Hot Chilli Triathlon Club frequently asked questions.

Q: I am new to triathlon. What does it involve and what can I expect from Hot Chilli Tri Club?
A: Triathlon is an exciting multi-sport involving swimming, cycling and running (other variations include Duathlon: Cycling and Running and Aquathlon: Swimming and Running). Triathlon is the fastest growing sport in the UK, with people of all ages and abilities participating in it as an active lifestyle activity as well as a highly competitive sport. Hot Chilli Tri Club is a community club, open to all, to which you will be welcomed and be able to share a great deal of fun and experience in this vibrant and active sport.

Q: I haven’t done a triathlon yet. Can I join?
A: Yes. You don’t have to race, you can just train and be part of this great sport. If you want to take part in a triathlon the club will encourage and support you in getting to and completing your first race.

Q: How much training will I have to do?
A: This very much depends on what your aims are. As a member of the club the coaching team will be happy to give you general guidance and the sessions are varied and structured across the year taking into account weather conditions, safety and build towards the race season for those who want to race. As a club we do not insist that you join any of the club sessions or that you train in all 3 disciplines.

Q: Do I have to race?
A: Not at all. As a club we aim to encourage participation and enjoyment of the sport and to do this in a friendly environment. Racing is not compulsory.

Q: Do I need to be a member to attend club sessions?
A: If you are interested in taking part in the club’s activities, you are welcome to attend on a trial basis for three weeks. After this you will need to take up one of the three membership levels. The Club is run for the benefit of its members.

Q: How do I join the Club?
A: Come along to one of the Club sessions and introduce yourself, contact the club membership coordinator for a membership pack and application form or click here for more membership information.

Swim

Q: What time and where are the swim sessions?
A: You will find training timetables here.

Q: What is the minimum standard of ability required to join a club swim session?
A: Ideally you should be able to swim 50m front crawl (2 lengths of a “normal” public pool) at any speed without stopping, before joining the structured coached club swim sessions. These can have more coaches on poolside and this makes it possible to deliver more individually focused coaching.

Q: What if I can’t swim that well?
A: As a club we can recommend basic swimming lessons and 1 – 1 coaching with various people which will very quickly get you up to this standard. Please see the contact page and direct your enquires to Richard Smith – head coach.

Q: What equipment do I need?
A: A well fitting swimming costume, trunks or swim shorts and a good water tight pair of goggles are all you need initially for swim sessions. You will be advised on the potential purchase of swimming aids dependant on your ability and aims. For open water swimming you should have a suitable wetsuit (non wetsuit swimming is very limited in the UK and a good swim wetsuit will also help with your personal safety). Club coaching staff will be able to advise you on wetsuit hire and purchase.

Bike

Q: What time and where are the bike rides?
A: You will find training timetables here.

Q: Do I need to ride a racing bike?
A: No. However, you will find riding a road bike on the road easier than a heavy mountain bike and learning the skills of road bike riding will obviously benefit you if you plan to race. If you are going to use a non road bike we do recommend that you fit your bike with smooth or lightly treaded road tyres rather than knobbly off road tyres as these will slow you down.

Q: How fast and long are the bike rides?
A: Group bike rides are structured to offer different speeds and distances depending on how fast and far riders wish to go on the day. Groups are broken down by individual ability and then by distance (anything from 1 hours riding). Groups generally have no more than 10 riders.

Q: I’m really slow, will I get left behind?
A: No. A rider (normally one of the coaches or ride leaders) rides with the slowest group to ensure that no one is left behind no matter how slow you are. You are probably not as slow as you think.

Q: Do I need to wear a helmet?
A: Yes. It is a requirement of club rides that you wear a helmet. No helmet no ride!

Run

Q: What time and where are the run sessions?
A:  You will find training timetables here.

Q: How good a runner do I have to be to join the run sessions?
A: As with the swim and bike disciplines the club sessions are designed to cater for all abilities. Ideally you should build up to the point where you can jog steadily at a pace where you can talk to the person beside you for 20 minutes without stopping. One session a week will focus on interval type training and the other will be a longer, endurance based run.

Q: I am really slow. Will I get left behind?
A: Run sessions are structured to ensure that no one gets left behind.

Membership

Q: How much does a year’s membership cost?
A: We have a number of membership options. Membership fees are payable monthly in advance for GOLD membership and equates to approx £7 per week (£28per month). A full breakdown and explanation of the different membership options and benefits are explained here.

Q: It’s the middle of the year; do I get a membership discount?
A: Membership is based on a rolling year, so your membership runs for a year from the month that you start.

Q: Does my Hot Chilli Triathlon membership give me automatic membership of Triathlon England (TE)?
A: No. The club’s Triathlon England affiliation does NOT give our members automatic individual TE membership. We do strongly encourage all our members to join TE.  Membership of TE provides a number of personal benefits and further enables the federation to undertake more work to develop the sport on a national level and offer greater support to the Hot Chilli Tri as a club. You can join TE by visiting www.britishtriathlon.org