Sunday, April 17, 2011

Ready to Tri - Triathlon 101 FAQ what you need to Know

So, in two weeks time we will have The Flying Start event put on by the good folks at The3Club.

How does one prepare for a triathlon?

I compiled a list of Qs, from my n00b perspective, and sent them in, the folks were gracious enough to give me some answers to share with the general public, so without further adieu, for those planning to take part in this spectacle, this information is for you:

What time will the race start on friday (reference: Friday prayer)


The Race will begin in the early morning at 6:00 am, we'll have a cutoff time of 3 hours so we should wrap up the whole event before prayer time.


What type of swimming attire would you suggest men (shorts, speedo's etc)/ women wear?

Well the most ideal would be a triathlon suit which you can swim,cycle and run in without having to change. you can find tri suits at Extreme sports shops either in slamiya or shuwaikh.


Are the women in a separate area than the men for the entire triathlon?

No The transition zone is mixed


Is there a resting period inbetween the different activities, or is it like an obstacle course where the first to finish the whole thing wins?

There's no rest period, but i suppose its up to each individual participant wether they wish to rest in the transition area, but they will lose time, as its not typically used for rest just to transition to the other discipline.


Are snacks (power bars, fruits etc) allowed inbetween activities? Are they provided at the competition or does each person bring their own?

yes they're allowed, one needs a source of instant energy during triathlon, some participants use concentrated power gels which they bring along with them, or bananas and other food items popular for their energy boosting .


we will provide water and gatorade along the course .


If yes, what type of snacks would you suggest people take, would they be different between each different activity?

Answered above


Are the cycles provided by you or should participants bring their own?

Each participant must get their own bike and equipment, the race officials and organizers are not responsible for providing any equipment.


What type of cycling gear should participants bring with them?

Helmet.


What foods should participants focus on one week prior to the race?

This really depends on each individual but typically athletes eat a lot of carb and reduce any fiber fileld foods 2 days close to race day.


Will there be an ambulance on call if anyone gets dehyrdrated, faints etc?

Yes there will be a skilled emergency team on stand by.


Is the triathlon open to participants from outside Kuwait?

Yes in fact the race has been minimally promoted in Dubai.


Do participants choose between the two classes (Sprint/ Olympic), or is there some test which determines which class a participant can compete in?

Participants are free to choose which ever distance category they prefer, based on their personal opinion of how fit they are, and must sign a disclaimer to that effect.


What is the difference between the Olympic and Olympic relay classes?

Olympic individual is when one participants does the whole distance by him/her self, swimming the 1500 followed by a 40 km bike and a 10 km run non stop to the finish line. In Relay a team of three or 2 can share the race distances meaning that one can do the swim, pass the timing chip to a team mate who then carries through the bike portion then passes the timing chip to the third team member who will finish the run.



How a Triathlon is performed:
The Run is the last discipline in triathlon and its right after the bike, once an athlete finishes from the bike they must cycle back to the transition are, get rid of the bike gear (helmet, cycling shoes, gloves..etc) and put on their running gear (running shoes, sun cap..etc)


and run the rest of the race be it the 5km for the sprint or the 10 km for the olympic.



For everyone wishing to participate, here is the form :)


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