World Triathlon Women’s Cup Dubai: a beginner’s guide

World Triathlon Women’s Cup Dubai: a beginner’s guide

If you’ve ever watched a triathlon and thought “I could never do that”, this one is designed to prove you wrong. The World Triathlon Women’s Cup Dubai returns to Al Mamzar Beach Park on Sunday 6 December. It is the only World Triathlon series event in the world dedicated entirely to women, and it includes a race made for complete beginners.

With Dubai Fitness Challenge already under way, the timing works well. Four weeks of steady, manageable training is enough to get a first-timer to the start line.

Which race is right for you?

The Super Sprint is the entry point: a 400m swim, 10km bike ride and 2.5km run. The Sprint doubles that to a 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run. Elite athletes race the same Sprint distance in a separate professional field.

Both the Super Sprint and Sprint can be raced alone or as a relay team of up to three. That makes it easy to sign up with friends, family or colleagues. If the swim is what’s holding you back, a teammate can take that leg.

The event is organised by Dubai Sports Council with World Triathlon and the UAE Triathlon Federation. His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, said that with races designed for first-timers, “a triathlon is within reach of women of all nationalities and fitness levels.”

Your four-week plan

Dubai Fitness Challenge’s 30 minutes of activity a day for 30 days is a good foundation. From there, a simple beginner’s week might include two swims, two rides and two runs, plus a rest day. Build up gradually.

• Swim: Practise in open water before race day, as it feels very different from a pool. Only swim at beaches with lifeguards on duty. Speed doesn’t matter, and breaststroke is fine.
• Bike: Get comfortable on a traffic-free track, practise getting on and off, and wear a helmet every time.
• Run: Run-walking is perfectly acceptable. Build up to 2.5km at a pace you can sustain.
• Brick sessions: Try a short ride followed straight away by a short run, so your legs learn the change.
• Transitions: Lay your kit out in the order you’ll use it. Put your helmet on and buckle it before you touch your bike.
• Recovery: Rest, eat well and drink plenty of water, especially when training in the heat.

On race day, start steady. Going off too fast is the most common beginner mistake.

Where to train in Dubai

Swim: Al Mamzar’s revamped beachfront has lifeguarded swimming areas and ladies-only days during the week, so you can train where you’ll race. Hamdan Sports Complex runs public adult sessions, and Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1 are lit, lifeguarded night-swimming beaches.

Bike: Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park has free, floodlit 4, 6 and 8km loops with bike hire. Al Qudra Cycle Track offers 80.6km of path with rest areas and rentals. Dubai Autodrome hosts weekly evening sessions with Dubai Police for all levels.

Run: Try the 7km soft track at Kite Beach, the 1.4km marked loop at Al Barsha Pond Park, or Al Mamzar’s 5.5km-plus network of tracks. The free Dubai Run 5km on Sheikh Zayed Road on Sunday 22 November makes a good rehearsal two weeks out.

Find your people

Training is easier together. TriDubai is a free club with volunteer-led sessions for complete beginners upwards, and InnerFight’s Ladies Run Club welcomes women at every level. Dubai Fitness Challenge also runs free classes and 30x30 Fitness Villages across the city throughout November.

How to enter

The race is open to women aged 18 and over. Early bird entry ends on Friday 13 November: AED 240 for individuals and AED 480 for relay teams. From 14 November, prices rise to AED 300 and AED 600. Race pack collection and the event village open on Saturday 5 December.

Sign up at wtwcdubai.ae.