Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we get asked the most
Got a question for us? Hopefully, we can answer it here, but if not, you can get in touch by emailing Info@tripreston.co.uk
How much does membership cost?
Membership is £55 per person, per year. Find out more about the benefits of membership here.
Do I have to go to a meeting before I can join?
No, you don’t! Some people prefer to join before their first meeting and some people like to just get stuck into a training session. You’re welcome to join us at one of the meetings as a taster to get a feel for the club before signing up.
Do I need a membership to join training sessions?
You can come to one or two running or cycling sessions as a taster before getting a membership, but you can’t attend any swimming sessions without a membership.
Will I slow people down?
Our sessions are designed to be accessible to athletes of all abilities. Our cycling is grouped by pace, our faster runners loop back for slower ones… and you can’t get left behind in a 25m pool!
If you’re worried you might be too slow or too old, or if you have other concerns, come down to watch a session to get a feel for it and have a chat with a coach.
How do I find out what’s going on and when it is?
The day-to-day details of the club activities are communicated through our closed Facebook group. Prospective members can request access to the group for a months trial period.
When do the sessions take place?
- Monday evening (8:30 pm) is swimming training.
- Wednesday evening (see Facebook for times) is running. Locations vary to include Avenham, Preston Docks, Walton Le Dale, Bolton Arena Track and many more.
- Thursday evening (see Facebook for times) is Zwift training.
- Friday mornings (06:30am) run session at Nuffield Health
- Saturday / Sunday mornings (roughly 8:30-9:30 am) are cycling or running. Cycling is grouped by speed and distance (set-off points and destinations often with coffee & cake stops)
Where do you train?
Pool swimming is at Nuffield Health, Capital Centre, Preston.
Open water swimming is at Eccleston Delph – you will need to sign up for membership first, and then it’s £5 per session.
Running can take place at Avenham Park, the docks, Cuerden Park, Walton Le Dale, Worden Park, Darwen Tower, Rivington Pike, White Coppice and more.
Cycling routes can range from 20 to 50+ miles and tend to stick to quiet roads and lanes where possible.
Do you do swimming for absolute beginners?
We are currently running coached swim courses to help beginners improve. These are currently running on a Monday. Membership is necessary to join these sessions. If you’d like to ask any other questions then please contact us at Info@tripreston.co.uk
Our Intermediate/Advanced coached swimming sessions have a minimum expectation that you can swim 400m front crawl non-stop. You don’t have to be fast, but you do need to be able to do the distance.
What kit do I need?
For running and cycling training, you don’t need anything more than you would for your own training. Helmets are compulsory for the cycling sessions.
For the swimming sessions, it’s helpful if you have fins, a pull buoy and a float of your own, although we do have a few club ones to share out. Swim hats are compulsory in the pool sessions.
For racing, you can buy Tri Preston kit online. Details coming very soon.
What is a ‘brick session’?
A brick session is where you do both cycling and running in one session back-to-back like you would in a race. The purpose is to get you used to the “jelly leg” sensation of getting off a bike and trying to run.
We run brick sessions throughout the main event season (May to July) as an alternative to chain gang or an evening run.
We cycle from the meeting point in a loop, then get off the bikes, put on trainers and run another loop, then back on the bike, then back for a run etc. A club member will be present to keep watch over bikes and other kit. Feel free to come and watch one in action so you get a feel for it if you don’t want to just jump straight in and give it a go – bike-watching volunteers are always appreciated!
What is a ‘chain gang’?
A chain gang is a great cycle training method to improve your speed, fitness and bike handling.
We run them in three groups of up to 12, based on athletes’ speed. Setting off on a fairly straight and flat route, each group rides single-file at an agreed pace, close together to maximise the benefit of drafting, and taking turns to be the pace setter at the front.
There’s no replacement for experience, so feel free to come to a Tuesday session to give it a go. Take a look at this link for more information.