Triathlon - Need help to design a training program!

So, i've decided to take my riding and running to the next level come next spring and i would like to begin competing in duathlons and tris...but i dont know how to go about training...i know that first thing first is i need to build a base...

currently i ride tues, fri, and sun and i run mon, wens, sun...

so what i am looking for is some help from triathletes to design a training program, but i want it so that its from the very beginnind almost as if i have absolutely no base...just so that i dont injure myself...

currently i can comfortable ride 20 miles at 20 mph avg...and running i can handle running 6 miles at 6:40 mile pace but i need to dial it down a bit b/c i am just getting back into the running and i can tell that my body isn't use to that beating...

so if anyone can help me out that would be fantastic!

thanks!

Go get the book for the beginning triathlete of Friel's

Your First Triathlon by Joe Friel is the book, if I remember correctly.

I am going to go out on a limb here but if you can TT at 20mph and run 6 miles at 6:40 pace, your already in the top ten percent at most local triathlons. So what you realliy need is to learn how to swim. Unless you are already ripping out 1:30/100s and if thats the case maybe you should look into more serious training book than my first tri.

And to your question, beginner triathlon and tri newbies both training programs on their websites, though I am not sure they have "How do I turn this amazing natural ability into world class times" types of programs : )

well not TT its just while i am out riding...the last several rides have avg. at 20mph...and thats also on my heavy alum fuji...i can think what i might be able to do with the bike i will have in a few months...

and as far as the running...although i just started 2 weeks ago and i have something like 6 runs under my legs i have found that i avg. about a 6:40 pace and i would say thats only like 80 - 85%...(my step dad hates that i can not run for 4 yrs and simply go out and do 6 miles at a 6:40 pace like its nothing...

i know that i have natural ability when it comes to running...in high school i ran a 4:23 mile...

but now im looking more towrads tri's and duathlons...and i'm just trying to get an idea of how one would train for that...

swimming...that would prolly be my most difficult aspect...im not a bad swimmer, i just think i would have to work on that aspect the most...

thanks!

If swimming is your problem. Find someone that knows what they are doing for coaching swimming and have them get you swimming properly. I guess I didn't read your post well enough, as you are already killing a lot of people with the times you are talking about. Have you done those times in bricks?

no flip no bricking...riding 20 miles one day at 20 mph avg and then the next day running the 6 at 6:40 pace...

its not that swimming is a problum i just know that it would currently be the weakest or the three areas...

www.trinewbies.com
www.beginnertriathlete.com

As has been suggested to me, bricks will tell you more about getting ready for tri's. That way you work on your transition from one to the other, and you will also tell how you are doing with the possibility of overworking during the bike and not having enough left for the run.

I am still a clyde and need to lose more weight before I start pushing my body too much and causing problems. I do all three plus weight lifting, I just don't do them on the same days.

Good luck!!!!

my step dad hates that i can not run for 4 yrs and simply go out and do 6 miles at a 6:40 pace like its nothing...


he's not the only one.....:D

like i said bvfrompc running is very natural to me...

so i went to both site that flak listed, but i dont know were i would put myself training wise...

I think you should just spend some time on your own program to gauge where you really fit. Go out and do a long run and see how you feel. Do a few bricks (30miles and 4miles for example) if you can do it easy at a reasonable pace, go longer or harder....and start swimming. Basically, get out there and find out what your baseline is. From there you can structure your own plan using some templates, or maybe your baseline falls in with an already existing plan.

Personally i think training plans are overrated until you get to a position where you peak out doing your own thing, and that doesnt happen until after atleast a season imo. I myself like doing my own plan. This summer it looked something like this.

Monday - Open water swim (2 miles)
Tuesday - Brick (30 bike/5 run)
Wednesday - Bike (50 miles)
Thursday - rest
Friday - Run (6 or 8 miles)
Saturday - Ride (50 miles) or off if im feeling fatigued
Sunday - Long run (10+ miles depending)
x-factor - We cookout a lot in my wifes family (sometimes 2-3 times a week), and id ride to them (26 miles) rather than drive.

On a good week it worked out to be about 10-12 hours of training. When i was slacking it was closer to 8. By doing this i know where i really stand right now, what my limits are, and what i need to work on. My run is my weakest leg so im doing a run intensive off season with a spring marathon and catch up on some swimming. Im a good swimmer so i didnt train it much this summer, but ive noticed a loss of form since spring because last winter was quite swim intensive for me (4-5 days a week in the pool). I learned a lot about myself physically this year, and im in a better position to formulate a plan than i would be otherwise. I recommend you do the same. A map won't tell you how to get somewhere if you don't know where your starting point is.

well not TT its just while i am out riding...the last several rides have avg. at 20mph...and thats also on my heavy alum fuji...i can think what i might be able to do with the bike i will have in a few months...

and as far as the running...although i just started 2 weeks ago and i have something like 6 runs under my legs i have found that i avg. about a 6:40 pace and i would say thats only like 80 - 85%...(my step dad hates that i can not run for 4 yrs and simply go out and do 6 miles at a 6:40 pace like its nothing...

i know that i have natural ability when it comes to running...in high school i ran a 4:23 mile...

but now im looking more towrads tri's and duathlons...and i'm just trying to get an idea of how one would train for that...

swimming...that would prolly be my most difficult aspect...im not a bad swimmer, i just think i would have to work on that aspect the most...

thanks!

i hate you so much because those paces come that easily to you. :(

ive got over 1000 miles under my belt running over the last 9 months or so and i still cant break under 8 minute miles for 6 miles. :(

if you can do 20mph avg. on a road bike and run that fast, you will do really well in the tri world.

very true and you raised good points flak...

like i said right now my schedule is this...

Sun - Ride
Mon - Run
Tues - Ride
Wens - Run
Thurs - off
Fri - ride
Sat - ride or run (depends on if i ride or drive to work that day)

i just try to go back and forth between the two but thurs is always off and if i ride both fri and sat then the schedule rotates a little...

i know that i need to begin swimming as that is something i dont do and i would prolly have to work on that the harderst right now...i think when it comes to the riding and running, i just simply need to build up the endurance and then work on increasing speed, but again i think right now i should prolly worry most about getting miles under my legs and working on my distance...

i just want to make sure that if there was some sort of training i could follow that would better me that much, that would be fantastic...

edonis13...im sorry...im just sorta interested to see what i could do with the proper training over the next 6 or 7 months....

edonis13...im sorry...im just sorta interested to see what i could do with the proper training over the next 6 or 7 months....

it should be very impressive to see what you are capable of if this is where youre starting.

i look forward to seeing your progress. :D

Id just brick if i were you in place of a run or a ride. Add a long run on the weekends, and a tempo or threshhold run or ride.

Until you get very close to the top level, it's not rocket science. Just have fun with it and push yourself.

hey flak if you wouldn't mind, could you sorta put that into a week chart of what your thinking of...

also what do you mean my tempo / threshold...

also, what do you mean by until i get very close to the top level...top level of what?

A threshold ride or run is basically you at your max sustainable effort, as in, any faster and you soon blow up. Helps you build race pace endurance. A tempo is a progressively faster workout. Start slow, then go faster, then slow, then faster. Helps build speed. You can also do a variation called a pyramid run. Start at 8min miles, then move to 7:30, then 7, then 6:30, then 6 as fast as you can go, then slowly reverse it 5:30, to 6, to 6:30, to 7, etc etc. Makes you faster and builds endurance as you learn to back off while still maintaining a solid effort.

If i were you id just tweak what you do already. If you can run 6:30 miles over 10k your run and speed is already pretty good, so assuming you only want to work out once a day -

Sun - Ride - long ride
Mon - Run - threshold or pyramid
Tues - Swim
Wens - Ride - find a group ride who pushes you, fun and productive.
Thurs - off
Fri - Swim
Sat - ride or run (depends on if i ride or drive to work that day) - long run

Swimming is the least physically taxing in terms of recovery, so if you have time you can add a few early morning swims in there during the week, or even make your rest day a swim day - although i would keep atleast 1 full day of rest. Make your long run after a swim or a rest day as its always better to go into long runs with fresh legs.

In terms of top level. I mean once you start placing in your AG or top 10 overall, i think you can go a long way on an informal training plan. Although i like them because i have 2 kids and enjoy the flexibility. I know guys who have rigid plans through coaches and they love that too. Just do what works best for you, push yourself in your training and you'll see results on race day.

flak i like the schedule that you put together...im just wondering but for training all these different aspects that make up a tri...would i increase the distance just the same...10% each week or do i go like 10% every two weeks b/c your not training but a few days a week in each one...

also...do i need to train at all in the weight room or would push ups, sit ups, and crunches be enough when combined with all the other training?

I like the 10% rule each week, or every other week if you're struggling. But im not a coach so take that however you like.

I think core is all you need to worry about when in season, and expand the weights in the off-season.

so tomorrow i think i am going to try and do a brick...just to experience it and b/c the last two days i haven't done anything so maybe in a way im making up for that haha...

im thinking of doing like 15 miles on the bike and anywere from 3 to 5 mile run...what do you think of that flak? is this ok for a first brick?

so tomorrow i think i am going to try and do a brick...just to experience it and b/c the last two days i haven't done anything so maybe in a way im making up for that haha...

im thinking of doing like 15 miles on the bike and anywere from 3 to 5 mile run...what do you think of that flak? is this ok for a first brick?

Go longer on the bike. Atleast 25.

ok well then i will go 25 and 5 i guess...

hey flak...well i got it done...

I ended up riding for 24.35 miles w/ avg spd of 19.7 my cadence was around 100rpm and i finished in 1hr 14 mins...i got home and made my transition from the bike to the running in about 5 minutes max (more like 3)...i then went out and was able to do 4.06 mile at a 7:02 mile pace which took me 28 minutes...

so how does this look considering that i have two weeks of riding and running under my belt?

Really frikin good!

Glad you're not racing around me :p

so were do i go with this flak? do i now begin to utalize that training schedule u put together and tweak this and tweak that...

i mean right now...should i be more focused on simply getting distance on the body through running and biking and swiming? should i be doing speed specific things? pyramids and thresholds? or should i really be building up endurance and distance?

That's a great question for someone more qualified than me.

If i could run at those paces at those distances, and i had a view to go long, id start making your workouts longer, maintaining at least 1 pyramid or threshold run and ride during the week, and doing a long run and a ride throughout the week too.

What do you find hard? Do that.

ok...well i will continue to do some research and see what i can come up with...

Good luck.

I wish someone would just go to work & grad school for me so I can spend my time catching up to roadrunner...

Seriously good times, man. Keep doing those bricks!

then went out and was able to do 4.06 mile at a 7:02 mile pace which took me 28 minutes...

I knew that 6:40 mile talk was all bluster:D

Seriously, it sounds like you really want to think this through and get on a decent program. At the very least get Friels Triathlete's Bible. What I like about it it isn't just a training book but goes into great depth about the philosophies of training, why you should be doing what you should be doing, etc. And it lays a method for putting together a very complete training program which is what I am hearing from your posts.

How is the swimming going? With your biking and running ability, the sad part is your goign to need to spend a lot of time in the pool to get that area in the same range as your other two skills.