- Are you thinking of entering your first triathlon?
If so, I bet you have got hundreds of questions
flying around in your head.
Well, don't worry, we're here to help.
Today, I'm going to be answering
the most commonly asked questions
that I promise you, pretty much all triathletes
will have had at some point in their career.
(logo whooshing)
(mellow music)
If you're a beginner, it's best to stick
to short distance triathlon.
So a sprint or a super sprint
would be a good starting point.
And certain novice events
even put on shorter distances for beginners.
So say you're doing a super sprint triathlon,
you need to be comfortable covering all of those distances.
So that would be a 400 meter swim, a 20K bike, and a 5K run.
And then it's a good idea to replicate
the actual feeling you're going to have on race day
by doing some brick sessions.
And this is when you run straight off your bike.
So put in a few a those.
And also think about the swimming.
So if you've entered an open water swimming triathlon,
do make sure that you've already practiced
swimming in those conditions
because trust me, there's going to be enough new experiences
on race day as it is.
There are many things to consider
when you're choosing your first triathlon,
and as we've already pointed out,
distance is probably the most important one.
Or you can head to your local governing body,
look on their website,
and into the search you can then put
the distance you want to do.
And it's often a good idea to go by location.
If you can, find an event that's closer to home.
It's always nicer to sleep in your own bed
the night before.
And then with that, hopefully,
you'll be able to get more support.
So friends and family can come along
and give you that moral support that you need on race day.
And also, don't forget to look at the terrain
'cause if you've got a road bike,
then you probably want to make sure
that your triathlon is on the road.
And if you're maybe not yet ready to swim open water,
then look for a pool-based triathlon as well.
All you need is a roadworthy bike.
And when you turn up at the event,
they'll check your brakes and that it's safe to ride.
Other than that, any bike will do.
And I've actually seen people doing triathlons
on a fixed-gear bike, mountain bike, even town bikes.
So don't let those professionals
on their really fancy bikes put you off.
It is easy to get sucked into splashing out
on a lot of expensive triathlon kit
ahead of your first event, but please don't.
There are just a few bare essentials you need though.
So starting out with swim, that will be a pair of goggles,
a swimsuit or tri suit,
and then if it's a cold water swim, a wetsuit,
but you can often borrow or hire these.
And then onto the cycle.
Obviously, you need a bike as we've mentioned.
You need a helmet that meets the safety standards.
And then as for clothing, if you're not wearing a tri suit,
just some cycle shorts and a jersey you're comfortable with.
And for footwear, it's entirely up to you
whether you wear bike shoes or trainers.
And onto the run, well that's the most straightforward
is you simply need a pair of trainers, a running top,
and a pair of shorts.
Do read the rules ahead of race day,
as they vary from event to event,
but there are some rules
that pretty much cover all triathlons.
And one of the major ones is the drafting rule,
unless, obviously you're doing a draft league or race.
This dictates the distance that you have to remain behind
the rider in front.
And a pretty standard distance is 12 meters,
but again, check 'cause that can vary.
And another major rule is in transition.
And the first one to remember
is the mount and dismount line.
So once you've picked your bike,
you most wheel it until you get to mount line.
You must pass this line
and then you can get on your bike.
Coming back, it's the same.
So you must make sure you get off your bike
before the dismount line,
and then run with your bike into the racking area.
And when it comes to the racking area,
the first thing you most remember to do
is put your helmet on, as you're not allow to take your bike
out of rack until your helmet is on and securely done up.
And again, reverse that.
So when you're coming back,
make sure you securely put your bike away
before you take your helmet off.
And then finally, when you're actually out on the course,
whether that's the bike or the run,
it's great if you've got supporters there
to cheer you on.
But just make sure they know that they're not allowed
to actually physically help you
or give you any nutrition or anything.
If you do need anything like that,
then that's where the race officials come in.
(upbeat music)
There are a lot of things
to consider when it comes to timing.
So work backwards, look at how far away the car park
is from registration and race start.
And then find out what time transition actually closes.
So this is where you have to put your bike
and all your kit ahead of your race.
And from that, I would say arrive an hour earlier,
but obviously, you need to consider if it's a large event,
then there might be queues for registration,
queues to use the bathrooms as well.
So if you're in doubt, allow yourself plenty of time
'cause there's nothing worse than being in a rush
and trying to squeeze into your wetsuit in a hurry
when you're hot and sticky.
If don't have a tri suit,
then you are going to need to get changed
in at least one of the transitions.
But it's worth that nudity isn't allowed in triathlons,
so if you do need to completely strip off,
you'll have to find the changing tent.
If there isn't one, your going to need
to be discreet under a towel.
Now some people will change after the bike for the run.
It is entirely personal preference,
but I can't emphasize enough,
that if your doing your first triathlon, comfort is key.
If you're doing a short-distance race,
then hopefully, you're not going to need a bathroom break.
But sometimes things don't go to plan.
You'll find some athletes actually relieve themselves
towards the end of the swim before exiting
and getting onto the bike.
And then most courses will have portaloos on route,
especially on the run course.
So it is worth considering, with this,
what you're going to wear.
So if you've got a full-piece tri suit,
it's much harder to get out of in a hurry
than a two-piece would be.
This is one of the most common worries
when it comes to an open water triathlon,
and understandably so,
as you can't replicate this in training.
So when you arrive, check out the course.
And then stay away from the shortest route
to the first buoys.
When the gun goes off, this is where the fastest swimmers
are going to be and you're likely to get caught up
in a washing machine effect if you're over there.
So yes, you might be swimming slightly further,
but trust me, you're actually going to use less energy
by going that route.
But if that still sounds a little bit too intimidating,
then look for a triathlon where they have a staggered start
and they let athletes, a small group off every few seconds.
If you get tired swimming front crawl,
then there's no harm in doing a few strokes of breast stroke
just to calm down and get your breath back.
Back stroke, however, isn't recommended,
as if your on your back the rescue team
might well think you need help
and will come over to see what you're doing.
Plus on top of that, you're not going to be able to see
where you're going.
But if you really are sure you want to use the back stroke
and you're doing a small race,
then it might be worth speaking to the race organizers
to check that it's okay.
In the very short events your body
should have enough glycogen stores
to get through the race without having to top it up.
But if you're doing anything more than an hour,
then it is worth considering taking on some extra fuel.
Now most races will provide food and drinks along the way.
So try and find out beforehand what it is,
and you can practice with that in training.
And then on the bike, it's a good idea
just to have a drink there, if you want it, ready.
And then also put some fuel in your top tube bag.
And when it comes onto the run,
if you're doing a longer distance race,
it's a good idea to take some gels.
You can leave them in transition
and grab them as you head out.
We've already touched on this slightly,
but this is where you take your bike
into transition so it's going to be ready for you
when you come out of the swim.
So before heading in, you need to know your race number
because this is probably where you'll
end up having to rack your bike.
You'll also want to have all
the kit you need for your race,
apart from obviously what you're starting in for the swim.
Now that includes your helmet
which will need to be on your head
and done up, as they'll be checking these as you go through.
If you are lucky enough to have friends and family
who are going to come along and support you for your race,
make the most of it.
Make sure that you prioritize yourself
and manage their expectations,
as you're not going to have the time or energy
to run around finding them breakfast or coffees.
And then try and suggest some places for them to watch.
Transitions are a good place
because obviously you're going to be going through twice.
And they'll hopefully see the start and finish from there.
But if it's a lap course, then maybe you could get them
to stand on a point where you know it might be
a little bit tough, just to give that moral support
when you need it.
I've done my best to answer those commonly asked questions
ahead of a first triathlon,
but if you've got a burning question
that I haven't covered, please let me know
in the comments section below,
and we will do our very best to get back to you.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed this.
Give us a thumbs up if you have
and click on globe to make sure you
get all of our videos here at GTN.
And if you're still in the training phase
for your first triathlon, we've got a great video series
for you down here.
And if you want some more tips on the rules
ahead of your first event,
you find a video for that, just down here.