Q&A

Q & A: Picking a Winner—Choosing Your “A” Race

Q “I want to do a triathlon next year but there are so many races to choose from! How do I decide which one would suit me best?”

FIONA SMYTH

A It’s always hard to “pick a winner,” isn’t it? I’m not referring to my father’s sage advice when he (repeatedly) caught me with my finger up my nose, but instead to the difficult decision about what triathlon you throw yourself into. If you had entered the sport in the 1970s or 1980s there would only have been a handful of triathlons to choose from, in addition to dayglo Lycra and Dave Scott handlebar moustaches (and that’s just for the girls) being de rigueur. In fact, you could probably have participated in all of the triathlons in the UK over the course of a year, so few and far between were the events. How times have changed. Fast-forward a few decades and dayglo went out of fashion (and is now apparently back in), aerobars are more common than handlebars and the triathlon calendar is bursting at the seams.

“‘A’ hopefully stands for ‘awesome’ but it’s generally used to denote the event that is the focus of your season.”

Whether a novice or a seasoned veteran, you only have to look at a credible triathlon website to see super-sprints, sprints, Olympic-distance races, half Ironmans, Ironmans, aquathlons, duathlons, bonker-thons that go beyond Ironman distance… You name it, there’s a ’thon for you.

There’s the chance that you may simply enjoy the process of triathlon training without ever wanting to race. That’s perfectly fine; however, for those reading this whose goal is to do a triathlon of whatever distance, it’s likely that you’ll want to select an “A” race—“A” hopefully stands for “awesome” but it’s generally used to denote the event that is the focus of your season. Of course, it’s possible to have a couple of A races spread throughout the season. I felt that I could realistically and successfully peak for three races throughout the course of the year, essentially having about three months to prepare for each. I therefore prioritised the Ironman World Championship in October but also selected a couple of other Ironmans, one in the northern hemisphere spring and one in the summer, which I considered high priority.

So, if you’re planning a triathlon season, what factors come into play in deciding what your “awesome” race should be?

Race distance

Decide what distance you want to focus your efforts on. If you’re a novice, there’s nothing to say that your first race has to be a short-course triathlon. I know quite a few athletes who have thrown caution to the wind and made their first A race an Ironman event, but I would advise doing some shorter races beforehand to help you prepare effectively.

Course

Even for races of the same distance, the type of swim, bike and run course will be different. For example, the swim can be in a pool or in open water. If open water, it could be in the sea (which could be rough or calm), a lake or a canal—with a variety of water temperatures. Bike courses can be hilly or flat or a mix of both. The run can be on the road or on hard-packed trails and, again, can be bumpy or pancake flat. There are also races that are multi-lap and those that have a single lap for each discipline. Race choice is down to personal preference and once you have made that decision you can tailor your training to suit.

Timing

Think about what time of year you want to race. This is strongly linked to your current fitness level, your goal for the A race and how long it will take you to reach your desired standard. It usually takes considerably longer to prepare for an Ironman than it does a super-sprint, but much depends on your athletic background. You may also need time to save money to pay for everything associated with this crazy sport, as well as the next factor—the weather.

Weather conditions

You may have a preference for a particular type of weather conditions in which to race. I personally love it when the temperature climbs (and luckily for me Hawaii is rather more tropical than your average British summer) and usually underperform in colder conditions when my polar-bear competitors thrive. Hence, I chose races where warmer weather was almost guaranteed. This is linked to the location but also the time of year. If you want to race in the UK and prefer warmer weather, then you may want to hedge your bets and enter a race that’s between May and August (although granted this is no guarantee that there won’t be biblical rain and/or single-digit temperatures). If you don’t want to train in the cold, it may be sensible to avoid entering a race that’s in the early part of the year (if you live in the northern hemisphere) as it would mean training in freezing conditions or inside. You might want to take a look at the heat acclimatisation section on here if you fancy racing in the heat yet live in a place where rain/cloud/snow features strongly.

Altitude

Think carefully before you enter races at a higher altitude, particularly those above 1,500m, as this can impact you physiologically, especially if you’re not acclimatised.

Location

Do you want to do an event in the UK or travel abroad? If the former, do you want to race close to home or venture to far-flung parts of the country—maybe somewhere you’ve never been, such as Tenby, for instance? The same applies if you want to go overseas. Do you fancy racing in Europe, or have you always wanted to go to the triathlon mecca that is Timbuktu? The decision is obviously linked to many other factors, including cost, travel time, whether you want a holiday afterwards (I hear Tenby is very nice) and if you would like family and friends to be able to attend. Racing in or near a big city might appear to have its advantages, but some of the most revered races can be found in places slightly off the beaten track, in part because the local communities fully embrace the sport.

Budget

If your wallet isn’t supersized, then you’ll probably be watching your pennies. Travelling to Timbuktu is far more expensive than getting to Tenby. Of course, racing abroad also means transporting your bike without it resembling a mangled mess (see here for more information about pre-race preparation). You’ll also want to consider the cost of race entry, as this can vary considerably even for events of the same distance. Bear in mind that just because you have paid an eye-wateringly large race fee, it’s no guarantee that the race will be run to a higher standard than cheaper alternatives.

Brand

There are many different race organisers out there, from the local triathlon clubs to big global corporations and everything in between. If you’re focusing on Olympic distance, think about whether you want to race an International Triathlon Union (ITU)-organised event or are happy doing the local triathlon arranged by John or Jane Bloggs. If you want to do an Ironman race, there is a similarly large range of options: from the official “Ironman” branded series of events, i.e. owned by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC); those organised by other large global companies, such as Challenge; or races put on by smaller, national or local operators that may be less costly and offer a slightly different Ironman race experience.

Atmosphere and extras

Races vary wildly in terms of the atmosphere, the number of competitors, the pre- and post-race support and activities, the goodies you get (e.g. a finisher’s medal, a race T-shirt), the number of spectators and so forth. For me, racing was a performance and I relished plying my trade in front of a crowd—one of the many reasons I loved Challenge Roth, where hundreds of thousands of people line the streets, celebrating, cheering and drinking beer. I also thrived on the jubilant, emotive and inspirational finish-line atmosphere; especially the music and firework show finale to celebrate the last finisher. Think about what really motivates you and will drive you to great heights, and do some research to ensure you get exactly what you want.

Support by friends and family

This is linked to location and timing. If it’s vital that your friends and family come and watch, cheer and tell you that you look “awesome”/“gorgeous”/“knackered”/ “downright dreadful”, then make sure you enter a race to which they can travel easily and where they can manoeuvre around the course to see you in action.

Reputation

Did previous participants like the event? Was the route well marshalled or did everyone go off-course and end up in Timbuktu rather than Tenby? Was the atmosphere good or was it a total damp squib? I suggest chatting to friends and reading previous race reports. Of course, such feedback and reviews are always subjective but they can give a flavour of what an event is like.

Qualification

Find out whether you need to qualify to enter the race. For example, unless you have a) been totally awesome and been awarded a slot through a previous performance or b) earned a place by virtue of being bonkers enough to clock up loads of Ironman finishes, unfortunately you won’t be racing at the Ironman World Championship. Likewise, if you want to compete for your country, for example at the ITU World Age Group Championship, you’ll need to qualify and, if you aren’t able to do so, there is little point in making it your A race.

The world truly is our oyster when it comes to doing any type of ’thon. Only you can decide what criteria matter in picking your A-race winner. Importantly, be passionate, excited and energised about the goal and the reasons behind it—rather than simply doing something because you feel you ought to or because everyone else is doing it.