4 Questions To Understand When (and Why) To Step Up in Distance

So you’ve done a tri, or a few, or maybe you have a few seasons of triathlon under your belt. And you’re understandably wondering: what’s next? A lot of triathletes presume that the logical “what’s next” is a jump in triathlon distance. It might be! But not necessarily. How do you figure that out? Let’s talk about it.

The first – and most important – thing we need to establish: There is no “what’s next” rule to follow. Despite what you might assume (or even what other triathletes have told you), there is no rule or requirement stating that after [X] triathlons of a certain distance, or after [Y] seasons of racing triathlon, you have to then complete a [certain distance] triathlon. You can stick with one distance for your entire triathlon career, bounce up and down the ladder, or cherry-pick what works for you in any given season. You don’t have to go bigger – or stay bigger once you’ve gone there – in order to be (or stay) a triathlete. Swim + bike + run (without taking a nap or having a picnic) = triathlete. No additional requirements.

Which is a long way of getting to: make sure there is no “should” in your “what’s next” equation. There is only what’s right for you. And what’s right for you will depend on a range of factors.

How to decide you’re actually ready to step up in distance

1. Can you increase your training hours?

Hopefully it goes without saying that preparing for a longer event requires longer training sessions, which leads to more weekly training hours. So first and foremost, figure out whether your life and your body can absorb those additional hours. If you can answer “yes” to each of the following, then you can likely handle the increase in training volume:

• Did you have the time to complete the vast majority of the planned training hours for your longest prior triathlon? And were you able to do so without causing strain in other areas of your life, such as work, relationships, or other obligations?
• Is your time available to train for this event greater than it was for your longest prior event, or is it the same but you previously had time to spare?
• Did you have the physical energy to complete the vast majority of the planned training hours for your longest prior triathlon, and were you able to do so without getting injured?

In a nutshell, being able to successfully prepare for your prior longest triathlon typically indicates that you have the potential to train for a longer distance event. If you haven’t gotten the training dialed in for your current longest distance, though, best to sort that out first.

RELATED: How Much Time Does It Take To Train For A Triathlon?

2. What’s your racing history?

We’re not talking about where you placed in your age group or if you qualified for anything, but rather whether your races have gone more or less to plan. Completing a triathlon is a bit like a puzzle: have you figured out how to put the puzzle pieces of fitness, pacing, and fueling together at your current distance so that you cross the finish line with your head held high? If so, that’s solid evidence that you can leverage the skills and experience from your current longest distance to solve the more complicated puzzle of a longer distance event.

If not, you may want to hold steady for a few more rounds. Similar to training, if you haven’t figured out how to succeed at your current triathlon distance, you’re not ready to move up to the next one.

3. How full is your mental plate?

Anything you take on for the first time requires some mental energy. A longer-distance triathlon – even if it’s not your first triathlon – absolutely qualifies as a “first” thing. Often it’s actually lots of “first” things: your first swim/bike/run of [X] miles (maybe several times), your first week training [Y] hours (maybe several times), possibly your first time traveling for a triathlon, and certainly your first time combining swim-bike-run for [Z] distance.

Do you have room in your head for all these firsts? Or more accurately, do you have room in your head to anticipate all these firsts? Because the anticipation – both the nerves and the excitement – can take up a lot of space. If you’re itching for a new obsession, a longer distance triathlon could be just what you’re looking for. But if your mental plate doesn’t have room to spare, this might not be the right time to take on something new.

RELATED: Life Stress, Work Stress, Training Stress—Your Body Can’t Tell the Difference

4. What’s your “why” for doing triathlon?

Finally, before putting down your credit card for those registration fees, make sure you know why you want to step up in distance. Here’s the great thing about your “why” though: it only has to make sense to you. You can lean into any reason that is true and real and holds meaning for you, no matter what anyone else thinks. But you’ll need that “why” to propel you through the tough weeks in training and dark windows on the course, so do not move forward without it.

Resources for stepping up in triathlon distance: Sprint to Olympic to Half to Ironman

If you’ve decided a new, longer distance is for you, your. next step will be to lay the foundation for success. Choose a training plan that will build on your fitness while giving you plenty of time to achieve your goal – and enjoy the process along the way. Some resources:

• Guidelines for Moving Up in Distance From Sprint to Olympic
• Rock Your First Olympic Triathlon with This 16-Week Training Plan
• How To Move Up in Distance From Olympic to 70.3
• A 20-Week Training Plan for Your First 70.3 Triathlon
• How To Move Up In Distance From 70.3 to Ironman
• Super Simple 20 Week Ironman Training Plan