Janney and the Y Tri

Held annually, the race is one of the longest-running triathlons in Pittsburgh. Community members, families, and teams from near and far gather every year to participate in this premier community sporting event. We are excited to welcome you to another amazing year filled with exciting additions, sponsors, giveaways, and more!

DIVE IN! 700 LONG COURSE METER POOL SWIM

Start your race in the beautiful and scenic North Park Swimming Pool. Your laps will be counted by our amazing volunteers and your personal cheerleaders dedicated to making sure you are at your best! Complete 700 meters in the pool, equivalent to 14 laps, then head to the transition area to grab your bike and go!

LET'S RIDE! 12-MILE BIKE

Head to the transition area to grab your waiting bike and head to the road for a 12-mile, 5-loop trek through parts of North Park sectioned off for the race. The challenge of this leg is the various uphill points and changes in elevation. With friends, family, and others cheering you on, this is where you kick it into gear!

HIT THE TRAIL! 3.1 MILE RUN

Through the large overarching trees of North Park, you will run the trails around the entire bike course on our trail path. This beautiful and fun end of the course is the perfect way to end for a well-deserved pat on the back and refreshments and entertainment at the Triathlon Festival. Congratulations!

2024 INFO

ROSTER TRI INSTRUCTIONS TRI RECORDS

MAP TRANSITIONS COURSE MAP

REGISTRATION

Registration will close on Wednesday, July 17. After that date, no entries will be accepted.

Note that once online entry closes, on July 17, the race is closed.

JOIN THE RACE
In-person walkthrough 4PM on Sunday, July 7 at the pool (race site)

For all those who are interested. We will be reviewing the entire course, including reviewing how the swim will be conducted, cycling one loop of the course, and running the entire 5K Trail Run (very slowly). There is no fee. Swim and Bike are somewhat weather permitting. If no thunder or lightning we will run the course. Hope to see you there.

PACKET PICKUP/ATHLETE MEETING

Athletes may pick up their race packet Saturday, July 20, from approximately Noon (when the Kids Triathlon awards end) to 3PM at the race site (North Park Swimming Pool, South Ridge Rd, Allison Park, PA 15101). Goody bags and race chips will be given out at this time, as well as body marking done.

There will be an athlete briefing beginning at 2PM on Saturday at that same place as packet pick up.

Athletes may also pick up their race packet/have body marking done on race morning.

Race Results – www.runhigh.com

Previous years' results may also be found here. Race has always taken place in July/August. The name does change somewhat from year to year, with either ‘North Park’ or ‘Janney’ in the name.

This race is a sanctioned USAT race.

An Excel spreadsheet will be sent to all athletes on Thursday, July 18 with everyone’s start time.

Nitty Gritty Details About How the Race Will be Run

Start Time – Sunday, July 21, 2024 – 7:30AM

TEAMS

The swimmer must run into the transition area and transfer the chip to the cyclist at their respective place on the bike rack. Like the individual triathletes, the biker may not mount his/her bike until the BIKE MOUNT at the beginning of the bike course. Also, like the individual triathletes, the cyclist will have to dismount his/her bike at the BIKE DISMOUNT at the end of the bike course. The cyclist will run his/her bike back to their respective place on the bike rack, and transfer the chip to the runner, who may then proceed. All team members must have their arms numbered. The plan is to start the Team awards as soon as all the teams have finished.

AQUABIKE ATHLETES

You will complete the swim and bike portions of the race the same as the Triathlon athletes. You will finish when you go over the Bike Finish timing mat.

The pool area will open around 6AM

You may use the bathrooms/locker rooms in the pool area, located in the building area near the shallow part of the pool.

Swimming warm-up will begin around 7AM (shallow lanes will remain open throughout the event for those in later heats to warm up)

This race starts at 7:30AM

USA Triathlon asks that all sanctioned races use the athlete’s age as of the end of the year. We are in compliance. Your age for this race is your age as of December 31, 2024.

Thank you for registering for the 2024 Janney and the Y North Park Triathlon. We are allowing athletes to pick up their race bag, chip, and get body marked the afternoon of Saturday, July 20. This will occur as soon as possible after the awards for the Kids Triathlon Youth Race, which should conclude sometime around Noon, and remain open until 3:00PM. This will take place under the tents, which will be located near the transition. We encourage athletes to take advantage of this Saturday registration option. Anyone who does pick up their stuff and get body marked on Saturday will have no need to go through registration on Sunday. In other words, get your stuff and get body marked on Saturday, show up on Sunday and simply race. However, let me warn you that if you forget to bring your chip on Sunday (race day), you will be accessed a charge of $35. If you pick up a chip on Saturday, no matter what happens, it is your responsibility to get it back to the race on Sunday even if you decide not to race. No exceptions! In simple language – DON’T FORGET YOUR CHIP ON SUNDAY.

Same as last year – We will be having an Athlete Briefing at 2:00PM on Saturday at the same place at packet pickup. Generally speaking it will cover the same things we covered in the walkthrough.

SUNDAY PARKING – You may park in the large pool parking lot but very few people do that as you will be tried the entire time the race is going on. Best to park on the other side of Hemlock where we will have people assisting with parking. It’s a large area, with ball fields, and should be able to accommodate everyone’s vehicle. New this year – ‘Finish Line Parking’ that should accommodate about 25 cars. Please check out the Parking attachment that was sent.

TRANSITION – Only athletes are to be in transition. We understand that athletes will be setting up throughout the event, but no spectators will be allowed in transition. We also ask that athletes be considerate to other athletes that are racing. While the race is running, if you do enter transition, please do so carefully and quickly – hold any conversations with others outside of transition.

TRANSITION/SPECTATORS – Yes, I am repeating myself. Spectators are persona non grata in the transition area. I know it looks tempting to talk to your buddy at their bike about the race but non-athletes are NOT allowed in transition and will be asked to leave. Anyone in transition who does not need to be there is in the way of other athletes competing and is being discourteous.

ACCESSING THE POOL AREA – New this year. We expect there to now be 4 ways to access the pool area.

Front Door/Main entrance - We expect this to be open sometime between 6:00AM – 7:00AM. The doors may not be completely open as the pool staff have to ensure that the general public to not enter. However it is permissible for athletes/spectators to use this entrance.

Looking at main pool entrance, gate to left in the grass - We expect this to be open sometime between 6:00AM – 7:00AM. Very useful for spectators going quickly from pool area to hot corner of bike.

Side gate to the pool area – This should be opened at 5:00AM. Feel free to use this early morning to access pool bathrooms. This is also the how racing athletes will exit the pool area to access here will be somewhat narrow.

Looking at pool from transition, left corner of bleachers – We expect this to be open sometime between 6:00AM – 7:00AM . This is an entrance we are planning on using for the first time. The entrance takes one into the bleachers but then it is possible to access the pool deck. To not cause congestion at the side entrance, please consider using this entrance.

SEEDING – We were very happy with the change in seeding/age groups/heats last year and we will continue to do this. We are randomly (although see below) picking which age groups will start in which heats and then place all competitors from an age group together in that heat. [ Note, Elites are first heat, Aquabike and Teams are in second heat. ]. In other words, all your competitors from within your age group will be starting in the same heat as you. There will be no long wait for awards this year. How? We are not having an awards ceremony (except for the Elites). See below.

As this is the second year of this new way of seeding, I want to ensure that I was as fair as possible. No age group that was in the last two waves last year is in the last two waves this year. No age group that was in the first two heats last year is in the first two heats, except for the elites, Aquabike, and teams. Although not perfect, generally speaking I thought I was successful in moving the age groups that started late last year to an early start time this year, and vice versa. I hope you agree.

AWARDS/FINISH LINE (EXCLUDING ELITES/AQUABIKE) –Same as last year. Awards will be given at the finish line. Once you finish we will use your chip# to determine if you won an award and if so, we will give you the award at the finish. Remember to keep your chip until you have spoken to the finish line crew. After speaking to them we will of course be collecting the chips. Once through the area where awards are given out, you are free to enjoy some refreshments and at your leisure gather your things at transition and be on your way.

AQUABIKE AWARDS/FINISH LINE – Same set-up as the Triathlon finishers except for you, we will have a table at the Aquabike Finish/Bike Finish Timing Mat). We will be giving out the Aquabike Awards very close to the point you finish. There will be a sign (‘Aquabike Finish’) that you should look for.

ELITE AWARDS CEREMONY/FINISH LINE – This will take place at 9:30AM at the registration area. Elites, please be there. We will not be hunting you down as we did last year. As soon as we have results from our timer for the elites we will get started. Remember, 9:30AM.

RESULTS – Results can be found at: www.runhigh.com

BIKE SUPPORT – Pro Bike Run will be on hand for bike support before the race.

BODY MARKING – Race# on both arms and age on right calf.

WARMING UP BEFORE THE RACE – For those of you racing in the later heats and wanting to warm up before the race, please stay off the bike and run courses while the race is going on.

Pool area will open around 6:00AM

Bathrooms and showers are located in the pool building.

Swimming warm-up will begin around 7:00AM (shallow lanes will remain open throughout the event for those in later heats to warm-up)

This race starts at 7:30AM

SWIMMINING INFORMATION

SWIM COURSE – Same as last year, we will have to swim on both sides of the obstacle course. Again we will be using 12 lanes. There will be small cones identifying the lanes. Swimmers will circle swim; stay on the right side of the lane and pass in the middle of the lane.

The swim portion of the race will be conducted in 12 lanes of the pool. Lane 1 will be in the deepest water and lane 12 will be nearest the shallow end. 48 people will begin with each wave, 4 people in each lane. The people with lower race numbers will be in the deeper lanes (i.e. the lower number lanes). In other words, race numbers 1-4 will begin in lane one, 5-8 will begin in lane two, and so on. In the second heat, race numbers 49-52 will begin in lane one, 53-56 will begin in lane 2, and so on. Two people will begin on each end of the lane, with even numbers beginning nearer the transition, and odd numbers on the other side. All swimmers must begin in the water. You are not allowed to dive. Between the two people starting in the same lane, the same side, the faster swimmer should lead. If unsure of who is faster, the person with the lower race number should lead. While swimming, it is extremely important that you swim on the right-hand side of the lane. In other words, you will be swimming circles in the lane. If you need to pass, you will pass to the left, or in the center of the lane. When exiting the water, the odd numbers will run left, around the pool, and run to the transition. To offset the advantage that the even numbers have, they will have to exit the water to the RIGHT, run around a cone that will be positioned on the concrete near the deep end of the pool, and then run to the transition area.

The waves will begin on 25 MINUTE intervals. Therefore, race numbers 1-48 will begin when the clock reads 0:00, race numbers 49-96 will begin when the clock reads 25:00, and so on. If you fail to complete the 700 meters in the allotted 25 minutes, you will be asked to get out of the pool and finish your swim in the ‘slow swimmer lane’. As long as you can finish your 700-meter swim, you will not be disqualified regardless of your time. The distance of the swim is 700 meters, i.e 14 lengths, i.e. 7 laps, i.e. seven ‘up and backs’. You will enter the transition from the ‘back’, on the side near the pool. As we have done in the past years there will be a Slow Swimmer Lane. We welcome all athletes to our race and are aware that some are ‘aquatically challenged’. Therefore, we will set aside a lane for these slower swimmers to finish their swims so as not to impede the progress of the next heat.

If a swimmer arrives back at the wall they began in, without completing the entire swim, in over 21:00, the swimmer will be asked to exit their lane and move to the Slow Swimmer Lane. In that lane, they will finish their swim. Note that the Slow Swimmer Lane will not be utilized during the last heat. No athlete will be disqualified from the race due to how long it takes them to complete the swim. While swim caps will be available at check-in we encourage all athletes to bring their own swim caps. Besides trying not to waste swim caps, the different swim cap (colors) brought by athletes helps the lap counters keep track.

As we have done in past years there will be a Slow Swimmer Lane. We welcome all athletes to our race and are aware that some are ‘aquatically challenged’. Therefore, we will set aside a lane for these slower swimmers to finish their swims so as not to impede the progress of the next heat. If a swimmer arrives back at the wall they began in, without completing the entire swim, in over 21:00, the swimmer will be asked to exit their lane and move to the Slow Swimmer Lane. In that lane they will finish their swim. Note that the Slow Swimmer Lane will not be utilized during the last heat. No athlete will be disqualified from the race due to how long it takes them to complete the swim.

There is a gate that the athletes will pass through when moving from the swim portion of the event into transition. We will set up two ‘paths’ through this gate; one for competing athletes and one for spectators. Be careful not to get in the athlete's way if walking through this area. Also keep in mind that there is another gate to the pool area, located near the pool building. If looking at the front of the building, from outside the pool area, this gate would be to the left of the building.

SWIM CAPS - Regarding swim caps, we are going to do what we’ve done in previous years. As in other years, we will have swim caps available for the athletes to wear in the swim. However, we want to encourage athletes to bring their own swim caps from any previous race that they have done be it an Ironman, World/National Champs, a faraway triathlon, swim team, or any other race you may have done. We think it will make for a colorful and interesting scene at the water and may actually help the lap counters distinguish the athletes. Another reason is that I have thrown out/never used so many swim caps after wearing them once in a race it just seems so wasteful. If you are like me and want to get rid of some caps, bring them to packet pickup and we can use them to give out to others.

WETSUITS – The cutoff for wetsuits is 78 Doubtful wetsuits will be allowed for the race but since it is possible make sure you bring yours to the race. You never know. On race day, as soon as I measure the water temperature I will let all volunteers at transition and registration know if wetsuits are legal One of those people should be able to tell you that info when you arrive.

BIKING INFORMATION

BIKE COURSE – Road surface is still good. Still an area of concern is the place where you turn left off Hemlock to begin the climb. You’ll have some speed at that point and unfortunately the road surface could be better, especially between the yellow lines. Although, the fix that was implemented last year has ‘settled’ a little bit and in my opinion is somewhat better than last year. If possible, preview this turn before the race. Good News – the construction in the Kiddie pool is complete and we are back to having three lanes to bike in around the area of the finish area. Because of a change for parking, essentially you will have three lanes to bike in before the fast left run onto Hemlock. Timing mat remains at the hill so you will only cross it 4 times. This change really helped with the verification of people’s bike loops.

The bike course will consist of approximately 4 3/4 circuits. Each circuit will begin on the four-lane road near the transition area. It will begin first by heading away from the pool. The bikers will bike on the connector heading toward Pie Traynor field. Then, the bikers will complete the 1.4-mile South Ridge loop. The cyclists will then veer right onto the connector, then right again onto the four-lane road. If on one of the first four circuits, the bikers will follow this road to the stop sign. If on the fifth and last circuit, the bikers will follow this road until seeing markings to bear left. There will be a marking (A bright star made of duct tape) on the road just before they veer off. On the fifth circuit, the bikers will bear left, and follow the cones to the transition area to finish the bike portion, keeping the playground next to them on their left. If on one of the first four circuits, the bikers will turn left at the stop sign onto Hemlock road. On Hemlock road, the bikers will actually be biking on the wrong side of the road from the stop sign until the next (left) turn. This left will take them back onto the four-lane road. The bikers will bike straight, and uphill until passing the start/end point for the circuit, then veer right onto the connector to begin the next circuit. Please ensure that you pass over a timing chip located on the bike circuits, about 100 meters before the race/run finish. These will be analyzed after the race to ensure that everyone has done the correct about of loops. If for some reason you don’t go over the mat or your chip doesn’t register, don’t stress as we will be able to figure that out based on other readings.

Each biking circuit is approximately 2 1/2 miles. Familiarize yourself with this course before the race. Know exactly where you are going. Know exactly when you will be turning off the circuit on the fifth loop.

You must walk/run your bike in the transition area. You are NOT allowed to mount your bike until the ‘BIKE MOUNT’ sign. Also, you MUST dismount your bike at the ‘BIKE DISMOUNT’ sign on the road. Ignoring this may be grounds for disqualification or a time penalty.

You may NOT draft on the bike.

Anyone not completing at least 5 loops (4 ¾ loops) on the bike will be disqualified.

Bikers must avoid the far-right lane from the point they enter the four-lane road after the 1.4-mile loop, until the stop sign at Hemlock Road. There will be runners finishing in this lane.

BIKE HELMETS MUST BE WORN

CHIN STRAPS MUST BE FASTENED

When you put your helmet on, make sure you fasten the chin strap.

RUNNING INFORMATION

RUN COURSE – We have been asked by Allegheny County not to use any markings such as paint or chalk. So, the run course will be marked with orange and yellow (and possibly other color) circular disks, as well as caution tape and people on the course to direct you. As of the sending of this email all downed trees have been addressed on the course. If we hear of any between when you read this and the race we will also address those. In my opinion the course is fairrly normal. As most of you know there are rocky sections, so please be careful when running. My advice, don’t wear dark shades on the run course, limit conversations with others, lift your feet, and keep you head down and pay attention to the course. Falls do happen on this run course (including me on a training run back in May ).

The run portion will start in the same direction as the bike portion, with the run course beginning by bearing slightly to the right of the beginning of the bike course. Just before entering the grass/woods, runners will have to cross the path of the bikers. Please be careful and if in doubt, the runner should give up the right of way to the biker. Except for the beginning and end of the run portion, the runners will be running on trails. The run portion will end on the four-lane road, on the other side of the pool from the transition area. The runners will be fed onto this four-lane road and they will finish in the far right lane. Once completed with the race, please be careful when crossing the path of the bikers. The course will be primarily marked with plastic disks/cones. There will also be people on the course to guide you, and there will be a water stop.

MAPS

RACE MAP

TRANSITION

Due to the race being run in the heat, the transition will remain open all morning. Only athletes will be allowed into transition. Once the race begins we ask that athletes do what they need to in transition as quickly as possible and be respectful of other athletes that are racing. Also, once the race begins only competing athletes will be allowed to bike on the course.

LOOPS ON BIKE

The bike course consists of five loops in which the fifth loop is a little shorter as athletes as directed to the transition. In previous years we had a timing mat set up close to the race finish which we tried to funnel bikers too. This year the mat will be moved to the last part of the loop, about halfway up the hill. Also, this year we will have a ‘forced funnel’ that will ensure that bikers will go over the mat.

Even with our best efforts, there will be situations in which our results will not count as a loop on the bike or situations in which an athlete does not complete five loops (go over the mat four times). At the finish of the race, unless the athlete tells us differently, we will assume that the athlete did five loops. In previous years, before the race results were sent to USAT, we analyzed the results and removed anyone who we felt did not complete five loops. That will happen again, as well as righting any wrongs in the way awards were handed out at the finish.

Note that in our analysis we have all athletes’ times, including bike start, loop splits, and bike finish. This allows us to determine if an athlete did, in fact, cross the mat but it was simply not recorded.

SWIM WARM UP

Swim warm-up will be permitted in the area between where the race is contested and the shallow area. The race will be contested in the lanes in the deepest area of the pool.

TIMING MATS

This year we will be adding a timing mat to the end of the bike. This means that the following mats will be on the course:

Bike Start
Bike Loop Counter
Bike Finish (For Aquabike athletes this will be the Race Finish)
Run Start
Run/Race Finish

HEATS/AGE GROUPS/AWARDS

Athletes competing for prize money (Open and masters) will compete in the Elite wave and will only be eligible for prize money and not age group awards. All other athletes will only be competing for age group awards.

We will be giving out awards to age group/Team athletes as they cross the finish line. This applies to both the Triathlon and the Aquabike. To facilitate this, we will be grouping all athletes for each age group into the same wave. Not sure which age groups will start in which wave; we will let the numbers determine that, as well as being fair in regard to which age groups started where last year. As athletes cross the finish line, they will be asked to be patient for a minute or two while we check our lists and determine if they finished in the top three in the age group. If so, they will receive their award at the finish line.

Because of how age group/team awards will be given out, there will be no age group/team awards ceremony.

However, the WILL be an Elite Athlete Awards Ceremony at 9:30AM. Elite Athlete award winners must be present at the Registration Area at that time.

AWARDS & AGE GROUPS

Prize purse for the Elite athletes:
(M/W)

Overall Elite
1st - $600
2nd - $400
3rd - $200

Masters Elite
1st - $300

A $125 bonus will be paid for breaking the course records below:

Male – 55:29
Female - 1:05:17

The age groups are as follows for Individual Triathlon
(M/W)

Overall – 5 award
Masters (40+) 1 award

Age groups: 3 awards

14 and under
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75 and over

The age groups are as follows for Aquabike
(M/W)

Age groups: 1 award
14 and under
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75 and over

The divisions for Teams:
1 award per category

Male (M)
Female (F)
Mixed (X)

NORTH HILLS YMCA/BAIERL FAMILY YMCA/Janney and the Y NORTH PARK TRIATHLON

Established 1997

COURSE RECORDS

(individuals only, no teams)

Category	Men	Woman
Total	55:29	1:05:17
	John Reed, 2022	Beth Shutt, 2012
Swim	8:59	10:07
	Eric Limkemann,2004	Kathleen O’Dell, 1997
		10:26**
		Katie Siegal,2002
Bike	28:40	33:14
	Zachary Giegel, 1997	Joan Wolfe-Baxter, 1998
	27:24**	31:25**
	Mike Meehan, 2019	Beth Shutt, 2012
Run	16:29	20:20
	Matt McWilliams, 2018	Mollie Hebda, 2010

** Beg. In 2001, Swim/bike (T1) trans. times put into the swim times

Before 2001, the swim split was taken near the exit of the pool area

VOLUNTEERS

JOIN US FOR A FUN FILLED DAY OF SERVICE

The YMCA hosts several one-day special events such as the Janney and Y Triathlon throughout the year where volunteers are always needed. These events include fundraisers or community service awareness efforts to support the Y’s initiatives. Special events are a great opportunity for large groups to volunteer together but work on different tasks that are of interest to them.

There are many benefits of volunteering including learning new skills, sharing your knowledge and expertise, meeting new people, finding a place to belong and making new friends all while helping your community improve its overall health. All volunteers receive training to ensure safe and efficient operations in our child care, camp, youth, special events and health and fitness programs.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

TRAINING

TRAINING PREPERATION
TAKE YOUR TIME
Thanks to work, life and family, we all have time pressures when it comes to improving our ability to swim and boosting confidence in the water. So the key is to focus on the here and now. Be calm in the water, focus on the basics of what you’re working on, and try not to stress about whether you’ll be capable of doing the race you’ve entered.
KEEP YOUR HEAD LOW
To breathe, you want to fight the urge to lift your head and instead turn your chin to the side. This is where your body roll will come in handy. Focus on turning your chin toward your shoulder, looking directly to the side or very slightly behind you. With this, try and ensure that this is the only change that you make within your stroke.
SMILE
Swimming can be really intimidating and cause you to feel tense. The more tense you are, the more likely it will feel like an uphill struggle. Having a smile on your face – even through gritted teeth – will help you to stay calm, more so than just thinking ‘relax’. This will then allow you to focus on the elements of your stroke that you intend to work on.
BREAK IT DOWN
Aim to break your learning down into segments by working out what your milestones are, and not just in terms of distance. Focus on working out your map to get to the distance: getting comfortable in the water, floating, moving forward and then making moving easier.
FINGERS FIRST
With your hands, aim to enter the water slightly wide of the center – you want to keep your arms in line with your shoulders and hips – and finger tips entering the water first. This will help you get the best ‘hold’ on the water and pull you through stronger. In an ideal world your fingers would have a relaxed small space between each of them, but when you’re just starting out think about keeping your fingers closed together.
GET HIGH
The first thing I always want to work on is getting someone as high in the water as possible – making sure the back, bum and legs are all at the surface. Focus on lengthening your spine and legs (not necessarily your arms) and making yourself as long as possible. The chances are, you’ll be looking at least slightly towards the bottom of the pool, but hopefully you’ll find your whole body rising in the water.
FOCUS YOUR KICK
Saving energy by kicking your legs and providing some propulsion is very important. It’ll make you faster and make your swimming feel easier. Focus your kick from the hip – your knee should be almost straight – and keep your kicks smooth and calm. A relaxed and easy movement is best.
KEEP YOUR ARMS MOVING
Aim for big circles with your arms. Of course you can make it more complex than this but, as long as your arms don’t
stop moving (not necessarily fast or slow) and you reach your arms back past your thighs, it’ll be easy to get your arms out of the water and place them in front of you. Don’t worry so much about what your hands do for now, that can come later.
ROCK YOUR HIPS
Rock your hips with every stroke you take – as if you’re ice skating or kayaking. This body roll will help you move your arms smoother, reach further, give you more power and, most importantly, make it easier for you to breathe, easier to turn your head and easier to find air.
FIGHT YOUR INSTINCTS
Swimming is counter- intuitive. If you can remember this, it’ll help you fight your panic and survival instincts.
It takes time to override some of these natural thoughts – i.e. looking forward, lifting your head up to breathe, kicking as hard and as fast as you can. As a survival instinct, this is what your body wants to do, but logically (you’ll
see in the tips later) you almost need to do the opposite.
BE PRODUCTIVE
If you don’t enjoy the water, something that can put you off is thinking you have to be in the water forever. But swims don’t have to be hours and hours long. Just 20-30mins of water time each session can be plenty if you can make yourself comfortable and be productive with your time.
DON'T FOCUS ON DISTANCE
When you first start your swims and sessions, don’t focus too much on the distance you’re swimming. This can be daunting, especially if you think you have to do a particular number of lengths in a session, or a certain amount of time. Instead, focus on good quality, how you feel in the water and aim to do a little more on average every time. Some days you’ll feel rubbish so you might have to swim shorter; other days you’ll feel magic and go much further. And remember that progress isn’t linear.
KEEP YOUR SESSIONS REGULAR
You should be aiming to swim as consistently as possible every week. Once a week should be the minimum to get any improvement, as any less means that you’re almost starting from scratch every time. The more
often you can be in the water, the more you can maintain any improvements and retain how
you feel in each session without having to remember too hard.
FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE
To start with, your sessions should be all about technique. The smoother and more controlled you can make your swim, the easier you’ll progress and the easier it’ll feel.
Once you’re able to swim 400m, however, you can try and change the efforts that you put in. That doesn’t mean that you have to think about all-out effort, but the ability to change pace will positively affect your fitness, your endurance and also your enjoyment of your sessions.
BE FLUID
Your stroke should be continuous with no stopping points or pauses. Keep your arms moving – they don’t have to move fast, but as long as they don’t stop it will make your life easier, it will maintain your momentum and help keep you higher in the water.
SESSION 1 - BEGINNERS
KEY SESSION 1 FOR BEGINNERS: RELAX IN THE WATER
Try this balance and relaxation set for your first couple of sessions, and then repeat it to make sure you feel comfortable in the water. You probably won’t need anything serious for recovery – a banana will do the trick.
DURATION: 25-30mins
KIT: Kickboard/float if needed
MAIN SET
1min getting used to floating on your back
1min floating on your front totally relaxed (‘Dead Man’ float)
1min floating on your front stretched out – arms in front, ears between your arms, legs stretched
2mins of sink-downs, getting used to going under water and exhaling before popping up
4 x 1 length (100m), breaststroke
4 x 1 length (100m) full stroke front crawl – take a rest at the end of each length
2 x 1 length kick (50m) – keep your arms still, aim for a streamlined position; you can use a kickboard/float here
2 x 4 lengths (200m) full stroke front crawl – minimal rest at the end of each length but take as long as you need at the end of each 100m
2 x lengths (50m) breaststroke
SESSION 2 - BEGINNERS
KEY SESSION 2 FOR BEGINNERS: STRENGTH PYRAMID
This pyramid session will help build strength and also start you thinking about technique. You could do this session every week or every other week and note the changes in how you feel. Afterwards, eating a banana or cereal bar would be perfect for recovery.
DURATION: 30mins
KIT: Pull buoy required
WARM-UP
100m (4 x lengths) warm-up,
your choice of stroke(s)
MAIN SET 1
1 x [25m; 50m; 75m; 50m; 25m]
All front crawl with pull buoy
Take 20-30secs rest after each block
MAIN SET 2
1 x [25m; 50m; 75m; 50m; 25m]
All front crawl without pull buoy
Take 20-30secs rest after each block
COOL-DOWN
50m easy swim
SESSION 3 - BEGINNERS
KEY SESSION 3 FOR BEGINNERS: ENDURANCE FOCUS
This is a more endurance-focused set, with more swimming and added variety. You can do a version of this session every week – as you get stronger and feel better, reduce the recoveries and do more reps, or lengthen them. After this session you may feel more tired, so take a recovery bar with you. That or a milkshake to take the edge off things until you get to some proper food later.
DURATION: 40mins (1,000m total)
KIT: Pull buoy
WARM-UP
150m (6 lengths), your choice of stroke(s)
MAIN SET
4 x 100m, consistent freestyle swimming with 45secs after each 100m. Aim to keep the same steady speed and same stroke technique each length, so make sure you take the full 45secs rest.
6 x 50m with 20secs rest after each 50m. Alternate one 50m with pull buoy, one without, aim to keep as smooth and controlled as possible.
COOL-DOWN
100m, your choice of stroke(s)
The bike leg of a race is a double-edged sword for triathletes because on one hand, the bike is the easiest of the three disciplines in which to make improvements. But on the other hand, triathletes often don't have enough time to commit to making their cycling stronger. Fortunately, with just two workouts a week, triathletes can make huge gains on the bike without spending countless hours in the saddle and away from family, work, friends and real life.
The Long Ride
No matter what distance triathlon you're racing or what your skill level is, you're going to have to cover the same distance as every other athlete lining up to start the race. The easiest way to make that a breeze is to build up your bike endurance week by week until you're able to bike longer than you'll actually have to during the race. This is called an over-distance ride.
Building up your endurance so you can easily ride long enough in your race is simple. Each week, ride progressively longer in five to 10 percent increments until you can ride the following distances and times:
• Sprint: 30 to 35K
• Olympic: 60K
• 70.3: 115K
• IRONMAN: 5.5 hours
If you get in one long ride each week, and prior to your race you get in at least five rides of the distances or times prescribed above, you'll have excellent bike endurance by the time your race comes around.
The Intense Ride
Once you've built up the ability to ride long enough to finish your chosen race distance, you'll likely want to get faster. You can do this with an intense ride once a week. This intense ride doesn't take much time, just 30 to 60 minutes, but fair warning: When we say intense, we mean intense!
The purpose of the intense ride is to increase your VO2 Max, which is the amount of air your body can process, and is a big determining factor for success at every triathlon distance from sprint all the way up to IRONMAN. How to increase your VO2 Max is with intense bursts of effort (perhaps better known as interval training) where the bursts of intervals are anywhere from 15 seconds to eight minutes.
During the winter, start incorporating these intense bursts of effort by making them short with lots of rest in between. A workout could be as follows:
• 10-minute warmup
• Six sets of 15-seconds hard effort, 4:45 minutes rest
• 5-minute cool down
As the training progresses, gradually increase the duration of the interval, increase the number of intervals completed or decrease the length of rest time between intervals. During the race season, a hard ride day could be as follows:
• 5-minute warmup
• Six sets of 8-minutes hard effort, 2-minutes rest
• 5-minute cool down
By focusing on these two workouts, every triathlete, regardless of skill level or distance of race they're focusing on, will be able to complete the required distance of the bike portion of their race AND do so in a time that's personally fast and satisfying.
TOP 5 CYCLING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
1. Know the rules about your helmet
You could be disqualified from the race before you even have the chance to ride if you don’t follow one simple rule. Before touching the bike in transition, always have your helmet on and clasped. The same for transitioning from the bike to the run; leave your helmet clasped until you have parked your bike in transition.
2. You can ride the bike you have now (probably)
Many new triathletes’ biggest biking fear is that their bike isn’t up to scratch. Whilst you may be faster on a top-level triathlon bike, you can also ride a road bike, a hybrid or a mountain bike. As long as the bike is in road-worthy working order (a good tune-up is way less expensive that a new bike!) and has two brakes and no fixed wheel (it’s not a “fixie”), it will be fine for the race. Yes, there will be racers with amazing bikes. Yes, they may come flying past at the speed of light. But isn’t it more important to be certain that you even like this whole triathlon thing before you spend thousands on a fancy bicycle? The good news is that after training and racing on a heavy hybrid, you will really fly if and when you decide to upgrade!
Note: It’s a smart idea no matter what style of bike you ride to check the fit (professionally or using online tips at home). This will allow for the most comfortable ride and the least likelihood of injury.
3. Triathlon shorts are more comfortable than cycling shorts
Triathlon shorts are made for triathlon. They have a nice, thin, quick-dry pad, which means less chafing and no extra fabric bunched up where you don’t want it. Trigirl tri shorts and trisuits have top-of-the-line women’s-specific pads, meaning that they are ergonomically shaped to offer the best comfort on your bike.
Additionally, that tempting giant, squishy gel saddle isn’t that great either. The perfect saddle should be wide enough to support your sits bones (a good reason to look for a women’s saddle), but any wider has the potential to chafe and the gel is just one more thing to bunch up where you don’t want it!
4. Proper pedalling
This one applies to all cyclists, not just beginner triathletes!
Without coaching, it’s easy to head out on a bike and just start pedalling, with no real thought of proper pedalling form or correct cadence (the speed at which your legs turn the pedals).
Your cadence should probably be quicker than you think- a good range is between 80-105 RPMs (rotations per minute, per leg) on flat ground. Studies have shown that 90 RPM tends to cause less leg fatigue and is therefore a good sweet spot to allow for easier running off the bike. To measure your RPMs, either count the number of times your leg hits 6 o’clock in 15 seconds and multiply by four, invest in a cycling computer that shows cadence, or try a good spin or Wattbike with a cadence monitor.
As far as pedalling form, if you’ve been told to work on the pull-up, forget what you’ve heard. More power comes from maximising power at the 3 o’clock position (and having a nice strong core and glutes). Check out this article from Cycling Weekly for more details on achieving your best pedal stroke.
5. Know what drafting is- and don’t do it on the bike
British Triathlon Federation rules prohibit drafting on the cycling leg of the triathlon, so it’s important to understand what drafting is and not to do it.
Simply put, drafting is riding close behind another rider, which allows you to take advantage of their slipstream and reduces your energy output. While this sounds like a great way to save energy for the run, it’s not allowed (except in draft-legal races) and if caught, you will incur a penalty.
To avoid drafting, stay at least seven meters back from other cyclists except whilst passing. You have 15 seconds to pass or to drop back. And as triathlon cycling rules also dictate that rules of the road apply, you should always ride on the left, pass on the right.
SET-UP YOUR TRANSITION AREA
Get familiar with the transition area and be sure your gear is set up efficiently. This will help ensure a quick transition between the first transition (T1) from swim to bike and the second transition (T2) from bike to run.
Your Location
- If you can choose your own spot, look for one at the end of a row and close to the exit. This is usually a good location for the bike exit.
- Make your spot visually distinctive—with a balloon, bandana, flag, ribbon or funky towel—so it's easy to find.
- Memorize your spot by walking from the water's edge to the T1 transition area. Take note of landmarks to help find your bike.
Set Up Your Gear for T1 and T2
- Space is limited. Bring only what is necessary.
- Lay your items on an open towel so you can stand on it and wipe your feet clean and dry while putting on your helmet.
- Open the straps on your cycling shoes.
- Clothing and socks don't go well onto wet bodies, so roll your socks down to the toes to put them on easier. Do the same with sleeves or other clothing you might put on.
- Set the socks in your shoes.
- Attach the race number to the bike frame, helmet and the clothing you'll be wearing for the bike and/or run. Don't fold or cut it—you could get a penalty.
8-WEEK TRAINING PLAN FOR THE RUN
You’ve had a great swim, you’ve nailed the bike and the race is going to plan. Then the wheels come off completely on the last phase of the race – the dreaded run. The good news is you’re not alone. Many triathletes set themselves up for a great race but then simply work their way through the run, hanging on and hoping for the best.
Now is your chance to correct that with our eight-week plan to boost run fitness and speed.
The training plan is for those working towards Olympic distance and is run-dominant, so you might need to make some sacrifices to your bike and swim volume, but these can create dividends in the run leg. If your race focus is on sprint, reduce the volume by about 30%, or if you’re going longer then increase by about 20-30%. To improve run form, fitness and speed in the last weeks, we’ve reduced rest days to one, inserting an easy run to up weekly run distance.
It may seem obvious but first and foremost is the need to include the long steady run each week, in order to make the distance comfortable. Once you have this and are confident about finishing the distance, you can begin to focus on improving your average steady run pace. The long steady run is also the best chance to include different run routes and I’d urge a mix of undulating, hilly and flat long runs.
Also, a structured plan will include interval sessions to highlight working at faster than race-pace speed, a tempo session so you can work at paces faster and slower than race pace and finally some bike/run sessions to hit race pace on tired legs. Above all, you must focus on the sessions that make your run faster, so expect these workouts to create fatigue.
To keep you focused through the plan, you can execute two time trials – there’s nothing more nerve-racking on a triathlete’s plan than the letters TT but these will ensure you monitor how effective the training is. If you’re improving, set new pace targets.
While we’re encouraging an increase in run volume, don’t forget most triathlete injuries are caused when run training, so include stretching and foam rolling in recovery. It’s not the most glamorous part of training but often the most crucial.
STRUCTURED SEASON PLAN
Endurance athletes can put in less time if they follow a plan that avoids so-called junk mileage. Here is a three-day-a-week running program designed for triathletes. While this running program is well-suited for most triathletes, be sure to modify it based on the race you're preparing for and your current fitness level.
Run Workout No 1: Track and Speed Session
Slogging away mile after mile will not improve your performance. Recreational triathletes can put in years of training, only to find they're running the same speed as two years before.
Begin by building up your aerobic endurance. This doesn't mean running slow in every workout. Track sessions, which will build endurance, strength, speed, technique and aerobic foundation, should be completed throughout the year.
Early season (16-26 weeks before your A race): Your goal during this "base phase" is to build aerobic endurance. Intervals at the track are called "cruise repeats." You should not try to run at your race pace yet.
These intervals build your aerobic foundation and train your legs to turn over faster than during a long run.
Running fast promotes proper functional movement. When you're running fast, you increase your stride length, which improves mobility and strengthens your core.
Below is an example of how to structure your early season workouts. Let's use the example of a 21-minute 5K runner—a 6:46 minute/mile. Be sure to jog for 200 meters of recovery between each set.
Week 1: 4 sets of 400 meters at 1:45 to 1:50 minutes; 6 sets of 200 meters at 50 to 55 seconds. Total: 2,800 meters (or about 1.7 miles)
Week 2: 5 sets of 400 meters at 1:45 to 1:50; 6 sets of 200 meters at 50 to 55 seconds. Total: 3,200 meters (or about 1.98 miles)
Week 3: 6 sets of 400 meters at 1:45 to 1:50 minutes; 6 sets of 200 meters at 50 to 55 seconds. Total: 3,400 meters (or 2.1 miles)
Week 4: 3 sets of 400 meters at 1:45 minutes; 4 sets of 200 meters at 50 seconds. Total: 2,000 meters (or 1.24 miles)
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT IN YOUR SHOES
Walk into any local running store and you’ll face a colorful wall holding dozens of shoes. Needless to say, finding the best-fitting shoe among numerous choices isn’t easy. To make matters more complicated, not every shoe is right for you. Whichever pair you choose must fit properly from heel to toe and feel comfortable with your regular running stride.
Most of us prefer to shop online these days, but there’s a little more risk involved if you don’t get to try on before you buy. Luckily, most retailers will offer a risk-free trial period so you can still lace up your shoes and head out for a test run, like you would at the store. (Just double check the return policy, and always keep the box in case you do need to send them back or swap sizes.)
- Best All-Around: Brooks Ghost 14
- Best Trail Shoe: Saucony Peregrine 12
- Best Women’s Specific Shoe: Lululemon Blissfeel
- Best Lightweight Trainer: Hoka Mach 4
- Best Stability Shoe: Asics Gel-Kayano 28
Whether you shop online or in-store, we’re here to help. Read on for a breakdown of shoe anatomy, common shoe-buying mistakes, and a list of our favorite shoes right now in your favorite category.

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