RACE YOUR FIRST TRIATHLON IN JUST 12 WEEKS!

Got your first tri planned but worried about being race ready? Here’s our ultimate plan to get you to the startline in great shape

If you’re preparing for your first triathlon, then welcome to what promises to be the ride of your life! First off, know that all triathletes, pro or amateur, have to start somewhere. So you’re not alone in not knowing if you’re doing the right training, have the right equipment or even if you’ll make it to the finish line. Luckily, this training plan will help you take that leap and toe the start line with confidence.

It’s highly likely that you’ll be coming into tri from swimming, biking or running, so you’ll already have a strong background in one of the disciplines. This is great but not essential. If you’ve no experience at all, that’s not a problem as you won’t have any bad habits or preconceptions. The training plan goal overleaf is to complete a sprint triathlon (750m swim/20km bike/5km run). If you want to make your first triathlon an Olympicdistance race, then adapt the sessions by increasing the duration/distance by approx. 30-40%. The key difference with training for an Olympic triathlon will be that you need to make the endurance sessions long enough to ensure that you have the confidence to complete the distances.

As this training plan is designed for those new to the sport and without a strong background in any one discipline, there’s an even balance of swim, bike and run training sessions relevant to racing. It’s also based at a level that’s realistic to the aspiring triathlete’s life; the majority of us have families, jobs and lives that demand our time, so fitting triathlon in can be the biggest obstacle.

The plan will also offer ways to engage your families and maybe fit into your work life, as it’s really important to try and be organised and, in turn, make your training a permanent fixture in your life. You can see if the family want to join you on parkruns, or you could take the baby stroller on your long, easy runs or use these sessions on your commute to/and from work.

The first four weeks of the plan are designed to help set a sensible workload and create some structure. The middle four weeks include more multi-discipline work and an increase in strength and duration, before the final four weeks ensure you’re ready for the race experience.