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Welcome!  Check out the training plans on the home page www.beginnertriathlete.com  Keep coming here for advice and ask questions!  We're all here for each other!

Welcome!

"Set your goals. Identify a race. Plan your training. Execute your training. Complete your race. Repeat."

I think you'll find that most of us who do triathlons are very goal-oriented, so having a goal in mind will help you focus on how to workout, what kind of gear you need, and what races you might consider. So for starters, identify what your goal is and in what time frame you want to meet your goal(s). A common goal for readers of this forum at the start of their 'career' is to simply complete a sprint-distance triathlon (generally a 0.25 to 0.5 mile swim, 10-20 mile bike, 2.5-4 mile swim). For some, they will take a comfortable 6+ months to prepare for the event, others might squeeze it into a more intense 8-10 week program. It depends on your current level of conditioning, experience and skill in the 3 disciplines, and your motivation to fit a busy training schedule into your current lifestyle.

Once you set your goal(s) you can identify the event that will realize your goal. In my area (central MD) we have races that go into early October. If this is true for you, you might consider signing up for a late-season sprint distance race and start training with the goal of completing the race at a comfortable pace. Otherwise, you might identify an early spring triathlon and spend the fall and winter building up your endurance in swimming, biking, and running. I found that going to Google and typing in "maryland triathlon" I found plenty of resources pointing me to local area races that I could sign up for. You could also post a message on this forum about local races in your area, I'm sure there are members nearby who can point you to some good local races.

Once you have a race in mind (you might even have signed up for it, this is a strong motivator!) you need to plan your training. This web site has example training plans for various race levels that provide an excellent starting point. You will probably need to start by building an aerobic endurance base for each discipline - so plan on a minimum of 2 workouts per sport per week. One of these workouts in each sport should be a 'long slow distance" workout that slowly (very slowly) increases in distance over time, without any focus on speed or high intensity. The other workout can be focused on tempo - setting a pace and holding it over a period of time. The aerobic fitness and endurance that you develop during your training will be the key to completing your first race, and it should be your primary focus as you approach your first triathlon. As endurance increases you might consider doing some 'brick' workouts, which combine 2 or 3 of the disciplines back to back in a single workout format. The most common (and effective) is the Bike-Run brick workout, in which you bike for some distance (e.g. 10 miles) followed by a run (e.g. 2.5 miles). This will train your body for the multi-sport format of triathlon racing and help you gain confidence before your first race.

With a training plan identified you can now execute your training. You do not have to stick to the plan exactly as it is laid out, but you should remain true to the ideas and concepts of the plans and pay careful attention to the milestones identified in the plan. For this, a training log is a very useful tool - and it also provides you with a little 'reward' after each workout - you can reflect on your workout as you enter it into your log. This site has a great on-line log - I have over 1 year of training data stored on it. Others use paper logs, Excel spreadsheets, or commercial books that provide a format to record workout data. Over time you can review your training and identify strengths and weaknesses in your training or just admire the work you've done!

Another suggestion, if you can find a training partner or join a group that trains together you may find it helpful. Training with others helps you through the rougher times when you might be tempted to blow off a planned workout.

Equpment and gear are always a concern when starting out in triathlon, and I'd caution you not to go buy a bunch of new gadgets and gear right away. Start with the basics; a swimsuit and goggles, a servicable bike (with water bottle cages), and a decent pair of running shoes. As you get into the sport more and more, you'll start to identify other products that will help you train and race better. It is better to select and purchase these items once you have a little better understanding of the sport and how (and why) you would use them.

You will certainly have questions, and that's the specialty of this forum, so don't be afraid to ask (also, use the search feature on the forum regularly as many of your starting out questions have likely been addressed here - for example, if you go to the search page and search on "road vs. tri bike" you'll get links to multiple threads discussing whether a road or a triathlon-specific bike is the better choice).

Good luck to you and let us know what you decide as you set your goals!