Want to know how to choose your first triathlon? If you take one thing away from this blogpost it should be this: Find a race that inspires (and maybe scares you a bit) and sign up!
Take action.
So you’re interested in doing your first triathlon. There’s a reason you’re interested. Maybe it’s to get in shape or maybe you’re challenged by the distance. If you’re like me, you may just be curious if you can accomplish a goal that you don’t know is attainable. Regardless, you’ve made it this far and my recommendation is to go for it!
Find a race that sparks your interest.
Triathlon is a great sport because there’s no standard formula to follow. You haven’t missed the boat because you’re too old or too out of shape. Everyone has a different journey to their first start line. The start line you choose will be memorable and will fuel your motivation throughout the training process (which won’t be easy). I was inspired by the mountains so I chose a race in my home state that was nicknamed “The Beast of the East” because of the mountainous terrain. It scared me, but also sparked my interest.
What is the right distance?
Triathlons come in a variety of distances, but there are four standard distances outlined below:
Clearly the time investment will be different for each of these, but don’t let distance be the ultimate deciding factor. Follow your heart and sign up for the distance that most interests you.
Keep your life in balance.
Any training cycle should ultimately be a balance of your schedule requirements and your bodily capabilities. Here we need to look in the mirror and be honest with ourselves. Athletes are committed, but race timing is something that needs to be weighed heavily when deciding a first race (or any race for that matter).
Here’s a quick example: Let’s say you’re a tax accountant and the race you’re interested in doing is May 1st. If we’re being realistic your work life will conflict with your training needs. Instead of focusing on training in the weeks leading up to your May 1st race, you’re instead focused on your busiest time of year with work! You will likely not be able to give either 100% and thus underperform in both.
Be smart about when you choose to race throughout the year.
You got this.
Be smart about your choices, but know that you can do it. The first step in any training plan is to just sign up. As you move through your triathlon journey you’ll be challenged, rewarded, broken down, and built up………….just know it’s completely worth it.