The Beginner’s Guide to a Triathlon

As a major sporting event that takes both physical and mental strength, the triathlon is growing in popularity with every year that passes. After all, it is hard to beat the feeling of carrying out something as gruelling as a three-part race that includes swimming, cycling and running! Here at BookitZone, we want to help any readers who are thinking about competing in their first triathlon understand what the big deal is. Read on as we go over everything you need to know…

The Swim

Depending on the type of triathlon, the swimming section can take place in a swimming pool or in a body of open water like a lake or the sea. In addition to this, participants may also set off in order of age or at the same time. Interestingly, the distance for a standard triathlon is a 1500m swim, however, this can vary depending on the type of triathlon as Ironman events involve a brutal 1900m swim!

The Cycle

During the cycling aspect of a triathlon, the road tends to be open to other traffic which means that safety is incredibly important. For example, a helmet must be worn and secured before the participants mount their bike until the end of the cycling section and cannot be removed until the bike has been racked again. The cycling distance for a standard triathlon is 40km, however this more than doubles to 90km for an ironman triathlon.

The Run

As the final part of a triathlon, the running aspect is where many participants see their energy resources drained. After all, the swimming and cycling parts are completed one after another without a break. When it comes to the run, it is important to remember than it can be on road or off-road and that your training should accommodate this. Whilst the distance for a standard triathlon involves a 10km run, an ironman triathlon involves a 42km run – the length of an entire marathon!