BEGINNER PROBLEMS SOLVED!

As a tri newbie it’s normal to have a few worries – but with the right planning, and advice from the pros, the only thing you should feel pre-race is excitement! Here we present the most common first-time fears and how to overcome them…

Expert tips to help overcome 24 common worries for first-time triathletes

N aked in transition. Not enough training. Unable to clip into bike shoes. And the fear of what lurks beneath. If hopping off the bike and on to the run, gives us jelly legs during a triathlon, it’s nothing compared to the collywobbles many feel prior to undertaking their first race.

There are a multitude of reasons for the heebie-jeebies and given you’ve even started reading this article suggests you might be familiar with a few of them. Even irrational fears can be very real in our minds. But the good news is that deploying clear psychological strategies can make race day far more enjoyable.

“If you already have a belief that triathlon will be hard, you’ll seek information that supports that view,” says James Lambdon, a consultant psychologist at the University of Bath. “Without previous experience, it can be difficult to challenge those beliefs, but developing high levels of confidence, control and goal-setting encourages individuals to approach difficult situations as a challenge rather than a threat.

“Training can give you the confidence that you can complete the distance,” Lambdon continues. “Be aware of what you can control going into a race, such as changing a puncture. And set goals like sighting every 12 strokes, or, as it’s your first race, simply finishing.”

Before we look at the most common fears – split into ‘Training’, ‘The Swim’ and ‘The Bike & Run’ – and how you can overcome them, take solace that you’re not the only scared soul. Those four examples at the start were not plucked from thin air, but responses from the world’s finest elite triathletes. They faced their fears and prospered, and now you can too…