Beginners - Preparing for your first Triathlon?!

Once you’ve decided to take the plunge, preparing for your first triathlon can be a daunting experience.

• How fit do you really need to be?
• What equipment do you need?
• And then there’s the really scary bit - swimming in the open water!

How fit do you really need to be?

At Tri Alliance we’re always welcoming new members who want to increase their fitness to a level where they can comfortably and confidently participate in a triathlon. One of the questions most commonly asked in our ‘Beginners Clinics’ is ‘How fit do I really need to be?’

The beauty of triathlon (especially the Gatorade/Brooks series) is that there is a distance to suit every level of fitness. You can start as a couch potato and within a number of weeks be ready to line up for your first triathlon!

Tri Alliance has specially designed beginner programmes (including a coach and a dedicated mentor!) to help you gain the required fitness, skill and confidence within as little as 4 to 6 weeks. Imagine that - being fit enough to complete a triathlon in only 4 - 6 weeks!

After completing one of our carefully tailored Beginners Clinics, even the most unfit person could reasonably expect to (at a minimum) be able to swim 150 metres in the open water, cycle 8 kilometres and run 1-2 kilometres. That’s all you need to start your triathlon career!

And the best bit? You won’t be alone. At Tri Alliance we love triathlon and we want to share it with as many people as we can. Through our coaches and personal mentors, we give as much attention to beginners as we do to elites - that’s why you’ll find the largest proportion of beginner athletes at Tri Alliance!

Click here to learn more about our Try-the-Tri Progrms for Beginners.

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What equipment do you need?

Triathlon can be an expensive pass time! When you walk through the bike compound at your first Gatorade/Brooks event, you’ll see bikes worth more than some people’s cars! Luckily, beginners can get away with not investing a lot of money until they’re really sure this is the sport for them.

What you definitely need for your first triathlon:

• You’ll need a road worthy bike. It doesn’t need to be the latest whiz-bang carbon creation weighing less than a peanut, but it does need to be safe. If you’re not sure, either visit your local bike shop for a service (we recommend CBD Cycles) or drop into a Tri Alliance session and we’ll have a look.
  

• You’ll need a bike helmet that meets Australian/New Zealand Standards. Check with the manufacturer of your helmet or drop into CBD Cycles for a chat.

• You’ll need some comfy togs! You’ll need a pair of bathers that you’ll be comfortable swimming, riding and running in. We seriously don’t recommend string bikinis, although they can be good for a laugh! Some people like to also have a comfortable pair of shorts waiting in the transition area for them, but remember you need to be able to pull them over your wet bathers. Join a Tri Alliance coaching clinic to learn more about what you should and shouldn’t have in your transition area.

• You’ll need a pair of goggles. You’ll need some comfortable goggles for swimming in the ocean. We recommend you practice with the same pair of goggles before your first race, just to make sure they don’t let water in or fog up. You won’t need your own swim cap for race day. SuperSprint will provide you with a colour coded cap.

• You’ll need some comfortable running shoes. Make sure they are the correct size and that you’ve worn them a few times previously - the last thing you need during a race is a big fat blister from new runners! Come on down to a Tri Alliance pre-race clinic to learn how an investment of $1 can save you loads of time getting your runners on during transition!

Click here to learn more about our FREE clinics

Open water swimming can be daunting, even for a seasoned competitor. Beginners who join Tri Alliance have the benefit of training in groups with an experienced coach (in both the pool and the ocean).

Things to remember when you’re swimming in the ocean are:

• Never, ever swim alone! Seriously, just don’t do it, it’s as simple as that.
• Know your skill level and don’t go too far out of your depth.
• One of the first things you should learn is to float on your back! If you get into trouble, flip onto your back with your head facing the beach. Wait until you catch your breath and feel comfortable enough to make your way back to shore.
• When swimming, breathe towards the beach - this stops waves crashing into your face but also makes orientation easier.
• Practice sighting. Look up every couple of strokes to make sure you’re going in the right direction - you can save yourself a lot of time and energy by going in the right direction!
• During your race, try and find your own space to swim in - you’ll avoid copping a foot in the face! The most crowded place to swim is close to the turning buoys because a lot of swimmers will be trying to turn tightly. You may want to consider giving yourself a bit more room on the turning corners.

Remember! SuperSprint always ensures that there are plenty of life guards along the swim course during every race. If you get into trouble, simply raise your hand and they’ll quickly pick you up on a board and tow you back into shore. If you’re a Brooks competitor you will still be able to complete the triathlon after being towed in - you’ll just have to wait for your wave of swimmers to complete the swim, and then you can move into your cycling leg.

For further information or enquires, please contact info@tri-alliance.com.au