recovering is just as valuable as the time spent training. No mater how much time he devotes in the first few weeks, adaptation to physical stress simply takes time. Ease athletes into the first few weeks before letting them increase the frequency or intensity of their work.


Scenario 2: Stay at home mom with two young children who wants to “just finish.”


It’s likely that this mom already feels


overworked and stressed being a mom, a wife and a friend to her neighborhood mothers group. Her time is very tight, and it’s not uncommon for young mothers to have some sense of guilt spending time on themselves (or so i’m told by my sister- in-law). For this athlete, trying to fit in two workouts per week in each discipline is going to be a stretch and you may need to help her be creative in fitting in two workouts a day while childcare is available at the gym or being sure that her spouse is on board with her goals and will contribute in whatever way he can. For this athlete, full social support by her spouse, friends and coach will go much further than trying to pile on workouts.


Basic equipment needs: Is my bicycle good enough?


Browse through any current triathlon magazine and even the biggest gear head is going to feel that their equipment is inadequate. The sport of triathlon has more gimmicks, gadgets, gears and gearheads than nearly any other sport around. Therefore as a coach, it’s vital that you help your athlete feel confident with the equipment that they currently have. They do not need to spend a grand or more on a new bike, new shoes, clips, helmets, power meters, etc.


I’ve always maintained that the best bike for a triathlon is the bike you currently own. My first triathlon was done on a steel mountain bike with hubs that couldn’t even make three revolutions before grinding to a halt. I gave the bike a tune-up and put slick tires


on instead of my old knobbies, made sure the brakes worked and off I went. The elation of finishing my first triathlon was by far the most memorable and important part of that experience – far more important than the bike I was riding.


Don’t allow your athlete to be distracted by the “shiny things” they are likely to read about. This negative energy of coveting fancy gear and expensive toys will only detract from the energy they can put towards quality workouts and consistency.


Coach, what should I eat before, during and after my workouts? Inevitably the athlete will ask you at some point in their training what they should be eating. While it may be outside your professional experience as a coach to create a full nutrition plan, basic workout nutrition regarding hydration and nutrition is easily taught to the new triathlete. Information such as pre-workout eating, hydration during the workout and post workout nutrition can be presented in a few paragraphs with some pre- and post-workout meal options. Most workouts for the first time triathlete will be less than an hour long so workout “fueling” which can be a very deep topic, can be kept very simple. Like with the other components of simplicity I’ve discussed, keep nutrition guidelines simple for the first few weeks of training.


Summary: Communication, Consistency and Contraptions


Communication: Establishing fundamental communication with your athletes includes finding out what their motivations are, helping them establish realistic goals and learning what type of feedback they respond to best. an hour-long, sit-down conversation at a coffee shop is invaluable for getting your future first-timer off to a strong start in the triathlon lifestyle.


Consistency: Keeping your athlete’s training plan simple and clear will help them bring


their new lifestyle in with their current one. There will be growing pains during this time, and as a coach, you’ll need frequent, if not daily communication in the first few weeks to help keep your athlete motivated and help them troubleshoot if they are experiencing doubts or lack of motivation.


Contraptions: Distractions are plentiful and tri mags are full of shiny ads and pro endorsements. Don’t let your athlete be pulled in this direction this early in their active lifestyle. The biggest investment to be made will likely be a bike helmet that fits and is comfortable. The bike they currently own is the best one for their first triathlon, as long as it is safe. Swapping slicks for knobbies will transform any mountain or hybrid bike into a sleek time trial machine, at least in the first time finisher’s eyes.


Hopefully this article has helped demonstrate the ways in which coaching a first time triathlete are unique compared to more experienced triathletes. With more new coaches and new triathletes coming into the triathlon world all the time, finding a healthy match between coach and athlete will help both participants find satisfaction.


Suzanne Atkinson, MD is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who has been coaching triathletes and cyclists since 2006. She founded Steel City Endurance, LTD, which not only coaches athletes but also sponsors a men’s and women’s competitive bike racing team. She is a Level II coach with both USA Triathlon and USA Cycling, as well as a Total Immersion Teaching Professional in swimming.


In addition to coaching triathletes from beginners to Ironman finishers, Suzanne has written a 30-page ebook and 12-week sprint triathlon training plan titled “The First Time Finisher’s Guide” for novice sprint triathletes with more than 2,500 downloads to date and multiple success stories from athletes.


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