[Guest Post by STeve Atwell, TSA Coach and Founder of Embark Triathlon Training]

– 9 January 2013.

Looking for a great way to get in shape, meet interesting people and honour those New Year’s resolutions? 

Triathlon is a multi-discipline sport that consists of swimming, biking and running. Although it’s a fairly newish sport and only introduced to the Olympics in 2000, it is the fastest growing sport in the world. This is no exception for South Africa either, as the Spec Savers Ironman 70.3 in Buffalo City, East London, had to close its online entries early in November as they had had over 4000 entries. This makes this half ironman the biggest one in the world, and one of the toughest!

The Half Ironman is a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike and a 21.1km run, all back to back. The Olympic distance (or standard distance) triathlon is half of that (1500m/40km/10kms), and the sprint race is again half of that (800m/20kms/5kms).The sprint race is where the majority of beginners and new to the sport will enter the exciting world of tri.

Don’t be fooled that you are the only beginner out there; as more than 75% of the athletes are newbies.

The races are fun, challenging and exciting!

Triathlons take place both on and off road. The swim is done in open water, so the sea, a dam, a river etc. Definitely try to practice a few times in the open water before the race, as it’s a completely different experience to swimming in the pool.  The ride will either be on road (road bike and time trial bikes) or off road (mountain bikes only).  The run can be any combination of road running, trail running, beach sections and anything evil that the race directors deem fit!

Training for triathlon is very diverse. One day you will swim the next day run and the following day ride. The cross training that triathlon provides stands you in good stead for single discipline races too! Triathletes find that when their swimming is good it has a very positive effect on both cycling and running.

Swimming takes the most time proficiency wise, as it’s the most technical of the 3 disciplines. Cycling is the most gruelling as it’s always the largest component of a triathlon and it tires you out for the run. But don’t neglect the run! It’s the last test of the triathlon. Practice ‘running off the bike’ (a term used to describe the transition between the cycle and the run) as you will have jelly legs when trying to start running!

Because of the amount of training that you do for triathlon you WILL get a great body!

The longer slower sessions are fat burning sessions and the cycling and running will give you a great pair of legs. The swimming works your upper body and abs, and gives you an all- round athletic build. Many people have had life changing experiences during the metamorphous into a triathlete.   

Try to join a local triathlon club and get some guidance from the more experienced athletes, or you could get a coach or join a coached program.  Information on triathlon clubs can be found on Triathlon South Africa’s web page www.triathlonsa.co.za

 

STeve Attwell is a TSA accredited triathlon coach. He has competed at both the World Triathlon Champs and Duathlon Champs. Steve is Chairman of ATC Multisport, a Cape Town based multisport club, which is now South Africa’s largest multisport club.  

Realising that multisport can be an intimidating sport for beginners; STeve set up ‘Embark Tri’ in 2010, specifically to coach and mentor beginner athletes, giving them the confidence and expertise to become capable athletes. Embark Tri is aimed at specific events like 70.3 Half Ironman and African X and also provides group coaching for the big half marathons.

 

To get involved, check out www.embark.co.za

 

 

 

 

 

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