| A triathlon is a grueling competition that includes running, | | | | Improve your oxygen delivery system or anaerobic |
| biking and swimming distances. The races can vary in | | | | threshold, while improving exercise efficiency. For |
| distances, with the shorter Tinman, which includes a .62 | | | | triathlon running, you need to practice running at 15K to |
| mile swim, 28.6 mile bike race and a 6.2 mile run, to the | | | | half-marathon race pace, with one to two mile repeats |
| aptly named Ironman, which includes a 2.4 mile swim, | | | | and 4- to 5-mile tempo runs. Run at 80-86 % |
| 112-mile bike race and running a marathon - | | | | maximum heart rate for these sessions. Biking at |
| approximately 26 miles. | | | | about one-hour time trial pace means 5- to 15-minute |
| Although triathletes from Dallas, Houston or anywhere | | | | repeats at that pace. Swimming will require 3- to |
| in Texas come in various shapes, sizes and sexes, | | | | 5-minute efforts at 90 percent maximum swimming |
| you have to be in excellent physical condition to | | | | heart rate. Keep some strength and speedplay |
| participate in a triathlon. If you are participating in a race, | | | | sessions too. Continue long runs and bike rides. |
| or plan to do so, here are five key phases you should | | | | Phase Four |
| add to your triathlon training. | | | | Improve oxygen uptake capacity (VO2 Max) and |
| Hydration is the absolute, number one, most important | | | | exercise form. Use a 5K pace for running (95 % of |
| training tip. Start off well hydrated, or even | | | | max VO2), usually as 1- to 3-minute efforts or 300-600 |
| over-hydrated if you don't mind potty visits three times | | | | meters. If very experienced, use 5-minute efforts to |
| in the last hour of your pre-triathlon race or training | | | | perfect relaxed running form. Biking will also need 1- to |
| sessions. Then, if the triathlon event is less than an | | | | 5-minute efforts at 15-minute time trial pace, which is |
| hour, you will not need to take in liquids during the | | | | closer to 100 % of max VO2 on the bike. One-minute |
| event. | | | | efforts are more the norm for swimmers; form is so |
| Phase One | | | | much more important against the high resistance of |
| Fun exercise. Most of your triathlon training should be | | | | water. Retain some anaerobic exercise, strength and |
| enjoyable. The post-triathlon race season, and the | | | | speedplay sessions too. |
| early build up for next year, should be even more fun. | | | | Phase Five |
| Include long gentle sessions, cruising at 70 percent of | | | | Peaking requires resting by 20-40 percent, but only in |
| your maximum heart rate, plus plenty of speedplay. | | | | the last 2-3 weeks. The type of training that's most |
| Running element. Two hundred to 800 meter efforts | | | | often neglected is long efforts at VO2 Max. Running |
| on trails, grass or other soft surfaces. Run 10-20 | | | | 1,000 to 1,600 meters at 5K pace, biking 4-6 minute |
| percent of your mileage as speedplay at about 10K of | | | | efforts, and swimming 2 to 3 minutes at high intensity, |
| your race effort. | | | | places the muscles, including the heart muscle, in the |
| Swimming. Time to switch your environment. Ocean, | | | | high training zone for a greater percentage of the |
| lake or pool...seek a change. Swim 30-90 seconds in | | | | exercise session. |
| moderate effort surges. | | | | The well-trained runner/triathlete will find 12 x 400 |
| Biking - Go off-road or to the road. Ride hard up the | | | | meters at 5K pace easy. Three times one-mile at 5K |
| hills or do 2-10 minute surges. | | | | pace is more demanding, especially if you only take a |
| Phase Two | | | | two-minute rest between reps. Match each session of |
| Strength exercise - You still keep your long runs and | | | | long efforts with a session of short efforts at 5K |
| bike rides, but you're now in full triathlon training. Hill | | | | intensity. Keep some anaerobic threshold exercise, |
| repeats for running and biking. Use resistance devices | | | | strength speedplay sessions too. Never ignore a |
| for swimming. In all the triathlon disciplines, keep your | | | | strength while working on your weakness. |
| cadence and work on form. Also include weight | | | | Four weeks of relative rest in phase one should be |
| training twice a week, until two weeks before your | | | | followed by about eight weeks in each of the other |
| main triathlon races. Keep that relaxing speedplay | | | | four, triathlon-training phases. These 36 weeks leave |
| exercise also. | | | | triathletes a 16-week racing season. |
| Phase Three | | | | |