Getting started in Triathlon
If you’ve found this small essay, you are probably thinking about doing a triathlon or have already signed up for one. Maybe you have some idea what it is. Maybe you don’t. But if you have read this far, you might be feeling overwhelmed with your choice to register for your first race. Let’s explore where and how to begin.
Start Where You Are
Less than profound but exactly what you need to hear. You are an athlete. You may not feel like one at this moment, but even if you haven’t signed up to race yet, you decided to think about registering for a triathlon - and at that moment you began your athletic journey.
Triathlon is a notoriously pricey sport. It doesn’t have to be. Start in the shoes you have. Just start. If you can’t run, start with a walk. Can’t swim? Learn to float. No bike? Borrow one from a friend. Start with what you have in whatever condition you find it.
Part of the journey you will find in triathlon is the welcoming community and the willingness to bring you along. We all have too much “stuff” to loan, sell, give, donate, and show you. The free advice will overwhelm you. Start with what you already know.
A few more points to make before we break the segments of the race down. Don’t worry about about being overwhelmed with data and jargon - heart rate, power, pace, zones, critical swim speed, strides, saddle height, spd/look/speedplay pedals, super shoes, gps watches, bike computers, ceramic bearings, gels, bars, chamois cream (this is not a French pastry). Start where you are.
The Swim
The density of the human body is around 985 kg/m3, while the density of water is 1000 kg/m3. I have very little idea what that means scientifically, but because water is more dense than the human body, you float. Since you float, you can swim. Your body is also designed with dual air filled buoys that help you float called lungs. When you get into the water, take a deep breath and watch yourself rise up in the water a bit.
Don’t worry about the distance of the swim portion of your race if you are just starting out. Just learn to float first. Get comfortable in the water. Being comfortable in the water helps you in so many ways. You burn less calories and fatigue less by being relaxed - so you will be able to bike and run better. If you are relaxed in the water, you will float better and be more coachable in the water making your progress that much faster. Being relaxed in the water keeps you safe as you collide and encounter other swimmers during the race. Start with just learning to float.
You don’t have to be able to swim the distance of the race at first, all you have to do is learn to swim to the other end of the pool. After that first length it isn’t much different than when you start running. You have to build that level of endurance one length at a time. Take your time, slow it all down, and build your endurance slowly along with your love of the water. Don’t worry about speed or lap times. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else at the pool or in your triclub. Progress at your own rate. Start with your first lap.
The Bike
If you made it to the point of registering for a race then I have to assume you know how to ride a bike. The bike you use to get started in triathlon doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be clean. I have seen them with saw dust, rust, and cobwebs like they were pulled out of the basement the morning of the event. All it needs to be is safe and you MUST have a helmet. That is it. Air up the tires, buckle the helmet, and go down the road. It really is that simple to get started. You don’t need lycra skinsuits, clip in pedals, or carbon anything. Start with anything.
When you find a bike to use in the race, and it reasonably fits you, take it for a short ride and have someone look over the bike for safety (does it stop/will it stay together), functionality (does it shift), and maybe even proper fit (seat height). Have your helmet on the right way. That is it. Really, go ride and have fun. Gradually increase your distance until you can make it through your race distance.
The Run
Some love to run, some hate to run. No matter which bucket you fall into you have to do it (or don’t run and do an aquabike which most races accommodate - which still makes you a multi-sport athlete!). I think the majority of triathletes started as runners that entered a local 5k and things just kind of manifest from there. If you haven’t done that yet, it’ll come and be a part of your journey as you train for your first triathlon. They are fun, and running should be too as you begin. Discard any thought about pace or distance at first and just go out and spend some time on your feet. This could be anything from a walk around the block if you haven’t run since you were a kid on the playground, or a 10k if you’ve been running for a bit and need a stretch goal and you’ve been averaging 5 mile jogs. Just lace up whatever shoes you have and get out the door. The odds are you will find yourself enjoying the time you spend outside putting one foot in front of the other and it’ll become an addictive habit as you consistently train for your race.
Running has the highest impact on your body of the three sports. Progress cautiously and slowly. The general rule of thumb is to add no more than 10% to your weekly distance. I’d suggest you be conservative with this number and not limit this thinking only to distance, but to pace/effort and time as well. Your new base of fitness often takes a few years to plateau and I encourage all athletes to approach the sport with long term fitness and goals in mind. Start where you are, but think far ahead with your running.
Nutrition
Often called the fourth discipline in triathlon. Nutrition is just another aspect of fitness and your new goals to learn about. You will be burning calories like you may never have before. You’ll be hungry and want to eat about everything in sight some days. Your immune system will often be a bit compromised from your training levels. It is more important now to eat clean, vitamin packed meals and snacks. Hydration is now your job and recovery is a major part of the nutrition plan. Ask your new friends in the sport or talk to a sports dietitian for advice.
Conclusion
Much of this is probably new to you if you have never done any endurance sport or have migrated over from a single sport. Enjoy the journey. Don’t make this another stress point in your life, but a complement to your life. It is supposed to be fun while pushing yourself to new limits and a better version of yourself. There is enough seriousness and stress in life and this sport is meant to allow you some levity while achieving some big things. Start where you are, finish someplace better.
About the Author
Neal Bayless is an 80/20 Endurance Certified Coach for RAD Endurance Training and lives in Northeast Ohio. He is a USAT Age Group Nationals Qualifier, and age group podium finisher across almost every distance of on and off road triathlon. Over the past 20 years, he has coached athletes ranging from sprint to Xterra off-road triathlons, as well as seasoned long-course finishers.
