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|  Try a tri: a primer for training for your first triathlon July 1, 2003
by Annabelle Landa This feature is a continuation of the "Beginners Beat" column in
the July 2003 issue of Runner Triathlete News. To get the full
scoop on training for your first triathlon, pick up a copy of
the June issue of Runner Triathlete News. Subscribe to RTN today!
THE FINAL FOUR... We spoke about the aerobic base conditioning training period and
strength training period. Each one was four weeks long. Now, we know the importance of aerobic base conditioning. It is
a good base to support your training and your performance. Four weeks later, we added strength to our solid base. For
running, we added hills, for cycling we added big chain ring
sets, and for swimming we incorporated the usage of paddles.
The sets became longer and the heart rate moved from 65%-70% to
70%-80%.
These strength weeks were the beginning of anaerobic efforts and
of pure quality sessions. Your final four weeks of training will be truly challenging:
High heart rate, high intensity efforts are incorporated into
the program. This is where the solid base and the strength
sessions give you the foundation. Now, it is time to push your
threshold in both cardio and strength. Long and short intervals are a part of this period, ending up
with a taper section in order to allow your body to recover,
rebuild and prepare for your reward..... the race. Long intervals at 75%-80% heart rate and short intervals at 80%-
85% heart rate are incorporated, always with recovery in
between. This recovery allows you to bring the heart rate down,
so you are able to push heart rate again. The sessions vary in duration depending on intensity and in each
activity never more than once a week. A brick is always an
option, ( The combination of a high intensity run / bike
transition ). For swimming, the addition of hard sets no longer than 150
meters. Let's remember that a sprint distance swim in 300 to
500 meters so the sets are intense and short. For cycling, the duration may vary for the efforts, ranging
anywhere from a 3 minute to a 8 minute effort using the big
chain ring at a high intensity cadence. You should maintain
between 75%-85% heart rate during these efforts. For running, track or fartlek sessions may be incorporated.
400's to 1 mile long efforts, or on the road timing efforts
between 2 - 4 minutes. Once again maintaining a heart rate
between 75%-85%. Remember to have proper recovery between
efforts during each activity. Let's talk about the brick and the importance of the quality
session. The brick session is perhaps one of the most important workouts
that is incorporated into the final four weeks of the
periodization training program. This session is pure quality training. The goals are to push
anaerobically from a bike workout to a run workout. The
transition is meant to be quick and efficient. For a sprint distance race, the brick should be anywhere from a
10 mile to a 15 mile bike ride transitioning to a 2 to 3 mile
run. Remember that this effort is supposed to simulate race day
pace and heart rate. You should maintain a heart rate of 80%
and above during these efforts. Okay, let's talk about weeks nine through twelve. Weeks nine
and ten are your pure quality training weeks. We will
incorporate high heart rate, high intensity, and hard, fast
efforts. Swimming session will remain 1200 to 1500 meters. However, once
a week, we will add short sets at high heart rate (80%-85%).
The sets should be 100's and 50's at race pace. For cycling, there will now be one day where we will go at high
cadence, (100+ rpm's), small chain ring or medium to high
cadence (80-199 rpm's), with big chain ring. The efforts may
vary from a 5 to 10 minute effort, maintaining a heart rate of
80% and above. Finally, for running people's favorite.......track or fartlek on
the
road. If you choose the track workout session, make sure to always
warm up and cool down properly. The sets should 400's to 800's
with recovery in between. Make sure that as you add any of these session's to your
schedule, you avoid a back to back interval days of cycling /
running or vice versa during the week. You may however do a
interval day of swimming followed by a running or cycling
interval day. The next day should be an easy day or an off day. It is important to mention that the brick should only be done
once a week instead of a cycling or running interval session.
This intensity should only be for weeks nine through eleven. Week twelve is your taper week. This week is the one where you
bring training down, in both intensity and volume. Everyone's
taper varies. Some athletes like to take a 4 to 5 day taper
before a sprint distance race, and other athletes only need 2
days.
As you get to know your body, you will know what works best for
you. Taper does not mean "do nothing". It just means rest much
more and train much less!! During taper, drink lots of water, eat well, and visualize your
race. Put it all together so you can cash in on the rewards of
your smart training on race day!! The following is a sample schedule for weeks nine through 12. Monday -- Swimming easy! (Recovery after a hard weekend) Long
easy sets for a total of 1200 -1500, 250-300's heart rate
between 65%-75% Tuesday -- Running, Strength (Hill training), See weeks 5-8 Wednesday -- * Easy ride/ 1 hour, High cadence / heart rate
between 65%-75%, Or Spin class,
Thursday -- * Brick, Super High quality, Heart rate 85% + (race
pace), Proper warm up & cool down is highly encouraged!
Friday -- Off!! Saturday -- Long Run (LSD), Heart rate 70%-80%, 1 hour run or 3
to 6 mile run easy to medium pace Sunday -- Long ride, Heart rate 70% - 75%, 1.5 to 2 hour ride,
Easy ride, big and small chain ring combo.
*This workout not only trains your muscles from one activity to
another, but it also a wonderful time to practice your
transition set up & time your efficiency.
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