You finally decided to take the next big leap in terms of fitness by joining a triathlon. There is nothing more adrenaline pumping and ego boosting than conquering your first triathlon and being called a triathlete shortly after completing your race. In order to ensure that you succeed at your first ever triathlon, you must first take note of the following tips to make sure that you ace every step of your race.
Here are some quick tips on how to prepare for your first triathlon. Take note that you can always train in a gym like Workout Anytime or Anytime Fitness maybe even in your own home.
- Start training – When it comes to training, you do not need to be totally prepared or perfectly toned to join a triathlon, but you do need to train as hard as you can to level with other contenders. That means training everyday consistently and staying in shape. Of course, its going to be hard if you do not train yourself to improve your stamina or endurance, the whole purpose of this race is for you to improve on areas that you are normally having trouble with. For example, if you are not used to sprinting, swimming or biking, then it is better for you to train in those aspects more than anything else. Make sure to have a healthy balance between strength and speed, since this is usually what is needed when joining these types of races.
Training tips:
- Do not over train yourself – for a beginner, it is normal to over think about how your outcome will be if you do not train hard enough, but sometimes over training could be bad for you. It is healthy to dedicate at least 2 – 3 hours of training time for all three activities in general such as: swimming, cycling and running. Make sure that you do this at least 2- 3 times a week. Once you feel like you have attained the fitness level that you want, it is now safe for you to bring down your training activity to at least once a week before the big race. Always make sure to take rest days in between, as this can easily burn you out if you don’t. It is always important to take a few days to rest, because your body will not be able to recover if you do not at least rest a few days.
- Make sure to warm up – Before any big game, athletes always make sure to warm up to get the body in gear. Without proper warm ups, it could lead to muscle cramps and an aching body. Make sure to bring your heart rate up before starting the race, so that you can accumulate more oxygen whilst you run, cycle and swim. Triathletes become tired easily because not enough oxygen is circulated in the body. Handle your breathing and stretch before the race.
- Use Vaseline – Sometimes athletes lack lubrication, which often becomes a problem especially when transitioning from one activity to another. Lubrication prevents chafing, which should be the number one thing that you should be avoiding during the race. Chafing will hinder you from doing these obstacles properly, so always make sure to get the right lubrication and start getting used to it.
- Educate yourself on the course map – it is always a huge advantage to know the ins and outs of the entire course. Make sure to take note of all the elevations, transitions stops, and turns so that you do not end up getting lost. Some people will often take this for granted, which means you will have more edge and possibilities of winning if you study up and familiarize yourself with the course map.
- Practice your transitions – Timing is everything. Transitions can be very time consuming, which is why it is always important to time yourself after every obstacle to make sure that you do not go behind. Practice everything, from taking off your wet suit to getting into your running attire. These things are very important and it will guarantee good results if done correctly.