Our
resident running and triathlon coach, Mark Whittle, has been competing at
triathlons for over 10 years, but it seems that our other member of Vale Sports
Therapy, Delme Bennett, has got the bug too! This year Delme has completed 2
sprint triathlons of his own and has a few more pencilled into his calendar!
Watch this space for his race reports.
So
what’s a triathlon and specifically, what’s a sprint triathlon? A sprint (or
novice) triathlon is a short distance triathlon, which is ideal for the
beginner athlete, comprising of a swim, a bike and then a run (all in
succession, with no breaks!). Sprint triathlons can vary in distance, but
typically a sprint triathlon consists of a 400-750m swim, a 20km bike and a 5km
run, well within the capabilities of most active people (with some focused training).
So
what training do you need to do to complete your first triathlon? It depends on
your current fitness levels; however, you must feel comfortable about being
able to complete each discipline (swim, bike and run) on its own, before
stringing them together one after the other. So you must be happy that come
race day you have enough fitness to be able to complete the 400-750m swim
without too much trouble, be able to bike for 20km and be able to complete a
5km run without dying! As a triathlon uses many different muscles and different
energy systems, varied training is required in the three disciplines; however
with some focus most people are able to train to complete their first triathlon.
How
about equipment? For your first triathlon, you really only need the minimum of
equipment; some swim wear and goggles, basic biking gear (bike, helmet and
clothing) and running gear (trainers and clothing); and that’s it. You don’t
need to invest loads of money on your first race, I think most people probably
own the majority of the required equipment, or at least can borrow some from
friends and family to train with and use on race day.
On
the day of the race you will usually be asked to arrive nice and early to
register/check-in, at this point you’ll receive your race number (if you hadn’t
already received it in the post) and some final instructions regarding the race
itself. Now it’s time to set up your transition area, this is where you rack your
bike and lay out your cycling helmet, running trainers, etc ready to change
into when transitioning from one stage to the next stage of the race.
Now
you’ve set up your transition area, you’re ready to race! The swim is up first,
depending on the race the start will either be a mass start (everyone starts
together) or a wave start (small groups start at the same time), so make sure
you know what time your start is (it might be different from your friends start
time). Once out of the swim you’ll make your way to the transition area, here
you’ll change into your bike gear (helmet on!) and set off on the bike course
(usually very well marshalled and signposted, but make sure you have an idea of
the route before starting the race). At the end of the bike course you’ll
return to the transition area, jump off your bike, change into your running
gear and set off for the final leg of the race. This is usually the hardest
part of the race as you’ve already swam and biked for maybe up to an hour, so
you’ll be pretty fatigued before setting off on the run. No matter, you’re
nearly done, but don’t forget to smile for the camera (there’s usually a
photographer at the finish line).
That’s it, race over. You’ve just completed your
first sprint triathlon!
If
you need any triathlon coaching advice, please don’t hesitate to get in
touch with Mark or Delme via our Vale Sports Therapy website, we're more than happy to help.
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