At just 19, Sacha loves taking on new challenges. After competing in biathlon at national level for seven years, she turned to running three years ago, while keeping that same love of competition and pushing her limits. Always looking for fresh goals, she decided to take on a new one, finishing her very first triathlon.
On June 7, she lined up for the AlpsMan Xperience (Sprint distance), on the shores of Lake Annecy, with one real goal in mind, cross the finish line, and maybe even break the two-hour mark. Coached by RunMotion Coach throughout her preparation, and despite a knee injury that made training more complicated, she completed her first triathlon in 1:42. Today, she looks back on that first experience, her training and the lessons she learned along the way.
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How did your first triathlon go?
Overall, my very first triathlon went really well, it was an amazing experience! I was a bit nervous about linking the three disciplines together, but in the end it all went smoothly. Of course it was hard, but it definitely felt doable. On the swim, the start was a Rolling Start, so we went off in waves of 10. As I was getting into the water, I lost my bracelet and still decided to go back for it, so I actually turned around… Don’t make the same mistake I did, take off ALL your bracelets and rings!
When I came out of the swim, I started feeling dizzy and really struggled with the transition, especially when I had to stand on one foot to put my socks on, yes, we’re team socks here. At the start of the bike leg, I then lost my gel, it fell out of my pocket, so at that point I thought, ‘the stars really aren’t aligned for me today, what is going to happen next?!’
In the end, everything settled down and I managed to pick off quite a few athletes on the climb!
For the run, people hadn’t lied to me, it was the hardest part! My legs felt light for the first few hundred meters, and I set off a little too fast because I got overconfident.
Even for my first triathlon, I really wanted to break the 2-hour barrier, and in the end I crossed the line in 1:42, so the goal was more than achieved!
How did you approach training for your first triathlon?
For the preparation, I put my trust in RunMotion Coach. Since I had a knee injury throughout the whole build-up, I had to set aside a lot of running sessions, which is the part I enjoy most, but I didn’t really have a choice!
So I focused more on swimming, lots of pool work at first, then open-water sessions in the final weeks, and on the bike, with consistent rides. I really liked the swim section in the app because when you don’t really know how to approach it, like me, it gives you a great structure of drills that makes the laps go by much faster…
During the final week, I really backed off to stay fresh, but I did my first faster running session the day before the race! I wasn’t super confident because it had been several months since I’d run quicker than 5:30/km, but in the end that didn’t stop me from running at 5:00/km pace the next day!
What do you like most about the app?
With RunMotion Coach, I could adjust my plan around my availability because I had to juggle an internship, my studies and training, and it wasn’t exactly easy. I could also adapt my running sessions so I was doing only one easy run per week, not ideal, but I was injured.
The fact that I could switch sessions at the last minute was really great!
Why did you want to do a triathlon?
I’ve always swum, cycled and done a lot of running, so I thought, why not give it a try? At first, the biggest thing holding me back was the swim because even though I can swim well, I didn’t really feel ready to do it in open water, out in the middle of nowhere and with no breaks.
I was also looking for a new goal that required committed preparation, something I had really missed since stepping away from competitive skiing.
After your first triathlon, what will you do differently next time?
The first thing I would do differently is make sure my gel is properly secured on the bike so it can’t fall out, and also avoid solid food, which is why it’s so important to test your nutrition beforehand, not like I did… I had to eat a bar on the bike and I honestly found it really hard, especially chewing and swallowing it.
Then, for the swim, I think I managed the start well because I never felt like I had gone out too fast. Of course, next time I’ll remember to take off all my jewelry!
As for transitions, it’s clear I need to work on them more, but for a first attempt I didn’t do too badly.
In terms of race management, I’d like to improve my running, which I had pushed a bit into the background, and where I kept telling myself, ‘I’ll do what I can with whatever I have left.’
After this first triathlon, what is your next sporting challenge?
This first triathlon really made me love the sport, and I knew straight away that I wanted to do another one! So at the beginning of September, I’m taking on the Sprint distance at the Triathlon d’Évian, and I seriously can’t wait!
Then, later in September, I have a 10K in Chambéry, where I’d finally love to beat my PR. But triathlon comes first!
That first triathlon was only the beginning of the adventure for Sacha, who has already planned new challenges for the coming months. Her experience shows that with the right preparation, consistency and a flexible training plan, you can step confidently onto the start line, even in a sport you’re just discovering.
Do you have an endurance goal in mind too? Whether it’s your first 10K, a marathon or a triathlon, RunMotion Coach supports you with a personalized training plan that adapts to your schedule, your level and your constraints. Download the app and go after your next goal!