike.

It is usually required that you wear your race number while you are biking. This helps race officials and / or photographers know who you are during the race. It’s important to make sure your number is tied tight, or pinned well to your shirt – otherwise it will become a major wind resistance factor. Some triathlons will have a special sticker to be placed on your helmet or bike instead of the pinned numbers.

Leave it all on the course.

I remember the last part of my first triathlon. I stopped twice while running and was sore and cramping and just didn’t think I had it in me to finish strong. I was wrong. I regret my last 2 kilometres of that race and spent many days wondering if I could have improved my time. I was questioning myself because I knew I had not run as hard as I could.

Ask questions.

I was very intimidated by triathletes at my first race. They had nicer bikes, wetsuits, special laces for their shoes and tight clothing. I never thought to approach someone and ask them to help me setup my transition area, or where to go to, or what type of drink they used. I had a lot of questions – but failed to ask anyone for help. Through the years as I have grown into the sport, I have learned that for the most part, triathletes LOVE to talk about their sport and to help new people to the sport. Don’t be shy – ask away.

It’s addictive.

Triathlon hooked me almost immediately after I finished my first race. I wanted to start training for the next year’s event as soon as I recovered. 4 years later and I am an active member of a triathlon club, a triathlon blogger, subscribe to magazines, watch triathlons on TV and I train 5 days a week for ironman-level events. Triathlon is fun, healthy and a great way to stay in shape.