Triathlon Show, Sandown Park

This February will see the UK’s biggest Triathlon show Sandown Park. If you can't wait until then, check out our top 10 triathlon tips here!

Fitness junkies rejoice! The UK’s biggest Triathlon show is coming to Sandown Park!

Expect to see the best brands in triathlon, meet and greet the world’s top triathletes and coaches and be the first to try the new kit for the season. There will also be ample opportunity to glean top tips from experts and take part in challenges.

In the meantime, check out these top 10 triathlon tips from Sean Lerwill, author of The Triathlon Manual. These simple guidelines offer the key to success at all levels:

Money is no substitute for hard work Nearly all new (and some experienced) triathletes want to buy speed and success, and throw money at it. It doesn’t work like that. Good kit helps to a point, but it’s no substitute for hard work, conditioning and technique.
Choose the right footwear Don’t train in trainers with elastic laces. Save these for races, when they will save you time. During training they’ll just negate the support function of your trainers.
Seek a professional opinion If you have money to burn, pay for a professional gait analysis. Use the results to specifically strengthen and condition the weak areas, and you’ll see great improvements.
Train off-road in winter Use a mountain bike for cycle training and do cross-country runs. Doing such off-road training isn’t only good for strength and conditioning, it’s also far safer if roads and pavements are icy and/or wet.
Stick to one bike Other than off-road winter training, you should always train on the bike you’ll race on. Some people think they should keep their ‘race bike’ special for race day, however if you train on a different set-up you’ll use muscles ever so slightly differently.
Don’t over-train It’s tempting to have no or too few rest days, but if you have no rest days you won’t improve as much. Many improvements occur outside of training: you strain (stimulus), then you rest to adapt, and improvement are seen. However, if you never rest to adapt you never see improvements.
Rest before the race Establish a good training routine and take your rest day two days before a race, not the day before: perform light training the day before the race. This ensures you aren’t groggy or lethargic on race day from having a day off.
Look Professional If you take a look at a professional Triathletes bike, it isn’t littered in energy gels taped to the frame. It is neat and tidy and exudes confidence. Unless you are doing a full or half ironman, one or two energy gels in a pocket will suffice.
Planning prevents poor performance Plan what you are going to do, both in training and for the race itself. Proper planning makes for a more enjoyable triathlon session and means you are more likely to succeed in the race.
No short cuts There are no quick fixes. Hard work is the only way to success.