Congrats, you’ve decided to tackle your first triathlon! What do you need to know to cross the finish line and feel good about your performance?
Seasoned race vets know what to expect, but even those with a dozen Ironmans under their belt benefit from other people’s knowledge. Newbies have tons of questions, from selecting the right training routine to deciding what race to enter and what to expect on the big day. We have the answers to your “my first triathlon” questions.
Your Training Routine
Triathlons consist of running, biking, and swimming, meaning you’ll need a varied training routine to hone your skills in each. Over the years, top athletic trainers have suggested workouts to get you to race day.
What Is the Ideal Triathlon Training Routine?
You should begin training for your triathlon at least 12 weeks before the event, although you might start gentle conditioning earlier, especially if you’ve historically led a sedentary lifestyle. You’ll need to dedicate two to three days per week to running, biking, and swimming, meaning you’ll stack some of your workouts.
For example, you can begin by running, swimming, and biking two days per week each. However, by week three or four, you should start adding a short run after one of your bike rides to simulate race day. You can also stack a bike ride after a swim. On other days, you’ll simply perform one activity to avoid overtraining and prevent overuse injuries.
