Fitness
The UK's best triathlon clubs to take your performances up a gear
Whether it's a social or physical boost you're after, a triathlon club could be just what you're missing. Here's a rundown of the country's best by a mile (or five).
There are many reasons to consider joining a triathlon club this year. There's the social side, of course, but above all else there's the chance to push your swimming, cycling and running up a gear as weekly training programmes and the pure motivation of training alongside like-minded individuals fast-track you into a more rounded tri athlete. Here are our picks for the best clubs in the land.
1. Edinburgh Triathletes, Edinburgh
One of the largest clubs in Scotland, the Edinburgh Triathletes ranked second in the 2017 Triathlon Scotland’s Legend Series, an award that recognises and rewards the participation of a club's members in specific national events. In the 2017 Ironman Division III, the ETs placed fourth in the UK. The weekly training schedule of the club normally involves running and/or swimming on Monday, spin class on Tuesday, two swim sessions to choose from and/or run on Wednesday, pilates on Thursday, swim and/or run on Friday, swim and/or bike on Saturday and bike on Sunday. You won't be short of fitness. Edinburghtri.org
2. Clapham Chasers, London
Based in leafy south west London, the Chasers, which was actually born as a running club and only later evolved into a multi-discipline team, count more than 500 members. They also share a huge rivalry with Fulham's Ful-on Tri (more on those guys later) which spans beyond mere geographical proximity. The two clubs often clash (with fair play) at London League events and normally dominate the field. Before Christmas, the two clubs also organise a beer-mile competition at the local running track in Battersea Park.
In 2017, with a total of 254,159 points in the Ironman club programme (Division One, for clubs with more than 200 athletes), the Chasers ranked 26th worldwide (eighth in Europe and first in the UK). Claphamchasers.co.uk
3. BRAT Club, Birmingham
Like other equally known and successful clubs, the Birmingham Running, Athletic and Triathlon Club is structured as a multi-activity club and offers a comprehensive training schedule that spans from coached swimming sessions throughout the year to open water in the summer and from group road running to track and field (also for kids and juniors). The programme is also complemented with spin classes. The club counts a total of more than 900 members, and depending on the time of the year it offers more than 20 sessions of training per week (more than what you'll actually need). The BRAT is also an affordable way to train wisely for triathlon, and with a joining fee of £25 the members also get a technical T-shirt included in the price. Bratclub.co.uk
4. Leeds and Bradford Triathlon Club, Leeds
Leeds and Bradford: arguably the UK's best triathlon club
© Leeds & Bradofrd Triathlon Club
Given that those scamps, the Brownlee brothers, hail from the region, it should be no surprise that Yorkshire is also home to the country's best tri club. Not our words: the Leeds and Bradford club has been called the best tri club in the UK in 2017 by the triathlon magazine 220 Triathlon. Its Head Coach, Simon Ward, who helped to discover the Brownlees, has already won the '220 Triathlon Coach of the Year award' three times. The club offers several swim sessions throughout the week (with a double open water option during the summer) and two track sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the winter time on Tuesday the club organises turbo sessions, too. Lbt.org.uk
5. Stafford Triathlon Club, Stafford
With more than 200 members, the Stafford Triathlon Club offers training sessions for adults and juniors in Stafford -- the location of one of the three Ironman 70.3 events held in the UK. And looking at the Ironman club programme for last year it comes with no surprise that the Stafford Tri Club ranked third in the UK for Division Three. By all accounts, they're also a lovely bunch and make newcomers feel welcome. Staffordtri.net
6. Ful-on Tri Triathlon Club, London
The Fulham-based Ful-on Tri counts more than 300 members and is one of the largest in the capital, attracting people from neighbourhoods like Chelsea, Putney, Barnes and Hammersmith. The club has a good structured weekly plan, with a running session on Tuesday, turbo on Wednesday, a “Big Thursday” with two swim options but also spin and core, a long ride on Saturday and a long run and long swim on Sunday. Not only does the club have a great social side, with events and get-togethers for its members, but the performances of its athletes are always at the highest level. Super friendly, too. Fulontri.club
7. Cardiff Triathletes, Cardiff
Founded in 1984, Cardiff Triathletes is one of the oldest tri-institutions in the UK. At that time, the sport of triathlon was just dawning, but the passion and the pioneering curiosity of a handful of founding members carried the project to its current form.
With a joining fee of £22 for the training membership (half price for students, unemployed and over 60s, or £25 for the social membership), the Cardiff Triathletes club is among one of the simplest and most affordable ways to get into the sport and train with a group. The weekly training schedule includes three swimming sessions (open water in the summer from May to September), two cycling sessions (one turbo session in the winter) and one interval run session per week. Cardifftri.net
8. Serpentine, London
The Serpentine running and triathlon club is well known throughout the whole country, both because of its size (it counts more than 1,600 members) and because it offers training and programmes for children and juniors. The club has been awarded with the British Triathlon Star Mark for its excellence in coaching, sport ethics, health and safety and club management. Similarly to the Clapham Chasers, the Serpentine was born as a running club and later evolved into triathlon. It now offers swimming sessions on Monday and Thursday, cycling sessions on Wednesdays and Sundays and running sessions on most of the other weekdays. Serpentine.org.uk
9. Tri 20 Triathlon Club, Reading
With more than 200 members, in 2017 the Tri 20 Triathlon club finished second in the UK’s ranking of the Ironman Club programme behind the Clapham Chasers. The club has three swim sessions per week (£8 per session or £60 for 10 sessions), group rides over the weekends and two running sessions a week, with a different technical focus according to the specific time of year and training periodisation. On top of the coaching provided with the training sessions, the membership fee includes several discounts in local shops and businesses. Tri2otriathlonclub.co.uk
10. BAD Tri Club, Bristol
Training with club mates can really boost performance
© Bristol BAD Triathlon Club
Like most of the clubs in the UK, the BAD (Bristol and District) tri club also is coached by volunteers who dedicate their free time to the triathlon cause. The BADs have four different swim squads that train at different times of the day and week, which makes the swim training more enjoyable and effective for the athletes (the squads are divided according to the athletes' speeds).
For the bike sessions their programme includes a bike ride on Sunday and a spin class on Tuesday (two sessions available), and for the run session, they have a one-hour session scheduled on Thursday that's also divided according to athlete levels and distances. The BADs also organise weekly sessions for the juniors every Saturday (from 3pm till 5pm or from 4 to 6pm) where they alternate swim/run before a swimming session. Secure.badtri.org
11. Element Triathlon Club, Exeter
With a £10 fee for the whole annum, the small Element Triathlon Club is probably the most affordable way to get into triathlons in the country. It is run by a group of friends in the North Cornwall/West Devon area, and because of its tiny size, it will give you the opportunity to be involved in the real planning (or pitching) of the various training sessions. A little gem in between a group of titans. Exetertri.co.uk
12. BustinSkin Triathlon Club, Weymouth
Bustinskin
© Bustinskin
The BustinSkin Triathlon Club has been described by British Triathlon as “an informal club who strive to make each event safe, fun, friendly and memorable”. In fact, BustinSkin not only provides training to its athletes, but a lot of the members and volunteers' effort goes into organising various events throughout the race season.
For the 2018 season, BustinSkin has planned five triathlons (two sprints, two standard and one middle distance), one aquathlon and several running events that will include one cross-country, and the scenic 10k, half marathon and full marathon along the iconic Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. Definitely worth the trip. Bustinskin.com
