TriathaNewbie.com - Guiding new triathletes into the world of mini-triathlons

TriathaNewbie.com is dedicated to easily guiding new triathletes into the world of
mini-triathlons. It is written so that YOU, the average person, can easily transition yourself into the world of mini-triathlons without needing a translator or dictionary.
There are newbies starting triathlons every day. Today just happens to be YOUR day!

Swim, Bike & Run Tips!

Swim - You will find general information on how to structure water workouts, basic information on swim suits and necessities for a great swim. There are pictures too!

Tired of pulling out your hair putting on bathing caps?
Find out a better way!

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Bike - You will find basic information on how to structure bike workouts and tips on bike gear. We have pictures of triathletes in action.

Need to change a flat?
We have it, step by step!

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Run- You will find general information on how to structure runs and a basic guide to sneakers and apparel. There are pictures of runners too!

Dealing with blisters?
Find out a quicker way to recover.

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Transitions: Transitions are the times between the swim and bike and the bike and run. Any time you are in the transition area, you need to know how to how to get through it without wasting time. Here are some suggestions:

Setting up your spot

Swim Transition

Bike Transition

Run Transition - There is no run

Transition, just a Finish Line!

Read an article by Christophe Vandaele on Transitions.

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Please read the disclaimer before following any advice.

"Do I really have what it takes to train and complete a mini-triathlon?"
We've all asked ourselves this question at one point or another. Do I really have what it takes to train and complete a mini-triathlon? Yes, you do! Triathletes come in all shapes, sizes and ages. A majority of us don't enter these competitions to win the overall race. We enter because we want to win our own personal race. Read More...

Iron-Roman (Roman Mica)

	"My first and only endurance sports invention" -"All I remember is the mind numbing tedium and the relentless boredom as I swam staring at the same tree with every breath I took." Read More... "Ten Miles Stones of a Century Ride" -"What do you consider a long bike ride? I would say that anything over 50 miles is long, but many cyclists would consider any distance over a century ride (100 miles long). With that in mind, here are the ten milestones of a century bike ride." Read More... "The Road to Kona" -"The Road to Kona is a hilly one. When you watch the Kona Ironman race on television the bike course seems flat. But when you actually get on the road to Kona you are immediate surprised by how hilly it is and by all the crazy graffiti. More on this is a sec. " Read More... "Joy of Swimming" -"There is a special moment when I first get in the water and push off the wall that I use to get myself to the pool. It feels just like flying." Read More... Review on 2005 Great Floridian Triathlon XV -"I remembered this odd start some 14 hours later as I was running in the pitch-black Florida night, into oncoming traffic, on a road with no shoulder, wearing only a spaghetti thin neon glow tube. Thank God they held up the race start and put orange cones around those cars. They may have belonged to somebody who might have left early and ran over me on the run. ;-)"Read More... Review on Accenture Chicago Triathlon -From the official Chicago Triathlon Web site, "With over 7,500 participants and 100,000 spectators, the Accenture Chicago Triathlon is known as the world's largest triathlon. This year (2005) it will become official with an attempt to set a World Record for the World's Largest Triathlon." Read More...

Featured Tri Articles and Reviews:

Remember, only one person comes in first in the race. Triathanewbie.com is geared towards the rest of us.

Eastman Splash Mash and Dash Sprint Triathlon - “I have been competing in triathlons for 7 years, and I would highly recommend the Eastman Splash, Mash, and Dash for anyone interested in a New England sprint distance race. I competed in this race for the first time..."

Review on the T-Roller! - The T-Roller massager is a lightweight and easy to use straight bar personal massager. When we here at Triathanewie.com initially received this product to check out, we were not sure what to expect....

I am doing my first mini triathlon!! - I am 48, in good physical shape and pumped to acheive my goal of finishing this event. I have read your website over and over and keep referring to it for information and inspiration...

Do I Wear Underwear? - I am 42 and am just preparing to start training for my first mini tri in September. I have a questions about the swim to bike transition. Do women remove their swimsuits, or put bike/run wear over them?

How Do I Know I'm Ready? - I'm a gym rat and am in good shape. I put hundreds of miles on my bike, my swim is ok and my running is improving but is tough. I WANT to do a mini-tri and...

From a Far Less Endowed woman to a Well Endowed Woman - I am training for my first triathlon and am wondering how to transition from swim to bike to run. I am well endowed and have to run with 2-3 sports bras on in order for running not to hurt me...

Question on Mountain bike and walking during the run portion - I have two questions. 1.) is it ok if i ride a mountain bike (trek 4300) for the bike portion, and 2.) what if i walk fast during the 'run'. is that ok or will i get the boot. :] is there a time limit for most mini's?...

JCC Triathlon-By-The-Sea - I highly recommend this race for any triathlete looking to test their early season fitness. I have competed in this race three times and always make sure it's on my calendar. The race director gets the triathletes through the pool’s snake swim in a quick and efficient manner...

Somersault 2008 Event Calendars - We're proud to have advance notice on these spectacular events that our friends at Somersault puts on each year: Triathlons, duathlons, a runnning/walking series, kayacking triathlon series, a fitness challege and a kid's event. Don't miss these!!!

Training Groups in Hillcrest KZN, South Africa - I'm a mom in Hillcrest KZN, South Africa looking for anyone else in the area that are already training or thinking of training for a triathlon. I've never competed in running, swimming or cycling before...

CohassetTri - The 2nd Annual Cohasset Triathlon will take place on June 29, 2008. It is hosted in Cohasset, Massachusetts and is for beginners, like you! It consists of a .25 mile ocean swim, followed by a 12.5 mile bike course and finally a 3.2 mile run. The Cohasset Tri is proud to partner with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for this event. Athletes of all ages and fitness levels are encouraged to participate -- Hope to see you there!! (There are many wonderful reviews for this event listed by participants for you to chek out!)

Transitions - For most novices, the focus of triathlon training is on strengthening your swimming, biking and running skills. But there is a fourth and vital element to the competition that can help you achieve your goals - the transition.

Inspiration for all TriathaNewbies! - I really didn't know what to expect but I had been swimming a lot and doing bike/run workouts as much as possible. I wanted to do a tri because I love swimming and everyone else says that it is their worst part...

Tri-bars and Clipless Pedals for Beginners - We had a great question come in the other day from a beginner wondering if it is necessary to have tri-bars and clipless pedals as a beginner. We were very happy to answer her because we're sure that you will ask yourself the same question if you haven't already...

Food Focus: Water! - Most of us are aware of the importance of drinking sufficient water. With the body made up of 75% water, it is essential that we continuously replenish this source. Drinking more water helps all of the body’s systems to run smoothly, enabling our organs to comfortably perform their functions.

Cars.com Interviews TriathaNewbie.com in Choosing the Right Car for a Triathlete - Here's an excerpt: "...Some races require you to parallel park on city streets, so good visibility in a car is an obvious plus. But, as TriathaNewbie points out, at other races you may have to drive off the pavement to find a spot — not a big deal, until you realize other athletes may be stretching, warming up or sitting on the ground, where they're hard to spot. Running over your competition before the race shows atrocious form..." Read the article on their website and then check back with us to tell us what you think!

The Newbie Guide to Bikes - Triathlon season is now upon us. Some of you have already run your season opener, others are prepping for their opener in a month (yours truly) and yet others are taking bets and talking the trash in prep to toe the line at Wildflower. Lastly, there's the people (you) who are diving into this weird sport for the 1st time. Here's where I come in. Based upon your budget, talents, hawtness, and goals, I have listed a category of appropriate bikes for you to race on...

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Triathletes - OK, some of you might be "Accidental Triathletes", barely remembering how and why you got into this sport. For some of you, it may have become a way to stay fit, or you like the image or lifestyle or like the friends you've made along the way. Even so, the majority of you are still drawn by the competition and want to actually get better...

Try-a-Tri Race Report Julia Meldrum Smith (Cornwall Transit Race, August, 2006) - The day after fellow Learn to Run grad and lifelong buddy Maddy Tardif announced to me at the Shelby’s Diagnosis run that we were doing the Cornwall Transit Try-a-Tri, I started my training/reading/worrying/obsessing about doing my first triathlon. Only after the Cornwall Multisport Club clinic did I stop having nightmares about knocking over bikes at the transition zone with a "domino effect". Amid the excitement at my kids’ triathlon on Saturday, I really started questioning myself and feeling sick. "Who did I think I was, anyway?...

Triathlon: Swimming Outdoors- I spent the first ten years of my swimming career in a nicely lit pool with six lanes, a long blue line painted on the floor of each lane and a T at each end. There were walls (of course), overhead flags for backstroke, swimmers swimming in the lanes with and around me and that wonderful taste of chlorine -- not that I liked drinking it, but it occasionally got in unwanted orifices like your mouth, your nose and ears. I had locker rooms, bathrooms and tiled floors to walk on....

Get Rolling on Your Bicycle!- "If you are getting going on a training schedule that includes cycling at regular intervals, or have looked out the window and have seen the light, you will need to get that bicycle out from under any cobwebs or out from the dark corner it may have been parked in last year. A few moments spent examining your two-wheeled situation will greatly enhance the quality of your riding experience and it's fun."

Dr. Freedhoff Challenge- "This is called the Dr. Freedhoff challenge because the deal was, if 40 folks signed up, he had to do the sprint. They showed up so he had to race..."

"Triathlon: A Funny Way of Life"- "...I gave them a strange look, of course, because what's so funny about watering my garden. Then it dawned on me. I was watering my garden with the water bottle from my bike. Yep, thats what was so funny. The thing is, I used the water bottle to water all the plants in my house too. It was a normal occurrence in my life, that is, now that I was a triathlete!"

"First Mini-Triathlon Spectator Event"- "If you are going to your first mini-triathlon here is some advice to help. Expect to get up early as most races start around 7 am. If you have to travel to the event and are accompanying a participant you will get to enjoy the sunrise. When going with a race participant get directions, pack and check equipment the night before..."

"Core Strengthening for TriathaNewbies" - "One of the most common problems triathletes face is a weak lower back. If we push though lower back pain instead of address it, there is a possibility that we will have to discontinue working out altogether to recover from related injuries. But if we can detect the weakness ahead of time, there are exercises we can do to build up our lower back muscles before we injure them..."

Review on 3 Way Dash & Bash Triathlon in Devens, Massachusetts - "The 3 Way Dash & Bash consists of swimming 1/2 mile, biking 12 miles and running 3 miles. It is coed and encourages teams, individuals, newbies and seasoned triathletes by creating a laid back atmosphere where you can meet a great bunch of people and enjoy yourself..."

Review on Littleton Appleman Triathlon in Littleton, Massachusetts
"This triathlon is a wonderful coed sprint triathlon. Registration is required the morning of the race, so get there early! The staff is is great and the participants are a nice group of people. The swim is .5 miles of beautifully clean lake water..."

Review on Danskin Triathlon located in Webster, Massachusetts
"This triathlon is hosted in Webster, Massachusetts as well as in states all over America. An all-woman, charity-based triathlon, it comes highly recommended. There is an average of 1600-2100 women competing and registration is required on the previous day. The participants are amazing as well as the staff..."

"How Can Music Inspire Your Triathlon Training?"
"There are several ways to set up your workouts so that your music can help you achieve your training goals. First, pick a device that will not interfere with your workout. Be sure that the ear pieces will stay on your head so that you do not have to take time away from your workout readjusting them. We recommend MP3 players because you can program the song list and they are light in weight. There are MP3 players for runners and MP3 players for swimmers..."

The Skinny on how to change a Flat Tire
Does the thought of changing your tire keep you close to home? Check out our simple directions on how to change a flat. They are quick, to the point and will give you confidence to ride further from home.

"Mini-triathlon Swimming for the Newbie"
"Does swimming make you reconsider the whole mini-triathlon thing? Then this article is for you! The swim part of a mini-triathlon can give those, who are not experienced in swim training, the hardest time. This article will take you step by step through workouts and drills that will help you relearn these important, basic swimming skills, and techniques. These drills will make your stroke more efficient and put your body in line with the water instead of against it..."

Race Day
Race Day describes a mini-triathlon as though you were on the beach swimming the event and on the road riding and running the race as well as the information you need to glide through the race registration process. There are some great pictures of real triathlons and it gives valuable advice for setting up your transition area in addition to several other helpful race suggestions!