Question for all you pros....
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jaded082
Posts: 107 Member
Ok, so I just found this group. I didn't realize at first there was a Triathletes/duathletes group on here. Very cool!
I am hoping to get your advice and opinion on how to train for my first tri-sprint. Not sure if I should just repost the question here or link it? I guess I will just post a link, as I don't want the question to show up twice.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012092/any-triathletes-out-there#latest
Would love your input! If someone thinks I should copy and paste the question here, that is fine too. Just not sure what the proper protocol should be. I just want to make sure some triathletes see the (original post) and are maybe able to shed some light and advice.
Thanks!
I am hoping to get your advice and opinion on how to train for my first tri-sprint. Not sure if I should just repost the question here or link it? I guess I will just post a link, as I don't want the question to show up twice.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012092/any-triathletes-out-there#latest
Would love your input! If someone thinks I should copy and paste the question here, that is fine too. Just not sure what the proper protocol should be. I just want to make sure some triathletes see the (original post) and are maybe able to shed some light and advice.
Thanks!
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1. Biking. Start working in some intervals once, maybe twice a week. Most sprints are 13, maybe 15 miles on the bike. It's a redline event, a sprint as the title alludes to .
2. Swimming. Everyone hates swimming. Get to the point that you can one handle the distance and two feel comfortable in the open water.
3. With your injury issues I'd look at some aqua running. Ellipticals are great but they don't really simulate running. Deep water running or aqua running does the best job at simulating the sport. I've had athletes with shin splints do enough that they can handle an Ironman.
For self coached beginners I almost always recommend training each sport 3x a week. If you're going to lose a workout I'd err on the side of swimming.0 -
Great, thanks for the info...
Well I got the biking covered as I bike 3x a week for an average of around 70 miles a week. Interval training I need to look into some more.
I have never heard of aqua running. I will look into that.
So from your statement that leads me to believe some people hire a trainer to train for these? How and where do you go about finding someone like that?
Thanks for the tips, keep them coming!
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I'm going to go ahead and copy my original post here....
I would love to chat with some people who have done any Triathlons. I am currently only interested in a sprint. Honestly that alone has me quivering in my boots, mainly because of the swimming.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE road biking. I have a Fuji Road bike that I ride about 3x a week. I go anywhere between 20-40 miles on an average ride. Although my long rides I like to hit around 50 (did 70 this last weekend). I have only been biking for 3 years and clocked about 3600 miles so far. But I have never done a group ride. They make me nervous. lol. I know when riding alone I only have to look out for myself with traffic. When in a group it seems like.... well that is a whole nother topic for another day. My point is, I am not use to riding in a group setting.
So running. I don't run. But I can tear up an elliptical! I took a break and goodbye to the treadmill and road a couple of years ago, to help ease the impact on my knees that almost have no cartilage behind my kneecaps due to sliding patella. I did a 5k with my 8 yr old daughter back in the spring and it seemed super easy (and short), although I did a slow jog/fast walk most of the way. So the running part of the Tri doesn't worry me that much, if worse comes to worse I will fast walk it. My goal here is not to make the best time, but to finish.
The swimming...oh the swimming. Ah! First off I hate lakes... Or any open water for that matter. I will try to just not think about my irrational fears while I am swimming through the water envisioning myself as lake monster (or minnow) bait. lol So in all seriousness my biggest concern with the swimming is my lack of experience in that area. Yes I can swim some laps....but how many?? I use to swim laps at the big box gym after I had my daughter (gosh that was about 6 years ago though now). Since then it has pretty much been a couple of short lap swims across the neighbors pool a few times each summer while my kids swam. Then add to your data collection spreadsheet, that I never took official swim lessons as a kid. Sure I can swim and I have decent enough technique (I think... Hey I get from point A to point B, a few times) but...I am still lost in concern and worry over how hard is half a mile swim going to be??
I am a stay at home (homeschooling) mom and small business owner. I love to workout and have been addicted to it for the past 6 years since I first fell in love with it. I lost about 25lbs back then and kept if off for about 3 years, when it all slowly came back on again when I let my healthy diet habits slip. My working out 3-6 days a week never did falter though luckily. But now I am up 27 lbs (it was 38! But I have lost 11 over the past month or two), but I only really care to lose 17 more. Heck I am not 21 anymore and have no desire to starve myself to be skinny. So I am definitely not in my best shape. But my heart is in super, crazy healthy shape.
I am weight training 3 days a week (with about 30 min of elliptical/spin bike cardio added in as well). Then I bike about 20 miles 2x a week and about 40-50 1x per week but it feels like a rut. It's the same 'ol, same 'ol. I want to feel more challenged. The weight lately has not been easy to come off at all. What the heck happened to my body at 30?? And I really think it is because my heart is so much healthier than my body, but my knees severely limit the extent I can push my body (I love to push it HARD but have learned time and time again, I can't always go as hard as I would like or my knees will blow out and I won't be able to workout for weeks).
My goal this coming year is....
Bike 2,400 miles
Get out of my comfort zone and go on a group ride or two
Go to a bike rally/race type event
Lose the rest of the 17 lbs of extra weight.
Complete a 5k
Complete a 10K
Complete a century ride
....... And my biggest goal for next year.......Complete a Sprint Triathlon
So my question to all you beautiful people is, what steps should I take to make this dream become a reality? Am I crazy or is my determination enough to make it happen? Cause I have a lot of that.0 -
Great, thanks for the info...
Well I got the biking covered as I bike 3x a week for an average of around 70 miles a week. Interval training I need to look into some more.
I have never heard of aqua running. I will look into that.
So from your statement that leads me to believe some people hire a trainer to train for these? How and where do you go about finding someone like that?
Thanks for the tips, keep them coming!
Yes. There are coaches out there. I'd start by checking into local triathlon clubs on Facebook or through Google. You may also look at the USA Triathlon website.
Look for most triathlons revolve around the bike. You swim to the best of your ability without burning too many matches and then ride the bike as hard as you can without compromising your ability to run close to your potential.0 -
I would also recommend doing an early season tri (or very late season this year if you're someplace warm) before you feel fully prepared. The only purpose is to find out what the race is like without having high performance expectations. Learn what it's like to go through transition, do an open water swim, etc, face your nervousness about group riding. Have fun with it.0
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tri4life854 wrote: »I would also recommend doing an early season tri (or very late season this year if you're someplace warm) before you feel fully prepared. The only purpose is to find out what the race is like without having high performance expectations. Learn what it's like to go through transition, do an open water swim, etc, face your nervousness about group riding. Have fun with it.
This is good advice. I'm just getting back into it myself after years off (I did my last one in '07, so am out of date), and that's what I did before my first one (Chicago, which is also enormous, so it was good to start with a smaller one) and I was always glad I did.
If the open water swimming has you nervous, have you thought about making your first one an early season one with the indoor swimming? I'm not sure how that would be--would love advice on that too, even "those are terrible"--but I'm thinking about it just because I'm excited to get started next year and there won't be any local outdoor ones until later in the year, whereas there are some local-ish indoor swimming ones in April.
You could also probably find a training group at a local club or maybe MeetUp.com. When I trained for my first I trained with a group and it was incredibly helpful just to have advice on the logistics by people who had done it and, especially, a group to practice the open water swims with.0 -
Thanks for the advice about trying out an tri prior. I might look into doing one in the spring. I hate waiting till next Sept (that is when the one in Austin is). Who knows depending on how one in the spring goes, maybe I can push it try for the Olympic in the fall. ;-)
Seriously thanks so much guys for all the great advice. I am really super stoked about this. My husband thinks I am plum crazy. But I love a challenge (it's like a runners high) and I definitely feel that here.
Oh by the way I did a brick workout day before yesterday (I guess that is what they are called??) to see how it went and how prepared I was for the Tri.
I biked 20 miles, then came home and jumped off the bike, changed my shoes and shirt and grabbed the kids (they are homeschooled so it was their PE class), and walked/jogged a 5k (in 45 min, I am guessing that is pretty sad time, but I am not all about the time).
I was really impressed with myself! Having not run/jogged in years (only elliptical machine), I was impressed my body and knees handled it ok. I wasn't even sore the next day except for some tightness in my shoulder blades area.
Feel free to friend me, I can use all the Tri- friends and supporters I can get to help me along this journey. I am already looking ahead at the Olympic Tri. There again, not worried about the bike and the run, only the swim. If I can get through the Sprint I am definitely hoping to go for the Olympic Tri. Maybe I am looking to far ahead...0 -
The swim was my biggest obstacle entering triathlons as well. I figured out how poor my technique was when I built up to a mile and then realized how slow I was. Technique matters more in the water than the other disciplines because of the water resistance. I discovered this blog and used the 8 tips and videos to cut my time in half in 7 workouts. It was unbelievable. I was twice as fast with less effort. I did not spend money on the Total Immersion book or classes since the blog seemed to give me as much info as I needed to meet my goals.
My biggest advice is to tackle your weakness and make it your priority. As you make progress your weaknesses shift. It went from swimming to biking and is now running. But the point is I am always making progress. Completed my first Ironman in July as a result.
Feel free to send frien request if you need support, advice or help. Good luck!0 -
scott091501 wrote: »
Yes. There are coaches out there. I'd start by checking into local triathlon clubs on Facebook or through Google. You may also look at the USA Triathlon website.
Look for most triathlons revolve around the bike. You swim to the best of your ability without burning too many matches and then ride the bike as hard as you can without compromising your ability to run close to your potential.
Nail and Head!!
Tri clubs are the perfect place to start and just about all of them are happy to accept people new to the sport.
As long as you can do all the 3 parts of a triathlon and have a reasonable level of fitness sprint triathlons are within everyone to finish so just find one you can get to and go for it! Be warned, it's an addictive sport!
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I'm NOT an expert. NOT a trainer. Not probably even qualified to give ANY advice, even. However, I have read your post. And I would like to put in my 2 cents worth, give you something to think about, at least.
I can't swim. I did take swimming lessons as a kid. Yup. Sure did! For like 6 years in a row! Beginner's swim class each and every year. Did well in the shallow end...then failed when I had to everything in the 20 foot depth. Deep water f-r-e-a-k-s me the hell out! and "live" water (lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans...) hell, no, captain! NOT happening! Things LIVE in that water!
When I saw Tri's on TV, I knew it was out for me, because of that 1st element, the swim. Then, about a year ago, I became aware of a "Duathalon" - "RUN-bike-run" format. Works for me! Started training for one, and completed my 1st Du on Aug 2 of this year. Second one was completed Sep 27th. Since you talked about your swimming abilities, you might want to check that out.
Now, after 2 Du's, and looking at 46 years (in a few weeks!), I actually find myself thinking about taking swimming lessons again...maybe.....possibly...0 -
this is a good time to start researching/asking questions! this year was my first year to do triathlons, so i'll share with you what i did in case it is helpful for you. first, i read 'the complete idiot's guide to triathlon training' and a bunch of stuff about training online. i would skip reading about actual races right now -- you can do that later. one big challenge for you for the actual race will be getting comfortable in open water, but there are lots of ways to prepare for that and you don't have to worry about them right now. just think about how to get started training. you are also right to get lots of advice -- different things work for different people.
i used this training guide for my first sprint: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=35
i started training on the first monday of the new year. this was a manageable training guide for me -- my guess is that you'll want to start running (however you do that) and swimming a couple times a week for a month or so before you start the program to get your body ready. this training guide was great for me -- it was challenging at the time, but i could follow it without too much fatigue.
my first tri was a sprint: 300m indoor pool swim, 12 mile bike ride, 5k. it was very very hard, but i finished and felt amazing. i think it was smart to start with an indoor pool swim (they are all like this where i live early in the season b/c it's cold!).
this 2x balanced program got me to the finish line, but let me tell you, it was not easy. a week after the sprint, i started training for an olympic. i completed another sprint three months later, and it was like a world of difference from the first one. i was in much, much better shape after having trained for for the olympic distance for three months. i finished the olympic a month later. it was great!
so for me, the beginner 2x balanced triathlete plan was just right -- i was able to follow it without too much fatigue or anxiety -- it was a good intro to the sport. but, you should know that even if you follow it to a tee (which i did), the race will still be challenging. for this reason, many people will recommend you workout more than this plan requires. that's your call!
good luck!! PM me if you have more questions.
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