Triathlon Tips for Beginners

March 25, 2024 Matthew Maidment

A Triathlon is a multi-discipline race, classically consisting of swimming, cycling, and running. Triathlon distances vary, with the shortest being known as a Sprint triathlon.

Common Triathlon Distances:

Triathlon	Swim	Bike	Run
Sprint	0.75k	20K	5K
Olympic	1.5K	40K	10K
Half-Iron	1.2 Miles	56 Miles	13.1 Miles
Iron	2.4 Miles	112 Miles	26.2 Miles

Here’s our top triathlon tips for beginners:

Get the right gear

You don’t have to spend a fortune on the best equipment; you really need to focus on getting the basics right, and finding gear that works best for you. The essentials are:

Swim suit / goggles (plus a wetsuit if you’re racing in open water)
A road worthy bike (safe & works well with inflated tyres and working brakes) / helmet
Running shoes (plus socks, shorts and t-shirt!)

Find a local training group

If you’re new to the triathlon, it may seem a bit daunting to start trying to master three different disciplines, even if you have experience with one or all of them already. Find a local triathlon group who you can train with - they’ll likely have a wealth of knowledge and experience for you to tap into. Learning from others and training with like-minded people is one of the best ways to get enjoyment on this journey you’re undertaking. British Triathlon allows you to search hundreds of clubs to find one near you: Search – British Triathlon

Get your nutrition right

Nutrition for multi-discipline endurance events can be a daunting prospect, but the gains from having a nutrition plan are massive. From short to long distance events a tried and tested nutrition plan will give you that extra confidence and belief that will make the difference on race day. This will likely require testing different strategies to get your fuelling right. Check out our Triathlon Nutrition Guide to learn more about how Active Root can fuel your swim/bike/run HERE

Practice your transitions

Make time in your training schedule to practice each transition. Mastering the transition is sometimes overlooked by beginners in Triathlon, but there’s a reason it’s often referred to as the fourth discipline. Completing a smooth transition will hugely improve your overall race. So, take our advice and get practicing!

Start small and build up

Enter local shorter triathlon distances, such as a Sprint triathlon, to build your confidence on race days. These will give you a chance to practice every aspect of the day - from preparation to fuelling and transitions. Once you’ve completed a few shorter distance events, look for longer events such as Olympic distance or even Ironman. Check out our Event page to see what Triathlon events we’re supporting: Events – Active Root