GO TRI is a new set up from British Triathlon, funded by Sport England, that aims to introduce new participants to triathlon.
The GO TRI Challenge
I was asked by Sportiva Events to let as many people in the community as possible know about GO TRI, and support its aims of encouraging people to get into triathlon . If you can understand what parkrun is, and how that has become a well-known, regular event for anyone, then that is basically what British Triathlon are trying to do with GO TRI.
You can turn up and you can try it whatever age or fitness grade you are. You can have a little bit of swimming, a little bit of cycling, a little bit of running whether you’re 3, 33 or 103. My brief, from that angle, was to turn out a good set of shots for the local press, that will make that event look really enjoyable for those people who didn’t attend.
The Process
Knowing the editors of the local papers works a treat for publicity. When you can simply text somebody and say, “Do you fancy this?” that’s job done. All you have to do is send the pictures over the day after the event, before the deadline.
I found some friendly adults and children, including parents who wouldn’t mind their children being photographed; that’s essential when it comes to putting their pictures in the paper. Most of them knew me anyway. Donald Brooks and his kids turned up. He didn’t take part (that wouldn’t have been fair on the others, because he’s a pro!), but his kids did, so I was able to prime them. “As you come around that bend on your bike mate, just smile at me and put your thumbs up. I know you’re experienced and will be able to do it.”
The thing I wanted to avoid was people grimacing, sweating like neaderthals and not looking as if they were enjoying the event. So, smiles on the running, thumbs up on the biking, participants enjoying themselves and parents cheering.
I deliberately avoided the swimming, because sometimes people don’t like pictures of themselves in swimming costumes (although we will set something up to publicise that, because they do have GO TRI swim hats).
The Results
We released a set of photographs to the press, and we also put that set on Sportiva’s Facebook pages, The comments proved that we met the brief. People were saying, “Great event,” “Thanks for organising it,” “See you next month,” etc.