How to Train For a Triathlon
Learn how to train for a triathlon and do the right triathlon workouts so you can finish your triathlon.
Ben Greenfield
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How to Train For a Triathlon
Summer is quickly approaching, and with summer comes triathlons. Originally reserved for uber-fit swimming, cycling and running fanatics wearing obnoxiously colored spandex, triathlons are now highly accessible and great fitness motivators for both complete beginners and weekend warriors. In this episode, you’ll learn how to train for a triathlon and do triathlon workouts so that you can finish your triathlon.
What Is A Triathlon?
Contrary to popular belief, a triathlon is not necessarily the long and hot Ironman event that you see on TV each year (although I have personally done that triathlon a few times and will verify that it is just as hot as it looks). Technically, a triathlon is any event that involves the three sports of swimming, cycling and running–although occasionally, in a winter triathlon, the sport of swimming will often be substituted with cross country skiing.
You don’t necessarily have to swim 2.4 miles, bicycle 112 miles and run 26.2 miles to do a triathlon. That’s just one kind of triathlon–it’s called an Ironman distance. And aside from the Ironman, the three most common triathlon distances are:
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Sprint distance, which is usually about a 500 meter swim, 10-15 mile bike ride (~20K), and 2-3 mile run (~4-5K).
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Olympic distance, which is usually about a 1500 meter swim, 26 mile bike ride (~40K), and 6.2 mile run (~10K).
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Half Ironman. You know how long an Ironman is, so you get to guess the distance on the Half Ironman!
How to Sign Up For A Triathlon
There are several websites and magazines that I personally like to use to search for and register for triathlons, including TriFind.com, Active.com, RaceTwitch.com, LAVA Magazine, and Triathlete Magazine. Those last two magazines are actually really great resources for finding out all sorts of interesting things about triathlons in general.
Before you sign up for a race, you should look into the race details, which you can usually find on the triathlon’s website. For example, is the race extremely hilly or flat? If you’re overweight or just getting started, a hilly race could be difficult. Is the swim in a choppy ocean or flat lake? If you’re a new swimmer, you might want to choose a body of water that is easier to swim in. Some triathlons are off-road, which may appeal to you if you prefer to mountain bike rather than ride on a paved road. If you’re a guy, pay close attention when looking for a race, because some triathlons are only available to women! Ultimately, the most important thing is to do your research and find out what you’re getting into before you take the plunge.
Training For a Triathlon
Training for a triathlon can seem a bit intimidating at first. Not only do you need to swim, bike, and run several times per week, but you also should be including weight training, stretching or yoga, and even the recovery protocols I’ve talked about in other articles.
On the other hand, because you’re exercising in so many different ways, your risk of injury decreases because you’re not stressing the same joints over and over again, as would be the case if you were training for a marathon. In addition, your fitness can often quickly increase, because you are throwing so many different forms of exercise at your body.
How to Start Training for a Triathlon: Swimming
For swimming, the best place to begin (especially if you aren’t an experienced swimmer) is to take a swim lesson at your local health club, or meet up with the local Master’s swim club, which is a group of adults that do swim workouts together, usually with a coach. Most triathlons take place in a river, lake, or ocean, so you’ll want to be prepared to practice swimming in open bodies of water, and you may also need a wetsuit,which can keep you warm and buoyant while swimming.
How to Start Training for a Triathlon: Biking
For cycling, you don’t need a fancy expensive triathlon bike. A simple road bike will suffice. For the four years that I did triathlons, I rode on a used $300 road bike I bought on the Internet. Once you get a bike, call your local bike shops to see whether they have any beginner weekday or weekend rides in which you could become involved.
How to Start Training for a Triathlon: Running
When it comes to equipment, running is the easiest of the three sports. All you really need is a pair of running shoes. But be warned: compared to running with fresh legs, running after riding a bicycle can feel like plodding along with bricks strapped to your shoes–so practice some runs directly after riding a bike!
Once you’re ready to swim, bike and run, you should set an initial goal of doing each sport twice a week. In addition, you should try to weight train one to two times per week, and if you struggle with inflexibility or tight muscles, consider regularly stretching as well.Â
A Sample Triathlon Training Week
If thinking about squeezing all this exercising in makes your ears smoke, then here is a sample triathlon training week that will make it a bit easier for you to get in your workouts. You can do these workouts in the morning, afternoon, or evening, depending on what works for you!
Monday: Ride bike to pool, swim, and ride home. Or drive to pool, swim, ride the indoor bicycle, and then drive home. For both the bike ride and swim, include several short and hard efforts. The swim should be about 30 minutes and the bike ride about 30-45 minutes.
Tuesday: Run and do a full body weight training routine. For the run, move at an even tempo pace the whole time, for about 20-30 minutes, depending on your fitness. You may also want to check out the article “How to Run Faster.”
Wednesday: Same as Monday, but this time, keep your cycling and swimming easy, and instead focus on form and drills. For ideas on swim drills, check out https://goswim.tv, and for cycling, try focusing on just one pedal, pedaling faster and pedaling slower, and relaxing your upper body.
Thursday: Same as Tuesday, but this time run a bit easier and focus on form, forward lean, relaxation, and quick turnover with your feet.
Friday: This is your workout make-up day. Inevitably, training for a triathlon involves missed workouts due to scheduling conflicts. If you’re able to finish all the workouts Monday-Thursday, then choose a fun cross-training activity to do on Friday, like playing soccer or tennis, going on a hike, or taking a spin class at your gym.
Saturday: Choose any two activities, or all three, and combine them into a longer workout. For example, you could swim 30 minutes and then ride 60 minutes. Or ride 60 minutes and run 30 minutes. Or if you’re really up for a workout, swim 15 minutes, ride 45 minutes, and run 20 minutes. You get the idea! This is your “mini-triathlon” practice day.
Sunday: Rest and recovery! If you really want to treat yourself, get a massage (or use a foam roller for sore muscles).
One of my primary jobs is as a triathlon coach, so I realize that I’ve only scratched the surface of everything that you can do to prepare for a triathlon, but I hope this gives you a good idea of where to start.
If you have more questions about how to start training for triathlon, just head over to https://www.facebook.com/getfitguy and ask!
Triathlon image courtesy of Shutterstock
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About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and as helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.