TRIATHLON-ERS! How do I train? Help please!

This is an old thread I just found, but thought I would pipe in anyway.

Two years ago, I got really sick (like could not go outside our exercise for about a year). Before that, I was a pretty decent age grouper triathlete/runner. I would do 4-5 triathlons and 4-5 running races each year. I am FINALLY, all healed up, and I am shooting for my first race in two years - a sprint triathlon.

I gained about 35 pounds of pure fat during my 2 year hiatus from exercise, so my main goals this first race are (1) have fun, (2) lose 20 pounds, and (3) finish sub 1:20. Here's how I am doing it over a 12-week program.

For the first 4 weeks - lay a base.

Run - I am just adding mileage with a little intensity on the bike. I run 3 times per week. Two of my runs are 45-60 minutes (runs started at 45 and gradually build to 60) with 5-6 pick-ups at the end (30-45 second speed boosts). I do a long run of 75 minutes to 90 minutes again with a slow build over the 4 weeks. I want to get my long run to about 10 miles during this period.

Bike - The bike looks a lot like the run except it started out a little longer and includes a few fast areas. 2 times per week I ride 60-75 minutes (again building over time). On each of these rides I do 2 x 3 mile "time trial" to see how fast I can go. This is really important pacing practice for me. I do a long ride of 2 hours to 2.5 hours each Saturday. The long ride usually is up the mountains close to my home.

Swim - Swim practice is really boring for me. I don't know how people can swim thousands of yards every day staring at a black line in a stinky pool. I am swimming 2-3 times per week, usually one swim is in the pool and one swim is in open water. Most triathletes prefer to swim in the pool to work on speed/form. But I just have a hard time with that. My open water swim started at 2 x .18 miles and has slowly built to 4 x 1/4 miles. In other words, I'll swim a quarter mile and then let my heart rate come down and catch my breath before swimming back. This is by far the most effective swim workout for me as I prep for triathlons. Each time I have to turn around in a pool my arms get a nice few second break as I glide into the wall, turn, and push out again. I don't think it makes a big difference, but my arms get really tired on even a Sprint triathlon and that is a limiter on my swimming.

Lifting - If I do all this cardio, my strength (particularly upper body) really suffers as my body tries to use muscle to fuel instead of fat. I lift 2-3 times per week total body to combat this. I do bench, squats, upright rows, straight legged dead lifts, military press, bicep curls, and ab work.

Note - I know this is a pretty truncated "Base phase," but it is more than adequate to get it done for my goals on this one. Next year when I am really racing again I will probably spend 12 weeks on this phase of racing.

Nutrition - I average about 1800-1900 calories a day, which puts me in the 1.5 pounds per week lose range.

I adjust pretty significantly for 6 weeks and then will hit a 2 week taper which is overkill for a sprint, but I feel I do better with 2 weeks than 1 that other people prescribe. If you just continued the base building for 10 weeks and then took it a little easier for the last 2 you will do very well. Hope this helps.