Tip 1 Self-analysis can be quite hard and it's tough to be honest and not kid yourself.
Ask a friend to rate your past fitness, your diet.
They will probably come up with some useful observations that may not sit comfortably with you but are likely to be fruitful nonetheless.
Tip 2 Making the best use of your time in new sports takes time.
You need to know many things, such as pool opening times, how long it takes to get changed for biking or the best time of day to go for a run.
You will make some mistakes but eventually you'll find what works best for you.
Tip 3 Knowing your body's weaknesses and strengths helps you to focus on improving deficiencies while maintaining strengths.
You will always be better at one sport than another Concentrate on your weakest sport rather than what comes easiest.
Weak areas have the most potential for improvement in fitness and racing.
Tip 4 Swim, cycle and run clubs can be useful places to find training partners and learn about non-triathlete events.
Many areas now have a triathlon club, which can provide advice, swim sessions and secondhand equipment.
Tip 5 Whatever your reasons for taking up triathlon, your body weight is vital for good health and performance.
Monitor it once a week, on the same day at the same time (e.
g.
at am on Monday mornings).
It will vary from day to day and week to week, but longer-term trends (four to eight weeks) will tell you if you are gaining or losing weight.
Tip 6 Triathletes typically train from five to fifteen hours per week, most averaging around eight to ten hours.
You need to devote regular time, but highs and lows are inevitable.
Good time management is a skill you'll need to monitor and develop.
Keeping a diary can be invaluable for recording which sessions work.