without preparation. When you do complete Train for Ironman and look at what your dedication to training has let you accomplish, it’s very rewarding. So follow these steps to compete in your first long course triathlon.
Steps
- First ask yourself:
- Evaluate your fitness level, where do you lie on the endurance scale?
- Reality Check Physical Requisites before completing race
- 6 hour bike ride with minimal breaks
- 1+ hour swim open water
- 2+ hour run
- Have you competed in triathlons before?
- If you answered no to any of these questions, please review and build up from Train-for-a-Triathlon
- Plan out when and which race you want to complete in.
- Plan your training phases accordingly in the weeks leading up to your race.
- Record your training sessions
- List weekly mileage totals, how you felt and any unusual or key things during the training session for future reference right after your workout
- Do not skip days. It is important to keep track of your mileage and progress and to adapt your training as such.
- Start out in 4 week cycles.
- The first 3 weeks is mileage and intensity building by 5-10% each week depending on your training level and experience.
- The last week of the cycle is an easy recovery week where intensity and mileage volume is backed down to the beginning intensity and duration of the 4 week cycle.
- Split up your days into morning and afternoon and/or night unless it’s a brick workout and you are to follow one after the other.
- Always follow a quality harder workout with an easy training session for two-day sessions
- Be aware of your technique in cycling, swimming, and running.
- Perfecting these shaves off major time in your race. Better technique means being quicker, with less energy. With longer distances in a race, technique makes a big impact.
- Proper bike fitting, stroke technique and running economy and fitted equipment can help you.
- Put in as many miles you can biking, swimming, and running.
- Spend 20-25 hours per week training. Professionals spend 30-40 hours per week
- Focus on bike endurance distance training.
- You recover faster from biking and swimming more than running. This gives you a greater endurance boost with quicker recovery.
- Cycling endurance can be transferred to running endurance.
- The bike leg is the major portion of the race
- Adjust your training more to the sport you are weakest in.
- Take one day off each week throughout your training.
- This allows for recovery and rebuilding enhancing your endurance.
- You can recover faster from harder bike and swim workouts
- Do not to put a quality bike and run on the same day unless it’s a brick workout
- Don’t increase your easy week mileage if you are tired.
- If it’s during the 3 week building cycle keep your mileage at the same level or consider an easier recovery week if your body is not able to continue and start over the 4 week building cycle.
- Complete 2 long runs and 2 long bike rides per month and alter these each week
- Place a couple of bike tempos in your distance rides, it will increase your stamina.
- Bike the distance of your race, and the last 40-60 minutes at a slightly faster pace, and then run 20 to 30 minutes at your planned race paces.
- This is a very hard workout(a.k.a brick workout)
- Do intervals; a 2-5 minute burst at a hard pace with 2-4 minute recovery and completing anywhere from 3 to 15 of these intervals, depending on the work load and duration and your fitness level.
- Recover between intervals for 2 minutes.
- This makes it harder on the body and full recovery doesn’t happen before each interval.
- In more than 3 minutes your ATP stores are completely refueled.
- Train with a couple high speed workouts
- Helps you focus on faster paces and make you pay attention to your technique.
- Hill workouts are awesome and prepare you for the course
- A good bike hill takes 2 -3 minutes and 4-12 repetitions.
- Running hills are 200 m to 400m with 4 -12 repetitions.
- Put in quality running instead of quantity.
- For instance, you should insert a quicker, up-paced tempo in the last 20-30 minutes of a long run and get the added benefit of both workouts.
- Complete one hard track session per week
- Start in Phase I building a base, lasting 2-16 weeks depending on your race schedule and pace of conditioning.
- Swim 3 times a week, every other day first focusing on technique in the beginning of the week, then easy distance swim, then long swim
- Continue into Phase II, the Maintenance stage with interval speed work, lasting 8-12 weeks in training volume. This training phase is adapted to the type of race you are competing in.
- Advance into Phase III Race tailoring and pacing, lasting 8-12 weeks
- Taper at least 2 weeks before your race. Optimally 3 weeks. Downplay your mileage but maintain your endurance fitness level and train at race pace.
- You will not gain anything from any excess workouts outside of your tapering leading up to your event. It will only hinder your race.
- Tapering will help your race and increase your energy and allow your muscles to fully recover and be fresh before your race. This increases your chance for a successful race.
- Reduce your long run or bike by half
- Calculate the speeds and split rates that you are capable and want to compete at before your big race.
- Take a day off 2 days before the race
- Swim 300-500 yd/m 10-20 min, bike 20-30 min, and run 10-15 min at race pace the day before your race
- Plan out your gear that you are going to wear for your race and it should be pre-tested to prevent any discrepancies.
- Make a point to enjoy the race. Quitting the race can happen if it's not enjoyable to you.
- Give yourself adequate time to recover after your race and take care of your body.
- Triathlons are a learning and testing experience to see how far you can take your body and mind. Each person is unique in what motivates them and what makes them succeed. This how to is basic in nature that can be applied to all training programs and modified by you for your specific needs and goals. Happy training!
Tips
- Listen to your body. Too much too soon is a set-up for slow recovery and overtraining.
- Find more time by riding your bike to commute
- Take care of injuries and be over-cautious. A little flair up can turn into an ending point for your training.
- A fun workout is to bike to the race, run a road race, and cycle back. This is an example of a brick workout and prepares you for the transitions of the triathlon
- Know your heart rate training zones. Use these to measure and prescribe your training intensity
- Give your body proper nutrition. your body rebuilds its muscles from the food you eat. Use food as the fuel for you body. Use supplements if needed.
- Use additional therapy for recovery.Massage therapists, chiropractors, yoga, and stretching.
- Always use proper hydration and fueling. It can make or break your training and racing. You can ask competitors in these long distance events and they will also repeat the importance.
- Mental focus and determination will get you across the finish line.Most of the race is mental; your body follows what your brain tells you. Motivation and mental stamina with willpower attitude is what gets athletes through these races.
- Allow for proper time to complete your workouts. (i.e. 3-7 hr. blocks) It is essential to put in as much quality time to your training as you can. Set apart specific times in your day to train and become jealous of this time. You can't complete all of your training on the weekends if your 9-5 job takes up your weekday time.
- Have a support system from your family, job, and others because training takes a huge time commitment in your life.
- You can never learn too much about the multi-sport of triathlons. Seek out information, for the more you do, the more prepared and knowledgeable you will become.(See External Links below)
- Coaching or online websites can be beneficial and can they can provide professional advice to your specific needs and goals
- Take part in a triathlon clinic where experts can provide you with tips and information on how to be successful.
- Join a local swim team, running club, or cycling club to get into the know-how of the sport. This gives you opportunities to find more out about each sport and meet others who can give you advice.
- Find a training partner and make training plans with someone else. It keeps you on track and makes your workouts vary and it’s a great way to share your social life into your sport lifestyle
- Have indoor equipment for bad weather. Make options available so that the weather outside doesn't inhibit your training such as an indoor bicycle trainer, treadmill, and indoor swimming capabilities.
Warnings
- Not all athletes are alike. What works for one athlete might not work for another.
- Don’t try new things right before or during a race. If you are going to try a new tactic, do so in one of your workouts.
- Be prepared and experienced. Since the race duration is longer, more discrepancies can happen and put you out of the race. Take time to recognize your weaknesses during training and try to prevent them from happening during the race.
- Be confident in the swim portion of the race. If you can’t swim that far, then the rest of the race is not possible to complete. You should also be able to bike the distance of the race.
- Eat healthy. Get enough protein and carbohydrates to replenish your body. Be aware of anemia, a condition resulting in low hemoglobin in the blood from a lack of protein. This results in decreased oxygen delivery to your muscles.
Things You'll Need
- Heart Rate Monitor to measure your training intensity zones
- Supplements for carbohydrate replacement and hydration during training.
- This prepares your body for the nutrition during your competition. Experiment with different types of sport replacement products to see what works the best for you during your long duration training sessions.
- Training and Racing Gear that applies to your needs
- Lightweight, durable, quick-drying apparel
- Triathlon bike ergonomically designed for you
- Bike accessory replacement kits and tools for no delays in training
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References
