I’ve met some great people doing triathlon, and I’ve developed friendships with people who like to train like I do (ie for fun and with beer involved). I love heading out for a group swim or bike ride, even though I usually can’t keep up. And the fact that I can’t keep up motivates me to train harder so that I can keep up.

It can be hard to make new friends, especially when you’re new to a sport where you may not feel like you have the “cred” to hang out with those folks. But the triathlon community is relatively small and is passionate about growing the sport. Most are excited to introduce new athletes to the sport. So don’t be afraid to join a training group or reach out to fellow triathletes in your community. They can introduce you new resources and techniques, and training with a group is a great way to have more fun with your new sport.

Some places to find new triathlon friends:

• Meetups
  • Check out meetup.com for triathlon, running, biking, or swimming groups in your community. These are usually free and attract beginners
• Social Media
  • Follow companies which specialize in triathlon to see what they’re up to. Many will host clinics, group swims or rides, or offer discount codes to events.
  • Reach out to triathletes in your area. I met one of my training buddies through Instagram, and she found a group swim through a sandiegotri hashtag on Instagram.
  • Search for triathlon groups on Facebook and ask about group workouts.
  • Follow me on Instagram and Twitter! I’ll train with you!
• Local Tri Clubs
  • Local triathlon clubs often host weekly group workouts, seminars and more. Check out USA Triathlon (usatriathlon.org) for clubs in your region.
• Triathlon Coaching Groups
  • Some multisport coaches will host group workouts where you can pay a drop-in fee to join. These are often group swims, trainer classes, or track workouts where you can pay $10-15 to join their group of regulars for the day.
• Bike Shops
  • Local bike shops are a great place to find training partners! Pop into your local shop to see if they host group rides or are affiliated with any triathlon clubs.