Questions for long distance triathletes

CathOh
CathOh Posts: 72 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been a runner for many years now and have completed a number of marathons, halfs, 10ks, 5ks etc. I've developed and successfully followed various training plans. This summer I rather successfully completed a half-iron distance duathlon with next to no training on the bike. (My longest run leading up to the race was 20k short of the race distance, and I hadn't actually done any brick workouts prior to the event, yet I placed in the top of my age group and 17th overall).

I have a couple of events planned for next year - a 30k race at the end of March and a marathon at the end of May. I'm currently in what I would consider a maintenance cycle of 20k long runs on the weekend, one or two 10k runs in the week as well as a 6k run. I'm also cycling 30k a few times per week, with a longer ride of maybe 50-60k.

My questions -
While I am building up my distance for my planned race events next spring, I would also like to build a solid base so that at some point next summer I can enter (and do well in) a half iron distance triathlon. Does anyone have any recommendations for what might be a reasonable training plan for cycling that I can add in to my running plan?

Will cycling complement, help or impede my running (the two events that I am currently registered in are my main focus, but I'm really loving cycling right now and would like to incorporate it in my training plan as I love it and I can do it indoors when my daughter has gone to sleep for the night)?

For the swimming component, I'm thinking for the meantime, I will hit the pool maybe twice per week for the next couple of months (one day for distance, one day for drills). Does this seem like the beginnings of a training plan?

Replies

  • pscott822
    pscott822 Posts: 16 Member
    Many triathletes follow a 2,2,2, plan. 2 days of biking, 2 days of running and 2 days of swimming every week. alternating sports daily. One work out is speed or technique focused , and the other is endurance.

    Don't under estimate the impact that swimming 2K will have on your heart rate when you transition to your bike race. Practice brick work outs as you get close to race time. Do a Swim/Bike or and Bike/Run workout every other week for a month or two prior to the races. There are many other plans. I know one triathlete who swims almost everyday because she is so weak at it. and alternates run, bike as a second workout daily. But she's been doing this for 5 years.

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