Knowing your strongest event

Forum guidelines BT super discount
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Knowing your strongest event Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2008-09-25 4:53 PM

New user
143
10025
Subject: Knowing your strongest event

So after looking at my race times and comparing my race reports to others that completed the same races as me, I realized that I must be a pretty good swimmer.  I knew I was a weak runner, but I always thought that the bike was my strong event.  Although I'm certainly not weak on the bike, it appears that I'm about average.  I did the SD Int'l Tri this summer and actually averaged 1:19/100 yds on the swim.  A was a bit slower on the LA tri, but that was in the ocean with fairly heavy surf and currents.  Before finding this site, I had no idea how this compared to others.

Now that I know that the swimming is in fact my strongest event, how should this affect my training?  Besides the fact that I obviously need to run more, does this mean that I can cut back on swimming to focus more on my bike and run?  Or should I improve my swim to make up for running abilities?

 Thanks

2008-09-25 4:59 PM
in reply to: #1697077

User image

Expert
906
500100100100100
Brookings South Dakota
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event
You're not going to be able to improve your swim any more to make up for your lack of run ability. I'd advice to focus on your run, doing so will also help with and improve your bike fitness at the same time.
2008-09-25 5:02 PM
in reply to: #1697077

User image

Elite
3683
20001000500100252525
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event

i agree with 400

focus on your weakness, rather than  your strength...

good luck, d00d

2008-09-25 5:04 PM
in reply to: #1697093

User image

Cycling Guru
15134
50005000500010025
Fulton, MD
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event
Train your weakness, race your strength.
2008-09-25 5:06 PM
in reply to: #1697093

User image

Sensei
Sin City
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event

What the others said....

I was a very strong swimmer, so I realized that I didn't need to focus on that as much.  If I'm not feeling like working out a certain day, I will skip a swim.

However, I will NOT skip bike days, since that is where I was lacking.  Same goes for the run.  With that in mind, I was able to improve both the areas I was weak at.  Not to the same level as the swim, but an improvement.

2008-09-25 5:22 PM
in reply to: #1697077

User image

Extreme Veteran
644
50010025
Anaheim
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event

Ditto on work on your weakness.

What fun is it to be first out of the water and then passed by everybody? There is also the law of diminshing returns. In this case putting extra time into swimming will shave less off your race results than the same time invested in running or cycling. Especially since swimming is the smallest percentage of the race(except transitions :P).

 

 

2008-09-25 5:43 PM
in reply to: #1697077

User image

Veteran
200
100100
Golden, CO
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event
meh, train for fun, race for fun,

ergo, I overbike and underswim and enjoy myself.

Unless you want to be competitive or something
2008-09-25 5:46 PM
in reply to: #1697077

User image

Pro
6011
50001000
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event

After every race (all 4 of them. Laughing), I have compared my place in my AG for each leg.  I discovered after only 2 races that I am a FOP swimmer, MOP cyclist (BOP for first race, but have been working hard), and BOP runner.

Now I do not swim more than 2 times/week, and usually only 1 time, but I try to bike & run 3 times each.  The light swimming volume, and bike/run focus has been at the advice of my coaches.

 Sure, my swimming has suffered a little, but I'm still in the top 1/4 to 1/3, and my bike & run paces have improved in every race since.  My AG place for the entire race has improved slightly in each race since.

 Now that my biking has improved enough to get me into MOP, I'm starting to focus even more on running.

2008-09-25 7:43 PM
in reply to: #1697189

User image

Expert
906
500100100100100
Brookings South Dakota
Subject: RE: Knowing your strongest event
TriMyBest - 2008-09-25 5:46 PM

After every race (all 4 of them. Laughing), I have compared my place in my AG for each leg.  I discovered after only 2 races that I am a FOP swimmer, MOP cyclist (BOP for first race, but have been working hard), and BOP runner.

Now I do not swim more than 2 times/week, and usually only 1 time, but I try to bike & run 3 times each.  The light swimming volume, and bike/run focus has been at the advice of my coaches.

 Sure, my swimming has suffered a little, but I'm still in the top 1/4 to 1/3, and my bike & run paces have improved in every race since.  My AG place for the entire race has improved slightly in each race since.

 Now that my biking has improved enough to get me into MOP, I'm starting to focus even more on running.




Nice job, seems like you're on track. That's what I'm going to have to do this fall/winter. Drop cycling to a minimum and focus on the swim and run. The nice thing about the run is it partially covers cycling fitness too.
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Knowing your strongest event Rss Feed