5 Beginner Triathlon Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Get Fast Podcast, Ep 72, with Gerard and Jordan Donnelly

The five mistakes are: taking shortcuts with equipment, getting overwhelmed by technology, listening to too much conflicting advice, staying on the group ride for too long, and never reviewing your training. Gerard and Jordan have made almost every one of them, and they say experienced athletes still make them too.

Gerard often says you learn more from your failures than your successes. Some lessons, though, you can take without having to make the mistake yourself.

Mistake 1: Why do equipment shortcuts cost you more?

Jordan's first bike came from the tip. Its right crank kept falling off on the ride to school, and it put him off riding.

You don't need the most expensive gear. Buy things that work and are good value, after doing some research and getting advice from people who know. Gerard has seen people buy a second-rate bike while saving for a good one, only to end up paying for two bikes.

Poor or neglected equipment can also cost you time and injuries. Gerard's own examples:

• He rode for years on a saddle that didn't suit him, and kept getting saddle sores.
• A worn cleat let his foot pull out in a sprint, and he crashed over the bike. A new cleat would have cost less than $100.
• An old chain dropped off in another sprint and caused another crash.

Running shoes need the same care. They recommend having two pairs on the go and wearing the new pair once or twice a week, so you're never doing lots of runs in a row in brand new shoes, and you reach your race with a pair that's broken in. Shoes worn for too long can lead to calf, ankle and Achilles injuries, shin splints and stress fractures.

Mistake 2: Why shouldn't technology overwhelm you?

Smart trainers, power meters, bike computers and training apps are confusing at first. Gerard calls himself not very tech savvy. Jordan picks things up quickly and still struggles at times.

Gerard's frustration is asking an athlete how a session went and hearing "I don't know". If your setup is working, you can see during the session whether you're in the right range.

Their advice:

• Accept it's hard for everyone. Millions of people have worked it out, so you can too.
• Read the instructions, and search for a video when you're stuck.
• Treat the setup as part of your preparation. It fits their motto: plan, prepare, perform.
• Once you get past the first few roadblocks, it gets much easier.

Mistake 3: Who should you take advice from?

New athletes soak up everything, including the bad information. When Gerard started cycling, older riders told him to do slow, long miles for a year. He stayed the same for a long time until he added some intervals and started to improve.

The advice was right in its context. Those riders raced two or three times a week, so racing was their hard training. Gerard just didn't know that.

General advice is general. Gerard's example: a very tall, heavy rider who wants to chase hills after watching the Tour de France may be better suited to criteriums and flat courses, and a coach who knows them would say so. Nutrition is personal too, and men and women can respond differently.

It's fine to hear everyone's opinion. Be selective about who you act on.

Mistake 4: How long should you stick with the group ride?

The group ride is a great way into the sport. It's where you learn to sit in a bunch, roll turns, avoid overlapping wheels and follow the etiquette.

Once you've learned those things, the group ride on its own won't keep you improving. In the middle of the bunch there's little pressure on the pedals. Gerard hears people claim a personal best average speed on Strava when they never went to the front. As Jordan puts it, that's just a group PB. Some group rides also stop so often that the training value disappears.

Gerard's rule: the group ride should be part of your program, but not all of it.

Mistake 5: Why should you review every session?

Every session has a goal. At the end, ask whether you achieved it, and check the data to know.

Gerard's example is an endurance ride meant to be steady zone 2, where a few riders turned it into a hard session. You got the time in and kept pressure on the pedals, but you rode too hard, and two days later you can't do your key session. Changing a session halfway through, like chasing someone up the road during a tempo ride, does the same damage.

The bonus mistake is not sticking to your plan. The effects of doing too much can show up weeks later.

Is it a mistake or a choice?

Jordan admits he still changes his week for social sport and surfing. Gerard's view is that it's a choice, and that's fine, as long as you accept it slows your progress. They agree it only becomes a mistake when you keep complaining that you're not improving, or when you don't realise you're making the choice at all.

Related

• How we coach triathletes
• Cycling coaching
• Coaching questions, answered
• Apply for coaching