Triathlon – what is it all about?
Triathlon is an all-around sport that combines swimming, cycling and running. The participant covers certain distances in that order, and the final time at the finish line includes changing clothes and changing equipment. Every triathlon competition is a test of the participants’ endurance.
The most popular distances include:
- Super Sprint: 600 m swim / 15 km bike ride / 3 km run;
- Sprint: 750 m swim / 20 km bike ride / 5 km run;
- Olympic (standard): 1.5 km swim / 40 km bike ride / 10 km run;
- 1/8 Ironman: 475 m swim / 22.5 km bike ride / 5.25 km run;
- 1/4 Ironman: 950 m swim / 45 km bike ride / 10.55 km run;
- Half-Ironman (or Ironman 70.3 – from the total distance in miles): 1.9 km swim / 90 km bike ride / 21 km run;
- Ironman: 3.8 km swim / 180 km bike ride / 42 km run;
- Long distance: approximately double or triple the Olympic distance;
- Ultra: multiples of the Ironman distance.
Regardless of sex and age, all participants in triathlon events have the same distance to cover. Equality is one of the basic principles of the discipline. Anyone can take part – as long as there are no medical contraindications to endurance sports.
Triathlon – what equipment will you need?
Any amount of money can be spent on triathlon equipment – in this regard it is no different from other sports. Admittedly, the entry threshold is relatively low, but if you want your first triathlon experience to be more of an enjoyable one, you’d better take care of the bare minimum of equipment.
Shoes
And not one, but two pairs. The first is running shoes, in which you will comfortably cover a long distance. So choose a model that comfortably fits the foot and features an effective cushioning system that mitigates the discomfort of running on hard surfaces. The second pair is cycling shoes – preferably designed to work with some sort of clip-in pedal system, allowing more efficient use of body energy while riding.
Trisuit
You can compete in a regular T-shirt and athletic shorts, but a one-piece or two-piece trisuit, in which you complete all three competitions, would be a far better choice.
A good trisuit:
- saves time changing in the changing zones,
- provides adequate thermal comfort along the route,
- makes you look professionally and feel more confident at the starting line.
Bicycle
You just can’t do without a bicycle! Most triathlon events allow you to start on any type of bike, but the longer the distance, the more important is the equipment on which you will comfortably and efficiently cover the next kilometers. For most typical competitions held on level, asphalt surfaces, a regular road bike will do just fine. If you plan to compete in crosstriathlon, you need a cross-country, gravel or mountain bike. We advise beginners not to buy a specialized triathlon bike. It’s a big expense for equipment you don’t use every day. Besides, you don’t even know how strongly you want to get involved in the sport.
You can read more about how to buy a good bike HERE.
Crash helmet
You can legally ride a bicycle without a helmet on public roads, but you won’t compete in a triathlon event without one! Event regulations do not allow it, and judges make sure that the rules are strictly followed. When choosing a helmet, pay attention to the comfortable fit to the shape of the head and an effective ventilation system.
Swimsuit
Did we say that a good trisuit will perform well in any of the triathlon competitions? That’s true, but you’re not going to use it for every workout at the pool, will you? Swimming trunks, goggles and a cap – that’s enough to start with. You do not need to buy a wetsuit – it is required for competitions in which you swim in larger or cooler open waters. If necessary, you can simply rent it.
Race bib belt
Small but smart. The perfect motivational gift you can give yourself before your first competition. Fixing the race bib on a rubber belt on the hips is much more convenient than attaching it to a T-shirt. A baseball cap, sunglasses and energy gels or bars, for example, can also be hung on the belt. So it is worth choosing a model equipped with additional handles.
Triathlon – what and how to train?
If you are a person of average fitness, it can take about 3 months to prepare for your first triathlon start. During this period, one of the biggest challenges will be to create a workout plan that takes into account each of the triathlon competitions and to consistently perform each task. For a triathlete, training is first and foremost a matter of time – one that you can actually find in your schedule and use productively. A typical workout plan includes 6 training days per week and 1 day for rest and recovery.
Swimming
Depending on your skill level, you need 2-3 sessions of 30-60 minutes per week. Can’t swim? There is nothing to be ashamed of, just invest in a few classes with a trainer to master and perfect the basic elements of technique. The goal of a swimming workout is to build endurance over a long distance – during Sprint you need to swim the equivalent of 15 lengths of a pool. If the competition which you want to take part in involves swimming in an open body of water, you need to train in such conditions to acquire proper orientation in the water. Remember – training in open water areas should never be done alone. Safety first!
Bicycle
You will spend about half the time it takes for the full distance of the competition on the bike. Regularly (twice a week) completing a distance similar to the one you intend to compete at (we’re still talking about Sprint and the like!) is a reasonable idea to start your triathlon journey. Focus on building an aerobic base and maintaining a steady, even pace. After all, it’s not about racing your rivals and fighting for the seconds lost during the swim until your last breath, but about having as much strength left for the running part after completing the set distance. If you are not yet using a bicycle as a daily means of transportation – think about it. If you have access to spinning classes – use them if the weather doesn’t allow you to ride outside.
You can read more about indoor cycling HERE.
Running
You may not believe it, but the running part is the most difficult one in a triathlon. The shift from cycling to running is much more demanding than from swimming to cycling, the body’s energy resources are already strained, and you can expect numerous changes of pace (running uphill, overtaking) along the route. A running workout done twice a week should therefore be centered around optimal use of stamina. Typical endurance sessions of varying length should be accompanied by intervals and combinations (“brick” – from bike & run) – that is a combination of training on the bike and running, adapting the body to the triathlon shift during the competition.
Gym
If you have enough time, you can treat strength training as diversification of your workout plan or supplement it with additional work on those muscle groups that need special attention. Upper body workout will be especially useful for improving your swimming. Exercising the postural muscles will pay off in any of the triathlon competitions.
An additional discipline ;)
Change, change, change! The changing zone at a triathlon event is where you fight with yourself, your equipment and stress. You need to know your equipment through and through, you need to be able to change your shoes as if someone was chasing you (because they will!), you need to put on your helmet as if the sky were about to fall on your head... In short, you need to train such changes from time to time. Have fun!
What else should you know before your first triathlon?
Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Before you start fantasizing about big Ironman successes, try your hand at one of the shorter distances. Match the level of the challenge to your fitness, and the first starts will provide you with valuable tips for further training and competitions.
First the finish line, then the results. The very fact of reaching the finish line in a triathlon event is a valuable reward for any beginner. Anything more than that is a bonus for the preparation, discipline and attitude presented on the route. Keep this in mind when setting your training goals.
Good luck with your training and successful starts!
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References:
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2. https://www.magazynbieganie.pl/.
3. https://akademiatriathlonu.pl/.
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6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6571715/.
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10. Mark Kreanthous Triatlon od A do Z. Treningi do wszystkich dystansów wyd. Helion 2014.