How to Overcome the Barriers Keeping You From Your First Triathlon
The sport of triathlon continues to grow in popularity. Yet it remains somewhat of a mysterious, even frightening, proposition for many athletes. The combination of three sports — swimming, biking and running — does increase the difficulty factor for any athlete. Three times the sports means three times the training, three times the mental toughness, and three times the anxiety. Still, with a little preparation, the triathlon is achievable. And it can be the most rewarding sport in which you’ve ever participated.
Have questions? We’ve got answers.
The Entry
It’s expensive!
Entry can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be outrageous. Experienced long-course triathletes easily spend the most money. Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races are pricey, with entry fees ranging from $300 to $600. Then there’s travel. The number of long-course races is increasing, but you’ll likely have to cover some ground to find one. But for the beginner triathlete, those long-course events should be years down the road. Start with a local Sprint or Olympic-distance race; entry fees there should be more in the $40-$100 range. Sleep in your own bed and throw your bike in the back of the car for the short trip to the race. There are no hotel charges to worry about and little travel expense. In fact, I’ve ridden my tri-bike to the start-line at local triathlons — you can’t get “greener” or cheaper than that. One more tip: Sign up well in advance and receive any early registration discount offered.
The Swim
I’m not getting in a wetsuit, and I’ve never been swimming in open water in my life! And you watched Jaws during those influential formative years, right? Don’t worry, you won’t find too many ocean-swim triathlons or shark-infested waters in the Northwest.
But let’s start at the beginning: Forget the wetsuit for the moment, and just learn how to swim. “The key to better and more confident swimming is working on technique, not speed,” said Casey Arendt, a certified triathlon coach with Go the Distance Coaching in Hillsboro, OR. “Get some swim lessons from your local parks and rec or a local triathlon coach.” While this point is lost on a good number of triathletes, a few weeks of adult-level swim-technique lessons will often do more to improve overall finish times than a $1,000 set of bike rims or an $800 wetsuit.
Even proficient swimmers don’t always feel comfortable in open water. And that’s okay. Welcome to the wet, cold Pacific Northwest home of many indoor-swim triathlons. No need to worry about sharks or wetsuits in the pool! You may eventually want to do a triathlon with an open-water swim, be it lake, river or ocean. And, yes, you’ll need a wetsuit. Once beginning triathletes get over the initial apprehension of wearing a wetsuit, they usually find that swimming is actually easier with the buoyant suit encasing their bodies. There’s no getting around the fact that wetsuits are difficult to get on and off. Never try a wetsuit swim without first practicing in open water. And that includes taking it off in a hurry. Find an open water clinic or class put on by a local tri club, and take advantage of the experienced knowledge there. Finally, don’t rush it. “Be patient with your progress,” said Arendt. “It takes time and effort to become a better swimmer.”
I’ve seen the crazy mass-swim starts; I’ll drown! This is not a big worry in races with indoor swims or open water swims with multiple heats. However, if you do find yourself in a tri with a mass start, make it easy on yourself: Don’t start from the front! Even if you’re a speedy swimmer, start from the back or very edge of the pack of swimmers. The swim pack thins out pretty fast, so even if you start in back, you’ll be able to make up ground later in the swim.
The Bike
I’d have to take out a second mortgage to buy a tri bike! High-end tri bikes are ridiculously expensive. But here’s a little secret: Beginning triathletes don’t need high-end tri bikes. You can race a sprint triathlon on the bike you already own. “If you own a mountain bike, get relatively smooth and thin tires to reduce the slowness a little. A used or borrowed road bike is even better if it fits and the rider has time to practice on it,” said Arendt. “Aerobars are ideal if you want to spend the money but are not so committed that you want to get a tri bike. Bike shoes and clipless pedals are really great, but if you need to do it on the cheap, just use toe-clips to improve pedaling efficiency a bit.”
What if I get a flat tire? Luckily, this rarely happens. Unfortunately, if it does happen and you’re not prepared, your race is finished. The supplies are simple: a tube, a lever or two, a CO2 cartridge, and practice. Lots of practice. If you’ve never done it, find a helpful bike shop or tri club that can show you the steps. There are also a number of step-by-step videos of the process on the web.
Do I have to wear one of those huge teardrop helmets? Nope. In fact, unless you’re racing in a half-iron or longer race, I’d advise against it. Those racing helmets can cut a bit of time compared to a normal bike helmet, but not enough to worry about in a sprint or Olympic-distance race. The wacky-looking helmets are rarely worn in shorter races, even by the professionals. In the end, it comes down to this: Want to make your bike faster? Pedal harder.
The Run
Who cares about the run? I’m not getting in a wetsuit! Most triathletes (even newbies) are familiar with running. Many have competed in road races before. Still, this is an area where new specialized shoes are popping up at retailers and on the race course. Do you need special triathlon running shoes? Absolutely not. In the end, the run leg of a triathlon is just another run. If you have shoes that worked for your last 5K, 10K or half marathon, then they’ll work fine for the triathlon as well. Most triathlon-specific running shoes focus on one thing: ease and speed of getting the shoe on your foot. Buy yourself a set of $5 speed laces, put them on your old running shoes, and call it good. Arendt also suggests practicing “bricks” to prepare muscles for the difficult bike-to-run changeover. “Do brick workouts which involve about one-mile easy or moderate run immediately after a hard bike effort in the final weeks before the event.”
The Transition Area
Do I have to undress in front of everyone? What if I knock over somebody’s bike? Should I put on deodorant during the transition? I, for one, would totally get behind the deodorant thing. It would make the award ceremony more pleasant for everyone. But seriously, the greatest thing about the transition area between the swim-bike (T1) and the bike-run (T2) is that you can do just about anything and no one will even notice. The transition area is a crazy, chaotic mess of people and equipment. Anything less than impromptu opera singing will likely go completely unnoticed. Everyone is concentrating on getting in and out as fast as possible. You don’t have to undress. The standard these days is to wear a racing swimsuit or tri suit for the entire race. “The first priority is an aerodynamic outfit for the bike leg that also works for swimming and running,” said Arendt. “Avoid wearing a big t-shirt that will turn you into a sail!” Knock over someone’s bike or other equipment? Pick it up and put it back the best you can. The transition area resembles a teenager’s bedroom as soon as T1 hits, so it’s unlikely anyone will even notice. Finally, if you want to put on deodorant, lipstick or a gorilla costume, go right ahead. In all likelihood, no one will notice. And at the very least, you’ll have a fun story to tell afterward.
The Reward
When you cross the finish line of your first triathlon, you’ll also cross the line from inexperienced beginner to accomplished veteran. Every subsequent race will become easier. Every start line will hold fewer butterflies. You’ll become one of a select group: a triathlete.
Like all extraordinary journeys, this journey to the triathlon finish line starts with your first step. Take it.