Plainsman

There is a book by Eric Harr called "Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week." I'm not one to always look for a shortcut, but I'm also a realist: Full time job, 7 month old, church, plenty of other extra-curricular stuff, etc... So has anyone ever read this book, or have another suggestion. I want to do my first Tri in April or May, and all I'm doing now is riding occasionally. Ideas anyone?

TysonB

Bike, swim, run. You are only 1/3 of the way there. Tri's are not hard, but you can't neglect any of the three legs and have a very good time. I am in the same boat as you, time wise. My training in the winter is about 8-10 hours a week.

Tyson

Sprocket Man

It really depends on a lot of factors that you didn't include:
1. What distance would you like to do (sprint, olympic, half, or full ironman)
2. What are your goals (just finish, middle of the pack, age group competitor)
3. What is your current fitness level, age and weight
4. What is your background in the 3 sports
5. How many miles a week are you cycling

The answer to these questions should help us to have a better understanding of where you're coming from and how to help you. Good luck!

jennings780

I read triathlon training in 4 hours a week. Its a solid book with good advice. It has a section each of techniques and tips for swim, bike, run, weight training and stretching. It has a chapter on heart rate training and training in zones. It lays out a training plan. The 4 hours a week would prepare you for a sprint distance triathlon. He says that to do an olympic distance you would need to double the training. It is somewhat of a beginner book, but provides solid advice and a good plan.

Plainsman

Sorry, here are my "stats"

1. Sprint only for now.
2. Right now I'd just like to finish. (But preferably not last)
3. I'm relatively fit, 32 years old, and about 175 lbs (6'-1") - Until a few years ago, played tennis a good bit, and did Aikido.
4. Fell in love with cycling about 1-1/2 years ago. Right now, I just ride on the weekend, when my schedule will allow. Mostly in hill country. Trainer during the week (sometimes). I did swim competively as a kid. The swim doesn't intimidate me. Even recreationally I feel like I can still handle distance swims alright. Still feel very at home in the water. Ran for fun in HS. Never fast. Flat footed. This part worries me. I don't enjoy running now , but I still WANT to do it. The first two legs I will look forward to.
5. Actually, if I go weekly I usually get 25-30. Trainer goes on top of that.

I want to do a tri to prove to myself I can do it. I don't consider myself an athlete. I sit at a desk all day. At home, I'm sitting in the floor playing with my daughter. I love that, and want to stay healthy enough to sit in the floor and play with her kids one day.

merlinextraligh

You should have no trouble doing a sprint. The fact that you're a good swimmer will give you a huge advantage over most of the field.

for the running part, find a good running store , and get them to help pick out shoes that match your feet.
Start out easy on the running. Training for my first triathlon, I found I had the aerobic fitness from cycling to run faster, than my joints and leg muscles could take without injury.

Plainsman

Thanks for the advice, as well as the encouragement.

RugbyToTri

Once you know how to train (techniques, scheduling, psychology, etc) it is not hard to get by on 4 hours a week even for olympic distance provided you are fit and your goals are reasonable (respectable but bottom 1/3 of AG). I know a guy who has done Lake Placid IM a couple times and he rarely trains more than 10-12 hours per week. Most who have done a half IM wouldn't have a problem putting in a respectable finish for a sprint with essentially no training at all. The problem is that training takes a lot longer when you are new to the sport. You have to find what combination of workouts works best for you. This involves a lot of trail & error--and a lot of time. As almost everyone will agree, the training is the fun part. If you love that, you will find whatever time YOU need to accomplish what YOU want. If you are confident that you will consistently have 4 hours a week and occassionally will have 6-8 hours, you can start to raise those expectations. Just realize that you are likely to get passed by someone 30 pounds over weight and 15 years older. It happens to the best of us.

mathmo

Is great that you have a competitive background in swimming, because it means you don't need to spend anytime learning how to swim well rather you just need to spend the little bit of time to get yourself moderately swimming fit.

If I wanted to spend 4 hours a week training, I'd go for 1 hour doing two of the 3 legs and then 2 hours doing the other leg (i.e. perhaps 1 hour swimming, one hour running, two hours swimming). And I'd change around which one is the long 2 hour sport for the week. For instance go three weeks with the swim being the 2 hour one, then three weeks of the cycling, then three weeks of the running.

This could be improved a bit more, you might skip the times when you are focusing on the swimming and instead be spending the time focusing on the running and cycling. Because swimming does take much less time in a triathlon than the other two legs and because you have already been swimming competitively. So try alternating between three weeks of 1hr Swimming, 1hr Cycling, 2hrs Running and three weeks of 1hr Swimming, 2hrs Cycling, 1hr Running.

One possible problem I'd see with this simple plan is that there aren't any faster workouts. So if you are looking at including some of that I'd try something like this:

3 weeks:
2 times 1/2hr swim (with one or both having the emphasis on faster work)
One 2 hour run
2 times 1/2hr cycle (with one or both having the emphasis on faster work)

One hour swim
2 times 1/2hr run (with one or both having the emphasis on faster work)
One two hour cycle.

Repeat back to the start of the first three week block and keep on looping around until a week or two beforel your race (at which point you would start to taper).

This is a very simple plan, but I'd say it would be a very good start for a beginner such as yourself.

Oh, haven't gone into detail of in what order you should do your training sessions during the week. But just keept the hard easy principle in mind and you should do fine.

If you are really short of time I'd forget about the last plan I gave with faster workouts, because even though the total amount of training time is the same at 4 hours per week there are more workouts in total. And I find for a short half hour workout you can spend as much time before and afterwards with the stuff you do as you spend actually working out! So in that case do just the hour (or two) once a week for each leg, that cuts away to the minimum the extra 'fluff' associated with each workout (i.e. getting dressed for it, showering, arranging a time, cleaning up, cooling down, etc...).

Plainsman

Thanks mathmo, that sounds like a good plan. Now my biggest trick is going to be finding a place to swim!

mathmo

No problem, keep in touch. Training isn't a static thing but something that evolves and develops over time.

Litespeed35

Plainsman:

First, great that you're going to do a tri - they're fun!

Second, no problem doing a sprint, they're not particularly hard and as long as you stay within your limits (e.g. don't go all-out on the bike), you'll make it just fine. Four hours of training a week should be okay; per Mark Allen, you really want to do at least 2/3 of the race (time) in one go to make sure you can handle the total race time. So in other words, depending on the sprint distance, it's going to take you 90 minutes - you need at least a 60 minute brick before the race, and if I was you I'd actually "do" the race beforehand. Swim the distance, then hop on your bike, then do the run, all at a slower pace than you expect for the race. That will a) give you the confidence that you can handle it, b) give you an idea of what to expect, and c) help you understand how to manage the race (how much effort for each leg).

Finally, I have more or less the same commitments as you when I trained for the Ironman. I don't necessarily recommend this (the training def took me away from family for too much time), but I was able to complete most of my training during the week before the family woke up, and at lunch. If you try those hours, you may be able to increase your training - BUT, you probably don't need to do that until a month or so before the race. Good luck! And practice your transitions - including remembering where you put your bike!

Plainsman

That sounds like a good idea Litespeed35, thanks! Quick question for you. How do you handle simulating the swim to bike transition when you're doing your swim at a local aquatic center or YMCA? In other words, if I'm training on my own, do I just finish up at the pool, change, sign out etc, then take my bike off the car and ride? Just wondering if a long break like that between the swim and bike would kill purpose of the brick? Once upon a time, I had access to a pool at a family member's house, which would have been perfect. Now I'm sort of winging it. To be honest (and this may be foolish), my plan has been to focus much more on the bike and the run. Not that I don't like the swim (I love it). I just don't have ready access to facilities.

Litespeed35

Hi Plainsman:

Not a big deal if the swim to bike transition is longer in practice than it will be at race time, that's not the hard transition. The one your body won't like is bike to run - that's the one I'd do at race speed to understand how you'll feel, and to help your body get used to it.

What I WOULD do for swim to bike is practice the transition, it's amazing how much time you can burn with a slow trans - lay out your stuff and decide where it should be, what you'll put on first, etc.

Good luck!

Oh and BTW, technically speaking a brick is only doing a bike and run combo. It purportedly comes from "Bike - Run - ICK"...

mathmo

Isn't that foolish, did 2005 Ironman NZ on basically no swimming (did one maybe two swims at a pool, and now other swimming at all other than what I did during a race!). Of course if you want to finish it in a fast time, then you certainly need to do more swimming. And if you are a beginning swimmer and you need to build up a lot of strength and skills simply to finish the swim then you also need to be doing a lot more swimming. But if your goals are simply to finish it and enjoy the event as well (which was also mine, well... maybe not coming dead last was the other goal! As it turned out I did still have a hundred plus people behind me ) then skimping on the swim is ok, so long as the swim doesn't hold any trouble for you. Spend your time instead on other things that do need help (or maybe something else totally unrelated to triathlons, such as your kids!).

Same kind of advice for the transitions I'd give, if you want to save time then go ahead and practise the transitions a lot. Personally I didn't spend any time at all on practising the transitions, meant I had a very slow transistion. But that was fine, because I wasn't worrying too much about my final time for Ironman. The worst thing that could go wrong is that you get stressed during the transition and you waste a lot of mental energy over that. But that can't happen so long as you remain calm at all times (keeping calm and relaxed throughout the entire day I believe was a big help towards me finishing, just keep relaxed and ticking on over through the miles....).

So once you already know that you have transitions sorted out (i.e. you have it in your mind what it is you need at a transition (bike, shorts, top, sunscreen, towel, shoes, etc...)) then don't worry about it anymore! Do something else you enjoy (although perhaps you enjoy spending more time on your transistions... certainly there are moments I can have fun tinkering with ideas for modifications to my transistion process..).

Oh, personally I think the biggest help for your transition isn't something you can easily practise at home. And that is finding a good location for your transition. For the middle of the pack athletes our most important concern is often to simply be able to find our transition! There is the potential to lose far more time from not being able to quickly find your transition than you could possibly gain from practising your transitions for hours on end at home. So when you arrive at the race scope at the place for an easy to find place. For instance at a local aquathon I often use the place right next to a manhole cover, because out of a big open grassy area the manhole cover is the one thing which stands out! Also corners are often easy places to find. Next to the exit/entrance, although take notice of where other people are placing their gear! Because the exit/entrance can be a popular place to be, and it can be a good idea to not try to in the same place a million other people are! Not only does it make it a little harder to spot your own gear also each others gear can sometimes get mixed up in the chaos causing even more trouble. Possibly being a better than average swimmer you might be confident of getting out of the water before most of the others so you can use a very distinictive bike as a "landmark"! Although it is no good if he has already left by the time you have arrived... Still, it can help to glance around and notice the other gear around you. Chances are at least some of it will be there (even if you are the last person out of the water, because people don't bring their towel, boxes, etc.. with them on the bike ride!), and these can also help you quickly zoom in on your own spot.

Plainsman

Mathmo, thanks for all the great advice. I just put two possible dates on my calendar for my first tri, and I'm already getting excited. So most race setups allow you to pick your own transition spot? I have so much to learn! May I ask, when you did your first tri, did you do anything special to your bike? I've got what I consider to be a nice bike (10 speed/ 34/50 compact crank/ alum/cf frame) but no aerobars or tri specific gear. I've sort of told myself that I didn't want to put a lot of $$ into upgrading this bike until I proved to myself that I could do a tri.

merlinextraligh

I'd definitely consider some clip on aero bars. You can get a cheap pair for $75 or so, and it's the cheapest speed you can buy. Make sure to practice with them for at least a few weeks before your event to make sure you're comfortable with the bike handling and the position. An aero position is the biggest key to speed on the bike. ( Wind resistence is like 80% of the equation, and the rider is the vast majority of that wind resistence). But you have to be comfortable in the position if you're going to be a ble to produce power, and to maintain an aero position for the length of the bike leg.

Plainsman

Sounds like the difference between using aerobars vs. staying in the drops is significant. Is this correct? If I get some clip on bars, is there a particular type you would recommend? I've seen those that look like two separate bars, and also those that look like one continuous bar bent into a semi-U shape and turned up on the end. I'm not planning on reworking my shifters, if that makes any difference.

Litespeed35

They make a big difference - 1 or 2 mph more for the same amount of effort. You'll need to train on them a bit as your position on the bike will change somewhat, and they make the handling a little weird. Not a big deal though.

I personally like the two separate bars because they're more adjustable (put the pads out as far as you like). And I like the ones with fixed pads, have had a few friends that used the flip-up ones and they broke (this was a few years ago, they may have gotten better).

sweetharriet

your bike fit might have to change to maximize aero bars. honestly, for a first sprint, i'd save the $60 and spend the time you'd have spent online shopping just on the bike

getting used to swimming again helps, as does getting into running without blasting out the 5k every time. easy does it. 4 hours for a sprint to finish is fine. already being in shape is finer. there are some good transition-area articles on slowtitch or trinewbies or beginnertriathlete.com (google).

...and this one chick i used to run with was always kicking my behind because she usually ran with a stroller. is that safe for a 7 m.o.? i don't know these things. but it gives you time with child!

most importantly. HAVE FUN. let us know how the race goes.

TysonB

Plainsman,

You won't see an immediate improvement with aerobars. You will not take to them naturally. Only after you have a fair number of miles will you feel comfortable enough to start seeing some true improvement. IT is a true improvement, however, once it comes. Your bike geometry is crucial here.

Also, I think there is more than a little truth in the old saying "Train your weaknesses; race your strengths."

IMHO

Tyson

Triguy

All I can say is good luck doing a triathlon and then only wanting to spend 4 hours a week doing it if you take to it. haha