John Philip Dueñas shares tips on how to get ready for a triathlon race

Triathlon 101

John Philip Dueñas (CDN file)

Did you ever wonder what it takes to be a triathlete?

This Sunday, 2,618 triathletes from 52 countries will be in Cebu to join the biggest triathlon race in Asia, the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines.

The race starts and finishes at Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa. It will feature a 1.9-kilometer (1.2-mile) swim, 90-kilometer (56-mile) bike, and 21.1-kilometer (13.1-mile) run (half marathon) and will pass through the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay.

The course is a tough one for an ordinary person but with proper training and preparation, one can become a full-fledged triathlete.

Cebu Daily News  caught up with noted trainer and a multi-titled triathlete John Philip Dueñas and asked him how an average person can turn himself into a triathlete and what are the important things to remember when racing.

Dueñas finished second in last year’s Filipino elite division of the Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines.

FOCUS ON SWIMMING FIRST
According to Dueñas, the most important thing to do before engaging in triathlon is to be physically fit.

Triathlon demands a lot of energy and endurance that can be achieved with the proper training of the three disciplines (swim, bike and run) and have the right nutrition as well.

Dueñas, who has trained Southeast Asian Games marathon silver medalist Mary Joy Tabal and other noted Cebuano triathletes through his coaching clinic, JPD Coaching, said beginners must focus first with the swim leg of the race. He said he believes this is the most difficult part of the race.

“This is the most dangerous because not everyone knows how to swim,” he said. “A lot can happen in the water so it’s important that they should master swimming.

The bike and run part is easier to train for. The swim part is different because you use a different muscle group compared to the run and bike which more or less uses the same muscle group.”

He said the human anatomy is not naturally built to swim smoothly. But this can be fixed with proper training.

He said there’s no need to worry about drowning because humans have natural buoyancy in the water. One just needs proper training and familiarization in the water.
ONE COACH PER SPORT

Dueñas also advised to hire one coach  per discipline before hiring a triathlon coach.

This way, your weakness per sport can be identified.

“So he or she will be able to know fully the techniques to be a proper swimmer, biker and runner,” he said.

In biking, Dueñas said that having a fancy or expensive bike isn’t that helpful if you don’t train properly.

Endurance, he said, is the key in this sport.

Knowing the mechanical aspect of the bike is also important.

“Having a very expensive bike will give you a very slight edge because it’s light and it has better aerodynamics. But in the end, you’re the one who’s driving it so make sure you’ve checked all the necessary things before you hop on it or put it at the transition area. Make sure your mechanic checks it regularly.”

In the run leg, which is Dueñas’s forte, the two most important things a triathlete should have is good running shoes and a hydration belt.

He said that the running portion maybe the final leg of the race but that’s the time when exhaustion kicks in. That’s why he advises beginners to bring enough hydration and make sure their hydration belt is loaded with nutrition bars to keep them going all the way to the finish line.

Meanwhile, Dueñas advises triathletes aged 40 and above to have themselves regularly checked with their doctors to make sure they’re  healthy and in good condition before the race.