Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - TechKnowGN's Triathlon Training Thread

Here's my training thread.

I'm going to post every day from now until April 18th with what workouts I did to train for the sprint triathlon I'm doing 4/18.

I technically started training last week, but I got really serious this week.

(Had some dates mixed up in my head, now corrected. Daily posting will help)

Weds 3/5 -

400 M in the pool. Time: 27:00

It's not the swimming that takes very long. It's about 2:00 of actual swim time per 100M. It's the cardio recovery right now that takes resting between each 25 or 50 M. I'm definitely improving over previous swims though as the resting time came down a good bit today (probably 2 minutes)

Monday 3/9 -

7k on the bike. Time: 25:00

My GPS program for my Blackberry isnt working so I dont have exact details, but I did 4 miles at about 10 MPH, with stop times. I'm working on speed, so I need to find a place where I can ride without stopping. I also need a bike rack for the truck. The ride was good, the weather nice. I can only hope weather will be like this on race day.

Here's my training thread.

I'm going to post every day from now until April 18th with what workouts I did to train for the sprint triathlon I'm doing 4/18.

I technically started training last week, but I got really serious this week.

Are bystanders allowed to offer cheers? As in, GO TECHKNOW GO! If so, I'm virtually there!

Tuesday 3/10 -

400 M in the pool. Time: 25 Minutes.
Yes, thats a 2 minute drop in one day. It may have actually been more, but I'm going with 25 so if Weds is lower I'll have 3 straight days of time drops.

I've noticed that each 25 meters is about the same pace, except when i extend from 25 to 50 meters without resting. I slow down a little then, but not much. Of course the goal is to eventually rest between 100's, but the intermediate goal is to rest every 50, which is lane length at the race pool.

4 Miles on the Bike. Time: 40 Mins
Moving slowly into two workouts per day. My fiancee wanted to run last night after dark in the nice weather, so this looked like the perfect opportunity to get in a slow ride to start preparing for multiple workouts. It was a relaxed ride, but not without effort. We did one of the larger hills in the suburb we live in (Grandview Heights, OH), and I pedaled my way up the hill without stopping. I was tired at the top, but I made it. I definitely need to start putting in more miles. I already know Im going to be slow in the 5k, so I dont want to compound that by being slow on the bike.

I have tripled my miles for the year in the past couple of weeks though, so progress is being made.

Are bystanders allowed to offer cheers? As in, GO TECHKNOW GO! If so, I'm virtually there!


Absolutely. If i didn't look for input or encouragement i'd write this all down on a word doc. :D

What stroke are you swimming? I will assume free style or front crawl if that is what you want to call it.
I was a competitive swimmer for 16 years and have been asked by many friends to help them with their swimming. As I watch them swim I see that pretty much all of them make the same major mistake along with a host of other problems. So I will tell you what that big mistake is and you can see if it fits with what you are experiencing.
Weaker swimmers tend to have trouble getting enough air during the breathing phase of their stroke so they lift their head rather than just turning it to the side. When you lift your head this causes downward pressure on the rest of your body, causing your feet and butt to sink. This results in you swimming with your body in a more vertical than horizontal position, less than ideal. You can experiment with this by simply trying to float, you will see that as soon as you start to lift your head your feet will head for the bottom and tipping your head forward will raise your feet. Personally I can’t just float so your mileage may vary on this.

Ideally your head position will be neutral, approximately what it would be if you were sitting down looking straight ahead. Try to pick a spot maybe a meter or two ahead of you on the bottom of the pool and look at that, when you take your breath just turn your head to the side and when you turn back to the center try to look at that spot again. Try to keep your head relatively level when you breath, if you do not have enough time to get a full breath in you are better off rotating your whole body further to the side or pausing your stroke than you are lifting your head. If you lose the horizontal position try to relax and stretch your stroke out to get yourself flat again.

If you are swimming another stroke the same thing applies, you want to try to be horizontal. If you watch strong competitive swimmers you may see exceptions to this when they are sprinting but when you watch distance swimmers you will see that they are flat in the water and relaxed.

Techknow, where is the Triathlon? How long is the swim/bike/run? I live just outside of the 270 loop (Groveport) and there are miles and miles of straight country roads with almost no traffic that I ride on the weekends when the weather is nice. I'd be happy to introduce you to them if you'd like. :)

Is this a normal 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run?

Good job at working towards your goal.

Great going, TechKnown!

What stroke are you swimming? I will assume free style...

Andymac -

Thanks for the insight. Having a swimming trainer is one thing I wish I had time for. I dont even have time for the masters class.

I was a pretty strong swimmer as a child, teen and into my early twenties. Used to do the lake swim at summer camp, parents had a 21" foot above ground, etc. I still swim for fun in the summers. Other than being a big guy, and needed to continue to strengthen some of that is still there.

I'm doing free style. In general my breathing is decent so far. I can go 10 meters (give or take) on a single breath, and can breath with a simple head turn until I get tired. When I get tired i pick my head up more. As I build up stamina i think this will go away more.

My big problem seems to be keeping my stroke and kick consistent through each lap.

Gearhead & Flip -

400 M Swim, 12 Mile bike, 5k run.

It's in Oxford, Ohio, benefiting Miami University Scholarship fund.

Thurs 3/10 -

Knee felt wonky today, so I took an off day. It doesn't hurt to take time off now and then especially if I eat ok that day. I've been adding a bit more meat to the diet (mostly lean, but occasionally steak) in order to get extra protein.

Tomorrow is another day in the pool.

Do not try to get in distance on a single breath, that is something you would only want to do in a sprint race. Doing it in what is for you a distance event will just deprive you of oxygen and mean you have to rest longer at the walls.
Try to find a breathing pattern that lets you fall into a comfortable rhythm. Most swim instructors preach breathing on both sides and on every third stroke, this may look good but is not a breathing pattern that fits for most distance swimmers. When I swam distance I always breathed to my right side and on every second stroke. I could easily breath to my left if I wanted to see something on that side of the pool but it tended to break up my rhythm. When I sprinted my pattern was every 5 strokes.

Forgot to mention that you should not worry much about your kick. Just keep your legs relaxed and try to only kick as much as is necessary to keep your body position. While you can get a lot of power from your legs you need them for the rest of the tri so you should try to make the swim more of an upper body excercise.

Forgot to mention that you should not worry much about your kick. Just keep your legs relaxed and try to only kick as much as is necessary to keep your body position. While you can get a lot of power from your legs you need them for the rest of the tri so you should try to make the swim more of an upper body excercise.

Thanks so much man! That's fantastic advice! I'll work on breathing every other or every 3rd stroke, I bet that will help a lot. And I will worry about my kick less, youre right... Im gonna need em.

I'm still feeling a little pain in the lower thigh but im guessing its just a sore quad. I was dehyrdated yesterday, so Im making sure to get the water in today.

Boy I've lost track of time and had dates all wrong this week.

Weds 3/11 - Off day, bad knee
Thursday 3/12 - Off day, bad knee

Feeling better today 3/13, so I'll be in the pool for sure.

3/13 -
Another day off to rest the knee. It started twinging around 2 PM.
3/14 -
Knee felt completely better, and I really tested it crosstraining. An hour + of ice hockey. 20 minutes of drills, and 40 minutes of half ice 3 on 3. I came through with flying colors. Not only was the knee fine, but my cardio was good, and my feet got used to my skates even though I hadn't worn them in a few weeks.
Also, I finished my last final, so as long as I got better than a 50% on the 4 ungraded homework assignments, I am now a college graduate!
3/15 -
Planned rest day.

I am now a college graduate!

:champ:



Way to go!!!

Thanks MB. I hope losing the weight isnt going to take as long as college (16 years LOL)

3/16 -
According to Bikely.com, my ride was 10.3k today. So a tad over 6 miles. With traffic stops, rest breaks, and a near crash when i took to the sidewalk to avoid parked cars in a heavy traffic area, it took 40 minutes. I need to take my bike up to the big bike trail along the expressway and ride that for a while. A bikerack for my truck would come in handy. And in general I need to get my stamina up. I was very quick the first 10 - 15 minutes, and then it went downhill from there.

I havent lost a ton of weight so far in my exercise. I havent eaten probably as well as I should, and my metabolism is clearly up because I'm hungry a lot. I also notice im building muscle from the swimming. My fiancee noticed it after only a few swims.

Today, 400M in the pool, and hopefully a ride to follow. My fiancee works tonight so I have nothing else to do anyways.

It's only been two weeks, man! It's coming - don't worry.

It's only been two weeks, man! It's coming - don't worry.

Yes, Rome wasn't built, or sacked, in a day. Give it some time, TKGN.

Oh, Im not bummed, just noticing. I am doing mostly better on food, just have the once or twice a week bad meals that slow me down, so im working on stamping those out until after the race.

I am sure that you probably have been given more advice than you want, but I do have a couple of thoughts for you. Make sure that you are working on longevity rather than speed at this point. I don't know how long your race distances are, but I have found that it is the cumulative exhaustion that gets me on multisport races. The other thing is to make sure that you do some transitions. If you have never done them, there is no way to know what transitioning from one sport to the other is like. For me, the bike to run transition is the worst.

I am sure that you probably have been given more advice than you want, but I do have a couple of thoughts for you. Make sure that you are working on longevity rather than speed at this point. I don't know how long your race distances are, but I have found that it is the cumulative exhaustion that gets me on multisport races. The other thing is to make sure that you do some transitions. If you have never done them, there is no way to know what transitioning from one sport to the other is like. For me, the bike to run transition is the worst.

First I will be constantly looking for advice up to race day, so feel free. this is my first "Tri try", and I refuse to wind up on the DNF list, so Im listening to what everyone has to say.


I am working on longevity, but my speed bothers me, because im comparing to what others did last year. The distances are all very short. 400M swim, 20k bike, 5k run.

I actually walk rather than run, so, the bike to walk transition im not afraid of. My best 5k time is sub 42, and ive done half marathon distances, so that part doesnt scare me at all. Im nervous about transitioning between pool and bike, I havent the foggiest how I'll do that. At my size and relative speed, a couple of minutes in transition doesnt bother me much.

That said, my swim to bike transition would seem to be as follows. Lose goggles, lose swimcap, dry hair and body for 30 seconds, focusing on head, trunks and feet. shirt and shorts on, helmet on, shoes on, on bike and on the road.

I can certainly understand the cumulative exhaustion. This is my first multisport, and Ive swam and ridden the same day, just not directly after, but I plan that tomorrow. Im actually biking to work tomorrow, riding to the pool, and then swimming and riding home. I'll probably do a 5k at the end of all that to kinda see what its all like.

I know it is impossible, but you can't compare yourself to others. Others did not have the same journey to get to the race that you did. It is always interesting to compare times, but then you need to just forget about them and do your race. If not, it will be extremely discouraging when you see the others flying by. I ran a 4 mile race a few weeks ago. The winner ran a 2 mile race, and then ran the 4 mile that I ran. His combined time was several minutes shorter than my 4 mile time.

Speed increases come slowly. In the 5 months between my two duathlons, I only managed to take 1 minute per mile off of my run times.

Don't underestimate the mental aspect of the race either. It is amazing at how tired your mind can make you feel.

racethenation - Oh I totally get the mental part. Im a walker, so I know what its like to get passed, and deal with the slowness feeling thats coming only from my head. 33 people in the last half marathon did the race in half the time I did or less. 19 people did the marathon in the time it took me to do the half.

Small victories are what matter. I walked the whole race, and beat someone who ran and walked and I beat him by 17 minutes.

My goals are as follows, and hitting just the first one will make this race a success:
1. Finish
2. Beat last years last place.
3. Do not finish dead last.
4. Complete the swim in under 16 minutes
5. Complete the bike ride in under 1 hour
6. Complete the 5k walk in under 45 minutes
7. Complete total race under 2 hours
8. Place in my weight category

3/17 -

400M in the pool. The first 200M, I took breaks every 50M as opposed to every 25, so Im definitely getting a bit stronger with the swimming. I worked on breathing every 3 strokes, and i did ok with that. Regardless, progress in a couple areas.

5.4k on the bike. The big news is that I climbed a really steep hill and didn't stop peddling til the top. The hill is generally regarded as the steepest climb in Columbus (Grandview Ave in case anyone is reading from CBus). First time I've ever done that.

3/18 -

Scheduled rest day. These get down to once a week from Sunday on.

3/19 -

400M in the pool. A lousy 400M. I felt awful. Sluggish, tired, heavy, etc. I ate a big lunch and it clearly affected my late afternoon workout. I was NOT where I should be. I have to skip today because of payday friday errands, but i'll be hitting the treadmill or walking outside tonight, and then back in the pool (and on the bike) tomorrow.

How's the training, you haven't posted in a few days.;)

How's the training, you haven't posted in a few days.;)

Yes, time for an update!

(Had cable problems this week, so I wrote these manually, and getting them up today at work)
3/20 -
The knee tweak was either a symptom of, or the cause of a hip felxor problem. It hurts to walk. Riding and swimming out of the question. This is my first ever serious training problem (the knee/hip thing combined). Never missed more than a couple days of training before. I'm out of commission for today.

3/21 -
Every joint in the left side of my body hurts from the waist down. I think its how Im sitting on the couch aggrivating pain from overdoing it on the bike/in pool. I feel worse today than yesterday. I can walk at a normal pace, but every minute or two, I get a throbbing pain from hip or thigh. Lower back is sore too, so it could be nerve pain.

3/22 -
Today I feel a little better. Not better enough to exercise much, but I walked up the big hill to the post office to use the automated postal machine, and then to the grocery store and back. I actually feel a bit better.

3/23 -
Back to feeling worse. I actually stayed home from work today. Rachelle comes home today, so I can have her look at me. Having an Athletic Trainer for a future spouse has it's privledges. I walk with severe pain from the left side of the body. Neither laying or sitting, except completely upright in the dining room chair is even remotely close to pain-free from the hip.

3/24 -
Rachelle gave me a massage and said the bed might not be helping. Also had me increase the amount of Ibuprofren Ive been taking. Basically prescription dose in smaller pill form. She says it's probably my IT band, acting up at the hip, injured from riding and swimming aggrivated by our too soft couch and too soft bed. Stayed off the couch, laid only on my side in the bed. I feel drastically better today.

5 PM Update -
Got back in the pool and was mostly pain free in my leg before, during, and after swim. Not sure on my time, but the swim itself felt WAY better than the 3/19 swim. I did 200M with breaks only every 50. I rested a bit longer between but did the second half mostly with breaks every 50M.

Rachelle saids we started laps at a bit after 4, and we were out of the pool by 4:30, so my time must have been pretty ok.

I'm sore but in a new area. Last week it was the shoulders and neck, now its the muscles along the sides of my upper torso under the arms. Rachelle says thats good, becuase its from the down stroke, so im building muscle there.

When I got home to ride, found I had a flat again in the rear tire. Tube must have a slow leak. I didnt feel up to replacing it, so Im doing that tomorrow.

I need to start building up my general workouts this week and tomorrow looks like rain. So it looks like an indoor walk after the swim.

Ok gang, caught up now! Thanks for keeping on me to keep the thread updated. I am glad I wrote all that down or you guys woulda been all over me LOL.

3/25 -
More pain, another day off, and tomorrow is a day that I had planned off that I might have to sneak in exercise after a long day. Wont be home til after 10 PM.

3/26 -
Breakthrough Day! Complete time from start to finish for the swim? 18 minutes. I was absolutely thrilled. Started at 3:50 and stood up just before 4:08. I still want to take at least 2 minutes off, and I was completely gassed when I got done, but I felt like that was super progress.

Hopefully the worst of the injury is behind me, and I can train every day. Tomorrow, I bike to the pool and back.

3/27 -

Another decent swim. Had to share a lane so didn't time, just swam. Got my 400 in, got out.

3/28 -
Pool was very busy with a kids birthday party. Between lane sharing and kid dodging, not my fastest or best swim, but still a good workout.

Weather and bike non-cooperative. Very windy, some rain, and flat tire. Tube needs patched, but I'm just replacing for now, fixing later.

3/29 -
Tire fixed, but gusts to 30 MPH, rainy and cold. I'll race in this, but I'm not training in it. I still have 2 weeks of riding practice ahead that I can stretch and strengthen legs with.

3/30 -

(Part 1)
Gorgeous here today. Would have ridden to work but have to pick up fiancee from airport when she gets home from trip, and need to clean house first!I will ride today, and hit the treadmill too. two-adays the rest of the next 14 days for prep.

(Part 2)
My fiancees return from California derailed todays plans. But tomorrow, I swim and the bike gets a tune up with wheel trueing and brake calibrating, then I get the heck on it!

3/31 -
Another big milestone: I did 100 meters without stopping other than for a quick big breath after 50 meters. The rest of the way I did 50s, but the fact that I can do 100 without resting tells me my stamina is GREATLY improving.

It was gorgeous, so I got on the bike for a little bit, but Im concerned it needs a tuneup before I get back on it for serious riding. I have 2 weeks to train to do 12 miles, so I have plenty of time, even with a couple easy days prior to the race to taper. I'm going to finally have a chance after swimming today to get up to Performance Bike for my free adjustment, and then I'll ride after.

4/1 -
Another swim, another 18 minute day LOL. I have a feeling I can get a lot faster as I get stronger, but I still need to cut some more weight. When I type this up, I need to remember that I saw like the hottest chick (other than my SO of course) I've seen in months at the pool. *ah memories*

4/2 -
Was supposed to be a big workout day, but plans got disrupted by other parts of life. And tomorrow it's gonna rain so I have to find extra time this weekend to ride.

4/3 -
400 meters, right under 20 minutes. Not bad for only 4 hours sleep, and being up 10 hours at that point.

4/4 -
Big day today. Rode 3 miles to the pool. Did 400 meters. the mysterious flat tire appeared again today so i pumped the tire up at the pool, and rode to the bike co-op. Replaced the tube, and cleaned out the inside of the tire. There appeared to be nothing wrong with it, but there must have been something in it. So fixed it, and headed home. Rode the 4 miles homes, and felt overall pretty good.

Try putting some drills into your swim workout. The more efficent you swim the better endurance you will have. I too am training for my first Tri and I am lucky enough to have found a great group of people to train with for swimming. It makes all the difference in the world to swim with someone else other than yourself. Misery Loves Comapany. We always make some drills part of our warm up. Check out YouTube under swim drills. There are alot of helpful hints.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-NE8_1OG3w

4/5 -

Today the weather was gorgeous. Started the day with some "cross training". Tennis with the fiancee. Worked up a decent sweat chasing each others poorly hit balls around the court, LOL.

about an hour later, took the bike up to the big north south bike trail here in Columbus. It's the first time I'd ever been out there, and I LOVED IT! The fiancee went for a run, and I did 7 miles roundtrip. I was less than 50 minutes on that, but definitely slower than I'd hoped. This next 10 days is going to be extremely important to my time, and the weather isn't expected to cooperate for the next 2-3 days.