The 4 Secrets to Training for your First TriAthalon

Think you can’t complete a Triathlon? Think again! If I can do it, anyone can do it! Here are the 4 fool-proof steps for first time Tri-athletes.


1. Sign up! Once you sign up, you can’t back down. Signing up for a Tri changes your thinking, suddenly exercise has purpose.

2. Get a buddy! Preferably a roommate, spouse, close friend, or co-worker. Buddies help motivate you when you feel defeated and burned out; they remind you of the end goal. At first, your buddy might give you a little resistance. I know that when I asked James to sign up for the Tri, he FALT OUT refused. But, he finally agreed and he is hard core now. In fact, yesterday he registered the two of us for ANOTHER Tri in July!

3. Remind and Track! I hung this calendar on my bedroom wall directly across from my bed. The first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see before I go to bed: James and my training progress. The calendar acts as motivation as well as celebration; reflecting on past training and progress is exciting!

4. Reward! Training for a Tri is HARD! We need to reward our hard work, time, and energy. In May, we budgeted an extra $50 each for the two of us to buy a new training item. I am thinking about buying a new pink Nike bathing suit, but I might change my mind! Who knows, if we shop clearance, we might find that $50 buys us more than one item each!

"Limits exist only in the mind" - Unknown