Find yourself getting bored of your weekly runs? Has your bicycle been collecting dust? If you are like me, you might discover yourself wanting to try something new in exercising or even racing. In Lakeland, close to the beach and with lakes all around, you are in a prime location to try competing in a triathlon.
For many people, the idea of swimming alone is anxiety producing, let alone swimming, cycling, and then running. Yet, once you complete your first Tri, you become hooked. So if you are ready for a new challenge, here is what you need to know to train and compete in your first Tri.
Most training plans suggest, that to train from scratch, you will need roughly 12 weeks of practice. While that is true, for your first race I suggest spending enough time training to make yourself comfortable.
To get comfortable, here is what you need to know:
🏅Learning to swim for a lot of people is the hardest part. Take it slow, learn proper swimming form and practice good breathing techniques. (YouTube can be a great help here!)
🏅Practice cycling and running back-to-back (called a “brick workout”) to get your legs ready for the strange feeling of trying to run after riding a bike.
🏅Know the rules for a Tri. This is especially important for the transition area and your cycling portion in things like rules about your helmet and passing other athletes.
🏅Enjoy the Tri community. In Lakeland, there is a dedicated group of triathletes known as the “Lakeland Landsharks”.
🏅Finally, it is important to have the right gear for competing in a Tri. Active.com has a great list of gear for beginning triathletes.
🏅There are different distances in Tri’s, from sprints to Ironman’s. Most people will start off by doing a sprint Tri, and if you get started now, you will have enough time to train for one of St. Pete’s upcoming Tri’s in April.
Getting to participate in such a feat as a triathlon with a great community around you can be quite addicting. So once you’ve tackled your first triathlon, believe me, it won’t be your last.
Aaron Ross is Assistant Professor of Theology at Southeastern University and a PhD student at the University of Birmingham (UK). He is also the senior editor of ECCLESIAM. In his spare time, Aaron (obviously) enjoys running and being an avid movie watcher.
