Triathlon Training Guide » Triathlon http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com Sprint, Olympic, Half-Ironman, and Ironman Training Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:24:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Things I Would Have Liked To Know For My First Triathlon – Part 1 http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/my-first-triathlon-part-1/ http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/my-first-triathlon-part-1/#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:19:44 +0000 The Triathlon Man http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/?p=83 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.

]]> http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/my-first-triathlon-part-1/feed/ 3 Welcome to the Triathlon Training Guide http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/welcome-to-the-triathlon-training-guide/ http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/welcome-to-the-triathlon-training-guide/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:22:49 +0000 The Triathlon Man http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/?p=3 I remember the first time I watched a triathlon. It was the Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii and I was fascinated with these athletes that were defying human potential on will and spirit alone. At the time, I promised myself that someday I would join them and 5 years later the fun began. Training for a Triathlon takes a lot of guts and dedication, but the minute you finish your first you will be hooked for life.

You can start with a sprint triathlon, move to an Olympic triathlon, and then work your way towards an Ironman 70.3 or a full Ironman. Still, no matter where you start or finish, the sport of triathlons is exciting, rewarding, and punishing. I’ve created this guide to help you get started training for your first tri and I’ve also included more advance training for those of you looking to move beyond the beginner phase. I hope you enjoy your stay.

Author’s Bio

As a competitive USATF runner and USAT competitor, I’ve found that many people have the same basic questions about triathlons. I’ve designed this site as a means to both answer those questions and to help you improve in as many aspects of your running as I can. It is my hope that by coming to this site, you will find the help you need to accomplish your running goals.

You can watch my career at www.thetriathlonman.com

]]> http://www.triathlontrainingguide.com/welcome-to-the-triathlon-training-guide/feed/ 0