Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What equipment do I need?
A. There is a lot of triathlon equipment available that makes a triathlon even smoother and faster, however for your first triathlons, you only need a few things. All triathletes are required to keep their torso covered during both the bike and the run.
For the swim: bathers and goggles (swim cap is optional)
For the bike: shirt, shorts, bike and helmet - sunglasses are handy
For the run: shirt, shorts, sneakers and hat - sunglasses are handy
Note: You can swim/bike/run in the same shorts and bike/run in the same shirt.
Q. Where do I get changed between each leg?
A. Clothing changes are made in transition, however Triathlon Australia does not promote public nudity. Most participants choose their clothing so that there is either no need to get changed, or they simply add clothes over their bathers for the bike and run.
Q. How much do I need to train?
A. During the triathlon season, club training sessions are held every day. It is recommended that you attend at least one session for each discipline when you are new to the sport. It is important to begin with an amount of training that is appropriate to your current fitness.
Q. Should I train every day?
A. It is important to plan and include regular rest days as part of a balanced training program.
Q. Are there any rules I have to follow?
A. The race rules are set by Triathlon Australia. Here is a link to these rules on the Triathlon Australia website.
Q. How awesome is triathlon?
A. Triathlon is the greatest sport in the world. It's like [insert drug of choice] but slightly more expensive and twice as addictive.
Q. What's involved in a handicap event?
A. A handicap event simply means that every entrant will be assigned a time handicap, similar to a golfers handicap. If you will take longer to complete the triathlon, you will start earlier than someone who will take less time. The bigger your handicap, the faster you are. The theory is that if everyone performs exactly to handicap, we will have every entrant for each distance running accross the finish line at exactly the same time.
Q. Handicaps sound great, where can I get one?
A. The Kalgoorlie Tri Club has one person who assigns handicaps each season (Ruth & Dean). Ruth will ask you a few questions, then will use her years of knowledge and experience to work out how long you will take to complete the event. He then assigns a handicap to you based on his expert's guess of your time.
Q. Is my handicap fixed for the season?
A. Sadly handicaps are dynamic and will change from week to week, depending on how well/badly you perform. If you have a fantastic day and finish 4 minutes faster than normal, when you turn up to the following event Ian will have added a few of those minutes onto your handicap. Which means you'll need to have another fantastic day, just to keep up.
Luckily the converse is also true, if you have a terrible day and finish 4 minutes slower than normal, the following event will see you with a smaller handicap, giving you a few more minutes to complete the event.