Triathlon is a multi-discipline sport which is primarily a swim followed by a bike ride and then a run. There are many variations on this including aquathlons (swim/run), aquabike (swim/bike) and duathlons (run/bike/run). Distances vary from novice (400m swim, 10k bike, 2.5k run) right up to Ironman (2.4m swim, 112m bike, 26.2m run) and beyond.
What are the age limits for Triathlon?
Races start for children aged 8 and there really is no top end, if you are fit and keen enough then you can race
Am I fit enough to race?
If you have not done any level of exercise then we would highly recommend you seek a medical opinion before starting training. However, once you've been passed fit to train then you can build up your fitness to compete. Winning is only for the very few, most athletes come into the sport with their own goals and expectations and East Essex Tri are here to help them achieve those goals.
Where do Triathlons take place?
Events can take place anywhere; they are generally large events run by professional organisations or charity / club events run by volunteers. There are many options within 30 miles of South East Essex and beyond.The British Triathlon Federation (our National Governing Body) lists all it's sanctioned races on it's website
When do Triathlons take place?
The main triathlon season in the UK is between May and September but there are a few events, especially duathlons, before and after this period.
What do you wear?
There is a great choice of Triathlon specific clothing and accessories that you can buy but it is perfectly okay to wear a swimming costume (with or without shorts for the bike/run),a t shirt and running shoes. As your appetite for the sport increases so will your desire for more triathlon specific kit.
How much does it cost?
This is very much a piece of string question. To get started you can use any bike including a mountain bike and that will be your biggest cost. Good quality running shoes are highly recommended to ensure you don't get injured on your first outing. Professional races are generally much more expensive than local races and the local races tend to be more expensive than local swimming galas or runs because of the extensive hire costs, planning and approval processes required to organise three sports into a single event.
This is not essential but is highly recommended. On top of offering numerous benefits including third party insurance when training and racing, you can get discounts from all races you enter.
Can I race abroad
Yes you can. In some countries such as France you would need a medical certificate, however they waive this requirement for triathletes who are members of British Triathlon. One of the great things about triathlon is that there is a very healthy age group system which allows competitors to compete at National, European and World level within 5 year age groups. East Essex have many GB age group athletes
We welcome anyone from age 8 (at the end of the calendar year) up. If you are a member of another triathlon club you are welcome to join us on a 'second claim' basis. More information about children, including our child protection policies here
We operate a club league for children and adults. These are based on a number of different events including triathlons, aquathlons, duathlons, cross country races, swim and bike time trials.
We are members of the South Essex Cross Country League which holds a number of races on Sunday's throughout the winter. We also compete in the Essex Saturday Cross Country League
We host a number of open events where non-members and members of other clubs can come and race. These races we allow members to compete in although we do look for volunteers to help the race happen and happen safely.
We have other adhoc training, competitive and social events throughout the year which are listed in our club calendar
When do we train?
Our training activies are listed in the training tab and adhoc events in the club calendar. We train all through the year
How much must we train?
You are not obliged to attend any of the training sessions but we hope you will find them an ideal opportunity both to improve fitness and also to meet other club members. These are great opportunities to learn from your team mates and share stories from the triathlon circuit.
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