Your First Triathlon
New to Triathlon? Not sure if you are fit enough? Not quite sure what you have to do? Don't know what equipment is really necessary? Over the next few months we aim to help you out with all the information you require to complete your first Triathlon or indeed improve your performance if you have already started your Triathlon lifestyle.

Remember when you were a kid?
Think back for a minute and remember a time that was simpler, less worrisome and... well.... more fun. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. And think about the games you used to play... all that running around... your first bike... going to the beach. Let's jump in the pool Let's go bike riding! Race you to the corner! See what I'm getting at here? In a sense, we all grew up triathletes. Sure, we may not have swum, biked and run in that order, but we knew the fun of mixing things up a bit. And as playful, energetic children hell-bent on having fun, running, cycling and swimming were three very common summertime activities. Everybody has their unique motivation for getting involved in a new activity, and there are probably as many different reasons people have trained and completed in triathlons as there are different models of running shoes. But I've always felt that one of the greatest lures of the multi-sport world is the sheer enjoyment of combining three different and challenging physical activities into one exciting format.

Decide what you would like to accomplish
There are three reasons to race: to finish, to improve, or to win. Unless you're a professional athlete or top age grouper, your goal will likely be to finish or improve upon previous finishing times. Ask yourself, is this a race I just want to finish, or am I willing to put in the necessary higher level of training to set a personal best?

If your next triathlon will be your first ever, then it's best to set an objective of simply finishing. (Look at it this way-if it's your first race, it'll be a personal best anyway, no matter what your finishing time. So you may as well just concentrate on finishing.) By taking this approach, you'll take a lot of pressure off yourself. You've got enough to worry about with your first race; don't create undue tension by demanding that you cross the finish line at a set time.