Training tips for a triathalon?

Idx86

I'm aiming my next fitness goal to be participating in a triathlon (most likely a sprint) next spring. Does anyone have any helpful links or advice for training for this event?

Scrublet

I googled around and this was the most useful thing I saw:

http://www.team-magic.com/8_Week_Sprint_Tri_Plan.pdf

Note how every week they're mixing up which two activities you do in one day. In general, swim/run days will probably be your hardest. While you're training for this, I wouldn't push lifting. Definitely do SOME, reasons why being explained in the OP in the Fitness thread. However, you will not want to make lifting a priority while you're trying to hit your aerobics this hard. Follow the general no brainers...eat right, don't be getting drunk every weekend, get proper rest. Most importantly, DO NOT do the running and biking inside a gym. These are much different outside.

If possible, find a friend. Getting your time down in these things is part mental and pushing yourself with someone whose opinion you may respect will do wonders on top of the workouts.

Fuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud

Make sure to buy a real 5/3mm tri-suit for the swimming part, with a 5mm chest panel for buoyancy. Also you might want a transition bag.

Idx86

Scrublet wrote: »

I googled around and this was the most useful thing I saw:

http://www.team-magic.com/8_Week_Sprint_Tri_Plan.pdf

Note how every week they're mixing up which two activities you do in one day. In general, swim/run days will probably be your hardest. While you're training for this, I wouldn't push lifting. Definitely do SOME, reasons why being explained in the OP in the Fitness thread. However, you will not want to make lifting a priority while you're trying to hit your aerobics this hard. Follow the general no brainers...eat right, don't be getting drunk every weekend, get proper rest. Most importantly, DO NOT do the running and biking inside a gym. These are much different outside.

If possible, find a friend. Getting your time down in these things is part mental and pushing yourself with someone whose opinion you may respect will do wonders on top of the workouts.

I couldn't find anything terribly useful in google but must have missed that one link, which is extremely helpful. Thank you!

big l

When comparing your times to other people's, compare your actual times for the segments, not your total. Your total will be inflated because you will lose tons of time in transitions - everyone does their first time. For your second tri, you can be in just as good of shape and work equally hard and cut tons of time off just because you are used to doing the transitions quickly.

Lesson to be learned: practice the transitions ahead of time, be able to do them quick. I've only done one tri, but my dad does around 5 or 6 every summer, and he does every event in his speedo to cut down his transition time - no need to change clothes.

Also - don't be surprised if some of the distances, especially the swim, aren't as advertised. Apparently, lots of triathlons mess up the swim distance, and can be off either way by up to 1/4 of a mile. Be practicing your swimming in open water, be ready to rely on buoys to guide you, and (if it is a big tri) be in a huge group with people kicking you in the face and hitting your feet and legs with their hands.

The swim is by far the hardest part in my opinion, just because you are in a big crowd and are in open water instead of a pool with lanes.

TheMarshal

I just finished two tris (one sprint, one relay), and I can attest to the fact that the swim will be the hardest part. If it's an ocean swim (depending on where you are) the water is going to be shockingly cold, even with a wetsuit on. Combined with the adrenaline rush from the race starting and being surrounded by other people, it's not uncommon to feel a sense of panic. I know I did. My heart rate skyrocketed, I took quick, shallow breaths, and I just could NOT find my rhythm.

This is the training program that I used (another 8-week one, 0 to triathlon): http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&conitem=c7a5c754c5ddb010VgnVCM100000cfe793cd____&page=6

From my experience:

SWIM
Do as many ocean/lake swims as you can. It's a hell of a lot different than the pool, and chances are a pool is where you're going to be training, so you want to get used to the colder water and dealing with currents.

BIKE
Get a road bike, with pedal clips. I rode my first tri with a mountain bike and put up a time which was 150% of what most other people put up. I got skinny tires for my relay, but I was definitely missing the pedal clips on the uphills.

RUN
This won't be as hard as you think. By the time you're done with the bike and the swim you're so warmed up that you'll enter that runner's high pretty quickly. Not to mention the thought that "it's almost over!" will motivate your legs to keep moving.

TRANSITIONS
These take some getting used to. Practice getting out of your wetsuit and into your bike shoes, or out of your bike shoes and into your running shoes. When you're coming out of the swim and going to the bike (T1) pull off as much of your wetsuit as you can, so you can just hop out of it once you get to the transition area.

GENERAL
Nothing new on race day. Your clothes, your shoes, your bike, your wetsuit, the food you eat, what you drink. You should keep your training as close to the competition as possible. The last thing you want is to develop blisters halfway through the run 'cause your brand-new shoes don't fit. Or throw up midway through the bike 'cause that PowerGel crap made you sick. Train with water, race with water. Train with gatorade, race with gatorade. Train with Ibuprofen, race with Ibuprofen.