3. Choose your first triathlon cautiously.
After watching the Hawaii IRONMAN on television, it's tempting to want to jump all in, making your first big race goal a full IRONMAN. There are a dizzying number of IRONMAN-length races now in the world to enter, but here's the deal: IRONMANs are, in fact, ultra-endurance events. It takes the world's best around 8 to 9 hours to complete, and for most triathletes, it takes 10, 11, 14 or 17 hours to complete. Because of this magnitude, Olympic-distance and sprint distance races weirdly get short shrift. They shouldn't: An Olympic-distance race for elites ranges from the 1:45 to 2-hour mark, not too far shy of what it takes the world's best runners to complete a marathon. Add an hour or so for the bulk of age-groupers. Hence, Olympic-distance races are long. Finishing one is a great achievement for beginners. Plus it has the advantage of not beating you all to hell--you can still go out and enjoy a nice lunch after an Olympic event. IRONMANs? For at least 24 hours after an IRONMAN, it's not uncommon to have difficulty eating, sleeping and feeling like a human being.
Sprint triathlons are really a great choice for the beginning triathlete. Targeting a sprint triathlon as a goal race and then knocking out several months of solid training will make for a sweet experience. Then it's time to talk with your coach about the next goal. One thing to keep in mind? Everyone always seems to be compelled by the idea that the longer the race, the more challenging the race, but there's something magical about getting faster at the shorter distances. There's a lot to be said: Take a look at the 400 or 800-meter runner in track and field and compare how he or she looks to the marathoner group. Would anyone say that a world champion 800-meter runner is less fit than a marathoner? They might, but they'd be wrong. It's a different brand of fitness, for sure. And there's a lot to be drawn into when it comes to the power and speed training that chasing short-distance PRs requires.
More: How to Choose a Beginner-Friendly Triathlon Training Program
4. Work on your weaknesses--particularly the swim.
The most dangerous mistake a beginner can make is to avoid the swim training part of the program because he or she isn't very good at it. Unfortunately, the only times triathlon ever makes the front page of a newspaper is when there's a death, and usually this is a heart attack that occurs in the swim with an under-trained and under-experienced triathlete. If you're weak at swimming and/or have little or no experience swimming in open water, it's a must that you train thoroughly for the opening leg. If you get tired on the bike, you slow down, if you get tired on the run, you can walk, or even drop out, but in the chaos and intensity of the swim, the options become muted. This is where joining a local triathlon club and working with a coach can be your best insurance policy. Get a training plan, do the work, talk with the coach and experienced tri-geeks, and cover your bases. Whatever you do, don't forego swim training because it's a hassle to get to the pool. Make it a priority.
5. Don't train alone.
We just mentioned this, but it's another bullet point. Doing the lone wolf thing in triathlon has that "Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" vibe but triathlon is about 50 times more fun when you join a team. Rather than being intimidated by the hot shots when you join a club, usually the experience is the reverse: The group dynamic and supportive community help deflate the intimidation fears and it's a lot harder to wimp out and skip workouts when you're accountable to the clan. Also, teams usually target races in the local area or offer destination races. Again, this gives you access to the knowledge of the experienced folk in the tri club and will make those race trips a lot less nerve-wracking. It's also a lot more fun to hang out after a race when you've got a bunch of people to swap stories with--stories that will drive your spouse or co-worker into glazed over states of boredom. But with your fellow tri-geeks, all pumped up on endorphins, commiserating over the race details will be one of the best parts of the day.
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