In a half Ironman triathlon, you will swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles, with only a brief transition between events. Training for the event can take months depending on your current fitness level and experience. Hiring a coach is one option for preparation or you can take advantage of free half Ironman training programs online.
Tri-Newbies Online Training Programs
Tri-Newbies online training program is broken down during an 18-week period. The first 12 weeks of workouts are considered base building where you will gradually increase the miles and yardage you swim, bike and run. You are increasing your aerobic base in order to add more challenging workouts and build your endurance. The last six weeks are the Speedwork/Quality phase of your training. During this phase you focus more on building speed and efficiency and cut your total mileage back slightly. Some days you will be training both in the morning and evening, working at each event two to three times per week, according to Trinewbies.com.
Beginner Triathlete Training Programs
The Beginner Triathlete half Ironman program is a 20-week training program. It recommends that you should be able to swim 40 minutes, bike 90 minutes and run for at least 60 minutes. It is a general training program and makes some assumptions about your experience. You will work through different phases of training to build your aerobic base and work on race-specific skills. Throughout the program you will be training an average of five to 10 hours each week, according to Beginnertriathlete.com.
Trifuel Training Program
The Trifuel program also covers 20 weeks. For the first six weeks, you will work on building your aerobic base similar to the other programs. You then have a recovery week that cuts back on total training time to allow your body to recover and become stronger. You then move to more challenging workouts in order to prepare for the race and increase your speed and efficiency. Every few weeks you will have a recovery week. You also have one day off per week during this plan for the entire 20 weeks.
Considerations
A free half Ironman training program might be OK if you have some race experience. If you are new to triathlons or have limited experience with only short races, you might consider hiring a coach. It is easy to over-train when preparing for a triathlon and a coach can recognize the signs in your performance. An experienced triathlon coach will also be able to advise you on nutrition, which is critical for preparation and on race-day. You will not have the energy to finish if you are not adequately fueled and hydrated.
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