Ben Bright is the head coach for the British Triathlon Olympic Programme

He was British Triathlon's Olympic Men’s Coach during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Prior to that he was employed as a National Performance Centre coach, worked directly with ITU world champions such as Tim Don and Hollie Avil, and coached at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Ben represented New Zealand in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and won a junior world title.

5 tips for anyone competing in their first triathlon

1. Plan ahead. Give yourself plenty of time to get organised and use a timeline for all the things you need to get done prior to race day. It will come around quickly so you need to be organised
2. Join a local club. There is a wealth of knowledge in your local area and most of it resides in your local club so get involved and ask as many questions as you can. Find a local club on the British Triathlon website here.
3. Get a training plan. Either by working with someone at your local club or engage a private coach. Make sure it’s specific to you and what you want to achieve. Without a training plan you will lack direction and you will risk not being prepared for the challenge. Take a look at our training plans section here.
4. Find others doing the same race. If there are others in your local area doing the same event and of a similar level then make those connections. Having people to train with makes it enjoyable and it will build your confidence.
5. Research Equipment. Before you buy anything make sure you do your research. It’s easy to get drawn into buying the latest and greatest but the most important aspect of any piece of triathlon equipment is fit, not how expensive it is.

5 tips for anyone trying to bring their triathlon time down

1. Analyse your performance. Look back at past race results and identify where you can make your biggest improvements. Take into account the time you spend on each discipline and what your competitors are doing.
2. Coaching. If you don’t already have a coach, maybe it’s time to look at this. A good coach will be able to tailor training around your lifestyle and your goals to give you the best chance of success.
3. Local Clubs. You might already be a member of your local tri club but are there some good sport specific clubs in your area that can help you? A good Masters swim Club, Cycling Club or Athletics Club will have individuals or coaches with a wealth of knowledge you can tap into.
4. Nutrition. One of the areas for biggest gain can be getting your fuelling right but most people don’t have a plan for this. Is there someone in your area who can advise you?
5. Kit Fit. Is your bike fitted to you? Does your wetsuit let in water? Are your running shoes right for the way you run? Rather than focussing on the latest and greatest equipment, first make sure what you have works as well as it can for you. Spend a little bit on getting the right fit will make sure you get the most out of what you have.