Don’t be afraid to get started
This is probably the key point that keeps many aspiring triathletes from daring to register for their first tri. We think that triathlon is reserved for those who have been doing it for a long time, who have trained in a club and who know how to do it perfectly. On the Zurich Classic Triathlon with a folding bike! No, there is no need to be an expert or a pro. There is no need to belong to a club. Nor is it necessary to have a state-of-the-art bike, a streamlined helmet or carbon wheels. We frequently see participants on discovery triathlons who come to try triathlon with mountain bikes. Above, a participant on the Zurich Classic Triathlon in 2014. Yes, on a folding bike! So yes, everyone can go! So you pretty much know how to swim (see swimming advice later), ride around twenty bikes and run? You are ready for your first triathlon!
Choosing the right distance for your first triathlon
By “you’re ready for your first triathlon”, let’s agree… We’re not talking here about finishing an Ironman or winning a classic. But ready to complete a first triathlon. And the essential point here is to choose your first triathlon well. It must be at an accessible distance, on a route that is not too complicated and above all adapted to the equipment available. We will indeed avoid the Alpe d’Huez triathlon if we have a mountain bike or have never climbed a mountain pass by bike… On the bike during my first triathlon. For your first triathlon, you have to choose a event that does not present too long distances. Most regional triathlons offer short, sprint or discovery distances, which are ideal for beginners. In general, it is 500 to 750 meters of swimming, 20 km of cycling and 5 km of running. Or even shorter. This allows you to start sorting even without too much training! It is also a question of studying the courses well. Not too much elevation on the bike and on foot, and ideally a calm body of water for swimming. In my region in French-speaking Switzerland, the triathlons of the Vallée de Joux, Préveranges or Yverdon offer courses and distances and courses accessible to beginners. The Lausanne, Geneva and Nyon triathlons are also suitable for this, but beware, their bike courses are more demanding.
Study the course well and train accordingly
That’s it! The registration is done and the date of the first triathlon is circled in red in the calendar! Now it is a question of preparing as well as possible for this event. To do so, it will be necessary to try to train as well as possible in the same conditions. If the bike course is rather flat or on the contrary more hilly, we will adapt the training grounds. The schedule is also of some importance. If the start of the competition is at 7:00 in the morning, it is worth trying a few sports sessions in the morning, if this is not already the case. And finally, it is important to read the rules of the competition. The rules are different depending on the organizing federations and the distances! Must read in the weeks ahead.
Find a triathlon wetsuit
For the swimming part, which most often takes place in open water, the swimming suit is often authorized. The wetsuit offers thermal protection if the water is cold, but also extra buoyancy and glide that allow you to swim faster. If permitted by race rules, swimming with it is strongly recommended. Depending on the water temperature, it may even be mandatory or prohibited. But a triathlon suit is an important investment for a beginner, even more so if you are not sure of continuing your career as a triathlete. So rather than buying your wetsuit, you can rent it from a sports store specializing in triathlon, some even offer it on the Internet. You can also make eyes at a triathlete friend if the latter is about the same size as us… And finally, if the triathlon adventure is to continue, then you can invest in your own wetsuit by following these tips!
Do not neglect open water training with the wetsuit
Here is another piece of advice concerning the swimming suit: you have to train with it a little before. Indeed, swimming with a wetsuit requires practice. The sensations are different with the combination. In addition, donning and adjusting is also something you don’t want to experience on the start line of your first triathlon. Swimming in the Hafslovatnet in Norway You will have to try to swim in the same environment as the triathlon in which you are registered. Lake, sea, river… The bodies of water are very different from each other and swimming in open water has nothing to do with swimming in a pool. No lines at the bottom of the water, no landmarks. You have to practice sticking your head out to see where you are swimming… And getting used to this new environment.
Also train for transitions
For most people, triathlon is three disciplines: swimming, cycling and running. Certainly, but between each discipline, there are also transitions. And going from swimming to cycling or from cycling to running is not necessarily natural. So we will have to try to work on these transitions. If the transition from swimming to cycling consists mainly of training to take off your wetsuit while wasting as little time as possible and to put on a helmet, bib, glasses and cycling shoes quickly, it is not necessary to go out 30km bike ride just out of the pool or lake. On the other hand, it will be necessary to try to repeat several times the transition consisting in getting off the bike and starting immediately on the run during the weeks which precede the race because it is important to prepare several aspects of this transition:
- Physiologically, going from a worn sport (cycling) to a standing sport (running) is not insignificant. Just try it once to realize it!
- The sensory aspect: going from a bike where the scenery goes by at 20km/h or more to running where it goes much slower, it’s not that easy. So it is important to work on going for a run at the right pace. Most beginner triathletes (and some others) will tend to go too fast.
Arrive early and take your time to prepare your transition area
A successful triathlon requires careful organization of its transitions. In general, organizers choose between two different systems:
- Zone transition: in this case, each participant has a space reserved for them in the bike park to install their bike and all their transition gear. In this case, you put your cycling and running shoes, helmet and sunglasses and all the other accessories next to your bike and you change between two disciplines in your place in the bike park.
- The transition to the bag: in this case, each participant must prepare two bags. The first will be used for the first transition, from swimming to cycling. There are generally cycling shoes, helmet, glasses, bib, possibly sunscreen and cycling gloves. In the second bag, used for the transition from cycling to running, we find the running shoes and possibly a cap. During each transition, each competitor collects their bag, then changes in a tent or space provided for this purpose. He then joins the course via the bike park for the first transition.
In both cases, the preparation for the transition must be carefully prepared. Just overlook one detail and the triathlon can suddenly stop.
When swimming start, swim away from the pack
For the swimming part, there are also two schools: the mass start means that everyone starts at the same time. Rolling start is letting a few swimmers start at a time, a few seconds apart. But in both cases, the swimming is not as smooth as when training alone and in the event of a heavy mass start, the swimming part can easily become muscular. So a tip for beginners: do not swim in the heart of the mass. Keep clear and take the buoys wide enough. We are not going to win our first triathlon, and wasting a few seconds swimming calmly is preferable to waging war on the swimming part!
Have fun before thinking about performance
For the first triathlon, the stopwatch should not matter. What matters is enjoying the moment, discovering and enjoying. There will be plenty of time afterwards to do more competitive triathlons. This is about gaining experience. Race management is also important. Do not allow yourself to be led by other competitors at paces that are not suited to your level, whatever the discipline!
– Luke Carrascosa