Advice for first time triathletes

PHUKET: While the trend in sports and fitness is on the rise in Phuket, many people are still struggling to be fit. The Phuket Gazette caught up with Pruth Kulprasit, a first time triathlete in Phuket, to get some fitness tips for beginners.

“I first started cycling in order to lose weight. About a year and a half ago, I weighed 81kg and even felt uncomfortable bending down to tie my shoelaces,” says Mr Pruth.

“The first time I attempted to run, I couldn’t make it farther than about 500 meters. But the key is to respect yourself and keep going.”

Mr Pruth worked his way up from cycling and running for weight loss to attempting his first ever triathlon. He says that you don’t necessarily need professional training to do it.

“I find that self-training works just as well, if you set yourself achievable goals,” he says.

“A good coach can help you get more efficient results or propel you further in a smaller amount of time, but if you are committed to your goals, you can achieve it on your own as well.”

He also says it’s very important to set your own goals at your own pace.

“Don’t compare yourself with other athletes. Most people push themselves very hard while training, but fall short when it’s time to finish the race. Just do what you were doing during practice, and if you finish the race, that’s a victory in itself,” he says.

“There is no such thing as perfect timing. The perfect time is when you get up, put on your shoes, and head out the door to begin working out.”

— Sahar Aftab Paliwala