Regardless how experienced you may be in any given sport or activity, helpful tips will always be welcome and beneficial to those seeking to improve. Triathlon racing, no matter the distance, is no different. With three sports, two transition areas, nutritional concerns and many equipment and gear needs, it's no wonder so many sources of triathlon information -- books, magazines, and websites -- have popped up for age-groupers. Put triathletes in a room together, and the sharing of information is endless.
Practice Your Transitions
During a triathlon, athletes must change their gear and equipment between the swim and the bike legs and again between the bike and the run. Transitions are as important to triathletes as pit stops are to race car drivers: it is an easy way to gain time on your competition without much physical effort. Triathlon coaches and professionals suggest including transition sessions into your workouts. Removing your wetsuit quickly, getting on or off your bike while moving and strong organizational skills are some of the bigger time savers.
Race Specific Training
Realistic training counts in triathlon and will pay dividends on race day. Begin with the race distance; do not train for Olympic distance racing, requiring more endurance, if you're short-course racing such as a sprint distance race, requiring more speed. If your swim will take place in a lake, training in the ocean will be beneficial; the ocean provides more buoyancy than does a lake. If your race will be in hot weather, include some midday bike and run sessions.
Brick Training
Brick training combines two events in your training, the most common being the bike to the run. The training allows you to experience how your body will likely feel during the race, helping you to anticipate and adapt. Many first-time triathletes do not replicate this in training and are surprised they cannot run properly. Triathlon coaches suggest including this training in your final block of training leading up to your race. More experienced triathletes will add them to their training as needed.
Training During Race Week
Many triathletes make the mistake of trying to improve their fitness the week of the race. Experienced triathletes know that training during the week of their race will not make them more physically fit, faster, or stronger -- rather, the opposite is true. Reduce your triathlon training by 30 percent, A sample of your training during race week may include short-race pace efforts Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday while taking Thursday and Saturday off altogether.
Member Comments