An acquantance of mine is interested in doing a triathlon. They asked for advice on how to get started. I started sending an email and then it became so full of information, I decided that many people might be interested in reading it.
There are a few references that are geographically specific, but other than that, there may be enough information here to get people into their first triathlon. If you are trying to figure out how to get involved in a triathlon, I hope this post is able to help you as well. If this is your first time to my blog, there are several tips and tricks scattered throughout my training posts.
There are a few references that are geographically specific, but other than that, there may be enough information here to get people into their first triathlon. If you are trying to figure out how to get involved in a triathlon, I hope this post is able to help you as well. If this is your first time to my blog, there are several tips and tricks scattered throughout my training posts.
1. Set a goal
a. This is the most important part. Every person needs to create a smart, realistic goal.
b.Choose a triathlon
c. Choose ‘Cheap’.
i. You may do your first triathlon and realize it is not for you.
ii. It is harder to have fun when you spend a lot of money on a first race than if it is cheap. You want to complete the race with a smile.
d.Choose late in the Summer (Washington)
i. The last several years have been pretty brutal in the Northwest. Most people don’t realize how bad it is. They say it stinks, but when you are required to be out in the weather so that you can meet a goal, it really piles on. Make sure to give yourself some good warm weather training time.
1. Biking: It is hard (and dangerous) to ride in our snow/rain. It is also dark for a lot of the year. Cars don’t see you as well and tires can slide out. I try not to do this *too* often.
2. Running: Running in the 40 degree rain is good, but it doesn’t train you for summer month race temperatures.
3. Open Water Swimming: Because of the bad weather the last 2 years, I was only able to get a few open water swims in before my races. And even then, the water was 60 degrees. In most areas in the US, lakes warm up by May. There are several races in the US where wetsuits aren’t legal because the water is warmer than 84 degrees. You live in Seattle where the water is lucky to get to 70 degrees by August. KEEP THIS IN MIND! Lakes here are cold!
2. OK. I found one…Now What?
a. Sign the Dotted Line.
b. Most Triathlons are overseen by a committee called USAT. USAT is a governing body that provides insurance and requirements to race directors to ensure safety and consistency for the racers.
c. Triathlons that are overseen by USAT require a racer to pay a one-day $10 USAT membership fee. You can have this waved by becoming a member of USAT yourself. It is sort of an “insurance fee”.
d. Click “Submit”. This is the second scariest part of the race. You are now committed.
e. Plan a realistic training schedule.
i. Are you young? Are you Single? Are you Married? Do you have Kids? Do you work? These are all questions that need to be taken into consideration for what amount of training you can actually do.
ii. TRIATHLON IS A HOBBY. YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO SHADOW MORE IMPORTANT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. Just because you are doing a triathlon, it doesn’t make you a super-hero. Your family, job, and friends will be sacrificing just as much as you do. Make it as little of a burden on them as possible.
iii. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you are honest with yourself at this stage. Triathlon is all about self-honesty. It is impossible to lie to yourself and get away with it in this sport. If you have 1 hour a week…keep that in mind. If you have 4 hours a day…Go for it.
iv. Most all Triathletes overtrain. Because this is your first triathlon, your muscles will be going through a lot of growing pains at first. Ensure that you allow them some time to rebuild before using them. Even though they are your slave, you want to be a good master to them. Not one who beats their slaves.
f. Figure out what gear you need for race day. Here is a sample checklist:
i. Swimcap (you will receive this in your race packet at packet-pickup)
ii. Goggles
iii. swimsuit
iv. Wetsuit (if needed)
v. vasoline/pam/BodyGlide (Make sure you have lube for those areas that rub)
vi. Bike
vii. Gloves
viii. Shirt
ix. shorts
x. cycling shoes (you may just use your running shoes)
xi. helmet
xii. Flat Kit
xiii. Socks
xiv. Sunglasses
xv. Water Bottle
xvi. Hat
xvii. towel
xviii. Sunscreen
g. Find enjoyment in the training.
i. The Race is only 1-4 hours long. You are going to be training 20+ hours. Find ways to make the training fun.
ii. The Race is not what cuts the weight or accomplishes your goal. It is the unseen, consistent, hard work that is done behind the scenes. The race is just a day at the park in which you get to do all 3 things in one day and have fun.
h. Be ready to get your Race Packet
i. Race Directors will tell you when/where to pick up your packet.
ii. Your packet will have a Race Bib, a race number to put on your bike, a swimcap, and a timing chip (if it is chip timed). Make sure you follow the instructions on how to put everything on.
i. Learn the course.
i. When you are in the race, you need to be on auto-pilot. People will run the wrong way and make their own course. You cannot depend 100% on volunteers to make sure you go the right way. The volunteer may be an 11 year old child who is scared of the runner coming full speed at him.
3. Gear Needed
a. “It’s your first Triathlon. You’re not going to get on the podium...No matter how much money you spend.”
i. That is the advice I was given when first figuring out triathlons. Some athletes try to make up their inadequacies in the sports by buying expensive gear. The most important part of equipment is your body. Period. There is no replacement piece of gear for it, even though people drop money like there is.
ii. Since this is your first triathlon, don’t go out and buy a $300 wetsuit and a $1800 bike…It is like watching a train-wreck on the course. Trust me.
iii. You need to make the personal decision of what is important for your race. Don’t let me or anybody else, or sporting stores make that decision for you.
iv. Example: In Ironman-Kona, there are athletes who do the full race in a speedo on a roadbike. There are athletes who have 5 changes of clothes and stop at the aid station every mile and ride a $5k bike. You need to decide what will work for you.
b. Safety
i. Think Safety. Have id and emergency contact on you at all times. I use dog-tags.
ii. It is your first Triathlon. If an item is safety related, buy it. If it is performance related…Give it thought.
c. Swim
i. Goggles
ii. Swimsuit3.
iii. See #1 and #2 :D
iv. If you feel a “Need” (not a want…see below) for a wetsuit, then you can look into renting it…but I wouldn’t drop $200 for a wetsuit for your first race.
v. Wetsuits:
1. You will see the vast majority of triathletes wearing wetsuits. This is for 3 reasons: Warmth, Buoyancy, speed. You will find that the stronger swimmers usually only wear wetsuits if there is a temperature issue. The other 2 factors can be fixed for much cheaper in training.
a. Warmth:
i. The wetsuit allows a very thin layer of water between you and the wetsuit, and for the most part it ‘traps’ the water.
ii. The water is warmed by your body and trapped in the wetsuit. So your core is swimming in warm water while you are in a cold lake. Wetsuits don’t help your hands, feet, or face. To add a factor of “yuck”, some racers will pee in their wetsuit before they get in the water. The unfortunate thing about this is that you never know who it is…It could be the person standing right next to you.
iii. There is a temperature range in which wetsuits are required, and a temperature in which they are not allowed. You will have to check the rules of your specific race for more details. Anywhere in between is optional.
iv. I grew up swimming in rivers. Water temperature doesn’t seem to affect me as much as it does other people. I can swim no problem in 65 degrees without a wetsuit. Some people are shivering in a wetsuit at 70 degrees. I don’t judge them at all. Everybody is different, and God Bless them for getting in the water in the first place. This is something you have to figure out for yourself.
v. I am grateful that I have a wetsuit now, as the lake temperatures here in Washington never got above 62 degrees until August…
b. Buoyancy:
i. Wetsuits make you float. There are a number of “race legal” wetsuits for this reason. You can do a google search and find this list.
ii. It would be very difficult to drown wearing a wetsuit.
iii. Many weak swimmers will buy a wetsuit to compensate for their swim ability. Again, I don’t hold judgement on these people and nobody should. As long as it is legal, it is legal, you know what I’m saying?
c. Speed:
d. Wetsuits make you streamlined. When you wear a wetsuit, the wetsuit naturally has you floating in a horizontal position with your body in the correct swim position. It keeps the body trim and hydro-dynamic while moving through the water. This helps less-trained swimmers to keep up with the better trained swimmers.
2. Problems with wetsuits:
a. Compression
i. Wetsuits cause panic attacks. The constriction on the chest and stomach can make some athletes feel closterphobic. That element added to the anxiety of being in an open-lake with waves and people swimming all around you can cause de-abilitating panic attacks. In every race, there are swimmers pulled out of the water or floating on their back trying to calm down because of this.
b. Swim Congestion
i. Wetsuits don’t help good swimmers swim faster. They help weak swimmers swim faster. This means that strong and weak swimmers are in the same water. It causes a great deal of congestion and injury in the swim leg. You must intentionally “Avoid the pack” by swimming on the outside or beating the pack off the line in order to prevent getting stuck in the pack.
d. Bike
i. For your first triathlon, you can use a mountain bike if you need to. Anything in the garage should work. Again...you won’t be on the podium, so just have fun with what you've got.
ii. Shedding weight
1. There are athletes that will spend $1000 to make their bike 2lbs lighter. For your first race, 4 extra hours in the gym is much cheaper.
iii. Aerodynamics
1. There are athletes that will spend $4,000 to make their bike 1mph faster. 4 extra hours riding is much cheaper.
iv. Engine
1. Your legs and your heart and your lungs are what powers your bike. Make your engine stronger. You don’t need to buy a new bike until you are 100% certain that it is the bike that is hindering your ability. If the phrase "Maybe that bike will make me faster" enters your head...stop looking at the bike. It is lying to you.
2. My bike is a road bike and it has done great for Sprint and Olympic distances. If I do a half-Ironman I will be able to still use it. At Ironman Coeur d’Alene, about 1/2 people were using Roadbikes. The only reason a carbon-fiber tribike should be looked at is if your engine is as tuned as it will get and you need something to match the engine.
e. Running
i. All you need for your first race is running shoes. For my first triathlon, I just wore my running shoes on the bike. That let me hop off the bike, take off my helmet, and get out of transition.
f. Decide what you need…Don’t let stores make that decision for you.
i. Everybody has opinions. Stores have opinions, forums have opinions, and triathletes have opinions. Even I have opinions. It is VERY important for you to decide for yourself what you need. If I say something that you don’t agree with…Go with your gut. You are the one turning your arms, pushing those cranks, and stomping that pavement…You need to be the one responsible for any success or failure.
4. Training
a. Swimming
i. Nobody is good at swimming. Let’s get that out first. I always hear, “I would like to try, but I’m not a good swimmer”. My response is “You wouldn’t be a good walker if you only walked 20 feet once a year, either”. The reason why people aren’t good swimmers is because they don’t practice it. Most people only get in the water to cool off and to bobble around for 15 minutes. In fact, it is debatable as to how many people could even save themselves while swimming. Most triathletes are runners or bikers. They are in the same boat. Nobody feels good about their swimming. So even though you think you might be a lousy swimmer, you might STILL be a better swimmer than a lot of other people. You need to practice it in order to find out.
ii. Get your face in the water! Many beginners try to swim with their head above water even with goggles. When you do this, your body is at a 35 degree angle in the water which makes it much harder to swim and requires more strength. Put your face in the water so your body angle is 0 – 15 degrees and it will be easier.
iii. If you feel like you need it, get a swim coach to watch your stroke for the first few sessions. Keep in mind that in the race you won’t be just bobbing around in a swimsuit. You will be swimming without anything to hold onto and you can’t touch the ground…and somebody is probably going to swim over the top of you or kick your nose accidentally. If you don’t feel like your stroke is good, it is a priceless investment to have somebody look at your stroke. You can also watch tons of youtube instructional videos…but they will never replace immediate feedback from a professional.
iv. When swimming in the pool, make sure you try doing some laps without touching the walls or touching the bottom. Find out what it really feels like to “swim the distance”.
v. Most lap pools are 25 meter pools. That means that 400 meters is back and forth 8 times. 800 meters is 16 times. 1 mile is 32 times.
vi. SPEED TAKES TIME! Swimming is not about strength…It is about technique. Just like a 5k or 10k run, you really have to work on rhythm, body mechanics, and relaxation. It takes a long time to improve technique. Don’t hop in the pool and expect lapA to be 5 seconds faster that lapB. Just like real weightloss, you won’t see the results until you look back at where you started. Focus on your technique. Forget about the clock.
vii. Learn to “sight” in the pool. This means looking up every 3-4 breaths to make sure you are going the right direction.
viii. Learn to control Dizziness: After you get out of the water, you will probably be very dizzy. Practice walking quickly afterwards. You can prevent dizziness with earplugs.
ix. GET IN THE OPEN WATER AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE THE RACE!
1. Open Water swimming is much different than pool swimming!
2. Learn to sight: Your visibility is limited. Sometimes it is no different than swimming in a pool with your eyes closed. You must bring your eyes out of the water to make sure you are swimming in the right direction. Current can push you around, also.
3. Learn to control Breathing: Sometimes you can go to breath and get a wave right in your face. You need to be cognicent of that. Sometimes in a race, you can’t breathe when you want to because somebody just pushed down on your head.
4.Learn to control Anxiety: You will feel anxiety the first time you swim out 200 meters from shore. It is important to practice relaxing and not relying on standing up on something or holding onto something. If you need to, just float on your back to control your breathing.
5.There is no substitute to open-water swimming.
6. Wear a bright-colored swim cap when open-water swimming. This allows other people to spot you if you are in need of assistance.
b. Biking
i. It is important to do some biking before the race. Ride the race distance at least once before the race. You want to feel comfortable enough on the bike that after that distance, you can put the bike down, and then run. There is no sense in burning yourself out on the bike for your first race. A last place finish is better than a Did-Not-Finish.
ii. Wear a helmet. It is the law, and it will disqualify you if you don’t. It must be buckled before you get to the mount line.
iii. Find a safe trail to train on. There is a LOT of ambiguity on understanding Car/Bike laws and a LOT of animosity between riders and drivers. Even though you are a nice driver…You will be pased by many not-nice drivers. Even though you are a nice rider, you will drive past many not-so-nice riders. There is always a risk each time you ride on the road. The more you train, the more you make yourself vulnerable to that risk. Be smart about where you train. I have recently had to adjust my training for this reason.
iv. Practice changing a flat. The most defeating way to lose a race is from a flat tire. Have your tools with you on the bike ride in case you do get a flat.
c. Running
i. Make sure you run the distance at least once before the race.
ii. “Finding Your Legs”:
1. When you get off the bike and start running, you are going to be a victim of a bad psychology experiment. Your legs will be jello, and your feet will be bricks. Your brain will want to run 14mph, but your heart will want you to sit down.
2. Your body will be like jumping on a trampoline for 30 minutes. Then get off the trampoline and try to jump on the ground. Same feeling. Your feet will not go where you want them to.
3. Your brain will be like driving on the freeway at 70 miles per hour for 4 hours and then slowing down to 25mph. You will be telling yourself that you are going very slow and telling yourself to run faster…faster than you can really run.
4. Make sure you practice a few “Bricks” before your first race. A brick is when you ride your bike for a set amount of time, and then run for a set amount of time. This will help set you and your brain up for success on this transition.
d. Transition
i. Practice your transitioning a few times before the race. The transition area is a very technical spot of the race and it is best to have it solidified in your brain.
ii. Go to a park by a lake.
iii. Practice your transition as below. Try to minimize the points where you are “Stopped”. Do things always moving forward.
1. Set up your transition area needs as though it is before the race:
a. Bike (are your tires pumped up?)
b. Helmet
c. Additional clothes
d. Bike shoes (if needed)
e. Running shoes
f. Socks (rolled up like a condom)
g. Towel
h. Water bottle
i. Nutrition (if needed)
2. Practice a short swim. Run to your “transition” area and do the following:
a. Towel off (It is very hard to put a dry shirt on a wet body)
b. Put on any additional clothes. –remember…modesty is not an event in triathlon. Some people use it. Some people don’t. Don’t be surprised….
c. Use a water bottle to rinse off feet and dry them with the towel
d. Roll socks onto feet. (It is very hard to ‘pull’ a dry sock over a wet foot)
e. Put on shoes.
f. Put on Helmet. BEFORE YOU TOUCH YOUR BIKE!
g. Grab nutrition if you need and put in pocket(Gel, powerbar) – don’t eat yet.
h. Grab bike and run it to the mount line.
i. Once you are on the bike and riding (and your nerves settle down), go ahead and eat the nutrition.
3. Practice a short ride. Return to your transition area
a. Put your bike back (in the same fashion you had it before)
b. Take off your helmet. (Yes, this needs to be practiced…It is funny to see runners with a bike helmet on.)
c. Remove any garbage from your nutrition
d. Put on running shoes (if they aren’t already on)
e. Take a deep breath.
f. Head out for your run.
g. Practice a short run.
5. Pre-Race Tips:
a. Prior to the week before the race, explain the race to your family so that they know where they should go to see you to encourage you. Let them know your anticipated times so they can be at the transition area to see you come in and leave. It will mean a lot to you AND them to have that connection.
b. Let your family know that you won’t be “all there” in the few days before the race.
c. You will be very nervous and not able to really make cognitive decisions before the race. The 2 days before the race, your brain may “Check out” and you may be on auto-pilot.
d.Let your family know that you may have unplanned needs after the race.
i. After the race, your body will be revolting. You may not be able to fathom the thought of food immediately after the race…but at some point during that day, you are going to get hungry…and when you do…you are going to be REALLY hungry, and need food RIGHT THEN.
ii. You may feel like you can walk around and go about life normally after the race. If that is the case, then by all means, do so. Just be ready for when it gives out. Because when it does, you will be useless.
e. Don’t do any exercise in the 3 days before your race(Taper period). Let your body rest, and let your brain start begging you to work out. This is a good time to go through your mental race.
f. Get sleep and eat well in the days prior to race. Your race day will be consuming these stored nutrients during the race. If you don’t have them, you will have a very hard race.
g. NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY! Do not try a new gel or raise your seat or try new shoes or anything. It could ruin your entire day.
h. Get to transition early. You want to be very relaxed before the race. You don’t want to be rushed.
i. If it is chip-timed, Put the chip on your ankle.
j. Set up your transition area the same way you practiced.
k. Check to make sure there is air in your tires.
l. Draw your route from the “SWIM IN” to your bike, and from the “BIKE IN” to your bike. There will be A LOT of bikes and you want to make sure you understand where your equipment is.
m. Once “it is time”, head down to the beach and try to clear the butterflies.
n. Don’t size up anybody by what they are wearing or how they look. This is your race.
6. Swim Race Tips:
a. If you feel you need to, get in the water early to swim a little and loosen up your muscles.
b. Try to overcome the nerves enough to do a little warm-up (jumping jacks, something)
c. Position yourself on the outside, near the back.
d. To avoid “Contact”, Swim wide around the buoys. It is natural for people to clump at the buoy…take a few extra strokes and swim around the clump.
e. Finish Strong. A lot of people are cheering for you and watching you.
f. Continue swimming until your fingertips hit the ground. Then stand up.
g. When you stand up, you will be in a different world. You have been horizontal in a dark, silent world for a while. When you stand up, you will be walking, it will be loud and there will be a lot to take in visually. Stay focused on the transition area.
h. You will be dizzy. Try to stay on your feet.
i. You may very well get kicked in the face. Somebody may pull your goggles off. You may get puched in the arm or somebody may dunk your head. You COULD end up with a broken nose or a broken toe. Your first instinct will be to get angry. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that whatever contact was made...It was most likely an accident and the other swimmer is trying just as hard as you to swim in a straight line towards a common point. Besides...You may have swam into them without realizing it. Be patient and address the wound when you get to shore.
7. T1 tips:
a. Don’t stop. Keep moving.
b. Say hi to the family if they are watching.
c. Tell yourself to enjoy the bike ride
d. Don’t get on your bike until you cross the mount line.
8. Bike tips:
a. It is better on your muscles to pedal faster than it is to push harder on the pedals. Keep that in mind.
b. Never stop pedaling. It is a race.
c. Don’t worry about people passing you. They may have been training for 6 years.
d. Thank the volunteers on the course.
e. Encourage people as they pass, or as you pass them. They are working just as hard and might not have the same support.
f. Stand up and stretch your legs before you get to the dismount line.
g. Dismount the bike before the dismount line.
9. T2 tips:
a. Don’t stop. Keep moving.
b. Remind yourself that you are over halfway done and the run is a nice cool-down :D
c. Go enjoy the run
10. Run tips:
a. Stay slow until you find your legs. Your brain is telling you to go much faster than you can go, and you need to fight it.
b. Once you start feeling your leg muscles, go ahead and start a little stride to get your legs even more engaged.
c. Settle into a pace that you can maintain for a long period of time.
d. Find your happy place.
e. Thank the Volunteers on the course.
f. Check your time when you finish! Don’t go home wondering.
11. Post-Race tips:
a. If it was chip timed, return your timing chip.
b. Sign up for your “Ironman” tattoo. (just kidding)
c. STRETCH!!! You may feel good right now, but you are going to regret not stretching in about 6 hours.
d. Get some post-race food.
e. Thank the volunteers
f. Talk to the family
g. Cheer some people on. They are working as hard as you did.
h. Enjoy the race atmosphere.
i. Prepare for the following:
i. A body that might not be happy with you for 1-14 days.
ii. Mild depression – you are no longer receiving those endorphins.
iii. A feeling of success that nobody can take away from you.
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