Looking to Do Your First Triathlon?

Getting started in triathlons can be a bit intimidating and overwhelming. We ‘ve put together a few pointers to help you out and hopefully put you at ease. This is a wonderful sport that can really change your life. Getting started in triathlons is getting on the road to a happy, healthy lifestyle. Good luck and please contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. Of course you should always consult your doctor before starting any type of exercise program.

Sign up for a Triathlon:

This is a great first step. I don’t know what it is but once I have some money on the line then all of the sudden I’m much more motivated to hit the gym. If you’re reading this you may already have a specific triathlon in mind. If not, check out TriFind to find a triathlon near you.

Follow a plan:

Ok, now that you’ve signed up, what next? Well there are plenty of guidelines, training plans, and books to follow. You can easily spend more time trying to develop a training plan than actually doing the workouts. For your first triathlon we recommend keeping it simple. Check out Joe Friel’s book “Your First Triathlon”, for some great tips and advice. Joe covers everything from training programs to proper transition set up and everything in between. Once you feel like you know the basics, then you can really dig into the details. Don’t forget to check out David Warden’s Tri Talk Podcast. David hosts the most popular Triathlon podcast on the internet and it’s jam packed with everything you ever needed (or wanted) to know about triathlons. Read the rest of this entry »

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A Triathlete’s Dilemma – What Type of Triathlon Apparel Do I Need For Racing and Training?

One of the most frequent questions posed by beginner triathletes at the store is “What type of apparel should I wear for my training or for my races?”.  Although the question sounds simple enough, a chapter of a triathlon book can be devoted to this one topic.  When determining what type of apparel to wear for training or for races, one should ask the following questions:

o    What are the distances of the races in which I will be competing?

o    What type of workouts will I be doing during training  (i.e. bike-run brick workouts, individual swimming workouts, swim-bike brick workouts, individual run only workouts, individual cycling only workouts)?

Triathlon Apparel for Racing

In response to the first question, it is important to contemplate what apparel to wear based on the distance of the race in which you are competing.  For sprint and Olympic distance triathlons, the distances are short enough for men and women that they can wear a triathlon short that has minimal padding and no pockets.  For a top, it is recommended to wear a tighter fitting singlet or tank top for men or a “racerback” or tankini top for women.  To minimize drag in the water while swimming, a tighter, skin fitting top will typically result in better times as opposed to a looser fitting top which can create more drag and retain more water.

For men and women who do not like to race in shorts and a top, a one-piece triathlon suit is also ideal in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons.  A one-piece triathlon suit is usually very snug and should fit in such a way that you will feel extremely hydrodynamic during your swim.  If your one-piece suit feels too loose, it will probably result in drag while swimming and it is more likely to make your suit balloon up” with water. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Secrets of Triathlon for Beginners

Triathlon is fast becoming one of the most popular activities in the world for amateur athletes. Every weekend, thousands of normally sane individuals drag themselves out of bed to compete in a triathlon. But if you have never attempted a triathlon before, is there such a concept as triathlon for beginners?

Triathlon sounds scary-can I do it?

Many people are terrified at the thought of attempting a triathlon. Once upon a time, triathlon was seen as a niche sport that only appealed to crazy people who liked a challenge. These days, everybody can (and does!) take part in triathlon and as long as you can swim, bike, and run, you will be fine.

What does triathlon involve?

Triathlon is a multi sport event. Competitors have to swim, bike, and run their way around a course and each discipline is timed. The twist with triathlon is that the clock starts the moment you enter the water and does not stop until you cross the finish line at the end of the run, which means you do not have time to blow dry your hair and stop for a rest between events! Read the rest of this entry »

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