You have signed up for the race and you know that you will be at the start line of your first triathlon in just a few months or a few weeks. Do you feel the stress mounting? You don't want to mess up your first experience of the three-part event? Follow our advice!
Before throwing yourself into a triathlon, some preparation is required to feel ready on the day of the race and be able to make the most of the race. If the calendar permits, the ideal solution is to train in each discipline at least once a week and gradually increase the distances covered. Then, everything should be broken down by discipline:
- In the triathlon, you can swim breaststroke or freestyle. Use the stroke that you feel most comfortable with.
- Train to swim in open water if you can as it is important to get used to a different environment to that of a swimming pool in which the water is clear and there are edges every 25 to 50 m!
- Learn to find your bearings, whether you are in a pool by raising your head regularly to look at the end of the swimming corridor, or in open water by looking at a fixed point far away.
- If you already have a neoprene wetsuit, swim with it on and practise getting it off. It takes a little practice so it is better to prepare!
- If you really dread the swim, don't hesitate to get a few lessons at your local club or ask a swimmer friend to teach you the basics. Acquiring at least some of the basic skills will help you to feel more comfortable in the water.
- Try to keep up a regular pace throughout your cycling outings without pushing yourself too hard from the beginning. This will get you used to keeping something back for when you start the run on the day of the race.
- Ride with your usual bike (hybrid, mountain) and, if you get the opportunity, you can try out a road bike. Remember to get your frame serviced if you haven't used it for a long time (brakes, tyre pressure, etc.)!
- Practise changing gears regularly and anticipating any uphill sections by shifting gear.
- If you get the opportunity, join a group outing so that you get used to riding beside other cyclists.
- Get used to drinking while riding as well as grabbing your water bottle and putting it back in the water bottle cage.
- Try out to your provisions while training to avoid any surprises on the day of the race.
- It is preferable to do two 30-minute runs per week rather than a single one-hour run.
- In order to get used to running immediately after cycling, don't hesitate to run for 5 to 10 minutes after your cycling outing.
- Change route regularly so that you become familiar with different types of surfaces and gradients.
- Try out your nutrition and hydration during your training sessions.
- If you want to improve, vary your pace, e.g. using interval training.
Now you know all there is to know, you can take full advantage of this experience without ever forgetting that you must enjoy yourself!
Good luck with your triathlon!
Passionnée de sport, j’ai longtemps pratiqué la danse avant de découvrir le triathlon qui est devenu une vraie addiction dès ma première course ! Adepte des distances Sprint et Olympique, j’aime la variété qu’offre ce sport tant au niveau de sa pratique que de l’environnement dans lequel il me fait évoluer. Le triathlon c’est toujours de beaux défis en perspective avec beaucoup de plaisir à la clé !