Triathlon is made up of three consecutive sports: first swimming, then cycling, and finally running. The combination of these three different disciplines makes it into a pretty tough sport. Fortunately there are numerous levels to try your hand at, and the distances that need to be covered vary greatly between them. This makes a triathlon ideal for any athlete to try out. Laurens is a regular at triathlons and gladly tells you more..

As the air- and water temperatures start to rise, so do the heart rates of many a triathlete. Don’t think however that a Triathlon is reserved solely for highly trained athletes.

Every year, thousands of new athletes try their hand at this combination of swimming, Cycling, and running. This makes the triathlon one of the fastest growing sports out there. So what will you be up against, and what do you need for your first triathlon?

How far do I have to swim, ride, and run in a triathlon?

You can cover various distances in a triathlon. The shortest version is the 1/8th triathlon. 500 metres of swimming, 20 kilometres of cycling, and a 5 km run. A combination of distances which most regular athletes will be able to cover.

Taking on a full Iron Man Triathlon isn’t something you do on a whim. Firstly you’ll have to swim for 3.8 kilometres. Then you go for a 180 kilometre bike ride, followed by a full 42.2 km marathon.

The distances you’re required to cover vary greatly for each version. Below is a list of the most common triathlon distances.

The most common triathlon distances

It goes without saying that if you do decide to try your hand at a triathlon, you start with the shortest distance. The 1/8th triathlon can be completed by beginners easily enough. Even the shortest distance will take you at least a good 1h 20m!

Do you happen to be a strong swimmer? Then you could opt for the sprint triathlon. The running and cycling distances remain the same but you’ll have to swim further.

Tips for your first triathlon

The first tip is also the best: train your transitions. For every hour of training you invest in this, you’ll earn back more time than with all the other tips combined. Each triathlon has two transitions between sports, meaning you’ll have to change equipment twice. The first change is from swimming to cycling (T1) and the second from cycling to running (T2).

The better and faster you’re able to transition, the better your results will be. It can literally save you minutes off your time if you prepare and train your transitions. A transition is part of the race itself after all, and not a break.

The best thing about it? There’s no reason why your transition time couldn’t be just as fast as the best guys and girls in the race. You don’t need any talent, high red fibre count, Kenyan roots, or anything else. All you need is some practice, proper preparation, and the right equipment.

How to train for transitions in a triathlon?

Training your triathlon transitions is very simple. Simply do so during your regular training sessions. So for instance, make a short 2 kilometre cycle and 500 metre run course. Spend an hour covering that lap as many times as you can, and try to change between sports as quickly as possible.

Arrange all your cycling clothing and running gear in the same way you would at the race. Run to your bike from about 10 metres away (like you just came out of the water) and change to the bike as quickly as you can. Ride your 2 kilometre lap and transition from the bike to running as quickly as possible when you get back.

Experiment with how you need to place your bike helmet, your triathlon shoes, and your starting number so you’re able to change as quickly as possible. After a while, the transition phase becomes second nature and you’ll get increasingly faster at it.

Transition tips from water to bike

Are you wearing a wetsuit? Then flood your wetsuit with water just before you come out of the water. This makes getting out of it a lot easier. You do so by pulling your wetsuit forward and open at the chest, enabling you to “scoop up” the water. The clip below shows you how it’s done:

Wear your triathlon suit underneath your wetsuit. You can keep it on throughout the race. If you don’t need to put this on at the first transition, you’ll save a lot of time.

Clip your triathlon shoes into the pedals of your bike and centre them with a few straps. Triathlon shoes have a convenient strap on the back which regular cycling shoes don’t have.

Use a starting number strap, so you can clip your number on right after your swim.

Transition tips from cycling to running

Take your shoes off while you’re cycling, but don’t clip out of the pedals. Ride the last few metres with your feet on top of the shoes. Just let the shoes hang from the pedals as you switch to running.

Don’t wear socks on the shorter distances, as this takes a fair amount of time. The downside is that you’ll have to train running barefoot in your shoes. Speaking of running: use quick laces so you don’t have to tie your shoes.

How do you apply these tips? We’ve got the video below to show you just that:

Your first triathlon, a few tips for each discipline

A triathlon is more than just switching between sports. Since you’re practicing three different disciplines right after each other, there will always be a sport which isn’t your strong point. Then again, weaknesses can be overcome.

For that reason, we’ve got a number of tips for each specific discipline which will hopefully help you save some time.

Triathlon tips for swimming: wear a wetsuit and start at the front!

If you have a wetsuit, or if you can borrow one, wear it! This will help you float on the surface like a baby seal and your swimming will be less about pushing through the water, and more about over it. Even if you swim using the breaststroke, a wetsuit will make you faster.

Start right on the front! Even if it’s your first triathlon, don’t be shy and push your way forward. A triathlon starts with a swimming race and by starting on the front you prevent having to push through the herd of swimming racers.

Triathlon cycling tips – aerodynamics are essential

One of the key elements in cycling is aerodynamics. The more aero you can get, the faster you can go while expending the same amount of energy. Your aerodynamics are largely down to your frontal surface area.

It’s the surface of your body and gear which hits the oncoming air. The smaller you can make yourself and the more effective you can make your position on the bike, the smaller this area becomes. You can also help move the air that you have to push through move around you more smoothly.

The best investment (pound per second) you can make is fitting a time trial bar, or clip-on bars. These will help you take a time trial position on your regular road bike. This radically reduces your frontal area and helps you become more aerodynamic.

You can also improve your aerodynamics with a more aero frame, a time trial bike, or a set of deep section rims.

Triathlon running tips – Train your transition and don’t overdo the start

The transition from cycling to running is a tough one. Your legs feel heavy from the ride and you go from a tucked cycling position to an extended running position. You suddenly stress your muscles in a completely different way and cramp in your calves or thighs is a real risk.

Train your transition from cycling to running. This way you know what to expect when you jump off the bike and start running. This works perfectly with the previously suggested transition training.

Don’t fly into your run going too fast. Funnily enough the first 300 metres normally feel fine, but go too fast and you’ll soon pay the price. So start a little conservatively for the first half of your run and push in the second part.

Hopefully these tips will help you prepare for your first triathlon, and more importantly inspire some confidence. A triathlon is filled with different challenges, but nothing that you can’t handle. At the very least you end up with another cool experience to talk about at your next birthday party. Do you have questions, or want to know more? Please let us know!

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