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Triathlon - Training Hints & Tips
IMPORTANT: Please note these hints & tips are for general guidance only and designed for those of moderate fitness and overall good health. They should be tailored to your specific strengths and weaknesses.
If you are starting a fitness regime for the first time or have not been physically active for a period of time and/or if you are in any doubt about your general health and fitness you should seek Medical Advice before commencing your training programme.
INTRODUCTION
The whole idea with training for the triathlon is to get a balanced programme which is realistic given your available free time while also concentrating on your weakest link. Everyone, regardless of their fitness level will straightaway be able to guess what their weak link between the Swim, Bike or Run of the triathlon is. While each personal schedule will be unique, the temptation will be to put too much of your training time into the discipline or disciplines which you find easiest.
Regardless of the following programme, so long as you are able to achieve the distance in each discipline separately before the big day, you will finish.
In fact, one can argue that as long as you are capable of finishing the 1.5K swim, even if you have to walk the run, you’ll finish! But don’t forget that you will be participating for 3 hours or more in all, with the cycle being the largest chunk of this for most.
This is a general schedule for someone of moderate fitness to prepare over less than three months - typically ten weeks to a little ahead of the event. Think positive - you can do it - but be realistic and safe.
Your first priority should be to get effective instruction - train hard with an inefficient style and you’ll just be wasting your effort. Go to your leisure centre or baths, try to link up with the swimming club, and, if possible, arrange to train at the same time as a competent swimmer who can correct your style (and remember that most pools now have an instructor who can give one-on-one or small group coaching).
Aim to swim for 15-20 minutes at a time, three or four times in Week One, then 20-25 minutes at a time, three times in Weeks Two and Three. Follow the same training principles you use in running: warm up over 150-250 metres (using different strokes), have a short rest, then practise 25-and 50-metre bursts of front crawl, with short recoveries. Finally, have a 100-metre warm-down.
If it’s a feasible option, cycling to work will obviously help your base-level fitness - but the traffic problem and other routine stops and starts will make serious training difficult. It’s more useful to get in a couple of longish traffic-free rides in a week, so that you can get used to a steady rhythm (remember you’ll be going for quite some time on the day).
Again, apply the principles of starting easily to warm up, then putting in a harder effort. At the end of the ride, either ease down for the last 5-10 minutes, or park your bike and go straight into a 10-minute jog. In Week One, try two 20-minute rides and one of 40 minutes, progressing in Weeks Two and Three to one or two rides of 30-35 minutes and one of 40-45 minutes per week.
Time is obviously a factor, so you might consider getting dripped off at the pool, so that when you finish your swim you can change into a T-shirt and shorts and run home. You’ll probably do your long cycle ride at the weekend, so you could follow up the 45-minute ride with 20-30 minutes of steady running. This will help you to get used to the ‘rubber-legs’ feeling you get when you dismount.
Your weekly training pattern will therefore look something like this:
(*This assumes training everyday - It would be even better if you could double up on one day a week, so that you then have at least one rest day each week*)
Mon Swim 20 mins
Tue Run or cycle 20-25 mins
Wed Swim 15-20 mins, then run 10-15 mins
Thu Cycle 20-30 mins
Fri Swim 20-25 mins
Sat Running session, 35-40 mins
Sun Cycle 40-50 mins, then run 15-30 mins
Total: Approx 60 mins swimming, 85-100 mins cycling, 60-70 mins running
Try to keep your training up to three times a week in the pool. You’ll also need to swim the competition distance for the last five weeks in a least one of your weekly sessions (1,500m) and at other times aim to cover between 800 and 1,200 metres per session.
Warm-up: 100m easy, 50m legs only, 100m recovery, 50m legs only, than repeat the set.
Build set: 4 x 25m, with 30-sec recoveries, getting faster each time.
Main set: 25m, 20 secs rest, 50m, 30 secs rest, 75m, 45 secs rest, 50m, 20 secs rest, 25m,
then 2 mins recovery and repeat the set.
Warm down: 6 X 25m, using another stroke, with 10-sec recoveries.
Of your three sessions, one would be intervals, as above, one would be longer, timed swims at a moderate pace - say 150 or 200m at a time - and the other would be a low-effort session of 20 minutes with short rests.
Conventional wisdom in the triathlon world is that you have to spend twice the time on the biking as on the running in order to get the same fitness benefit. Aim for two good sessions a week. You can supplement or substitute this by a static bike at your gym.
Your main aim is to increase the speed of your long rides. As a midweek session, try 10-15 minutes at an easy pace, then either time yourself on a hard 10-mile ride, or cycle fast round a shorter circuit for a fixed time, say 30 minutes, and see how far you get. If you really want to get on top of the biking, a long spin on Sundays-one and a half to two hours - followed by a short run is recommended.
Once you’ve got used to the other training, you can increase your running to four sessions a week. Two of them will be runs after cycling, and two of them just running
Your weekly training pattern will look like this:
(*Again it is even better if you can double up within this, leaving at least one rest day per week*)
Mon Swim 20 mins, than optional short cycle
Tue Steady run, 6-8 miles
Wed Main swimming session, 30-40 mins
Thu Cycle 45 mins, then run 15 mins
Fri Swim 30 mins, then optional short cycle
Sat Main running session, approx 1hr
Sun Cycle 2hrs, then run 15 mins
Total: 80-90 mins swimming, at least 3hrs cycling, approx 2 hrs running
As well as practising swim/cycle and cycle/run combinations weekly, you should practise doing all three together at least twice before launching into your first event. Apart from the training benefit, it’s good to get used to the transitions from swim to bike and bike to run.
*The above is an “ideal world” schedule. Use it as a guide only. Take care.
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>> In a word yes. The event caters for all levels of fitness from the elite Triathletes to the first timer who`s doing it as part of team.