[n_man]

Come on fellow multi eventers (or people with knowledge) help with advice on triathalon training / preperation / competing / useful knowledge or handy tips especially training for '3 events' at once.

I did my first triathalon in December last year and I am looking to do a number this year. I did the longest of the series of three which was:

Swim 250m – Bike 20km – Run 5km my total time being 1 hour 22 mins.
Swim 8 mins  Bike 46 mins   Run  23 mins -  the rest being in transition (getting changed and getting in/out).

Ideally I would like to get to under 1 hour 10 mins so I am not at the back with the very old, very young or other equally red face heavy breathers.

My swimming is pretty sluggish and the weakest of the the three areas, however, it is a pretty small section of the total time.

I used a mountain bike in the actual triathlon and am considering either:
1.  buying a dirty cheap road bike from trade me (a Kiwi e-bay equivalent)

2.  buying some different thinner tyres that fit the wheels. Obviously slicks will be faster but if its greasy/wet then will a tyre with some tread be better but will it limit performance much compared to a slick? The guy in the bike shop today also talked about 'puncture proof' tyres, is this true and what are the pros and cons?

My running is pretty good just under par cos I had been bouldering and doing hardly any CV stuff and carrying some excess weight!

Are specialist tri shorts worthwhile as they seem quite pricey or is it a cheap pair of lycras and take the chaffing like a man?

I have just bought a weights bench and weights (bar and dumb bells). What would be the best exercises and weights / reps?

Any help appreciated.

[SA Chris]

Instead of buying thinner tyres for the MTB, you can just get a set of road wheels for it? Will make a lot more difference, but depends how good the bike is.

Further advice is "don't do it". Never seen anyone smile during a triathlon.

Good luck.

[n_man]

By road wheels I assume that you mean the whole thing that the tyre goes on. How much do these sort of things cost and are they easy to change on a bike (you can now see the level that I am operating at!!!)?

[SteveM]

Welcome to the club. It's a great feeling when you cross the finish line isn't it 

The best advice to improve finishing times I got was to devote training time in proportion to the amount of time you spend doing each discipline. So twice as much time on the bike as running, etc. I started out swimming fast breaststroke or slow frontcrawl so I've concentrated on improving my front crawl efficiency - which means more energy for the rest of the race.

If you've got the money available then I'd get the best road bike you can. Even if it's only a cheapie 2nd hand one try to get one that makes you want to get out on it and train.

Shorts wise, I swim in trunks and pull on a cheap pair of cycle shorts for the ride. As they've only got minimal padding there isn't too much to get in the way for the run. Apply lots of vaseline to avoid the chafing ;-)

[n_man]

Spending time in proportion training to the amount of time in the race is one of those duh why didn't I think of that ideas. Genius - thanks.

I was/am a slow breaststroker and have tried to crawl but I am crap at the breathing thing. The result being that I get knackered very quickly and can't do more than 100m and then I'm in a mess. Definitely need to fix it but then its not that much of the race. I got out of the pool ahead of people that could only just swim and they tore past me on the bike.

Sounds like tri shorts are out.

Do you do weights?

Do you train one event after the other, eg bike and then run?

Welcome to the club. It's a great feeling when you cross the finish line isn't it 

Strangely addictive.

[SA Chris]

By road wheels I assume that you mean the whole thing that the tyre goes on. How much do these sort of things cost and are they easy to change on a bike (you can now see the level that I am operating at!!!)?

Yes, you buy the whole wheel - tyres, rims spokes and hubs and switch it over using just like taking a wheel of the bike off. This is provided you have a fairly decent frame. Otherwise a second hand bike is probably a better option.

[SteveM]

I've found that getting the breathing better is mainly down to two things. Firstly, do the exhale whilst your face is underwater - it's been described as constantly blowing a slow raspberry or mouthing "bubble bubble bubble". This leaves you with only one thing to do (inhale) whilst your face is out of the water, therefore twice as much time and twice as much oxygen. Secondly, get your stroke more efficient. There's loads of ways to do this but the main thing is slow right down and get the technique right first. Holding a glide with your leading hand extended between each stroke is a good start - and it gives you lots of little rests too.

I don't do weights, but that's through lack of time more than anything else. Between climbing, triathlon and a job there's not a lot of time left in the week. Lingo alert: when you train one discipline straight after another, often alternating, those are called brick sessions. If you can guarantee having the machines free then alternating between the exercise bike and treadmill in the gym is always good sport. For the spectators

 

[erm, sam]

Maybe you have allready seen it, but when there is a lot of good stuff on http://www.tritalk.co.uk/
Loads of training advice articles and lots going on in the forum. Actually I bought some tri bars to go on my mountain bike with slicks (though I borrowed a mates road bike in the end) from the sales forum.
As a fellow tri newb my thinking is: do running, then cycling then swimming. Because in the smaller races the swim is not so extreme eg, 400 or 500m is blaggable, but for a 750m open water swim I would do specific training. Biking is important, but running is the key. You can make up a lot of time/places if you have a good run. And its fun overtaking people who blasted past you in the bike bit earlier...
Have fun.

[n_man]

Cheers for the link - will check it out.

I overtook loads of people on the run - not that I was short of people ahead of me....

750m open water swimming would be quite hard core for me at the moment I just need to get a basic technique so I am not totally knackered. Must be a better swimmer than me if you can blag 400/500m my 250m breaststroke was enough.

Just going to pick up my weights tomorrow so I am quite psyched to get into the whole training deal.

[n_man]

Just spent an hour or so getting swimming tips from a friend. Showed me about 4 things to change in my stroke and I can't believe the difference. If I'd known it was that easy to improve I'd have got a swimming lesson/coach for an hour last year. I reckon 10 secs per 50m faster.

[erm, sam]

The other reason I don't train swimming much is just that its much more of a pain in the arse to sort out than runnign or cycling. I would like to do some drills and get some coaching, sounds like it makes quite a lot of difference...

[n_man]

I got told the following(more than 4 but hey):

• my body shape was a ^ in the water when it should be - so try make my profile longer easy to do when you think about it
• following on from this, keep me arse under the water, surprisingly hard to tell
• don't bend legs at the knee - keep them locked straight
• leg movement comes from the hip try to swim like you are a 'mermaid' with that sort of tail motion
• practice kicking so your legs just leave the water
• breathe every stroke instead of every second stroke you'll be less buggered which is very true
• breathe out through your nose underwater and in through your mouth to the side - intake more air
• take arms fully out of the water vertically to reduce drag as you go to put them back in (for me this was almost like taking the brake off)

Drills: float between legs to practice the leg stuff. Its amazing how slow I go legs only but have speeded up a lot. Also amazing how much difference it makes when combined with arms.

I now reckon that 250m will take about 2 mins 30 secs. Which is hardly Earth shattering but much better.
Hope transition will be much quicker now I have a pair of tri shorts.

[webbo]

i would only use weight training for triathlon as part of an off season programme.in order to offer some advice it would be helpful to see your weekly schedule.when i was doing triathlons i would generally do 2 sessions a day i.e. swim before work then run or bike after work.on weekends i would occasionally do a bike/run so as to get used to running off the bike.
do you do any interval training as part of your training.

[chappers]

Do you train one event after the other, eg bike and then run?

i know that my brother does and he competes for the british tri team at olympic distance.

he will do a 5km run, join the chain gang of a bike club, another 5km run then an open water swim session...

[n_man]

I am going to start running after going out on the bike. However, as its getting dark early now (I live in New Zealand - just moved) its harder to get out on the bike and therefore run after. So I am focusing on just getting a good base level of fitness at the moment. As I exclusively bouldered for the last few years, I have such shocking levels of CV fitness I just need to work bringing that up and develop some form of base fitness. The result being I am knackered from doing what an average triathete would consider a light weeks training.

My idea with weights, see above bouldering comments, is that my legs are so pathetically weak that I need to build some strength in them first.

I will do some interval training further into the winter and closer to the events. I would be interested in what you suggest Webbo - I assume intervals on bike and running?

[clm]

I find that this works....








Swimming, then cycling, then running, then a nice cup of tea.

[matthew]

Right I'm inspired. Next tuesday I'm gonna try the triathlon distance from the OP. It may not go well.... I haven't ridden my bike for a year... Haven't run for 8weeks because of an ankle sprain... Been swimming abit but I was the tubby kid at school so I hated it and as such suck,.... So maybe it'll be ok. I'll let you know how it goes.

Good thread which has inspired me to shift my lazy unemployed ass. Cheers. Good advice for the swimming to.

[n_man]

Fabulous - look forward to hearing how it goes and a wad point for finishing.

Why drink tea when you can have coffee?

[webbo]

I am going to start running after going out on the bike. However, as its getting dark early now (I live in New Zealand - just moved) its harder to get out on the bike and therefore run after. So I am focusing on just getting a good base level of fitness at the moment. As I exclusively bouldered for the last few years, I have such shocking levels of CV fitness I just need to work bringing that up and develop some form of base fitness. The result being I am knackered from doing what an average triathete would consider a light weeks training.

My idea with weights, see above bouldering comments, is that my legs are so pathetically weak that I need to build some strength in them first.

I will do some interval training further into the winter and closer to the events. I would be interested in what you suggest Webbo - I assume intervals on bike and running?

triathlons are an endurance event so why are starting off trying to build power(weight training) if you were planning to do a 50 metre easy route you wouldn't train for it by doing 2 or 3 move boulder problems.intially you need to train long slow and easy.then as your technique and fitness improves you start to add short speed sessions(power/ strength)
i'm sure if you get hold of one of the tri mags they will have a starter programme like most of the running/cycling mags do.these usually have a 3 to 6 month week by week schedule on how to get in shape.

[matthew]

Have a link to the runners world triathlon training guides.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=2304

[n_man]

The workouts look great. I reckon I'm probably an intermediate runner / bike but I'm buggered after 250m which takes about 6 mins. So whats with the 20 mins easy swim - hows that ever been easy?

I'll definitely be taking ideas from the beginners / intermediate and putting it into a timetable that I can manage. It looks a bit time intensive towards the end of a 12 week cycle.

Webbo - I absolutely agree in principle about getting fit first then adding on speed / power. Used to do the 400m hurdles and 110m hurdles so had a pretty specific annual training plan then. However, we used to have a saying that you needed to be fit to train properly. Due to an absolute lack of anything CV or fitness or leg power orientated from the last few years I am just trying to get to a base level that will support proper training.

[webbo]

Webbo - I absolutely agree in principle about getting fit first then adding on speed / power. Used to do the 400m hurdles and 110m hurdles so had a pretty specific annual training plan then. However, we used to have a saying that you needed to be fit to train properly. Due to an absolute lack of anything CV or fitness or leg power orientated from the last few years I am just trying to get to a base level that will support proper training.

thats what i have been trying to get across.at this stage you should just be concentrating on been able to do the distances involved.then when you are ok with them add the speed stuff.you will get the leg power from running/cycling.weight training comes in to play to enhance the speed power at a later stage.
at the stage your at i would only weight train if for some reason you can't swim,cycle or run.

[matthew]

Right so yesterday I thought I would try a bit of multisport action. I decided for a 500m swim and 6km run. The swim took me 16min. I did breast stroke cos I can't front crawl more than a length without being out of breath. I found because I was trying to move faster I completely forgot what little technique I had and ended up trying to fight my way through the water instead of gliding then pulling. So feeling knackered I embarked on the run. It took maybe 30min (my phone timer decided to cancel itself). I really struggled running with a bag (with swim kit/fleece in) and with a beast of a knee support on. Having not run for a while I found finding my pace quite tricky.
I got my bike (a 20year old road bike which was my dads and quite good when he bought it) back from the shop today so gonna head out on a 20km loop and then try to run 5km tomorrow. I'm not sure I'll make the run. Whats a good pace for triathlons? Obviously you can't beast yourself because you still have to run... mmm... Tomorrow evening I may not be able to walk.

thats what i have been trying to get across.at this stage you should just be concentrating on been able to do the distances involved.then when you are ok with them add the speed stuff.you will get the leg power from running/cycling.weight training comes in to play to enhance the speed power at a later stage.
at the stage your at i would only weight train if for some reason you can't swim,cycle or run.

I was reading an article in an old (6mnths past) running magazine, proclaiming the wonders of weights for beginners/intermediates. It's general jist was the better you are the less impact that a weight training cycle will have on your performance. I'll try and find it later.

[webbo]

Whats a good pace for triathlons? Obviously you can't beast yourself because you still have to run... mmm...

this depends on how fit you are in that particular discipline.if you can barely ride 20k then you will have to go very slowly,however if you are a hardened triathlete you will striving to go as fast as you would if you were just riding a bike race.

[n_man]

Right so yesterday I thought I would try a bit of multisport action. I decided for a 500m swim and 6km run. The swim took me 16min.  So feeling knackered I embarked on the run. It took maybe 30min (my phone timer decided to cancel itself).

Bloody good effort for a first go.

I was reading an article in an old (6mnths past) running magazine, proclaiming the wonders of weights for beginners/intermediates. It's general jist was the better you are the less impact that a weight training cycle will have on your performance. I'll try and find it later.

Weight shave defo helped me. Be interested in the article. I can feel that I have more power when I am on the bike - same rev speed but in one gear higher so I go quite a bit faster.

Also converted my chunky mountain bike tryes to slim line road ones. Bloody hell. Took 4 mins(ish) off my 13.3km ride back home from work.