You might be considering entering your first ever sprint triathlon as a beginner triathlete but are a little overwhelmed by what your competition might bring to the table. The first step is to understand what distances you should be training for and how to make small improvements to shave time off your race. Most sprint triathlons consist of the same distances:
- 400m Swim (.25 miles)
- 20k Bike (12 miles)
- 5k Run (3.1 miles)
The average sprint triathlon times will vary dependent on the shape and fitness level of each individual triathlete but many fall around the same category. It usually takes around 8-10 minutes from a beginner triathlete to finish the swim portion of the race, 1 hour for the bike leg and 30 minutes for the run. Toss in 5 minutes for each transition and you are looking around 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours. Keep in mind that this is for a beginner triathlete only.
What can you do to shave time off each leg and the transition areas?
- Learn proper hand entry for the swim – This will dramatically reduce your time and fatigue
- Have your transition area ready with cycling shoes attached to pedals and helmet ready
- Learn proper cadence to maximize the push down/pull up of your pedaling
- Have non lacing running shoes and don’t bother with socks
- Stay properly hydrated, especially on hot days. Dehydration will severely affect your time
- Wear a one piece suit (if possible) that you can wear through the entire race
It is not too difficult to plan ahead for race day as long as you know what you need in advance. Get yourself a race day checklist and see what things you might have forgotten. It isn’t likely that you will need to eat during your race since it is relatively short but don’t do anything drastic with your diet just prior to race day. An upset stomach can hinder your race ability as much as dehydration.
Last but not least, check out the times from the race the year before. This should help you to see the average sprint triathlon times for the entire race and your age group. Remember that you don’t have to win the race but it does feel good to not be the last one to cross that line. Even if you do finish last, remember that you are part of only 1.5% of the population that has ever finished a triathlon. That is something to brag about!