Planning Your Training

A triathlon is an endurance event; even the short ones. It involves

1.   Swimming - in a pool or in open water
   

2.   Cycling - after swimming and before running
   

3.   Running - after swimming and cycling
   

4.   Two transitions
   

Your triathlon training should prepare you to accomplish this by

Swimming - in a pool and/or in open water

Cycling  and Cycling after swimming

Running and running after swimming and cycling

Transition from one discipline to another

Fitting the training in for three disciplines can be the hard part. So be flexible, be inventive.

Plan your training around your lifestyle, family and work. Involve your family and friends, get their support.  Run or cycle to work if you can. Walk, use the stairs, go to the pool before work, be inventive, and combine tasks. Do not ignore the need to rest and recover.

Running up and down stairs, decorating, lifting shopping bags, mowing the lawn, washing the car or chasing the kids around the park is all valid training. Think about it; these and other everyday activities all require some physical effort in the form of muscular strength, flexibility they raise your heart rate, increase your breathing rate. Don’t ignore the value of everyday tasks, make them part of your training routine.

Work towards your target step by step

Take at least one rest day every week. Take additional rest if you need it; listen to your body and your loved ones.

Recovery is the time when fitness gains are made

Steps to Success

1.   Preparation. A little bit of organisation helps.  Get everything ready well in advance, get to the race early, register and set out your transition.
   

2.   Have a realistic race plan and set realistic goals. Make your goals SMART.  Specific, Measurable, Realistic, Agreed and Time constrained. Never set an outcome goal based on outcomes beyond your own control. Set performance goals you can control. Racing at your potential requires an objective approach.  No matter what the distance is be realistic; if it’s your first event then finishing is a worthy objective, don’t set yourself a goal you can’t achieve. 
   

3.   Don’t go out too fast.  The starting environment can easily seduce you into going out too fast. There’s the adrenaline, the group psychology, and your desire to do well.  Be positive, take a few deep breaths; wear your biggest smile; you’ve done the training so go out and enjoy yourself.
   

4.   Keep an even pace.  Think of the race as segments, and concentrate on one part at a time. An even paced race will get the best performance out of your body. 
   

5.   Eat and Drink. You are what you eat? Ensure you eat and drink sensibly in the days before the race. Ensure you eat and drink during the race and be certain to eat and drink after the race, best time is the first two hours after the race eat food high in protein to help build and restore the muscles.
   

6.   Warm up and warm down.  Always warm up. Warm-up routines are easy and will help relax you and prepare your body for the exertion of racing. Warm-downs are also important. Get a massage if one is available. Get back on the bike and pedal around in the easiest gear, stretch.  The warm-down will flush out lactate acid and reduce muscle soreness.
   

7.   Do not race injured.  Not ever! If you are injured or on the verge of injury do not race. There will be another day. Recovery is the most underrated and the most important part of your training.
   

8.   Don’t worry.  Triathlon is just like the rest of your life.  There are good days and bad days.  Enjoy the good days, and don’t worry about the bad ones.  Learn from them all.