How to Prepare for Success in Your First Triathlon

I first got interested in triathlon way back when I was finishing high school. That year, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced in the infamous Iron War race. They battled shoulder-to-shoulder for nearly the entire 140.3 miles of the course. Allen finally broke away near the line to win and break his losing streak at the big island. 

  

 

Stop Making Excuses

Not long after that, an Aussie named Greg Welch broke through in Kona to win, and that put triathlon on the map in a big way in Australia. Suddenly we had some of the best talent and racing in the world right on our doorstep, with multiple world champions like Emma Carney, Jackie Fairweather, Michellie Jones, Greg Welch, Brad Bevan, Miles Stewart, and Chris McCormack. 

 

"Like many, I had all kinds of delusions about what was and wasn’t needed for triathlons and kept second-guessing myself every time I signed up to do a race."

Triathlon became so popular that our domestic race series was telecast live on commercial television like other major sports events. (And it’s way more exciting than cricket, by the way.)

 

But despite following the sport, it took me years to jump in and do a triathlon myself. Like many, I had all kinds of delusions about what was and wasn’t needed for triathlons and kept second-guessing myself every time I signed up to do a race. I had all the usual excuses - work getting in the way, not having anyone to train with, and not being able to afford it.
 

So here’s my advice for the best way to get started in triathlon, or any new hobby for that matter. 

 

Join a Club

Because I start work at 6:00am when most squads train, I am forced to do the vast majority of my training solo. That’s not a bad thing, as I actually enjoy the time spent on my own, but there are days when even I don’t want to train. Having others there to talk you into the work will help you enormously.

For example, last weekend I was standing at the start line of a half-Ironman and it was just miserable. Cold, rainy, windy, and generally shitty, with a forecast for huge winds on the bike course. If I had gone to that race on my own, I wouldn’t have even started. But because I went with my girlfriend, who was determined to finish, I felt obliged. On top of that, I ran into friends who were also 100% focused on finishing no matter what. So I started - and once I was swimming everything wasn’t so bad.

"[I] actually enjoy the time spent on my own, but there are days when even I don’t want to train. Having others there to talk you into the work will help you enormously.

That kind of peer pressure is a good thing when it comes to the hard times in training. There are days I’ve been so exhausted before even riding that I’ve literally prayed to God (and I’m an atheist) that I would get hit by a car so I didn’t have to train. The fatigue can be that bad. But when you have training buddies to lean on during these times, it makes it so much easier.

 

The other aspect to joining a club is that they’ll usually be able to get you discounts for gear (more on that later) and there will be people with experience for you to learn from. 

 

You Don’t Need All That Gear

Even though you see professionals using bikes that cost as much as most people’s cars, you don’t need one of those bikes. The same goes for an aerodynamic helmet. For proof, go watch Chrissie Wellington win in Kona multiple times with a standard helmet on a Cervelo P2, which is a far cry from their top-of-the-line P3 (at the time) and current P5.
 

I’ve seen people at local events riding mountain bikes with the knobby dirt tires. The reality is that a local sprint triathlon is only a 20km ride, and if you’re just seeing if you will enjoy the sport or not, you just need a bike, any bike, and you’ll be fine. 

 

Chrissie Wellington

 

The gear you really do need makes for quite a small list:

 

1. You’ll need a bike and helmet that fits. 
2. You need running shoes. 

 

You don’t need a tri suit or a two-piece combination with shorts and a top, but you will be substantially more comfortable in them than any other gear you may want to wear. Ignore the idea of wearing a cycling top because it is also Lycra. These jerseys normally have three large pockets on the back, which will act as a parachute while you’re swimming. 

 

The same goes for most brands of compression wear. Most have a seam that runs directly through your crotch. Without wishing to be indelicate, if you’re unused to sitting on a bike seat for a period of time, you will likely already feel like you’re going to rub a hole in yourself. Don’t make that worse by adding a seam to cut you in half, too. Trust me on this. 

 

"If you’re a beginner triathlete, I will guess the swim isn’t your best leg. The extra buoyancy offered by a wetsuit is well worth the small investment to rent."

The one exception regarding equipment is a wetsuit. Many companies and shops offer rental deals now and I highly recommend you do this. If you’re a beginner triathlete, I will guess the swim isn’t your best leg. The extra buoyancy offered by a wetsuit is well worth the small investment to rent. Do not try to use a surfing or water-skiing wetsuit as an alternative. They’re a different kind of rubber, are designed differently, and will actually make swimming harder, not easier. 

 

Most wetsuits have multiple sizes that are all close to each other. Using 2XU as an example, I can fit into three different sizes, and also a fourth that fits me perfectly. Take the time to get your size right and make sure the person helping you understands the suits and how to make them fit correctly. 

 

When put on properly, a wetsuit won’t have any restriction in the shoulders or rubbing around your neck where the zipper closes. A poor-fitting suit will leave you fatigued and chafed, so don’t be shy about making sure this is absolutely correct - especially if you decide to buy, as they are a big investment. 

 

Learn to Swim

For nearly everyone who starts triathlon, and even for regular competitors, the swim is the discipline that holds the most fear. It’s easy to understand why, especially in Australia. The swims are open-water swims where you can’t see the bottom and the water can be quite cloudy. Down under, that means people worry about sharks. 

 

 

This fear is compounded during wave starts where you have a hundred or more people starting together in a small space. (An Ironman swim will have 1,800-2,000 people all starting together and it’s like being in a wet mosh pit.) This leads to jostling, occasional punches and kicks to the head, and then a panic that starts to set in. Adding fear of deadly creatures surfacing from the dark depths to eat you and the swim can really set people on edge. 

 

"It’s very different having to lift your head to sight, having to deal with waves and other people, and not being able to see the bottom"

If you’re not a confident swimmer, then the experience can be confronting even for short distances like those in sprint triathlons. So spend some time in the water prior to your race, and in open water, if you can. It’s very different having to lift your head to sight, having to deal with waves and other people, and not being able to see the bottom. I’d even suggest a few lessons from a reputable swim coach just so you develop some confidence and learn to relax when things get bumpy. 

 

This is another great part about being in a training group, as you’ll be able to join in on swim squads. These groups often work on these exact elements so that you’re relaxed swimming in close proximity to others on race day. 

 

All Are Welcome

Triathlon is one of the most open sports I’ve seen. From absolute beginner to top professional, everyone races on the same course and all are welcome. 

 

The distances for sprint triathlons are only an 800m swim, 20km ride, and 5km run. For most people, that will take between an hour to an hour and a half. If you can survive a Spin class and a short run after, then you’re fit enough to do a sprint triathlon.

The Single Secret to Becoming a Better Runner

Do you want to know the secret to becoming a better runner? Become more efficient. That’s it. Overly simplified, yes, but that is it.

An Example of Excellent Running Technique

All that training you are doing develops efficiency in one way or another. For example, those countless hours of training work to better your heart’s stroke volume, teach your body to efficiently metabolize fuel, and adapt the nervous system to fire your muscles in the most effective manner possible. The foundation for improving as a runner revolves around the idea of maximizing efficiency.

There is no better place to find excellent running technique than at the Ironman World Championships where even the tiniest inefficiencies can make or break the race. The 2014 winner for the women, Mirinda Carfrae, is arguably one of the best runners in the history of the event.

Mirinda managed to put the pedal down in the marathon to close down more than a fourteen-minute gap and bring home the victory. Her run exemplified so many aspects of excellent running mechanics. Have a look:

From the Bottom Up

When you watch Mirinda run it is smooth and with little wasted motion. You are watching someone with a kinetic chain that is totally optimized - no weak links. From her feet all the way up to her arms and shoulders, the motion flows with grace and control.

How do you get there yourself? Let’s take a look at the most important areas you can work on right away.

Feet: Ground Contact Time and Vertical Oscillation

In running, you only have one point of contact at any time, making it the primary battleground for controlling your forward momentum. Two primary factors come into play at the foot: ground contact time and vertical oscillation.

Ground contact time (GCT) is the amount of time it takes your foot to strike and lift off, and it can have a profound impact on your overall running ability. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that even a fifteen-millisecond improvement in GCT resulted in a 3% improvement overall.¹

"Considering that you want to convert as much gravitational energy into forward motion as possible, energy wasted as vertical motion can pile up in a hurry."

That may sound minuscule, but for a runner able to do 10km in forty minutes, it would result in a one-minute improvement. And for the marathon runner? It turns into seven whole minutes. That’s no laughing matter.

Vertical oscillation (VO) is the amount you bounce up and down with each step.Considering that you want to convert as much gravitational energy into forward motion as possible, energy wasted as vertical motion can pile up in a hurry.

To put numbers to it, let’s look at a 150-pound athlete running 10km. If that runner’s center of gravity rises and falls two inches with every stride, the amount of work done at the end of the race would be equivalent to raising 84 tons one foot high. If you reduce that to only one inch of VO, that number becomes 42 tons. That is a serious amount of energy savings over the course of a race.

How to Optimize GCT and VO

Start with the foot strike. There are varying opinions on what part of your foot to land on, which will be left alone for now. What matters most is striking below or just in front of your center of gravity to minimize braking, GCT, and VO.

The easiest way to ensure proper foot strike placement is to start with a good body lean. Take another look at Mirinda as she runs. What a lean! At the start of your next run try this drill to get there yourself:

1. Stand tall and lean forward, bending from the ankles. The rest of your body should be aligned (straight line from ankle to your ears).
2. Lean until you almost fall over (keeping you heels down). When you reach this point you will instinctively pick your feet up as you would to run. This is the amount of lean you want to shoot for throughout your run.

With body lean in check, adding a quick cadence (turnover) is the next step in keeping GCT and VO low. A turnover of 180-200 strikes per minute is optimal. You can measure this with a metronome app on your phone or with one of the many running watches on the market.

When increasing cadence, one area often overlooked by runners is the swing phase of the running gait (after you toe off). Instead of letting the lead foot trail out way behind the body, mindfully visualize lifting your heel to your butt. This shortens the lever arm of your trailing leg, which in turn reduces the amount of torque required to move the leg back in position for the next foot strike. In short, you save valuable energy.

Hips and Glutes: Improving Strength and Stability

Moving on up the chain is where we find a common weak link: the hips and glutes. It sounds cheesy, but with running, your hips really don’t lie.

Running is essentially a long set of alternating single-leg hops (or partial single-leg squats). If you do not have the strength in the hips and glutes to properly stabilize the motion throughout the duration of your run, you will not only be inefficient, but you will also likely find yourself injured at some point. Improving hip strength and stability needs to be high on the priority list if you want to improve as a runner.

Returning to the same study mentioned above, the researchers concluded that the inclusion of explosive strength training resulted in improved running economy both from minimizing wasted motion and from an increased ability to apply power quickly.

"Improving hip strength and stability needs to be high on the priority list if you want to improve as a runner."

For this reason, it is a great idea to include two or three workouts each week that have an element of explosive strength training. This can take the form of plyometric box jumps, single-leg hops, squats, and much more. Throw them in the mix. Your body will thank you later and you will be a much stronger, more well rounded runner.

Arms, Shoulders, and Spine: Staying Fluid and Relaxed 

From the hips up, everything should be fluid, relaxed and contributing primarily to forward motion. Any excess tension above the waist is wasted energy. At the shoulders, you want to see the shoulder blades pulled back, relaxed, and together with “heavy” low shoulders. It should feel almost like you have a heavy weight pulling down on your elbows.

The elbows should drive straight back with each stride, but rather than using extra energy to swing your arms, try letting your spine rotate fluidly, almost like you are rotating your ribcage toward the front with every stride. You will find that it will do so quiet easily with stable hips and that it will drive your arms straight forward with little extra energy.

And last but not least, keep your hands and face relaxed. A helpful visual is to pretend you’re holding a potato chip between your thumb and pointer finger and trying not to break it.

So what are you waiting for? Try it out. I bet you you’ll be a better runner when it’s all said and done.

This post is part of Macro Man's Health & Fitness blog. Follow him on Twitter!

The Role of Aerobic Exercise and Diet in Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, there is often a difference between what clients expect and what a trainer wants them to do. Many clients believe you need more exercise, whereas coaches often believe diet yields the greatest improvements. In a recent study published in PLoS ONE, researchers reviewed the literature to find the truth.


What the research says:

• Aerobic exercise alone caused significant weight loss.
• A combination of diet and exercise had best results for weight loss and related health factors.

Study Design

The research team examined past literature on the effects of diet and exercise on long-term weight loss. The studies they looked at had to be peer-reviewed. The research was also required to cover either an active weight-loss period of six months (although many were a year long) or a shorter weight-loss period with a longer follow up (most lasting two years in total).

Results

There were twenty studies total that fit the requirements noted above. Here's a summary of some of the important findings:

• Exercise and Weight Loss: The researchers found that clinically significant weight loss can be achieved through aerobic exercise alone. However, there was a greater amount of weight lost in the programs that used diet alone. Not surprisingly, diet and exercise together were the best option.

• Health Factors: One of the reviewed studies compared diet to exercise in terms of disease risk factors, and there were no apparent differences between the two plans. Similar to the weight-loss results, there was a greater magnitude of good health outcomes, such as better cholesterol scores and blood pressure, when diet and exercise were combined.

• Weight Maintenance: None of the plans resulted in great maintenance of the new bodyweight once the weight-loss period was over. When the participants stopped dieting, they couldn’t keep the weight off.

Considerations

The advice from this study is to promote diet over exercise for weight loss and to do both together for optimal results. As the researchers noted, the combination of diet and exercise has more benefit, both for weight loss and other related health effects:

The present systematic review found limited evidence to suggest better long-term weight loss and more favorable long-term changes in body composition and chronic disease risk factors when diet is combined with aerobic exercise compared with either diet or aerobic exercise alone.

 

The researchers also emphasized that there are variations for each individual. For example, if you already eat well and want to reduce fat just a little, it might actually be that more exercise, rather than fewer calories, is the way to go. If you struggle with weight maintenance, the only answer is consistency. Weight regain is a fact of life if you don’t stick to your plan.

The research team called for further studies to investigate the role of additional factors such as resistance training and supervised exercise programs.

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