A triathlon is an athletic event that consists of three different legs: swimming, biking and running. In a triathlon, athletes do all three legs consecutively. Sprint triathlons are the shortest-distance triathlons and are perfect for beginning triathletes. In a sprint triathlon, there is a 600-yard swim, a 12- to 15-mile bike and a 5-kilometer run. Training for a sprint triathlon requires the same dedication and balance required of longer-distance triathlon training.
Step 1
Work your way up. If you're not practicing the three disciplines up to the distances in a sprint triathlon, start increasing the length and distance of your workouts. Remember to only increase distances by 10 percent a week until you reach or surpass the distance in the race.
Step 2
Make a schedule. To train for a sprint triathlon, you need to do at least two workouts of each sport per week. If you have an area you are particularly weak in, put in an extra workout in that area. You also need one day of rest for your body to recuperate to help prevent injury from overuse.
Step 3
Include at least one brick. Brick workouts are a combination of two of the three disciplines. You combine them to get yourself used to doing the activities back to back. You can either do a swim-to-bike brick or a bike-to-run brick. Since many believe that the hardest change is from the bike to the run, if you're only going to do one brick, choose this one. Do the full distances you will do in the race during the brick workout.
Step 4
Practice transitions. A transition is the time it takes to go from one discipline to another. From the swim to the bike, you have to remove your goggles and cap, run to your bike, get your cycling shoes and helmet on, and get on your bike. In the bike-to-run transition, you have to switch your shoes and put your helmet and bike away. Transition times are included in your race time, so make sure you can transition quickly without wasting time.
Step 5
Taper before race day. About a week before your triathlon event, reduce the length and intensity of your workouts. Make sure you take the day before your triathlon off to ensure you don't have any muscle fatigue from training the day before.
Things You'll Need
- Swim cap
- Goggles
- Swimsuit
- Bike
- Helmet
- Running shoes
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