In recent years, the sport of tri has skyrocketed. From individual sport athletes searching for a brand-new challenge, to non-athletes interested in using the sport as a way for lifestyle change, every race sees rookies positioned at the starting line beside experts with a lot of tri experience.
I want to share my personal experience by suggesting what NOT to do!
1. It’s not really about the gear
Three sports, each with its unique complement of whizzbang expensive gear. Shiny catalogs full of ads trying to sell you the most recent carbon aero widget or product. For reasons unknown, triathlon features a culture of purchasing speed rather than learning how to workout and race more properly. The big point is, its about what you bring to the start line, not the $$$ parts hanging from your bike. Invest in yourself, your own tri training and your fitness early on; Save the high dollar equipment for later.
2. Thinking swimming harder will get you faster
The reason why that 10 year old child in the far lane swimming laps around you?! Due to the fact shes been swimming 1-2 hours each day, 5-6 times each week since she was six. She’s got the technique;you do not.
For you, swimming just isn’t a fitness exercise, its a new ability, like learning how to play a clarinet. Rather than just banging on the instrument for an hour a day, without any idea what youre doing, spend money on high quality swim technique instruction to take advantage of your time in the pool.
3: Not Getting Fast on the Bike
In my personal experience the bike is definitely a low risk activity: making the assumption that your bike fits you, and you also dont wreck, youre just not going to injure yourself by cycling too hard. You shouldn’t have to wait to begin getting faster on the bike.
If you’d like to ride faster you have to train faster and the time for you to begin is as soon as you throw your leg over the seat and clip in. Work as hard that you can for as long as you can, then simply recover and do it again.
Invest in your head, delay $$$ investments in equipment, be ready to make a LOT of errors in your first few races (you wont be frustrated) and promise to have a good laugh at yourself when you do!