Welcome to the thrilling world of triathlon! As the spring racing season approaches, the anticipation and excitement can be almost palpable, especially if you're gearing up for your very first event. Preparing for a triathlon, with its unique blend of swimming, cycling, and running, can be daunting, but with the right last-minute preparations, you can approach the start line with confidence and readiness. Whether you're worried about the swim, the bike, or the run, this post is designed to guide you through the essential steps to ensure you are as prepared as possible for your debut race. Let ..read more

Safety Tips for Open Water Swimming Safety is paramount in every aspect of triathlon training, but it takes on added significance when you transition from the pool to open water. The unpredictability of natural environments can pose unique challenges and potential hazards. This section offers essential safety tips to ensure that your early season swims are not only effective but also secure. Understanding and Monitoring Weather and Water Conditions Before setting foot (or swim fin) into open water, it's crucial to become a mini-meteorologist. Weather and water conditions can change rapidly, af ..read more

Gear Recommendations for Open Water Swims When you're transitioning to open water swimming, having the right gear is as crucial as the training itself. Not only does it enhance your performance, but it also ensures safety and comfort in the vast, chilly waters. Let's dive into the essential gear every intermediate triathlete should consider, along with a few humorous insights to keep things light! Choosing the Right Wetsuit A wetsuit isn’t just a fashion statement (though looking like a sleek sea seal has its perks); it’s a critical piece of equipment for thermal protection and buoyancy. Choos ..read more

Transitioning from the clear, calm waters of a pool to the vast and often unpredictable open water is a significant part of early season training for any triathlete. This shift requires not just a change in physical approach but also an adaptation to colder temperatures and different swimming dynamics. Let's explore how you can physically prepare to make this transition as smooth as possible. Gradual Exposure to Colder Temperatures One of the most daunting aspects of open water swimming, especially in the early season, is the lower water temperatures. To acclimate your body, start by gradually ..read more

Welcome back to the water, triathletes! As the season shifts and the chill in the air begins to thaw (although here in my neck of the woods it’s still pretty crispy!), the call of the open water becomes irresistible. For those of us passionate about triathlon, this signals an exhilarating transition—moving from the controlled environment of a pool to the dynamic, often unpredictable realms of lakes, oceans, and rivers. Embarking on early season swims isn’t just a test of physical endurance; it's a thrilling adventure that rekindles our love for the sport. Whether it’s the gentle lapping of th ..read more

What Makes a Country Good at triathlon? I will be focusing on the success of the British team and how it was achieved. It is no secret that the British triathlon is a real powerhouse when it comes to top-level triathlon competitions. I am taking a deep look at how they do it, and then I am taking a look at what the other successful tri- nation countries do, like France, Norway, and the USA. By the end, I will have identified key factors that go into that medal-winning formula. To What Extent Does Britain’s Dominance Extend? The GB triathlon team has won an impressive eight olympic gold medals ..read more

The race season is a time to prepare for racing. But how do we do that? The following are the main items that you should be focusing on during the race season: SPLIT YOUR TIME BETWEEN RACE INTENSITY AND RECOVERY The race season is the time to ensure that you are ready to race, NOT to build additional fitness. Rather, you are spending your time getting race-ready. This is called peaking. Peaking for an event is accomplished by achieving a balance between race intensity training and recovery. If your training leans more towards training at race intensity, you will fatigue quickly, fitness may ..read more

Doing things that make you dislike yourself is way too common. How many times have you done something foolish, then sat on the couch at night, binging Netflix and inhaling a tub of ice cream to eat away the guilt? Did it work? I doubt it. Most likely, you disliked yourself even more the next morning. There are a wide array of things that people do that result in a lot of personal dislike and pain later on down the road. Many have pointed at a lack of long term perspective and oversight as the culprit for this type of personal error. However, most people KNOW what they are doing. Most people KN ..read more

Compare yourself to where you were yesterday; not to where others are today. Unless you are an Olympic triathlete who is trying to be the best in the world (and even then there is truth to this rule), there is not much point comparing yourself to where others are today. The incredible thing about sport (and most things in life, actually) is that you can become better at it over time. Life is one, big opportunity for us to improve our ability to run, bike, swim, work, play, love, create - everything you do can be improved. And while the thought that you have not mastered anything in life can be ..read more

Make friends with like-minded triathletes. Many of you have heard of the idea that you are the sum of your 5 closest friends, or the 5 people you spend the most time with. This was the idea of American businessman, Jim Rohn, who believed that our lives mirror the lives of those who we spend the most time with. There is some truth to this principle. Ken Coleman, a high-profile career coach, has taken this idea from Rohn and turned it into a blueprint used to increase the number of amazing opportunities popping up into one’s life pathway. I’m going to take both of these sister principles and app ..read more