Triathletes

[DOD]Asprilla · 9 May 2010 at 20:14

I know there has got to be more than just me starting / doing triathlon on here. Just wondering what events people are doing this year and if anyone wants to share hints and tips?

This year will be my first tri and it's only a half olympic. If I enjoy it (and I'm really enjoying the training) then I'll sign up to another in September and a full programme next year leading to a half Ironman.

Training at the moment has been around 200 miles a week in the saddle, plus two spin sessions, 3km a week in the pool an between 10 and 15km run at the weekend. Last weekend I started openwater swimming with a 1.5hr training course and this weekend was my first brick: 16km ride, 1km lake swim, 16km ride and 5.5km run.

I wasn't busting a gut in transition, taking my time and the roads were terrible so the ride wasn't quick, but it was a good morning; same again next week.

Gym at work is being refurbished at the moment so I'll be going back to the weights once that is done. Anyone got any advice on that? Most tri advice is for two sessions a week of full body workout (no day of chest / back, etc) using compound exercises with a full range of motion; any ideas on a decent routine?

[DOD]Asprilla · 10 May 2010 at 10:59

Cheers for that BennyC. Not sure about the aerobic session, I think it's just power that I should be looking at. If you consider that 2 hours on the bike each day at 90rpm I'm effectively doing over 10,000 reps, I'm not sure that some additional light reps in the Gym is going to have much improvement in aerobic capacity.

[DOD]Asprilla · 13 May 2010 at 20:03

Fortunately, in my younger days I swam competitively and coached a little stroke correction, so my stroke is pretty good. I just need to work on my stamina (slowing down would help, it's not a 50m, it's a 750m) and my breathing. At the moment I'm still breathing every two stokes, when it should be every three.

I'm also struggling to get my bike set up correctly at the moment and I've only got a week until my first. If the worst comes to the worst I'll use my long distance bike.

[DOD]Asprilla · 13 May 2010 at 21:57

Apparently it's the new midlife crisis. Well that's probably why I'm getting I to it.

[DOD]Asprilla · 14 May 2010 at 10:03

I'm aware of lactate threshold training and both my running and my cycling include sprint intervals. That's something I've been doing for years for half marathon training.

As for the periodisation, that's out the window for this year, especially as I'm only doing one, maybe two tris this year anyway. If anything, this whole year is going to be base training as I generally increase my running and cycling mileage. A period of complete rest is difficult, since the minimum exercise I can do is 170-250 miles cycled a week. I guess I need to increase my base to the point where I can redefine 'rest periods'.

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 May 2010 at 13:09

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/title,37371,en.html

At the moment I'm only signed up for the Eton Half Olympic, which is tomorrow!

I'm in wave 6 starting at 10.55 and I'm aiming for around 1hr30

[DOD]Asprilla · 22 May 2010 at 17:02

1hr 19mins 42sec. 10 minutes under target and very happy! It was very happy and I had to take on a lot of fluid on the bike leg.

Where to improve:
Swim - breathing and sighting. I managed around 13 mins but got held up by other swimmers. If I could have spotted a route round them and been able to breath both sides I could have save time

Bike - Cadance. I went to pot and for some reason I decided to lower my saddle my a cm as I racked the bike even though I've done 200 miles getting the set up perfect. I then spent the first 10k mashing in to high a gear, particularly in the head wind sections. The low saddle contributed to be firing from the quads instead of the glutes. Changed down and span up from 90rpm to 115rpm for the second 10k. Much better.

Run - Run more, get faster.

[DOD]Asprilla · 22 May 2010 at 21:39

The three stroke breathing means you can breath the otherside if you are passing someone. Since I could only breath left I could only pass on the left or if I was in someones wake I had to slow down and pass on the left. If I could choose which side I could just plough on instead of switching to breaststroke and raising my head tofu d a route. By the time I'd decided those ahead would have changed direction. It's a melée.

[DOD]Asprilla · 22 May 2010 at 21:45

Sorry, on iPhone so can't edit. Breathing every 3 also slows you to a more sustainable pace. Loads went past me in the first 200m but going slow and steady clawed them all back in, and more.

[DOD]Asprilla · 22 May 2010 at 23:23

Yeah, it's commuting: 17 miles, twice a day 5 days a week and then cycling out to the lake on a weekend. Home life means I don't have time to put in centuries on a weekend, unfortunately.

a four count is great for pace training, but you need to be able to breath both sides if you are going in a group. In the pool I've been doing pyramids of 4 lengths of every two stroke, three, four, five and back down again. Need more practice in the lake and in a group though.

[DOD]Asprilla · 23 May 2010 at 09:15

I'm now looking at the Hever Castle Tri on the 25th September.

Got my full splits now:
Swim: 13.26
T1: 3.19
Cycle: 36.45
T2: 1.55
Run: 23.57

T1 is woeful, and so is the cycle at just over 20mph. Considering cruising on my commute is 21. Over all I'm happy with the time, but I'm also happy that there is still room for some serious improvement.

[DOD]Asprilla · 24 May 2010 at 16:18

platypus said:
I finally got a tri bike this weekend so eager to get out on the road!

Pictures and spec please!

[DOD]Asprilla · 24 May 2010 at 17:13

Specialized Transition? Alu rather than carbon?

[DOD]Asprilla · 24 May 2010 at 18:57

All my bikes are second hand, so you'll get no complaints from me!

[DOD]Asprilla · 25 May 2010 at 12:28

700 x 24? That's a weird size.

All my bikes are 700 x 23 and I've never known anything else on a road bike. Most tri bikes are running 700 x 19, aren't they?

[DOD]Asprilla · 25 May 2010 at 14:08

Clipsey said:
Trying to get used to training in the heat at the moment, ran 8miles yesterday afternoon at 33 degrees. Just makes it completely different. Could very well be over 36c on race day

You'll need to have a long hard think about your nutrition and hydration strategy.

From what I've read, ice in the cap at every feed station and in the shorts as well on the run is a good thing.

[DOD]Asprilla · 26 May 2010 at 07:24

Dunno. Drafting is only allowed in elite races as well. Mind, you can draft in the swim as well and there are no rules against that. IMO it should be draft free where possible.

[DOD]Asprilla · 2 Jun 2010 at 09:50

You know, a good alu bike trumps a cheap carbon one every time, IMHO.

That is very pretty; stem is the wrong way up though

Edit: Have now entered the sprint at Hever Castle in September and this time I'll be practicing my transitions beforehand.

[DOD]Asprilla · 2 Jun 2010 at 12:44

You're doing the full Olympic? Good work fella.

[DOD]Asprilla · 2 Jun 2010 at 14:27

Sagalout said:
Excellent article here about TT bikes Vs Road bikes.

Best of both worlds: