Training & Nutrition - Sprint Triathlon Traing

I just currently decided that I am going to participate in my first Sprint Triathlon! I have been looking around for training plans but most of the detailed plans seem to cost money (I'm a broke college kid). I have 12 weeks to train (Race is June 29). I am looking for a plan that is swim specific (3 times a week) because that is my biggest concern. For the past two weeks I have been on a swimming workout swimming a total of 500m per session (drills, endurance, form training). Anything would help! thank you!

Are you planning to finish or do well? 500 swim is a great start! Just do a good 800 once before the race. You can grab on to the buoys if you need to. Just run 3x a week, ride 2x, and swim 2x. You should be so good to go. No need for a detailed plan.

Key in on your swimming as Kuan stated and get some 800m swims in. If you can get out there a week or two before the race and swim 100m farther then the distance you will be swimming in the race it will be a huge confidences booster. Bike and run training for sprint distance races are pretty straight forward. Make sure you get some training days in where you go from the bike right into the run. Get your legs use to the feeling of running after a hard bike ride.

One thing, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, give up on the swim. If you have to, start from the back of the wave. If you find yourself getting kicked around, pull over and hang on to a buoy until traffic passes. If you feel someone feeling up your toes, don't worry. Just swim straight ahead. It'll all be over in 20 minutes and then you can get on your bike.

thanks guys... all this advice is helping a lot! these past two weeks i have doing my swim workouts with sets of drills (i've never really swam laps). I feel like I need to master my form down... but should I be swimming a non stop 600 like once a week to get used to it for the race?

Try www.beginnertriathlete.com (http://www.beginnertriathlete.com)

Lots of free plans, a forum for advice and such, it's a pretty active site. I plan on doing 2-3 sprints this summer as well. I need to start running some day...

thanks guys... all this advice is helping a lot! these past two weeks i have doing my swim workouts with sets of drills (i've never really swam laps). I feel like I need to master my form down... but should I be swimming a non stop 600 like once a week to get used to it for the race?

The distance is seldom the issue. Feeling like you're in the water with a group of thresher sharks is often more intimidating than the distance. By all means, do it. You have many training days, do it once and see if you like it.

I'm also doing my first sprint triathlon on August 2, so this is some good info. Thanks everyone, and good luck re3ce12, let us know how you do!

As has been stated, no real need to do any formal training for a sprint tri unless you're trying to place. Though you're off to a good start, I'd recommend much longer swims, especially if you want to stay smooth and efficient in the water. If you're only swimming 500m sessions, you're not feeling what it's like to swim fatigued, when your smooth stroke really matters. If you're swimming a 500, you're really only working out for 10 minutes.

For a good hour workout (when I had pool access) I'd do four 500's with 100 kick or 100 pull in between, usually kick since that is the weak part of my stroke. Try to do each four 500's at the same pace. Like I said, this only takes an hour at most and in my opinion, is the best workout an hour can buy. As you get stronger, try putting the middle two 500's together for a 1000 meter swim.

If you don't come from a swimming background, you may want to break it up a little differently, but get comfortable with these distances before you're tri - remember open water is a whole new ball game. You're really just getting warmed up after 500, and I can almost guarantee you'll feel better after 1000m than 500m since you'll be loose and in rhythm. Also, SO many swimmers don't finish their stroke! Make sure to feel that final snap past your hip with your pulling hand with every stroke. Another trick is to not forget about kicking while still saving your legs for the bike/run...you're swim should be heavier on the pull, but don't let your legs drag.

Finally, do some bricks to get used to the transition game.

I finished my first sprint in 1 hr 23 min! I had a blast and now I'm hooked! Thanks for all the advice!