Q & A

Q & A about triathlon

As new to the sport of triathlon, you often have questions that more experienced triathletes usually know the answers to. We have compiled a few of them her, and tried to give a short answer. You are of course free to ask club members or coaches and get more detailed answers.

How do I get started with training in Rock Creek Tri Club?

Contact Head Coach Frank Byskov for information about practice times and location. You are always welcome to come and try out a practice or two, to see if it is something for you.

How much should I train per week?

It is entirely up to you and your ambitions. If you are new to the sport and don’t have a solid background from another sport, don’t try to do too much too soon. Instead, focus on building good form in swimming, biking and running, and slowly add more effort and intensity.

On the other hand, if you for example have done several marathons or been an avid biker for years, you can handle a significantly larger work load without risking injury. Talk to the coaches about how to transition into triathlon the most efficient way.

Doesn’t triathlon require you to be in great physical shape?

No, triathlon can easily be done solely for the exercise and the social aspect. The mix between the three sports of swimming, cycling and running can get (and keep) you in good shape, without straining the body excessively with the repetitive motion from just a single sport. Along the way, you will get in good shape.

However, if you dream of completing an ironman (2.4 miles swim, 112 miles bike and a marathon of 26.2 miles), then you should expect a significant training load of 10-15 hours a week for at least six months before the big test. The same applies if you have ambitions to compete in triathlon at the elite level.

How much should I train to be competitive?

If you want to be competitive and compete in longer events, you should set aside between 5 and 10 hours a week. This will allow you to swim 2-3 times, bike 1-2 and run 1-2 times per week, plus some strength training to stay strong.

It is also a good idea to give yourself a goal to participate in competitions, so you can measure your form with others, and see which areas you can work on to improve. There are many shorter distance races both in duathlon (running-biking-running), triathlon (swimming-biking-running) and running competitions that do not require many hours of weekly training to participate in and finish in good form.

Is triathlon a family sport?

Most definitely. Most members bring their families to competitions to cheer or race with, and there are also more and more kid friendly races on the calendar.

If you have further questions, please look around on the website, or talk to the coaches or club members.