(Oct 21) IT'S not just a hop, skip and a jump to become a triathlete, but more people are still taking up the endurance sport.

Figures from the Triathlon Association of Singapore (TAS) showed its popularity has been increasing over the years.

For instance, numbers for the OSIM Singapore Triathlon, organised by the association, swelled from a humble 500 participants in 2002 to 3,800 this year when it was held in July.

And such events and its supporting biathlons and marathons - where althletes sometimes take part to train for triathlons - have also been filling up the sports calendar. Last month, Asia's First Women Only Triathlon got its debut flag-off, only to be cancelled midway due to safety concerns following a thunderstorm.

Next up: The Lombok Triathlon in Indonesia on 27 and 28 Oct; and the OSIM Singapore Corporate Triathlon on 3 Nov.

However, jumping into the deep end may not be advisable for newbies who do not have some help with training.

In the wake of the death of 17-year old national triathlete Thaddeus Cheong and 25-year-old Captain Ho Si Qiu after races this year, what do rookie and veteran sportsmen have to watch for while training and racing?

Dr Ben Tan, Head and Senior Consultant Sports Physician of Changi Sports Medicine Centre said being past your active years should not stop you from taking part in endurance races.

He said: 'There is no upper age limit for triathlons. There may be physical and medical limitations, but this is not the same as age limitation.'

However, he noted that as people age, the risk of certain diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease and diabetes increases.

To counter this, he suggested precautions such as a pre-participation screening, training progressively, and ensuring proper hydration and nutrition during training and competition.

In addition, he said older participants should monitor themselves for injuries and be aware of the symptoms of heart diseases.

TRAINING: HOW INTENSE?

Dr Lim Jit Kheng, a sports surgeon from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the National University Hospital, said that proper warm-up and making sure training distances are not increased too suddenly should help to prevent injuries.

Some of the common injuries include stress fractures (on bones), pain over the shin bones, muscle and tendon tears. When this happens, try to ease off for a while.

Dr Tan noted: 'The tolerance level varies greatly from individual to individual. Some can tolerate high distances without injury while others get injured at one-tenth the volume.'

He recommended increasing distance covered by 10 per cent a week and keeping a training log to monitor training volume, intensity and how one feels. Any injury incurred should also be noted down.

'For instance, if you developed a stress fracture when you raised your running distance to 40km, then you would want to hold your weekly distance at 35km for a longer period before stepping up to 40km.'

HOW MUCH TO DRINK?

Dr Lim said that on race day itself, the beginning of the race can cause potential injuries due to competitors jostling for position.

'Always maintain awareness of other competitors, surface conditions, and look out for potential hazards.'

Dr Lim noted that for events over an hour, 'special attention' needed to be placed on both fluid and sugar intake during the race.

He said 500ml of fluid should be consumed two hours before the race, while during the race, athletes should have planned drinks of 125-250ml every 15 minutes.

A heavy meal before race is a no-no. But athletes can take some energy gel or sports drinks to replace lost fluids.

After a long race, don't stay stationary immediately. Walk it off and do proper stretching to loosen taut muscles and minimise soreness.

A massage the next day would help.

ADDICTED TO RACING?

Mr Edgar Tham, 41, a sports psychologist in private practice, said addiction is a possibility for some enthusiasts.

He said: 'It would be considered an addiction when the sport literally controls a person's life.

'Their lives become structured in such a way that study, relationships and work take a back seat to their participation in the sport.'

Other warning signs: when a person becomes irritable, nervous, guilty and anxious if he or she is unable to exercise.

Mr Tham said some ways of managing such an addiction is to have watchful coaches, social support from spouses or family, and adhering to a prescribed training programme. They should be referred to a sports medicine doctor or sports psychologists when necessary.

A spokesman for TAS said: 'It's all about striking a balance between work, family and training. Managing your priorities in life is the key.'