Cycling is one of three events in a sprint triathlon, and it accounts for 50 percent of the time needed to complete the race. Training should be no different. Generally, the distance of a sprint triathlon is a quarter-mile swim, 10- to 15-mile bike ride and a 5K run. The cycling portion is where you're likely to trim the most time during a race.
Training Regimen
Depending on your overall fitness, a six- to eight-week training program that concentrates on increasing your heart rate and challenging your muscular threshold will prepare you for race day. Chiropractic physician and National Academy of Sports Medicine performance enhancement specialist Kris Tardio, a sprint triathlon competitor, recommends riding three times a week for 45 minutes to an hour. "One workout focus on heart rate, one on interval and the last a combination of the two, increasing your intensity each week," he said. "This will build speed, strength and endurance. In a sprint triathlon, speed is the most important because the race is so short."
Heart Rate
You can find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. "Many people train within an aerobic training zone 40 to 80 percent of your heart-rate max, but endurance will improve faster if you train closer to 85 percent," says Tardio. Age, fitness level and body weight all factor into where you should begin training. Starting at lower heart-rate levels and gradually increasing the intensity over time is equally beneficial to starting at a higher percentage.
Threshold
Threshold training is also called interval training and it is done at the fastest pace possible for several minutes before feeling the first hints of fatigue. There should be little or no lactic acid burn in your leg muscles. Then, ride at a recovery pace for one minute. For example, Tardio suggests cycling at 40 percent heart rate for one minute, then 85 percent heart rate for two minutes, repeating this pattern for 20 minutes or a specified set of miles.
Cadence
Cadence is the number of crank revolutions per minute, and it is an indicator of how hard to train. According to Tardio, professional cyclists average a cadence of 110 rpm, while recreational cyclists should focus on an average of 70 to 80 rpm. You can measure your progress on cycling computers that attach to your bike. They monitor your speed, cadence, heart rate and distance.
Road Bike vs. Triathlon Bike
The proper bike is not just crucial for cycling performance, but for transitioning during the race. A triathlon bike is aerodynamically designed for speed, altering the hip and shoulder angle of the rider for performance. According to a study published in the "Journal of Sports Science and Medicine" in 2000, athletes transitioning off a triathlon bike saved an average of five minutes on the 10K run that followed, as opposed to transitioning from a road bike. "It is believed that the geometry of the triathlon bike takes stress off the quadriceps, allowing the athlete to save more energy for the run," Tardio says.
References
- Dr. Kris Tardio; Chiropractic Physician; Velocity Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation; Red Bank, New Jersey
- Sports and Spinal Physical Therapy; Your Tri Bike Fit: How to Hit the Ground Running; Jeremy Vail
- "Journal of Sports Science and Medicine"; Effects of Bicycle Frame Ergonomics on Triathlon 10K Running Performance; Ian Garside, Dominic Doran; June 2000
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