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16 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Triathlon

I showed up to my first triathlon 10 minutes before the gun went off, completely overwhelmed and undertrained. Like a triathlete leech, I desperately asked the closest athlete how to rack my bike and where the start was. She looked at me slightly annoyed and said, "Do you always show up this late?" before graciously sliding her bike over to make room for mine.

I paused, told her it was my first race and that I had no idea what I was doing. She looked up and smiled, then proceeded to give me a five-minute crash course on Triathlon for Dummies.

This was her 81st time toeing the line, and her invaluable last-second pointers helped me finish the race.

I've finished two IRONMAN triathlons and countless sprint- and Olympic-distance races since that less-than-stellar performance. While all triathletes are constantly learning, there are a few things I wish I'd known the first time I toed the line.

About the Author

Michael Nystrom

A California native, Michael Nystrom graduated from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in journalism. He is a 2x IRONMAN and has done countless sprint- and olympic-distance triathlons. Follow Michael on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.
A California native, Michael Nystrom graduated from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in journalism. He is a 2x IRONMAN and has done countless sprint- and olympic-distance triathlons. Follow Michael on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

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