Read time: 4min.
By Coach Yan Busset
5 Crucial Tips for Triathlon Beginners
So, you’ve decided to start triathlon: congratulations! Whether you’re looking for a challenge, trying to get back in shape, or just curious, triathlon is (no bias here), the best sport in the world. But before you dive in, let’s talk about some essential things you need to know.
1. Investing in the Right Gear, no need to break the bank.
When you look at triathlon age-groupers, it can be intimidating. They have super expensive bikes, fancy aero helmets, carbon-plated running shoes, and all kinds of bling bling gears. Social media often reflects this, creating a somewhat disturbing image of what’s "required" for triathlon.
Don’t let that stop you from starting. You don’t need fancy equipment to begin with. All you really need is a pair of swim goggles, a wetsuit (especially in Finland), a trisuit (not mandatory but it will improve greatly your race experience),a basic bike (yes you can just start with your commuter bike), a pair of running shoes, and a helmet. This will be enough to have a first feel for the sport over short distances. If you like it , you can improve later your gear step by step according to your budget. Triathlon is about the challenge, not the gear.
2. It’s not just about training
Triathlon training isn’t just about how much you train it’s is only one side of the coin. The other side, and equally important, is recovery.
Training is about stressing your body to force it to adapt. You poke and challenge it. But it’s during recovery that your body absorbs that stress, adapts, and becomes a better version of itself.
If you have a busy life with work, family, or social commitments, recovery time can be hard to come by. Your training volume needs to match your ability to recover. Start gradually, ramp up gently, and track key recovery values like sleep hours, resting heart rate, and HRV (heart rate variability). Watch how these indicators trend to ensure your body is absorbing the workload.
Avoid the mistake of doing too much, too soon. Overtraining or plateauing happens quickly when recovery is neglected. So long story short: when starting just don’t make space for training but also room to rest better.
3. Hack Your Lifestyle for Healthier Habits
Triathlon is the perfect excuse to overhaul your lifestyle. Let’s face it: many modern habits, like sitting too long, eating junk food, and endless screen time, push us toward an unhealthy and sedentary life. But signing up for a triathlon gives you the motivation to change.
The first step to performance is becoming a healthy human being. Eat real, non-processed food, and prioritize nutrient-dense meals. Avoid trendy diets and stick to common sense.
To build a resilient body, you’ll need strength. Triathlon isn’t just about swimming, biking, and running. Hit the gym regularly to lift heavy weights and improve your strength. Mobility is equally important, restricted mobility not only limits performance but can also lead to injuries. Assess your mobility and consider daily movement or flexibility work. Training by itself will make you fitter but won’t necessary makes you an healthier person, so place healthy habits as foundation of your fitness.
If you live with family, triathlon is a great way to lead by example. Eating healthier and being more active will benefit everyone in your household. And who knows, you might even inspire them to join you on this journey.
4. Progresses Takes Time
If triathlon were easy, we’d call it football, just joking! Triathlon is hard, and that’s why we do it. It’s a challenge. Training is simple: swimming, biking, and running are straightforward sports, but the complexity lies in the discipline it takes to develop fitness.
The changes we’re talking about, physiological changes, take time. These involve altering the composition and features of your body, which can’t happen overnight. There are no shortcuts. It takes months, years, of consistent effort to become a finisher and a strong triathlete.
5. Prioritize Technique
Don’t underestimate the importance of technique. When you start your triathlon journey, focus on improving your technique before ramping up your training volume.
Swimming many kilometers with poor technique reinforces bad habits, which are harder to undo later. Start fresh and prioritize good technique from the beginning. The same goes for cycling and running. Ensure your bike fit is correct to avoid inefficiency and injuries. For running, work on proper form to reduce the risk of injury when increasing mileage.
Starting with good technique saves time and money in the long run. Seek expert guidance, a coach or specialist can help you build a strong foundation.
Conclusion
Be warned: triathlon is addictive! The combination of three sports feels like a perfect 3D puzzle, an endless game that can take a lifetime to master.
When you finish your first triathlon, you’ll likely struggle mid-race and think, “I’ll never do this again.” But as soon as you cross the finish line, you’ll start reflecting: “I could do this better, and that better…” Next thing you know, you’ll be looking at the calendar for your next race.
Thank you for reading, and as always, if you have ideas for future blog posts, feel free to send me a DM; I really value your feedback. As always, stay strong, fast, and furious, train hard but smart and see you next week!
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