25/06/2025
Too old to Tri?
With coaches upping their game by improving their coaching skills and using training platforms like TriDot getting into triathlon is no longer a daunting task.
Many adults are understandably caught up with their careers, relationships and starting families and the idea of training for a triathlon is perceived as being time consuming. It's on many bucket lists but it's always pushed down because of being too old, unfit, overweight, not enough time available to train, too hard and I'm sure a few more excuses could be added. The one excuse that is really plausible is not knowing where to start. So let's check that box.
Where to start - many coaches will offer a free consultation. During that time it's an open conversation where you get to ask the coach all of those burning questions by the end of it you should be in a more educated place to make a decision as to when and how you are going to start your training.
As for the other excuses. I have trained hundreds of athletes, from 11 to 66 years old, from couch potatoes to those with an athletic background. Let me showcase one of these athletes, Roger Gomes.
Roger played competitive football (soccer) and field hockey in his early years. As he neared his retirement age the idea of doing a triathlon was suggested to him and to contact me to get started. I knew Roger as I also played field hockey so after several open and candid conversations he began training in March 2022 at the age of 63 with the goal of completing his first sprint triathlon by June of that year. Roger also has a pre diabetic condition but he does an excellent job of managing that.
His journey was not a straight forward one. Doing a new sport, at any age requires some adaptation from your body as new muscles are being "woken up". Also, some adults tend to be set in their ways with training methods and often don't follow the coach's instructions and guidelines, this makes the learning curve a bit longer and not as steep as it should be. While warming up for his first multi-sport race, an aquathlon, Roger damaged his hamstring, once recovered he then discovered that he had a heel spur but with the correct shoes and training Roger successfully completed his first triathlon in October 2022.
Roger has since gone on to successfully complete several triathlons, aquathlons, duathlons and distance running races. He is the current 50 years and over National Sprint Distance and National Aquathlon champion and has successfully completed two IRONMAN 70.3 races. In August he will be competing at the USA National Triathlon Championships!
Roger is one of many examples that I can give of athletes who started their triathlon journeys in their 40's, 50's or 60's. They lead a healthier and rewarding lifestyle; proof that age is not an excuse.
If you want to start your triathlon journey feel free to email me at [email protected] and let's chat, a free trial on the TriDot training platform is included on that call.
