Triathlon comprises of three disciplines and for newcomers to the sport, or those returning, it's sometimes helpful to look at these disciplines individually so you get a full understanding of what everyone's talking about when it comes to running.

From simply lacing up your running shoes and heading out the front door for a short jog, to hobbling your way down the finish chute at the end of a triathlon - the beautiful thing about running is that in its purist form it’s just so simple to participate in and pretty much anyone can enjoy it. 

To help you on you running (and triathlon) journey, we thought it would be a great chance to highlight some of the most common running terms and phrases you might come across and will have you sounding like an experienced athlete in no time.

Anaerobic Threshold – in simple terms this is the highest intensity of exercise you can sustain for a prolonged period of time without lactate acid substantially building up in your blood and muscles.

Blisters – most caused by friction, burns and skin reactions, they’re a miserable irritation for all runners but can be avoided through correctly fitting running shoes and socks. The old adage of never trying anything new on race days will certainly help reduce their likelihood.

BPM – Beats Per Minute or commonly known as your heart rate. Runners will often target a set BPM for their training session.

Chafing – not to be confused with blisters as chafing is when sweat and fabric rub against the skin to cause painful rashes. Often occurring between the legs or on the nipples, many runners suggest Vaseline or Bodyglide to help prevent this irritation.

Compression Socks – you’ll often spot runners wearing these both during an activity and post-run as these tight, knee-high socks, help get oxygen to the leg muscles faster and also aid recovery.

Cool Down – When you’ve completed your run it’s important not to just stop your activity completely. By doing a post-run routine, including stretches, this prompts a gradual recovery to your pre-run heart rate and blood pressure. It also helps you prepare for your next training quicker.

Cross Training – just because you’re running that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from other activities do other sports and activities as part of your workout. Try cycling, swimming, yoga and strength training to give your running a boost and keep things interesting.

DNS – Did Not Start. You’ve entered a race and your name is on the start list but you did not actually start the event.

DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Also known as the reason why everything is so sore the next day and you struggle to even lace up your shoes. Will generally set in overnight / 24 hours after your event but can be much longer depending on your activity and severity.

DNF – Did Not Finish. Hopefully you’ll never experience this but if you do then it’s not the end of the world. It could be due to injury, bike mechanical or any other reason. Don’t be deterred and use it as a learning experience.

Fartlek – a Swedish word loosely translated as meaning “speed play”. Similar to interval training but in this training session you vary the intensity or speed to help improve your fitness and endurance. It could typically involve sprinting from one lamp post to the next, then recovery run before doing a different effort for a set time or to a particular point.

Foam Roller – you’re new best friend! If you’ve not already got one then chances are you’ll know someone who has and swears by it. It’s simply a solid, foam cylinder tool used for pre or post-works to help increase flexibility, speed up recovery and increase circulation.

Half Marathon – 13.1 miles or 21.1k. The world’s best runners cover this distance in less than an hour but for many of us this is still a very achievable distance given a good training plan and experience at running shorter distances. The world’s most famous, and biggest, half marathon is the Great North Run.

Hill Sprints – sprint fast up a hill, recover running down it, and repeat. This training session works on improving your strength, speed and technique.

Intervals -  alternating between high and low intensity speeds throughout your run. This could mean doing 2 minutes at top speed and then three minutes recovery running before repeating several times.

ITBS – Iliotibial Band Syndrome. You’ll often hear runners refer to this injury as unfortunately it’s quite a common one amongst runners of all abilities. It occurs when your connective tissue rubs against your thighbone and usually results in pain at the hip or knee. Best to seek out the experts like a physio if you think you may have this and expect to endure lots of stretching and foam rolling to help recover and ease the pain.

Overtraining – probably something we’re all guilty of at sometime and there is such a thing as running too much. Overtraining can lead to injuries and fatigue which will ultimately derail your training. Less is sometimes more so make it quality over quantity when it comes to training and embrace the rest days to recover.

Marathon – 26.2 miles or 42.2k There’s a common misconception that you’re not a real runner unless you’ve completed a marathon. Nothing could be further from the truth and while once the marathon distance was once seen as the ultimate runner achievement, it’s a distance that is now achievable for many but must still be respected. Speak to any seasoned runner and they’ll tell you the true marathon race doesn’t start until 20 miles and you’ve got 10k to go.

Parkrun – a free 5k run which takes place around the country in parks and open spaces. Whether you’re running for a PB, jogging at a slower pace or even walking, everyone is welcome to join in. A great way to improve your fitness and meet new people in a relaxed environment and there’s over 1,000 Parkruns to choose from around the country.

PB – Personal Best. Whether over a certain distance or course, this is what motivates runners of all abilities. It’s a gage of how you as an individual have improved and that all the training is worthwhile.

Pronation – this refers to the way in which you run and as your foot strikes the ground it rolls inward to absorb the shock. Check out the wear on the sole of your running shoes and you’ll notice if you’re a pronator.

Recovery Run – these are exactly that, a recovery run that’s usually the day after a race or hard session and designed to get your body used to running in a fatigued state as you’ll be running shorter and slower.

Rest Days – the favourite day in any runners diary but they don’t mean you have to be completely inactive as they’re key to a structured training plan. You can use rest days for active recovery activities such as stretching, walking, swimming or anything else that’s low impact on your body.

Speedwork – be it on the track, road, grass, hills, intervals - these are sessions all about improving your top end speed. Expect them to be short and fast but with plenty of recovery and a structure to the session.

Splits – nothing to do with over stretching but it’s actually about splitting your race down and recording how you reach different sections. If you were to run a whole race at one pace then this would be referred to as an “even split”, whereas if you run the second half of the race faster than the first then it would be a “negative split”, which is what experienced runners will always aim for.

Supination - this refers to the way in which you run and as your foot strikes the ground it rolls to the outer edges to absorb the shock. Check out the wear on the sole of your running shoes and you’ll notice if you’re in this category.

The Wall – generally experienced during marathon races, this is when it feels like you’ve literally run into a wall and can’t continue another step. Your legs feel like jelly and it will take a big effort to continue towards the finish line, which will feel like an eternity away. Also referred to as “bonking” it’s caused by the depletion of your stored glycogen, the carbohydrate stored in your muscles and liver for energy.

Ultra Marathon – anything over the traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles is considered an ultra marathon. These can be run on or off road and gaining hugely in popularity as runners look to test themselves beyond marathons. The most common distance for these are 50k, 100k, 50 miles and 100 miles although some events have a time period such as 24 hours to see how far you can run.

VO2 Max – also called “aerobic capacity”, it’s the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during any intense exercise. With a structured training plan this can increase over time to help you run further, faster and stronger.

Warm-Up – getting the body prepared for any form of exercise is important as it helps prevent injury. Plan to introduce a 10 to 15 minute warm up that will include jogging and stretches before you start on the main activity.