triathlon workouts

Interval training is probably your best bet. I don't know if you're planning on racing in full triathlons or sprints, but either way you definately need to have some sprint work incorporated into your workouts. You don't want to hop in and just do 5 x 500. I generally do 1000yd sets (ie 20 x 50 or 10 x 100), and do it on an interval that gives you 5-10 seconds rest. No reason to just stick with free either. Throw in some 100 I.M.'s. I also like to do 20 x 25 without breathing. Give yourself a little longer interval for those. I don't know if that's what you were looking for, but that's my two cents. I've also started using interval training to help me on the run and the bike. It seems to be helping. Have a good one.

I entered my first triathlon this past spring as well. I'm was brought up a swimmer, so with one leg in the bag, I figured I could handle the other three. I'll tell you, though, a mediocre swimmer can do very well in a triathlon. I was first out of the water in mine, but I finished about 20th out of 50. I was also using a mountain bike for that leg of the race, with everyone passing me saying, "You gotta get a road bike." But I'm getting away from things here. I trained for the swimming leg pretty hard, because, as I said, this was my major focus. Unfortunately, it's the shortest portion of the race. Nevertheless, I did do a lot of interval training, and I was in the water every day. I only trained for it one hour a day. Monday was all swimming. Tuesday I split 1/2 hour bike, 1/2 swim. Wednesday was 1/2 hour bike, 1/2 hour run. Thursday was 1/2 hour run, 1/2 hour swim. Friday was 1 hour swim. My triathlon was a sprint distance, so once a week I did a 1/2 mile swim first thing. This helped me gage, with some accuracy, how I was improving, as well as preparing my body for doing that distance. By the time the race came, the swim was old hat. I can say, with confidence, had I not swam that distance a couple of times before the race, it would have been a much harder swim. On days where I split time between the other disciplines, I tried to focus on longer sets, say my infamous broken 1000 (400-300-200-100) or 1500 (500-400-300-200-100). I also used these days to do drill work. 150's kick-drill-swim and 75's pull were a staple for these workouts. On Mondays and Fridays, I focused on speed swimming and incorporated odd stroke swimming along with it (that kept the workouts engaging). I'd do shorter distances, ranging in count from 8 to 12, but the intensity I tried to keep up higher. I also found that with triathletes, heart rate was the best indicater for training. Therefore, for Mondays and Fridays, I got my workout heart rate up to 90% of my maximum HR. On the other days, I'd keep it at around 60-70% (something like that). That might help. It's not very specific, but it might give you a little bit of a guideline as you continue your training. For what it's worth, on sprint triathlons, I believe the race is won or lost on the bike. Make it out of the water respectibly (1/2 mile), bust your butt on the bike(15 miles), and try and hold it together during the run (3 mile). And be sure you're on a road bike (I was told that the difference between a mountain bike and a road bike is an easy 10 to 15 minutes). I hope this all helps. Good luck in your triathlon season.

Hi, The best triathlon specific swim workouts i've encountered have all been layed out in a similar fashion. Warm-up (up too 1000m, incorporating drills, other strokes, and bands only swimming - should feel easy, cept for bands only which just hurts!) Moderate set (between 500-2000m) - Can consist of either broken set (eg. 4*200fr then 8 *100fr) or straight swim (eg. 800fr) If you can go pretty hard and hold say 1.15's/100m, then this should be done at say 1.25-1.30/100m pace. Just use your initiative on leaving times (should be about 10-20secs after you get in, you know what a moderate pace feels like. Pull/Paddles set (between 500-2000m) - Just straight pull and paddles set, usually just straight steady swimming, you can push it if you like though - or even better use a band. Hard set (Between 500-2000m) - Same as moderate set style, cept doing it harder, decending sets are the best to incorporate here. Rest should be more like 5-15secs. You can mix it up as well. I like doing the moderate set, then mixing the pull and hard set together, (eg 400fr on 5.00 - 4*200fr pull on 3.00 - 200fr on 2.20 - 2*200fr pull on 3.00 etc.. etc..) You should finish off with an easy warm down (100-400m), just easy backstroke preferably. Hope this is of some help. Mark