How to choose your first triathlon race
So you have decided to go for a triathlon? Or you are still in doubt if it is something for you? Subscribing to your first triathlon is a decision that you will not take lightly; it is extremely exciting and exhilarating at the same time. Before hitting that subscription button, you most probably wonder which triathlon course would be suitable for you. As all of them are different, all of them have their unique challenges.
There are five key factors that you have to take in mind when deciding which triathlon race you will choose. These factors are: 1) hosting organization, 2) terrain, 3) location, and 4) timing, and 5) weather conditions. With these parameters it will be easier to decide which course you want to go for.
I would not advocate taking the easiest race as a beginner. You can challenge yourself and search for your physical and mental boundaries. But I would like to stress out that it is wise to pick a race that lies within your capabilities, within the time that is given to you. Looking for some extra inspiration and motivation? Here it is.
Key considerations to guide your choice
1. Hosting organization
There are different organizations that host triathlon events. The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a sports event promotion company that produces the most well-known events: the Ironman and the Ironman 70.3. My experience is that these Ironman events are being facilitated perfectly and create an atmosphere that is unlike others. However, it is costly.
There are numerous other organizations that host several distances, ranging from a sprint to a full marathon. Perfectly organized, suitable for everyone, often to lower costs.
But regardless of the facilitation, some people just want to experience the Ironman. And nothing else. If so, you just excluded lots of other opportunities that could be suitable for your first race. However, I have to admit, an Ironman is something special.
2. Terrain
When choosing your first triathlon, another variable is the terrain of the course. For the bike element, it makes a huge difference when you need to continuously climb and descend, as opposed to riding on a flat course.
Being a mountain goat, you might choose the Ironman Los Cabos in Mexico offers several types of climbs across the 180 km course and 6,000 ft. of elevation gain. But as a novice, you might prefer a flatter terrain. Flat does not necessarily mean easier, as for example Ironman Lanzarote has major crosswinds coming from on the island.
Besides the bike course, the swim ‘terrain’ is another important factor. There are triathlons in the open rough seas or in the freezing cold waters of the Nordics. As well as there are competitions in cozy warm lakes and calm canals. It’s up to you to decide how challenging you want to have it. My blog about when to start with swim training as beginner might help you as well.
3. Location
Competing in a triathlon is quite tough, so consider how difficult the start line will be to get to in the first place. For those competing for the first time, make it comfortable for yourself with regards to logistics.
My first triathlon was the Ironman 70.3 Barcelona, I joined with a friend. We traveled by plane, shipped our bikes, and put most of our gear in the same box as our bike (rookie mistake). We waited for hours at Barcelona airport but my friend’s luggage did not arrive. Hence, stress started to overtake our already anxious mind. Next day, we needed to buy and hire every single piece of equipment for him, to be able to start. We managed, we finished, but I have done things differently ever since.
Bottom line: take as much control over the days leading up to your race as you can – trust me, you’ll want this. Stay fairly close to home, on driving distance.
4. Timing
Most certainly as a novice, most people will need a significant amount of time involved in the preparation of a triathlon. For a full triathlon / Ironman, typically you need to take from six up to nine months of training. If you want to know more about setting up a training schedule, please read this blog.
Considering that 6-9 months timeline, the race date will dictate when you will need to start. Consequently, when you have your base, build and peak training segments. With that in mind, you can start to think in which season you will train with the biggest workout volumes. Is that desirable, and can that be combined with your private life? Is this season similar to the conditions of the race day?
5. Weather conditions
Talking about the race day, it is wise to consider the generic weather conditions. Will you compete at a warm location around the Mediterranean Sea? Check the temperature of the water around race day, possibility is that you are not allowed to wear a swimsuit. For beginning swimmers, that is quite a big disadvantage as you would miss boyance.
Hotter conditions also may ask for additional supplements that one can take. When you are sweating heavily, this could cause the muscles to cramp. The intake of magnesium could be a solution. Hence, training in these conditions and with these supplements are definitely required. Free advice: never try anything during the race that you did not train for or with.
Try to pick a race that will give you enough time to train outdoors on similar course conditions.
What are beginner-friendly triathlon races?
Some courses are more suited to a first-timer, with two-lap lake swims, gently rolling bike courses, flat marathon runs. And do not forget about the crowd that can cheer you up. Here are some races with these characteristics. By the way, if you are keen to know why the sequence of swim, bike, run, is the way it is, read this.
Challenge Roth (Germany)
Is the jewel in the Challenge crown and is, quite simply, unlike any other triathlon experience thanks to the raucous crowd of 250,000 hollering support from the 6.30am gun until the 11pm firework display.
It’s also a race course with plenty of beginner friendliness, with a one lap swim in the calm Main-Donau Kanal, a rolling (but far from flat) bike through northern Bavaria and a flat riverside marathon run.
The Outlaw (UK)
The swim is one large lap, which is in the rowing lake right to the end and back. The bike course is a flat-ish 180km. It’s more rolling than anything else and a good average speed can be met quite easily. The course is three laps (one and three are the same), making it easy to mentally divide up. The feed stations are long, which makes it easier to grab nutrition en route, and the support is excellent. The run is a flat and well-supported route
Ironman Tallinn (Estonia)
Known as a super-fast course, Ironman Tallinn takes you through one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. The swimming takes place in the Lake of Harku and offers a two-lap course that also features an Australian exit (short 5-10m run between each lap).
The bike offers a rolling course of two laps around southern cities and finishes at Seaplane Harbor. A total elevation of around 660m makes it easier enough for the first-timer. The run course is semi-flat with a total elevation of 460 m.
What are brutal triathlon races?
Ironman Lanzarote (Spain)
The race takes place at Playa Grande, Puerto del Carmen, and is notorious for the strong winds. The swim heads out for two laps of the ocean and can be somewhat rough at times.
While the bike tackles a whopping 2,500m of climbing and with the strong winds, for most it will become a day of survival. Although the run course is relatively flat along the seafront of Puerto del Carmen, the fatigue from the bike and the heat plays a role in making the final run extremely tough for most.
Norseman (Norway)
Norseman was first held in 2003. It is one of the toughest full triathlons out there. The athletes start the swim from the loading bay of a car ferry, through the ice cold (10 degrees Celsius in 2015) Norwegian water of the Hardanger fjord.
The athletes cycle 180 km through the mountains, the first 40 km of which is uphill (reaching 1200 m above sea level), in total 3.800 elevation meters. Then the competitors run 42.2 km of which the first 25 km are flat and following this they end up climbing the local mountain Gaustatoppen, 1,880 m above sea level, in total 1.432 meters elevation. Heavy, but epic.
Ironman Kona (Hawaii)
The legendary Kona Ironman, or widely known as the Ironman World Championships, is brutal. Even though this event doesn’t have the hardest course, the weather conditions play a massive role in the outcome of the race. Hot temperatures out on the lava fields and strong winds usually put athletes to the test, while the mental stress of competing in a World Championships often takes its toll on athletes too.
If you need more inspiration, check out these triathlon specific movies and documentaries. They will get you in the right mood!
