So, you watched a marathon or heard a story about someone running a triathlon and thought, “You know, I want to try that!” Now comes the hard question.
How do you start?
It’s an important question—one former professional endurance athlete Natasha Van der Merwe once asked herself (at age 27, no less)—and she has a great answer to it.
“Reach out to find someone to guide you right away,” says Van der Merwe, who now owns NVDM Coaching.
While this seems a simple answer, it’s far more important than you may realize because training for and competing in a triathlon is unlike any other sport.
“There is so much that goes into training,” Van der Merwe said. “There’s the gear, structuring training, nutrition, rest. And you’re trying to fit in three different sports. If you don’t do it correctly, you run a serious risk of getting injured.”
Hence, while she says there are plenty of good resources online *cough* this blog *cough*, Van der Merwe says there is no substitute for in-person guidance.
Maybe that means hiring a trained coach like Van der Merwe, who can help assess your running or swimming form (two major pitfalls she sees regularly with beginners) or help plan your nutrition. However, depending on where you live, that may not be an option, but if there is one area the internet helps with triathlon training, it’s finding local triathlon groups to join and mentor you.
“There are more opportunities and resources than ever before to get into endurance sports,” Van der Merwe said. “Regardless of your fitness level or how serious you want to get involved, the best advice you can get to start in this sport is getting direct advice from those who have already done it before and can guide you. Maybe you’ll be ok just learning online, but it’s a far better investment of your time and energy getting a coach, both to minimize injuries and maximize your enjoyment from it.”
- The Leg-end - December 11, 2024
- Meet Natasha: All In Mindset - December 5, 2024
- The Rebrand of a Decade - November 20, 2024
