Best overall Triathalon Book

Scientific Training for Triathletes by Dr. Phil Skiba.  Awesome resource for anyone who wants to learn more about training.

Shane

I like "Going Long" by Gordo Byrn and for fun "The Slow Fat Triathelte"

X2

The Triathlete's Bible by Joe Friel is almost too much information.  I'm new to tri's but have been running since I was a kid.  I've never seen a running book that has as much info as The Bible.  However, while it has been helpful - it's almost too much for me and I've supplemented with other books.

You need to get your hands on The Lore of Running by Dr. Tim Noakes of the University of Cape Town. Makes Triathletes Training Bible look like Friel wrote a forward for someone elses book.

I went to my local Borders the other day with a 30% off coupon. I looked through the triathlon books. I wanted to like Friel's "Triathlon Bible" but it is almost all charts and tables. Too technical for me at my stage. I came home with "Going Long" by Friel and Byrn.

The TTB is a little bit presumptious to call itself that (as he states himself in the first chapter) plus there are many that disagree with his ideas and training philosophies.

For me what would be the best?

Books from each discipline.

Daniels Running Formula or Noakes The Lore of Running.

Dr. A. Coggan's training with power book.

Not sure of a good swimming book as it is more a sport that relies on good technique and form which is best handled by live coaching with video analysis.

I have yet to find the "best" tri book and I have bought a few different ones.

I vote for Championship Triathlon Training, by Dallam and Jonas. Its  recent (2008), large, and packed with both technical and non-technical info that uses up to date training techniques. I have bought 5 tri books over the years, including Friel's, but prefer this one. It's not an easy read, however.    

I enjoyed reading this one, to me it was very informative.

x3 if you've done a few tris. If you are a newbie, Friel also has a book for your first tri that is much simpler and easier to take in with everything being so new.

Disqualified unless you have a power meter.  I don't know a single person who has one....and the last time I looked, 75% of the cars I've ever owned cost less than a power meter.

I have TTB (Friel) and Going Long (Byrn/Friel) so far.  Lots of good information in both.  

Slightly off topic, but...Daremo, could you point to a book that specifically opposes those if one should desire a dissenting opinion?

Just to be a voice of dissent:
Triathlon Training in Fours hours a week by Eric Harr.
I swam a bit competivlely back in the day, but have never done any kind of endurance athletics.
This book got me off the couch and into the gym and finally to the starting line and better yet the finish line.
Yeah it is very simplistic, but for a major couch potato, it was exactly what I needed

not necessarely dissenting opinion specifically against TTB or GL but the scientific training for triathletes and the triathlete's guide to traning with power by Skiba does debunks some popular myths made on those books or explains why some of the concepts used are just incorrect. Another option is to read any sports physiology book or learn about terms such as periodization or specificity and who actually were the first to explore such concepts or why items like AeT are just coined terms.

IMO the TTB is no bible at all...

Funny, there are ton here on BT ..........

Even without the PM, the concepts are still there that can be applied to any type of training.

75% of the cars you have owned cost $800 or less???
Man you have gotten yourself some good deals along the way.

I put together links for some of the really good triathlon training books that I have read or had recommended to me. I hope it helps.

The Triathlete's Guide to Run Training (Ultrafit Multisport Training Series)

The Triathlete's Training Bible: A Complete Training Guide for the Competitive Multisport Athlete

The Perfect Distance: Training for Long-Course Triathlon (Ultrafit Multisport Training Series)

Be Iron-Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness

Training Plans for Multisport Athletes: Your Essential Guide to Triathlon, Duathlon, XTERRA, Ironman, and Endurance Racing

Becoming an Ironman: First Encounters with the Ultimate Endurance Event

Triathlete Magazine's Complete Triathlon Book: The Training, Diet, Health, Equipment, and Safety Tips You Need to Do Your Best

The best way to improve is to get different points of view and take a little from each one and find what works for you. Good luck.

Thank you everyone, I appreciate all the advice.  Once again everyone has surpassed my expectations. great group of people on here. Thanks!!!!!

LOL, yes.  College/highschool cars don't tend to last as long as the stuff I'm driving these days.

Thanks for the feedback regarding the books.