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View triathlon as one sport instead of three?
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 2017-07-15 9:27 AM |
 4 |  Subject: View triathlon as one sport instead of three?I've been a runner for 15 years. In the fall of 2017, after a year or two of constant injuries, I decided to do some triathlon training for the 2018 season. I did a olympic distance and a sprint in 2014 so I had some idea of what I was getting myself into. Since cutting back on running and doing some biking and swimming instead I have missed zero workouts due to injury. I also love the variation of triathlon training and my last 8-9 months of training has been great. Last weekend i did my first half-ironman and was very pleased with my race (finished in 5:46). I've been doing 7-8 workouts per week since march in preparation for the HIM but I don't think that number of workouts is sustainable if I want to do this sport for years to come. I could probably make my schedule work but I'm just not the kind of guy who want to do that amount of training. I'd rather do about 6 workouts per week (2 per sport), with one day off per week. Of course I will not be aiming to do any long triathlons on this training, likely nothing more than olympic distance. Problem is that I have a hard time believing that you can make any progress with only 2 workouts per sport and week. Is this true or should I view triathlon as one sport and consider 6 workouts per week a reasonable amount of training for a middle-/back of the pack casual athlete? As a long time runner it's especially hard to accept doing only 2 or max 3 runs per week. |
| 2017-07-15 9:40 AM in reply to: slaentbjorn |
Master 10208   Northern IL | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? That view seems to consider all workouts as being the same when you would know there is a considerable difference between a 20' easy run and a 2 hr long run. The short runs tend to be an easy way to more into a day as they can often be fit in right after whatever else you just did. There are other options too, such as spitting things apart at different times of the day, morning, lunch and evening. Whatever works best there. Limitations you're seeing are also where people will have more of a focus on one sport or another for a period, and then rotate around which it is. The idea being to push hard and make the gains in one and just doing some maintenance on the others so they don't fall too much. When balanced well, the fall off will be less than what was gained during the period of emphasis. Leading into a race would tend to return to a more balanced schedule. |
| 2017-07-15 8:18 PM in reply to: #5224375 |
| 319 Sarasota, Florida | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? Like many things with many components there will be time focusing on each as well as integrating. That's my view. We're kind of in the same boat though i won't consider long distance. My balance is 6 workouts a week but i usually do a split with speed work and a long brick before my day off. I think gains for the experienced will probably be slow earned with only 2 per week, that's why i do splits and bricks and rotate these to even out or focus on my weakness. Ive seen gains, mostly with my run. |
| 2017-07-16 1:25 AM in reply to: brigby1 |
| 4 | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? brigby1: Thanks for your answer. I see that there's a lot of things you can do as the season progresses. I guess my thing is that I like routines and now I am trying to create a schedule that I can follow for maybe 12 months. It's just very confusing to understand how to do this triathlon thing. Running is much more straight forward, one or two quality days, a long run and some easy days. I guess I just need to figure out what's working for me. |
| 2017-07-16 1:30 AM in reply to: runtim23 |
| 4 | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? runtim23: Nice to hear from someone with a similar approach to what I am planning to do. |
| 2017-07-16 12:00 PM in reply to: slaentbjorn |
Pro 5892  , New Hampshire | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? I agree that it's one sport, but it doesn't have 3 parts to it, it has 4! We all know S/B/R, but I think we need to add transition to that. The difference between first and 3rd in a sprint is commonly not much more than what is gained or losses in transitions. |
| 2017-07-17 8:42 AM in reply to: slaentbjorn |
1502 Katy, Texas | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? It's no different than anything else in life; you get out what you put in. What are your goals? If you are using triathlon training to keep in shape and active, then it doesn't matter as much. Do what you like when your schedule allows. If you are looking to see gains and get faster, or go longer, or both, then you need to invest more time. That is time training as well as time learning about how to train. It's not simple and neither comes overnight. Two workouts per week per sport is more than fine for keeping active, healthy and in shape while avoiding injuries and enough to get across the finish line for most distances. It will not be enough to see significant gains over time. |
| 2017-07-20 7:15 AM in reply to: 0 |
| 319 Sarasota, Florida | Subject: RE: View triathlon as one sport instead of three? My schedule just got interesting. I can now only workout every other day between current priorities and responsibilities. I plan on doing a bike or run each workout followed by a 1600 yard swim for each since its my weakness and takes the least time. I'll probably do an occasional bike/run brick on the weekend day. Interesting to see how this progresses and how I endure the bipolar rhythm of inactive to doubly active. Edited by runtim23 2017-07-20 7:15 AM |
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