Consisting of swimming, cycling and running, the triathlon is a multisport event enjoyed by many people. Ranging from the full Ironman distance of a 2.2-mile swim, a 112-mile cycling course and a 26.2-mile run to much shorter events aimed at beginners and novices, the triathlon has a broad appeal and is very accessible.
Planning Your Training
Gear your training to the distances involved in the race in which you wish to compete. There is little point in building up to 100-mile bike rides if you are not racing over 15 miles. Work back from the date of your race and give yourself time to build up your weekly mileage gradually. Try not to increase your mileage by more than 10 percent a week as this can lead to injury. Allow a few extra weeks so that, if you suffer and illness or injury, you still have the necessary time to complete your training.
According to "The 12-Week Triathlete: Train for a Triathlon in Just Three Months" by Tom Holland, you can get yourself ready to complete your first triathlon in as little as 12 weeks training as long as you plan effectively.
Assess your Strengths and Weaknesses
Some triathletes find that swimming is their weak event, whereas others will struggle with their running. Spend extra time each week working on your weak events. Your race-day confidence will be much higher having spent time working on your weaknesses. Adjust your workout week so that you spend a little more time on the elements of triathlon at which you are less proficient. An extra swim, run or bike ride over the months leading up to your race may turn a weakness into a strength.
Swimming
Triathlon swims can be sea, river, lake or pool-based and may involve mass or staggered starts. Because swimming is as much about technique as it is about fitness, make sure your swimming stroke is as smooth as possible. If you feel, despite your best efforts, that your swimming is slow or you feel like you exhaust yourself covering only a short distance, you may benefit from some swim coaching.
If your race involves an open-water swim, try to do some training in a large body of water so you can practice swimming without guide ropes to direct you. Swimming in a straight line without guide ropes or lane lines to follow takes practice. Some outdoor swims permit you to wear a wetsuit. If you are going to be wearing a wetsuit, make sure you practice in it ahead of your race. Swimming in a wetsuit can take some getting used to, as can taking your suit off in a hurry to get ready for your bike ride.
Cycling
In most triathlons, the cycle is the longest part of the race both in terms of distance and duration. You can make up or lose a lot of time on the bike. Gradually build up the duration and distance of your training rides until you can comfortably cover the race distance. If the race you have entered includes hills, make sure you spend time training on similar inclines so you become accustomed to the demands of hill riding.
Running
For most triathletes, running is the cornerstone of their training. Running fitness translates well to swimming and cycling. Running also has the advantage of being convenient and takes less time than a bike workout and unlike swimming, unless you own your own pool, you can run almost any time. Running is the hardest event in terms of wear on your body so make sure that you run in cushioned and supportive shoes that fit you properly.
Transitions
In a triathlon, the periods of time spent changing from the swim to the bike to run are called transitions. Transitions are an important part of your triathlon preparation and should be practiced as you get closer to your event. Practice the swim/bike transition and the bike/run transition by periodically pairing disciplines together in your training. Don't feel that you have to perform a full swim workout and then a full running workout back-to-back---it's the transition that is the focus of this type of training and preparing your body for the logistics and demands of going from one activity to another.
References
- "Your First Triathlon"; Joe Friel; 2006
- "The 12-Week Triathlete: Train for a Triathlon in Just Three Months"; Tom Holland; 2005
- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Triathlon Training; Steve Katai and Colin Barr; 2007
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