There’s something special about being new to a sport. Progress comes quickly. Small changes lead to meaningful gains. And almost every session brings that energizing sense of momentum – the feeling that you’re getting stronger, faster, and more capable with each week that passes.
For experienced athletes, improvement often comes in smaller increments, requiring increasingly targeted and precise training to unlock marginal gains. But for newcomers, the opportunity curve is wide open. With the right approach, these early seasons can deliver some of the most rewarding breakthroughs you’ll ever experience.
Here are a few simple strategies to help you make the most of that window as you dive into your triathlon journey.
1. Consistency Beats Heroic Efforts
A brand-new goal can be incredibly motivating, and it’s tempting to head out the door determined to start crushing it right away. This enthusiasm often peaks around New Year’s, when gyms are packed on January 1 and noticeably quieter just a few weeks later.
While big sessions and ambitious plans can feel productive, sustainability matters far more than any single impressive day. Setting the bar too high early on increases the risk of burnout, injury, or pushing your fitness development faster than your body can reasonably adapt.
Paradoxically, going harder out of the gate can actually slow progress.
Instead, embrace a simple mantra one of my coaches once shared with me: “Boring training makes for exciting race results.” It’s true. The repeatability of steady, manageable days – the quiet stacking of work – is what drives progress. Often, that progress feels almost invisible at first. And then, suddenly, it isn’t.
2. The Foundation is Built in Easy Miles
Building on the above, one of the most common mistakes new triathletes make is assuming that getting better means going harder – or faster – more often. It’s intuitive…we want to feel like we’re pushing ourselves. And often, we want proof that we’re getting fitter.
I once knew someone whose “easy jog” pace was about 5:45/km, while her 5km race pace was only slightly faster, around 5:20/km. (I was guilty of something similar when I started.) In reality, easy aerobic training should be much slower than race pace.
For practical purposes, easy training can be defined as conversational pace: a pace where you’re not out of breath and could comfortably talk in full sentences. If you can’t tell a story or hold a casual conversation while you’re moving, the effort is probably too hard.
This doesn’t mean there’s no place for speed. There absolutely is. But those harder efforts are the icing on the cake.
For triathlon, the cake itself is built in the easy miles – the ones you can repeat day after day, week after week. Quietly. Consistently. Sustainably. Stack enough of those, and the fitness you’re looking for shows up almost on its own.
3. Find Your “Why” – And Your Community
Motivation is a great place to start, but it’s rarely what keeps you going.
In the early weeks of training, enthusiasm comes easily. Everything is new. Progress feels fast. But as the novelty fades, motivation alone isn’t always enough to get you out the door.
That’s where meaning comes in, or finding your “why.” Anchor yourself in the vision of what your fitness goals mean to you, or what the finish line will symbolize. And just as important as having a personal reason to keep showing up can be having others to share the journey with.
Training partners, group rides, masters swim sessions, or local triathlon clubs can turn solo workouts into shared experiences. Community can add accountability, encouragement, and enjoyment, helping you show up on the days you might not have on your own.
In the end, the athletes who stick with triathlon long enough to see those early gains turn into lasting fitness aren’t the ones who rely on willpower alone. They’re the ones who build a reason to show up – whatever that reason may be for you.
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