World Champion Tim Don shares his triathlon tips

Tim Don, four-time triathlon World Champion and part of the supertri coaching team, shares his training tips ahead of supertri London, on September 8th.

See Tim and his star triathletes at the world’s fastest triathlon for free by heading to www.supertri.com.

Getting started

“Training for triathlon is tough – it’s not just one, but three sports, plus, we’re expected to strength train, stretch and do all the necessary mobility too! At any point of the journey, but particularly at the start, motivation is vital. You are unlikely going to be jumping out of bed pre-work or rushing to put your cycling kit on when it’s raining outside if you have no reason WHY to motivate you.

“Setting a big goal – one that is perhaps daunting – gives good purpose and direction for your training, which motivates you to push on and get it done. It’s very satisfying ticking off those tougher sessions when you know they have got you on step closer to the end goal.”

What to expect at your first race

“A first race is a nerve-wracking affair. You have put in all the hard work and you want to see it pay off. The simple advice is to relax…but that is easier said than done. I believe being methodical can help clear your mind. With three sports there is a lot of kit to prepare, you need to ensure your bike is working properly and effectively and there are always plenty of logistics.

“So prepare in advance. Get kit ready the week before, make sure everything is fine and in good working order. Practise a transition and how you want to lay out your kit for when you go from one discipline to another. Get to the race venue in good time so you aren’t worried about traffic, have time to set out your kit and look at the course. Clearing your mind as best you can is not only relaxing but gives you the best chance to perform.”

Planning your training

“Before you do anything, I recommend taking the time to assess your current fitness levels. It’s important to know where your current weaknesses lie in order to prioritize those areas over strengths. This could be done with an FTP test on the bike, swim time trials or a 5k run at max pace to see where you are currently at. It’s encouraged to do regular testing throughout your training to see how you are comparing along the way.

“Set specific goals that are measurable – for example, I want to improve my swimming so I have specifically written the pace I hope to be able to hold over my race distance by 4 months’ time – this way I can frequently do testing style workouts to see how far off that pace I am – which hopefully improves throughout the training.

“Create or use a specific training plan to help you get to those goals – following something that is designed to help you is so important so that you are getting the most out of your training and not waste time on things that aren’t going to help you.

“There are great resources for beginners online that are totally free, including many guides and tips from me and the team at supertri. For more advanced athletes, it is worth considering a coach who can tailor the training to your exact needs.”

Fuel up

“Proper nutrition is key to recovery and preventing burnout. Making sure you are consuming enough calories, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats to fuel your body for training and aid in recovery. Most people don’t actually over train they under fuel. Remember that, a car with no fuel in it goes nowhere.

“Hydration: your body is made up of 80% water, we need to drink, always have a reusable bottle with you at work and for every training session, and definitely add some electrolytes for hotter and harder sessions to replace all that you have lost through sweat.

“One other common question I get from athletes, especially beginners, is what to eat on the day of a race.

“Months of hard work, sacrifice and time goes into training for a triathlon, so it’s important that we don’t let all that effort go to waste by not nailing the pre-race nutrition. You don’t want to be chomping down on breakfast moments before you hit the start line. I recommend consuming breakfast 2-3 hours before the race to allow sufficient time for digestion.

“A good and popular choice for a pre-race meal is something like a bagel as they are packed with carbohydrates – 60g per serving, compared to x 2 slices of toast providing 40g carbs. Porrdige or overnight oats are also a great pre-race choice thanks to the carbohydrate content, slow releasing energy and easily digestible properties – it’s also a breakfast that is easy to replicate anywhere, especially if you are travelling to a race and unsure on facilities. A lot of professional athletes eat white rice for breakfast, it doesn’t sound too appealing to me, but they often swear by it.”

Look after your body

“With three sports to train for time is often limited so you have to be realistic. Getting in a strength session is a good idea to prevent injury, stretching after every session can be habit forming and very beneficial and if you can get an occasional sports massage then all the better.

“Sleep is the cheapest and most effective form of recovery there is! I would recommend aiming for 7-8 hours of sleep per night and consider taking short naps during the day if needed, or possible! During sleep the body produces and releases hormones such as growth hormone and testosterone, which are crucial for muscle repair and recovery. Getting enough sleep also improves immune function and hormone regulation – all important to keep us healthy and happy athletes!

“Active recovery involves performing low-intensity exercise or activity after a period of high intensity or high volume training. The purpose of active recovery is to promote blood flow to the muscles and to help remove waste products such as lactic acid, which can build up during intense exercise and cause muscle soreness and fatigue. The duration of active recovery should only last somewhere between 15-30 minutes – remember, this is recovery, NOT training.”

Tim Don is coach to some of the world’s finest triathletes. You can see Tim lead out his team at the world’s fastest triathlon, supertri London, for FREE this September 8. Olympic Champion, Alex Yee will be in action in West India Quay for the first time since Paris, alongside his team mates Beth Potter, Kate Waugh and more. You’ll be trackside with front row tickets to the finest swim bike run action, also featuring triathlon legend, Jonny Brownlee.