My Training
My very first triathlon training program was the Original 13 Week Sprint Training Plan which I found free on the internet. This program is not based on speed but on endurance. Its goal is to just get you to finish your first Triathlon.
To use this plan, it stated you should be able to do the following:
- Swim at any pace for 20 minutes straight
- Bike at any pace for 30 minutes straight
- Run at any pace for 20 minutes straight.
The program consisted of 5 training days a week. It included a brick (back-to-back training event) in most weeks and at least two open water swims towards the end of the program. There was also a rest week between the 6th and 7th week.
Currently, I use Tom Holland’s “The 12-Week Triathlete” as the basis of my race training. He has three levels of training plans: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advance for all triathlon lengths from a Sprint to a full Ironman. Each plan includes 2-3 swim sessions, 2-3 bike sessions, 2-4 runs, 1-2 Brick sessions and two strength sessions a week depending on the selected program. I also added open water swimming, stretching, and yoga session as well.
These plans follow a 12-week Periodized Training Program. This consists of a 4-week Base Phase, 3-week Build Phase, 3-week Peak Phase and a two-week Taper Phase. The final week of each phase is lighter to provide recovery time prior to starting a new phase.
Swimming: At the very beginning, I made the decision to join my local masters swim program. Sessions are for 60 minutes two times a week. My primary reasons were for training structure, stroke improvement and dedicated pool time. A few of the drawbacks are too much structure, planning my training around the designated swim days, and the 6:10 a.m. practice times. That said, I do occasionally use the pool at the community center in the neighboring town as needed which has ample lap swim time.
Considering that 90% of all triathlons will include open water swimming, it is important to practice this when feasible. This climatizes me to the open water environment and allows me to practice my sighting. Considering that I live in the Midwest, open water swimming is only feasible in May-September. On a positive note, we do have plenty of open water swimming locations. One of my favorite nearby places to swim is at the nearby county beach park on the St Croix River. The current is minimal, the facilities are good and there are plenty of buoys to guide off.
An alternative to swimming that I recently added to my training while I was recovering from an injury is dry land swim training. After being told it would be several months before I could get back into the water, I purchased a Zen 8 dryland swim trainer with the approval of my physical therapist (PT) and swim coach. I used the trainer 2-3 times a week until I started swimming, biking, and running again. When I returned to master’s swim practice, I felt like I didn’t miss much training. Additionally, my coach noted that my stroke looked smoother as far as my freestyle stroke was concerned.
Biking: I train on both a TT and road bike both indoors and out.
If you live in the Midwest, biking from November to April can prove extremely difficult. Therefore, indoor biking on a stationary trainer is essential during those months. Although I have a smart trainer, I do not subscribe to any virtual training program like zwift. However, I found a free virtual biking program on YouTube called CTXC Indoor Trainer Workouts which I view on the television while biking. There are numerous workouts available ranging from 20 minutes to 2 hours. Additionally, I started using the MySwoosh app. My Whoosh is a free-to-play cycling app on which users can pursue their training and fitness goals, participate in online events. My Whoosh regularly hosts free-to-enter indoor cycling races. Best Virtual Indoor Cycling Training | Virtual Cycling App -MyWhoosh.
For open Road Biking. I tend to wait until all the snow is gone in April/May and the roads have been swept of major debris before heading outside. I have my favorite routes which include flat, straight portions with some moderate hills. I prefer quiet roads with wide shoulders near my home so I can get right into my workout. Although, I will travel to train on certain routes that will accommodate specific work outs i.e., hills.
Running: Like biking, I prefer to run on long straight roads with wide shoulders or sidewalks. I prefer routes that are near my home, but since I live on top of a hill – hills are unavoidable. I also belong to a local running group. I try to run with them at least once or twice a week which includes trail running. I will also incorporate the local 5K Park Runs into my workout plan every few weeks.
I am fortunate to own a decent treadmill. Again, running outdoors in the Midwest during the winter months with subzero temperatures or during blizzard conditions can prove challenging. Although it is mondain at times, it is nice to have the option of training indoors during inclement weather.
I found track/speed work on a track to be key in improving my running speed. I am fortunate to have two nearby outdoor tracks that are open to the public. I would say over 40% of my outdoor running is done on these tracks.
Bricks: I also conduct a bike to run brick workout at least once a week. Brick training is when the athlete practices one exercise immediately after another. This is helps me practice the motion and gets my legs used to the feeling of coming off a bike and heading straight into the run. I do this indoors as well as outdoors. Although, I practice the swim-to-bike transition much less frequently it is also important to practice it as well.
Strength: I try to conduct strength training 1-2 times a week. I use the strength training plans from Tom Holland’s book “The 12-Week Triathlete” there are specific plans for each phase of a training program – base, build and peak.
Yoga/Stretching: I try to stretch at least 5 days a week and do yoga once a week. Nothing to fancy here! Both my stretching and yoga routine come from the internet; I try to find triathlon specific programs. They are plentiful on YouTube.