A triathlon is the "ultimate test of stamina, strength and skill," according to BBC Sports. Stamina refers to the amount of energy you have. To complete a triathlon, you must have a high amount of energy to finish the swim, bike and run portions of the race.
Stamina is different than endurance or speed. Endurance refers to the amount of time you can continue to exercise. Speed refers to the amount of distance you can cover in a certain period of time. Stamina refers to how well you can sustain your effort. For example, starting the run portion of a triathlon at a 7:00 minute pace and then dropping to a 9:00 minute pace after the first mile would indicate a lack of stamina. Here are five steps to build stamina for your next triathlon.
Triathlon Training Steps
Step 1
Build your base. Before beginning triathlon training, you must have a base of cardiovascular and muscular strength and endurance. This means at least six months of running, biking and swimming three to four times a week. Your body needs time to adapt, otherwise you risk injury to your joints, muscles and tendons.
According to beginnertriathlete.com, follow two important rules when building your base. First is the 10 percent rule. "Never go up in training distance or duration by more than 10 percent the following week." Increase training gradually to prevent injury. Second, "Always schedule a rest week once a month." Rest weeks consist of a decrease in total activity by 30 to 50 percent. This is important so your body has time to get stronger by recovering from the stress of training.
Step 2
Incorporate training for all three sports into your schedule to start building stamina. Once you have a training base, include regular swimming, biking and running workouts each week. The amount of each sport depends on the distance of the triathlon you are training for. For shorter triathlons, a minimum of two workouts for each sport is recommended each week, for a total of six workouts. Longer triathlons will require additional workouts with increased durations.
Step 3
Complete one long workout a week. One of the best ways to build stamina is to add a longer bike or run once a week. This should be longer than the distance in the triathlon, but not greater than 10 percent more than what you did the week before. Increasing the distance of a bike or run workout will help your body adapt to the amount of time you will be racing. To build your stamina, try to maintain your goal speed throughout the workout.
Step 4
Add in brick workouts. A brick is where you do two out of the three sports in one workout. This can be a swim and bike, or a bike and run. Doing bricks will help your muscles learn how to transition from one sport to the next. At first, your legs may feel weak when immediately going from one sport to the next, and you may feel like you don't have the energy to continue. With regular brick training, your body will adapt and your stamina will increase.
Step 5
Consume proper fuel and nutrition during your workout. Aside from training properly, the other key to maintaining stamina during a triathlon is to hydrate enough and take in enough calories. Proper hydration with water or sports drinks during the bike and run will help your body continue functioning at a high level. For longer races, consume enough calories to sustain your energy. Sports gels and nutrition bars are popular choices.
Things You'll Need
- Triathlon training schedule
- Swim apparel and gear
- Bike
- Bike apparel and gear
- Running shoes
- Water or sports drink
- Energy foods
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