Triathlon
Triathlon is a multi-discipline sport, consisting of a Swim, a Bike and a Run. In between each discipline is The Transition (some call this the fourth discipline). There are various distances; Super-sprint, Sprint, Standard, Middle, Long, Full and Ultra.
It doesn’t just stop at Triathlon though, there are other multi-disciplines options available. All at varying distances;
- Duathlon – Run, Bike, Run
- Aquabike – Swim then Bike
- Aquathlon – Swim then Run
- Cross Triathlon – Swim, Bike, Run, but it’s all off road
- Cross Duathlon – Run, Bike, Run – all off road
- Winter Triathlon – Ski, Mountain Bike, Run.
The Striders club are Affiliated members of the British Triathlon Federation (BTF). We have two BTF qualified coaches at the club. Both of them regularly competing at various multi-discipline events.
Good places to find events;
Coaches
David joined Striders in 2017 from a swimming background, wanting to improve his running for triathlons. David is a level 2 Open Water swim coach, having trained under the British Olympic silver medalist Keri-Anne Payne, and gained his BTF Level 2 Triathlon Coach Qualification in 2020.
David says “I got into triathlon because a friend who was already a good runner and cyclist wanted to improve their swim. I went to watch their first sprint distance triathlon (300m swim; 20k bike ride; 5k run) and realised it wasn’t just for superhuman athletes – all ages, shapes and sizes were taking part, and it just looked fun. I thought I could do that, bought a cheap road bike and a pair of trainers and got hooked. My first triathlon (a sprint distance) was in 2015. I was honoured to make the British Age Group Team in 2020 and although that race was cancelled due to Covid, I’ve raced for Great Britain a few times subsequently at the European and World Championships.
I became a triathlon coach because I want to share the passion I have for the sport with others and help them get into the sport and develop throughout their multisport journey”
Jo has been a member of Stowmarket Striders since 2006 and became a UK Athletics qualified coach in 2012 and a BTF Level 2 coach in 2019. She has also studied with the London Running School in Running Analysis and Technique.
Jo says “In 2016 I was introduced to the world of Triathlon by doing the run leg of a relay team at the Holkham Middle Distance Relay. I loved the atmosphere and challenge so much that I went back the following year to do my first triathlon, (in 2016 I couldn’t swim more than 50 metres in the pool and had never experienced open water swimming). I’ve never looked back and have since taken part in several Long Distance Triathlons and many other shorter distance triathlons and duathlons. I was honoured to join the British Triathlon Age Group team in 2019 and have raced for Great Britain a few times since then at European and World Championship levels.
I became a coach because I love running and triathlon and love to encourage and help others to do the best they can.”