1. The Swim

This is the part that gets most people about triathlons. We recently polled our global network of triathletes, asking them to rate their favourite of the three tri sports, and unsurprisingly, the order went like this: bike, run, swim. The swim portion is generally the part that most people loathe about triathlons. For that reason, it's called the great equalizer.

The swim portion of triathlons isn’t as physically demanding as the bike or run portion of the race – proportionally it’s actually the shortest distance – it is more technical, however. And not everyone grows up swimming.

Compared to running and cycling, swimming is a total body workout. You need to use more muscles. Plus, there’s the added restriction of oxygen. And that’s just talking about the physiological differences. Then, you also have to factor in the elements; especially if the triathlon is taking place in open water (as most do). Whether you’re lake swimming – where you’re less buoyant in fresh water– or in the ocean – with waves and tides to factor into your strokes. Plus, there are other swimmers to be aware of, too. Sometimes, physical contact comes into play. Straight up, there’s just a lot going on in a triathlon swim.

The best way to get comfortable with the swim portion of triathlon races is to practice. Practice in open water. Practice with your wetsuit. And most importantly, practice with other swimmers so you can learn to keep calm in stormy waters. Then, on race day, stay calm. Don’t get too excited in the fray. And if panic or doubt sets in, always, always come back to your breathing. 

3. The Transitions

Anyone who remembers their very first multi-sport race knows how tricky transitions can be. Your body has to go from swimming to cycling, and then cycling to running. Each transition is a whole readjustment of its own.

From swimming to cycling, for instance, you have to learn to regulate your breath. Many triathletes experience a temporary shortness of breath upon exiting the water due to the exertion and pressure required while swimming. Then there’s also the consideration that when you swim hard, lactic acid (lactate) accumulates in your leg muscles, making them more gushy on land. To avoid this, you should focus on regulating deep breaths (fully expelling air) while swimming. Also, you should try to kick more near the end of the swim to help flush the lactate build up from your muscles. Then once on the bike, start at a higher cadence – one you are comfortable with, of course – for the first 5 minutes.

Then from cycling to running, you have to adjust and steady your legs yet again. People especially struggle on this transition to stay on their feet and avoid collapsing. It’s called ‘cycling jelly leg syndrome', which happens due to over pacing – a common mistake athletes make when they go from cycling to running because your legs have been working at such a high cadence while cycling. A cadence that racers often mistakenly try to maintain for the run. The key is to go for smaller, slower steps at the beginning of your run. And work your running legs back up slowly.