It is the inevitable question that almost every beginner to the triathlon world has to ask his or herself. Should I be worried about my triathlon times? The answer, unfortunately, is yes and no. Obviously, this needs an explanation.

The first factor to consider is how much conditioning you have as an athlete in general. A seasoned athlete in one leg of the race may consider their triathlon times to be of importance since they would like to rank in among the professionals. On the other hand, most of us that are doing our first triathlon are only concerned about finishing. We decided to get off the couch one day, put on shoes and go for our first run. Being concerned about your triathlon times should be the furthest thing from your mind. Instead, focus on improving your skills and endurance. Your times will improve automatically.

Second, a triathlete needs to consider how much time they have to dedicate to the sport. Working full time, taking care of a family and fulfilling other obligations will always be time consuming and fitting in a rigorous triathlon training program can be quite difficult. Make sure and allot enough time to make your training beneficial but don’t let it outweight your other family obligations.

Remember this: You aren’t going to get first no matter how hard you train and hopefully you won’t get last. Just finishing is quite an accomplishment for most people so don’t be too hard on yourself if it takes you four hours to finish an olympic length triathlon. Keep your focus on improving your skills and endurance and you will be amazed how much it will cut down your triathlon times.

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There are some basics that a new triathlete needs to be aware of when starting a triathlon training program. The first word of advice is don’t get overwhelmed by the amount of information that is out there. There are so many so called gurus that want you to watch every calorie and make sure your protein and carb intake are in precise ratios and so on. The fact of the matter is, this is too much for a new triathlete to take on and will end up hindering your training. There are basics that a new triathlete should follow.

• Don’t underestimate your need to drink a lot of water
• Cut down on processed sugars, especially soda pop, candy, junk food, etc…
• Protein, Carbs, Fat are all needed daily but don’t be too concerned with exact ratios

Everyone hears that our bodies are made mostly of water but this can’t be emphasized enough during a triathlon training program. Not drinking enough water, even outside of a training day, can lead to fatigue and injury. The need for water on training days and race day are even more vital. The reason processed sugars are so bad for triathletes is the sugar impedes that body to recuperate. Refined sugar depletes the adrenal glands that control our “fight or flight” responses which are essential to training. And the last word in regards to nutrition, don’t cut out all fat but don’t overdo it either. A palm size amount of protein per meal is about all you need and the same with your carbs. Eating more often, 5 to 6 times a day, and having smaller portions is always healthier for a triathlete, as well as the everyday person.

Technorati Tags: triathlon nutrition, triathlon training program