It’s the beginning of a new year, and you are gearing up for what will be an exciting year filled with triathlon races. If you wonder when triathlon season starts, you are not alone, as people generally have this question when they start training for the races. In general, triathlon season begins depending on your location and region. Races are held all over the world, and the season may begin at a different time where you live. For instance, in North America, the triathlon season will start in March and go through till November before the cold weather arrives.
There are hundreds of races that take place all over the world, which run through till most months of the year. In general, most triathlon races occur between May and September, as that provides the ideal climate for the athletes to perform at peak fitness levels. You need to have the right water temperatures and weather for the races so that no athlete is compromised during the race.
How to Prepare for Triathlon Season?
When you are training for triathlon season, you want to be in peak physical condition for the races. Your fitness and conditioning will be tested throughout the races, which is why you must pace yourself. Please don’t overdo it and pick and choose your races to give yourself the best chance of winning. Most people tend to clog their season with various events, which means they are burned out for the most important triathlon races in the latter part of the season.
When you are scheduling your races, you must think in terms of “quality over quantity.” Pick races that are based on your strengths and on which you want to improve. It may be tempting to make full use of triathlon season and pack in as many races as you can, but that is the wrong way to go about it. You must set major objectives for yourself and then schedule your races depending on what goals you want to achieve during the triathlon season.
To ensure that you can prepare adequately for triathlon season, we will be sharing some tips on how you can make the most of all your races.
1. Split Your Year between Two Parts
When training for triathlon season, most athletes tend to overdo their training regimen and get too fit for the races in the earlier part of the year. By the time the season ends in late summer or autumn, they are completely burned out and cannot perform adequately. You shouldn’t be training like that if you want to make the most of your triathlon season.
The best suggestion is to split your year into two parts, which should be something like this: February to June and July to November. In the first half of the calendar year, you should focus on running one A race, somewhere in May or June, which should give you plenty of time to rest and build your fitness for the latter part of the year. During the second part of the year, you should prepare for two more A races to complete your triathlon season.
2. Make the Most of Your Recovery Time
You want to ensure that you are in peak physical condition throughout triathlon season, and that means making the most of your recovery time. There are many stories of athletes running triathlon races with very little or no recovery period between races. That is a recipe for disaster and the worst thing you can do in triathlon season, as you will pick up little niggles and injuries. You don’t want to get injured in the middle of the season and be made to sit the remainder of the races out.
In general, athletes can only hold their peak physical fitness for about eight to eleven weeks. That means you must be selective in your races to ensure that you don’t burn yourself out for the more important races that come around later in the year. So, plan for a decent rest and recovery period between races to not push yourself too hard.
3. Strive for Efficiency in the Off-Season
Once you’ve staked your plans for all the A races you will run during triathlon season, you must commit to your training regimen. You must build your endurance for the races and aim to get fitter so that you are in peak physical condition when the season kicks off. Remember, you need to build a base first to manage the races’ workload and don’t break down or get injured in the middle of the race.
That means eating healthy and giving yourself a good six to ten weeks of intense training that helps you build strength and endurance. You won’t have much time to train when the triathlon season starts, so you must strive for efficiency in the offseason. You need to prepare your body for the race’s demands and the high-intensity efforts you will exert if you want to win races.
Our Final Thoughts
You need to ensure that you are well prepared for the rigors of the triathlon races you will be running in throughout the triathlon season. That means planning for each race and leaving yourself enough recovery time after a race so that you don’t get burned out. As the winter months leave, triathlon season is just around the corner, and it is time that you started preparing for it. So, follow the tips mentioned above and don’t push yourself too hard when triathlon season starts.
