Triathlon training programme

[thisgirlrides]

I'm doing a triathlon in early spring & need to make a start on my training. I run 2-3 times a week us ally 5-6km sometimes a bit more but slowly & have historically done lots of cycling but not so much recently & my swimmer no is rubbish as I'm knackered after a length of crawl but start lessons in January so hopefully that will help .

I've looked at the finish times from last year's triathlon and it is more serious than I've done in the past plus a smaller field so I need to seriously improve in all 3 disciplines to hold my own (or at least not come last). The event is 400m pool swim, 25km hilly cycle and 8km run so not massive but I need a plan to get me started and looks my at work/DC commitments reckon I can do something like this:

Monday: 30-40min run
Tuesday: 25/35km cycle
Wednesday: 20-30 mins swim
Thursday: 40/45 min run
Friday: cycle + swim or run (can make this sessions all 3 if I miss one earlier in the week)
Saturday: HIIT exercise class in the morning then swimming lesson PM
Sunday: rest

Once I've built my fitness up a bit and shred the few winter pounds I've gained recently I will look to do a more focused training plan (8 weeks beforehand?) but does this sound ok for the first 4-6 weeks?

[lljkk]

I'm not a sports guru just someone who does same things (but not as triathlete, though I did one tri, too).

I would have thought you need to swim a little longer, tbh. The others are plenty for now, esp. in winter, but I'd go for more like 45 min. swims. Closer to date you could focus on shorter harder swims. Do you love the HIIT class? Else how does that help? Looks like wasted time to me, otherwise.

Not coming last would be my goal, too! What times would make you 4th last by last yr's results, and what times are you doing now?

Plan in some time to practise / learn about transition tricks, too.

[thisgirlrides]

Thanks that's really helpful. I do love my class and have dropped 1 session in favour of a swim so reluctant to lose the other too although with swimming I might not need it (I currently just run & cycle it's great for upper body toning as it's 30mins of HIIT followed by 15 minutes of core/strength work) . The swim time I can definitely increase but was more thinking how long I'll last

I'll need to be at a minimum of 10 mins for the swim, 1hr15 for the cycle and 58 mins for the run. I can do the cycle in that time already so I'm not worried about that so it's just about the run (I'm very slow - did a 5km run yesterday in 31mins and swim no idea as I rarely swim but when I did a 400m open water swim last summer it was about 14mins )

[lljkk]

31 minutes for 5km suggests 50 min for 8k, which would be fine.

Pool swimming is faster b/c no waves, no cold, & you get to push off the wall.

[Theonlyoneiknow]

Hi, do you have a local triathlon club? I've found that's the best way to get my swimming training in. I'm a slow swimmer but the Drills and swill sets have helped with confidence and endurance. I can make up time on the bike and run. Also worth practicing transitions too as that's 'free' time IYSWIM For example for a sprint distance I wouldnt bother with socks (talc in shoes makes them easy to get on). I have done Super sprint, sprint and Olympic distance and have my first 70.3 next year (eeks!!!) and know I will probably be last out the water.!

[Theonlyoneiknow]

Your local tri club will also do run sessions and park run is a good way to increase your 5km time

[lljkk]

decrease, I think pp meant.
10 minutes for 400m swim is fast, a different performance percentile from your other targets. I think 12 min. is a nicer target. If you come under, so much the better.

[Igottastartthinkingbee]

It sounds like you've got a pretty busy training plan! I've only done one triathlon so I'm hardly an expert but I tried to keep my training times for each discipline proportionate to the amount of time (roughly) spent on each during the race. So per week I'd spend two sessions on the bike and one session each for running and swimming. And then I'd throw in a bit of brick training nearer the race.

The other important thing is to make sure you don't overtrain. Rest days are as important as training days do your body has chance to adjust to the training.

I've just signed up for an open water mini tri, possibly as training for a sprint distance with open water swim tri later on in the year. Haven't been brave enough to sign up for that one yet!! My one and only other dabble with triathlon was a sprint with pool swim, this feels like a whole other ball game!