Words from our experts: Important stuff for your triathlon training

Over the last few weeks, we have given you a lot of information from a lot of different experts on everything about triathlon. Here, we give you some great advice from our experts, all in one place, to remind you of some of the more important pieces of advice.

When it comes to triathlon training David Sullivan, a triathlon Coach from Embark Tri, recommends that training triathletes take at least one rest day every week. This break, says Sullivan, gives your body and your mind a chance to recover from intensive training.

Ceejae Miller, a triathlete and biokineticist, recommends joining a club for training or getting expert advice from a coach. “Triathlons are hard if you don’t know what you’re doing,” she says. “Having support from a group also makes races fun because you know others on the course with you.”

STeve – ‘T’ for ‘triathlon’ – Attwell, head coach for Embark Tri, emphasises the importance of nutrition for triathlon training. It’s important to practise eating and drinking during training to learn what works best for you as some foods could upset your stomach. Attwell recommends eating while on the bike – he calls this the ‘rolling buffet’ – and drinking sufficient water during training and races to keep you cool and hydrated.

Another good range of products to test out during training is sunscreen, says Attwell. The sunscreen that will work best for high intensity workouts tend to be waterproof and high SPF. Test out various products for how they feel and how well they work for you.

Nutrition is one of the most important parts of triathlon training because good nutrition helps keep you healthy and supports your training. Jae Braun, Discovery Store dietitian, says that it’s essential that you take in enough calories to support your training volume. “A high quality diet will satisfy an appetite inflated by training in a calorically effective way,” says Braun. Your diet, says Braun, should support your training and optimise your body’s natural adaptations to training stressors.

In terms of training specific nutrition, Braun recommends eating a recovery snack consisting of some protein and carbohydrate to enhance recovery and adaptation to each exercise session. “Muscles are primed to accept nutrients post workout, so ensure an adequate snack within an hour of training,” says Braun. Additionally, she says that eating too soon before training can cause a stomach upset, so have your last snack between one and three hours before training.

Finally, it’s important to remember that the Discovery Store is an invaluable resource for training triathletes. Wilene Collins, manager at the Discovery Store, says that there are plenty of experts at the Store that can give you guidance and support to complete the triathlon and reach your goal.

So, follow their advice and enter the Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town here.

To find out more about Discovery, click here.