Newbie

Hi Josh,

Welcome to BT!!!

I think the best thing would be to start with the articles... as you are so far away from the HIM next year it might be good to see if there is a race this year that is a shorter distance that will give you a chance to try out the transitions and equipment in a racing scenario and give you a stepping stone to progressively step up the distances you are training for...

Then have a look at the plans and maybe work out training up to an early season shorter event that will then allow you to build up through summer for the HIM.... most importantly first is to get into regularly swimming, biking and running without go too hard too fast right off the bat - yes its easy to do without meaning to! Generally you shouldnt increase your training more than 10% maximum each week and you will often find with training programs that around every fourth week is a lighter training week to give your body some time to recover.

How technical you get with it is up to you but for starters check out the articles section here on BT and head the the Triathlon Talk forum to read all the questions being asked and conversations about peoples experiences!

Welcome to the crazy world of triathlon!

Cat

Hi Josh, welcome.  Do you have any sporting background?  If not I would suggest that you probably shouldn't start intense training for at least a year (depending on what you mean by intense of course.)

If your goal is just to finish, a good idea for your first I might add, then I would pick one of the beginner HIM programs and follow it, although that wouldn't start until some time just before new year.  In the mean time pick another race earlier in the season and start preparing for that.  Perhaps an early season sprint distance, a mid-season olympic to be followed by the half in May.

Before race day you will want to be able to swim and ride over-distance but it's probably not necessary to run a half marathon.  Your training program will help you out there anyway.  If your swimming is ordinary then perhaps get some instruction on that either through a squad or one on one instruction.

I don't think that there are any tri clubs out your way with most being based on the coastal strip but if there's one near where you work or study you'll pick things up a lot quicker by joining one and participating.

Lastly, what equipment have you got?  Road bike, etc.?