Completing your first-ever triathlon will be one of the most life-affirming and unforgettable multisport memories you\u2019ll ever create.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But how to pick the race for you can be one of the biggest challenges, with the course, location and multitude of distances all key factors to consider.<\/p>\n

Here, we\u2019ve picked a selection of the best beginner triathlons in the UK. We\u2019ve gone for open-water swims for all of them, and have chosen of mix of grassroots events, mammoth spectacles and scenic beauties from across the land to give a wide and varied mix.<\/p>\n

And remember that they\u2019re not just for beginners, with many offering fast racing for PB smashing and a host of longer distances.<\/p>\n

Lake swims are our preferred water body of choice, but calm bays are worth considering too, while an ever-so-gently rolling bike course is seen as ideal (and one on closed-roads is best) instead of pancake flat, where you will have to pedal continually.<\/p>\n

How to train for your first triathlon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
What are the different triathlon distances?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
15 training tips for the beginner triathlete<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Free 8 week supersprint triathlon training plan<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
Free 8-week sprint triathlon training plan<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
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1. Deva Divas<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Location:<\/strong> Chester, Cheshire<\/p>\n
This Chester-set, women-only sprint-distance race<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has long reaped the plaudits, winning the British Triathlon \u2018Event of the Year\u2019 gong on two occasions.<\/p>\n
Much of the success is down to the care and welcoming ethos of the Chester Tri Club organisers, with beginner\u2019s seminars and training days held before the race. The race starts with a point-to-point swim in the River Dee before a well-marshalled 25km bike and flat riverside run.<\/p>\n
2. Royal Windsor Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n $\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Location: <\/strong>Windsor, Berkshire<\/p>\n
Okay, there may be easier beginner triathlons, but we\u2019d be hard-pressed to pick a greater race to do your first tri than the Windsor Triathlon<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Held since 1991 and perennially popular ever since, no other UK race oozes tri history like Windsor. How often do you get to swim in the shadow of the Queen\u2019s gaff and bike on open roads around the Great Park?<\/p>\n
The notoriously early start, river swim and nasty Castle Hill on the run won\u2019t suit all, but for any beginner to triathlon wanting to experience a race etched in multisport legend, we\u2019d recommend the Windsor Triathlon over any UK race. And the crowd-lined final discipline is arguably the greatest run course in UK tri.<\/p>\n
Windsor Triathlon race tips<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
3. Banana Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
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Location:<\/strong> Dorney, Buckinghamshire<\/p>\n
To the disappointment of 1980s\u2019 TV fans, this Human Race event has recently dropped its Bananaman title, but the beginner appeal of the enclosed Dorney Lake location remains. And that draw is the calm lake, the completely closed- roads course and lack of anything resembling a hill.<\/p>\n
The Banana Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> also offers a huge range of distances, including the Half Banana (400m swim, 10.6km bike, 2.5km run) and Banana Fritter (400m swim, 21.2km bike, 5km run) options.<\/p>\n
Tej Thaker is a regular Banana Tri man. \u201cAll those nerves you have before tackling your first triathlon ease very quickly. What I love most about the venue is the bike and run course run along the calm and clear lake, so you pass supporters on each lap who all cheer you on, whether they know you or not.<\/p>\n
4. Brighton and Hove Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
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Location:<\/strong> Brighton, East Sussex<\/p>\n
From John Lunt, the organiser of the 2012 Olympic Games tri event, the Brighton Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> has swiftly established itself as a major UK tri event. If a sea swim might not suggest a beginner-friendly course, the Hove waters are often calm and the September slot means it\u2019s regularly an inviting temperature.<\/p>\n
After 400m in the water, the supersprint course then heads along the seafront on closed roads before a beach- lined and very flat promenade run course.<\/p>\n
Andre\u0301a Avena did his first tri at Brighton. \u201cThis is a friendly, well-organised and safe event. The marshals helped calm my nerves, the sea was perfectly calm, too, and the lifeguards were supportive with me as it was clearly my first tri and sea swim.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bike and run routes were perfectly managed and, most importantly, flat! Overall, a great experience for anyone looking to give triathlon a go.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
5. Blenheim Palace Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n $\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
Location: Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire<\/strong><\/p>\n
Blenheim has long been a must-do event on the UK tri scene. Set against the majestic backdrop of Blenheim Palace, the race<\/a><\/strong> sees some 7,000 athletes traverse the historic grounds over the weekend for the supersprint or sprint races.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s all set within the Blenheim Palace grounds on lovely traffic-free courses flanked by thousands of spectators.<\/p>\n
6. Cardiff Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Location:<\/strong> Cardiff, Wales<\/p>\n
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From Always Aim High Events<\/a><\/strong>, this is one of the UK\u2019s biggest city-centre races (26-27 June 2021). Located in Cardiff Bay, with the event village and transition held in front of the Wales Millennium Centre, the super-sprint event begins with a point-to-point swim in the calm Cardiff Bay before a fast and flat bike route along completely closed roads.<\/p>\n
The race concludes with a run along the Cardiff Bay barrage, with the only worry being the dodgy weather that the race has sometimes experiences in the first few years.<\/p>\n
Regular 220 Triathlon<\/em> freelancer Jack Sexty is a fan: \u201cIf you want a deluxe beginner\u2019s experience, the Cardiff Tri is a great place to pop your multisport cherry. It\u2019s bang in the city centre, the atmosphere is buzzing and the flat bike course takes place on completely- closed roads.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
7. Falmouth Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Location:<\/strong> Falmouth, Cornwall<\/p>\n
There are many reasons why Falmouth Triathlon<\/a><\/strong> is ideal for beginners. For a start, it takes place near the town centre, dozens of B&Bs and several car parks, making logistics a little easier than they can sometimes be.<\/p>\n
The event starts and finishes at Gyllingvase Beach, a blue-flag-rated stretch of sand that lines an often calm and clear bay of water. Given a September date, it\u2019s an ideal first open-water triathlon setting.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, the bike takes place on closed roads looping along the seafront promenade and round the headland, which is home to Henry VIII\u2019s Pendennis Castle.<\/p>\n
Once back into T2, the run will take you along that same stretch, with wide pavements and beautiful seaside views proving a welcome distraction from any aching limbs.<\/p>\n
Available distances include the Little Seal (300m swim, 9.7km bike and 2.4km run) or Big Seal (600m swim, 18km bike, 4.8km run).<\/p>\n
8. Hever Castle Triathlon<\/strong><\/h2>\n $\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>