Triathlon: Beginners Guide

Over the years, I’ve been asked lots of questions from people wanting to start triathlons. Some are myths, folklore and things that must be true as ‘the bloke down the pub’ told me. Here, to try and give a more balanced and experienced point of view, I’ve elaborated on some of these questions

- Colin Reynolds

I would like to do a triathlon but I am not fit enough

It is true that the elite athletes you see on the TV are supremely fit and to win a triathlon you will need to be very fit. However, thousands of people compete every weekend at all levels just for the enjoyment of the sport. Part of the appeal of any sport is to get better and improve fitness and wellbeing. Because triathlon has three different disciplines it helps spread the load on the body and helps to reduce repetitive or stress injuries. I have seen many runners and cyclists take up triathlon just as a way to keep fit when recovering from injury, and some have gone on to become excellent triathletes in addition to their original sport.

I don’t have enough time to train for triathlon

The key here is to identify what time you can allocate to training each week, taking into consideration factors like work, family, commuting, etc. Once you’ve got an idea of how many hours you’ve got available to commit to training, you can then create a simple plan to target your weaker areas, with the aim to progressing/improving in those areas. The key is being realistic about the amount of time you can train and therefore what you can achieve.

Decide when in the week you can train and then allocate the sessions to disciplines, for example the swim needs to be when there are pool sessions; preferably lane swimming. If possible allocate many shorter sessions rather than a few long ones; this will allow more training flexibility and give better results. Make sure you stick to the plan, put the sessions in your diary, print a weekly timetable to display somewhere you will not miss it. If you can keep to your plan you will be amazed at the progress it is possible to make as you gain confidence, the key is consistency.

How do I start?