Chrissie Wellington’s six top tips for triathlon beginners

With a mantelpiece full of Ironman titles, it’s easy to forget Chrissie Wellington was once a beginner to all things tri.

Here are her snippets of advice for all those who are just starting out in multisport…

Set some goals

“Spend time choosing your race goals and distance. Only you know what excites and challenges you, and what’ll fit in with your life. There’s no point choosing to do an Ironman if you aren’t enthused about it.

“Once you have a goal, think about your motivations: whether it’s the challenge, racing in memory of a loved one, competing for a cause, to see new places…”

Dave Scott on how goal-setting can help you focus when going long

Choose the right race for you

“When you have chosen the distance, it’s time to choose a race! Think about the course, the time of year, costs, travel time, the typical weather conditions, type of atmosphere (low key or major event), whether you want family and friends supporting you, what races your friends/family/training partners are doing.”

Join a tri club

“Joining a club is a fantastic way of meeting, training with and learning from like-minded people. Coached club sessions are ideal as they’re often tailored to ability.”

UK triathlon clubs – what to expect when you join

Find someone to mentor you

“Tri is such a welcoming sport that there are always people to lean on for advice. Don’t be scared to ask people for assistance.

“After all, we were all beginners once and you’ll be surprised how willing people are to share their experience, time and even their equipment!

Set ambitious goals

“Don’t be scared of setting ambitious goals, even ones that scare you a little bit! Tri can seem daunting to everyone who hasn’t done one before, but you can summit any mountain if you break it down into bite-sized chunks and take small steady steps towards the summit.”

Chrissie Wellington on… Preparing right to smash your ‘A’ goal

Take things slowly

“If triathlon is a new sport to you, don’t be in a rush to succeed. It’s tempting to throw yourself headfirst into it, but you can risk injury or overtraining if you don’t do things deliberately. Becoming competent at the three disciplines takes time, and it’s about enjoying the journey.”

Five mental tricks to boost race confidence

More by Chrissie

What’s the best advice you received as a beginner? Let us know in the comments below!

About

Chrissie Wellington OBE is a retired, British professional triathlete and four-time Ironman world champion. She held all three world and championship records relating to ironman triathlon races: firstly, the overall world record, secondly, the Ironman World Championship course record, and thirdly, the official world record for all Ironman-branded triathlon races over the full Ironman distance. She remains the world record holder for Ironman distance (8:18hrs). Chrissie won the Ironman World Championship in three consecutive years (2007–2009), but could not start the 2010 World Championship race because of illness. She regained the title in 2011. She is the first British athlete to hold the Ironman world title, and was undefeated in all 13 of her races over the Iron distance. She is the only triathlete, male or female, to have won the World Championship less than a year after turning professional, an achievement described by the British Triathlon Federation as "a remarkable feat, deemed to be a near impossible task for any athlete racing as a rookie at their first Ironman World Championships." Since retiring in 2012 Chrissie has completed countless endurance events, from cycling sportives, to marathons and ultra-marathons and even a cross country ski marathon or two! Chrissie was awarded a first-class degree by the University of Birmingham (BsC Geography) in 1998 and a Distinction from the University of Manchester (MA Econ Development Studies) in 2000. Prior to becoming a professional athlete in 2007, she worked for the British Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a policy adviser on international development and also managed water and sanitation projects in Nepal. Chrissie now devotes her life to work to improve individual and population health and wellbeing, and specifically interventions to increase participation in physical activity. She is the Global Lead for Health and Wellbeing for parkrun and is committed to engaging people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities in parkrun events, thereby addressing the entrenched health and wellbeing inequalities that impact many countries across the world. Chrissie published her Sunday Times Best Selling autobiography, 'A Life Without Limits', in 2012, and her second book, 'To the Finish Line: A World Champion Triathlete's Guide to Your Perfect Race', in 2017. In 2021, she co-authored and published two fully-illustrated children's wellbeing storybooks with friend and former athlete Susie Bush-Ramsey entitled 'You're so strong' and 'You're so amazing', as a means of sharing messages about belief, trust, love, friendship, trying your best and embracing change. A trailblazer at heart, Chrissie is often advocating for change. In 2014 she joined three professional cyclists in campaigning for and successfully creating a women’s race at the Tour De France. Chrissie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to sport and charity. She was also named the 2009 Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and has Honorary Doctorates from the University of Birmingham and the University of Bristol. Chrissie lives with her husband, former professional athlete Tom Lowe, and their daughter Esme in a small village in Somerset.