Triathlon Training

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EHisCDN
EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has experience with triathlons. I love to bike and swim so I'd really like to make doing a triathlon my fitness goal for this year (it'll give me something to shoot for). I really have no idea what to do though so I'n open to any advice you can offer :)

Replies

  • BluesGuitar
    BluesGuitar Posts: 34
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    I think it is a wonderful goal to have.

    Look for a local triathlon club in your area. Joining a club will allow you to not only tap the knowledge of experienced triathletes in order to help you get ready, but to also meet people at your experience level that you can train with.

    Best advice I can give you is to be mentally prepared to embrace training as part of your lifestyle. If you don't find the training fun and rewarding (if it just becomes a chore toward achieving a goal), you will likely burn out and resent the training you'll have to do. Don't put added pressure on yourself to place at a certain level; enjoy and embrace the process of preparing, have fun in your first race and take pride in finishing. If you enjoyed the experience and chose to continue, then worry about the competitive side of it.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Best.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,531 Member
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    Another ongoing thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161231-how-long-does-it-take-to-train-for-a-triathlon


    eta: lots of helpful info & links posted
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
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    Hello. I do triathlons.

    Basic way to start training is to just get out and do what you fancy doing with no pressure on yourself to do the right thing. As long as you try and do each part a couple of times a week you'll be fine.

    Feel free to add me if you want
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
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    +1 on joining a tri club if you have one locally. There are also some great on-line resources such as:

    http://beginnertriathlete.com/

    http://ottawatriathlonclub.com/ (my club's website, look under "education" for training plans and tips)

    Triathlon is a great sport, there are events suitable for every level of competitor.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
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    tri is fun.

    It's a lot of commitment though, you'd want to think about that of course. ;)

    There are a lot of good resources out there, and a triathlon/ duathlon group here on the forums.

    Best of luck to you!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    Do you know what length? I started training for a sprint last year and injured myself...will start training again in May for a sprint in Sept. It's a lot of fun, but it's definitely a lot of work...hoping my feet hold out this time. I highly recommend this site...

    http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=376

    as well as looking into a tri club in your area...training alone can be tough...sometimes you just need others pushing you to get through some of the work.

    I don't know if you belong to a gym, but if you do you may want to inquire there as well...my gym has two triathlon coaches on staff. They don't usually work individually with people but they have groups that start up every 3-4 months or so.
  • EHisCDN
    EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
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    Thanks for all the tips! It looks like I have a lot more research to do, but I'm really excited. I enjoy training on the bike and swimming so I was looking for something to motivate me to keep going (as in - something to work towards!).
  • getgemma
    getgemma Posts: 40 Member
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    Thanks for all the tips! It looks like I have a lot more research to do, but I'm really excited. I enjoy training on the bike and swimming so I was looking for something to motivate me to keep going (as in - something to work towards!).

    Hey EH,

    Like you I love two of the disciplines already (running and bicycling). I aim to do a Tri by 2015 but this year I have 4 duathlons of various distances (run/bike/run) penciled in to keep me motivated. My swimming will take a lot of work...I consider this the hardest of the 3 disciplines.

    Have you seen swim & bike duo's? Might be a chance to practice transitions and get used to the competitive environment.

    I did a woman's only duathlons which gave me confidence an it was a good experience - I did quite well and came in the top 15%.
    Good luck & feel free to add me.
  • LouSmorals
    LouSmorals Posts: 93 Member
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    I have done over 10 sprints and a couple of Oly distance triathlons, I am hooked, and I am sure you will also love this sport once you get involved. A couple of pieces of advice:

    1) How good is your swimming? As mentioned above, this is the most technique-dependent of the disciplines and so does require a lot of attention to form. This is not just a matter of going faster, if your form is poor then the amount of effort necessary to swim the 400-500m of a sprint triathlon will really make the rest of the race a drag.

    2) Training for triathlons takes a fair amount of commitment, mostly because there are 3 disciplines, all of which need to be worked at every week. The commitment for an ironman event is a heck of a lot less than for sprint triathlons, to be sure, but if you want to enjoy the race you need to train. Personally, I workout 6-7 times/week all swim/bike/run and I assure you I am not fast. Honestly, most people do triathlons because we dig the training, the races are a fun reward for the time spent training.

    3) Any questions on equipment, the various race distances, and training tips are best brought up at beginnertriathlete.com This is great site with a bunch of people that happy to share their enjoyment of the sport. Slowtwitch.com is another great site, but is more geared for the competitive enthusiast.
  • lilred806
    lilred806 Posts: 195 Member
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    I am interested in this info too. I have done a couple of sprint triathlons but haven't in a few years. I was thinking of trying one this year. Op there are some races that have a mini triathlon early in the season that are good for an extra practice before a larger race later in the season. One here is like a 250m swim, 7 mile bike, and 2 mile run. Good luck reaching your goal. I have found people to be very nice and helpful in the triathlon community.

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