London Fields Triathlon Club

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LFTC a company?

No! We are a not-for-profit, community based club run entirely by volunteers in their spare time.

Can I train with LFTC before/without becoming a member?

Yes! You can train with the club as a member or a non-member. You will need to sign up to the website by hitting JOIN ME in the top right hand corner and then you will be able to sign up for the sessions via our calendar as a non-member. Becoming a member has lots of benefits: discount on training sessions (typically a discount of £2.00 which is the cost of a day membership to the club), a members’ gift, eligibility to buy club stash, discount on BTF membership and a chance to race for LFTC at London League events.

What should my first LFTC session be?

A lot of our newcomers join the swim technique course first and find it is a good way into the club as well as honing your swimming. However we also highly recommend our track session on a Tuesday and regularly have new members use this as their first session – there is a sizable group each week with a spectrum of speeds and we run in circles so no one gets dropped! We also regularly head for a post track drink in a local pub. Our Sunday sessions are also great first sessions to attend (during the winter the 9.15am run in London Fields and the 11am swim in the Lido / during the summer the West Reservoir swim followed by a run near by (or straight to breakfast!). Please see our calendar for more details and to sign up.

I am interested in the swim technique course but it’s sold out?

We run our swim technique courses in six weeks blocks and the new one starts straight after the previous (subject to Christmas and club events). It sells out very quickly so if you are interested keep your eyes peeled for the advertisement. We do no run a waiting list for the course, it is operated on a first come first served basis. As stated elsewhere in these FAQs, you can take part as a member or a non-member.

Can I participate as an absolute beginner? Do I need to be able to swim/cycle/run a minimum distance or speed?

Yes you can participate as a beginner! There is no need to feel intimidated, we have a wide range of athletes in the club who have different motivations for taking part. Our coached sessions are all an hour in duration so you will need to be comfortable training for this length of time, although they are not usually completely continuous and you will have opportunities to rest if you need to. Our coaches design sessions to be adaptable to suit your fitness levels, for example run sessions normally take the form of short laps and the number of laps you complete depends on the pace you choose to run. Likewise, we operate a higher-volume and lower-volume lane in our swim sessions so that you can swim with similarly-paced athletes. Unless you have raced or tested your swim speed recently, judging your swim fitness can be quite subjective — don’t be too hard on yourself!

Do I need to take part in all three disciplines? What if I’m focussed on duathlon or I have an injury that means I can’t do one or more disciplines?

You don’t need to take part in all three disciplines. We have members at the club whose goals are Ironman, triathlon, duathlon, marathon or long distance swimming. People also get injured but can still train in some disciplines. Come along to the sessions and you will probably meet someone with your shared goals. Read more about our training sessions.

There are no rides on your calendar, when do you ride? Do you do offer other sessions/races?

We do not offer coached rides however our members self-organise group rides most Saturdays via the forum. This is also how our members discuss other informal sessions and the races they are attending. Such sessions are un-coached and organised by the club community, therefore by joining you are knowingly aware that LFTC will do the utmost to protect the welfare of those with us but cannot be held accountable. All participants will be responsible for themselves and their actions.

I’m training for an Ironman, do you have sessions to suit me?

Our training sessions are designed by our club coaches to prepare LFTC athletes for races up to middle distance triathlon i.e. 1900m swim, 90km bike and 21km run. You may find our sessions complement your Ironman training by offering you a group training environment where the sessions may be shorter and performed at a higher intensity than the majority of your Ironman training. This type of training at the right time in your Ironman preparation will be of benefit. Within the club you are likely to meet other athletes training for Ironman and you may benefit from training with these athletes outside of club sessions also. Read more about our training sessions.

I have a physical limitation/I am a paratriathlete, can you accommodate me at your sessions?

We welcome athletes of all levels and abilities to our club training sessions, and have hosted World Champion Paratriathletes at our club training sessions in the past. Not all of our sessions may be suited to every impairment — for example, our off road run sessions at London Fields may not be suited to wheelchair racers or those with leg impairments who are not comfortable running on off road surfaces. If you would like more information about our training sessions, or if you require a specific accommodation, please get in touch. Read more about our paratriathletes.

When are you training next?

We have training sessions most days of the week, timings and locations of sessions do vary with the time of year, so view our full calendar for up to date information.

What should I bring with me?

You don’t need expensive equipment and the latest gear to do a triathlon just enthusiasm and the right amount of training. However there are some bit of kit that will help with training; for the swim training sessions you will need a pull buoy, paddles and fins — these are available from Wiggle or Amazon and are not expensive. The Lido also often has pool buoys available to borrow. For the open water sessions in the summer you will need a wetsuit unless you want to brave it without (subject to Better’s rules based on water temperature). For bike sessions you will need a road worthy bike, a helmet, as well as your own puncture repair equipment, your phone and some cash. Bike rides are un-coached and informal and so you must be self sufficient.

Are there opportunities for juniors?

Our Junior section is something that we really want to develop this year. We have a growing junior section and also host a junior Aquathlon which sees juniors from across London race. Read more about our juniors.

How do you communicate as a club?

We send a weekly email with details of our sessions, a regular newsletter and via a members forum. Please refer to our forums page. We also have Facebook and Instagram accounts, why not follow us?!

Does LFTC organise races?

Yes! We organise and host two-three aquathlons a year in our spiritual home that is London Fields Lido. Details can be found on our aquathlon page. We also work with British Triathlon to host duathlons at the Velopark. Details of the next races we are hosting can be found here.

I like triathlon, but I also like running – are you England Athletics affiliated?

Yes! Please refer to our England Athletics page for more details.

I am a Better member – do I get a discount for the swim sessions?

Afraid not! We privately hire the lanes at London Fields Lido/Kings Hall and therefore your session payment covers this cost only (coaching is provided by our coaches who are volunteers).

Do I have to pay to get into Mile End track?

Yes – We run our sessions at the track during a public session. Our club training session is free to members and currently £2.00 for non-members (the cost of day membership to the club). You therefore need to pay to enter the track in addition to any cost of the session to LFTC. If you are a Better member you may have entry to the track included in your membership but please refer to Better for this information.

I am an LFTC member – do I get BTF discount to races?

No – not automatically. You will see references to British Triathlon Federation (BTF) or Triathlon England/Wales/Scotland membership discount when you enter races. If you are not a BTF member you will purchasing a day licence to BTF through your race entry. Being an LFTC member entitles you to a discount on BTF membership but you must sign up to BTF yourself directly. For more information on BTF membership please refer to the BTF website.

What should I do if I am worried about something that has happened in a club session or the way another club member is treating me or another person?

Please contact our Welfare Officer at welfare@lftri.co.uk who will get in touch with you and handle the matter sensitively.

I have another question!

Please contact us at lftriathlon@googlemail.com