21 replies to this topic

[NewbiefromNewy]

Hi there everyone.

I'm seriously considering competing in an OD tri in 15 weeks time.

I've put together a timetable for myself based on the following general rules:

• One long session for each discipline each week
  
• For each disipline each week, 2 short sessions at 60% of the distance of that discilpline's long session for the week
  
• The long session for each week increases by between 10% and 15% for each of the disciplines
  
• One day each week of complete rest
  
• At least 1 days break before a discipline is repeated in training
  
• By the time taper commences, must be able to comfortably train twice the distance of each leg in a single training session (eg swim 3km, ride 80km or run 20km)

I hope that makes sense?

Does this seem like a reasonable plan? Is it too ambitious?

I'll be doing club races along the way as well as a sprint distance competition race about three weeks before the OD race.

I don't really care how quickly I finish the race - I just want to finish it...

I look forward to your thoughts. All constructive feedback welcomed.

Martin.

[SpartaJen]

What's your current training regime? Are you truly coming from the couch or do you have an existing base?

[NewbiefromNewy]

I'm not an athlete at all but I did the C2S and Lake Mac 10.5k this year on very little training and felt fine after each of them. I haven't been doing any training at all since the LM10.5 which was at the end of August.

I'm about 6' tall and roughly 90kg so probably about 5 or 10kg overweight but I figure with a little bit more attention on what I eat and the training for OD, that will probably disappear.

I am also strating off fairly slowly and increasing from there. "Long" distances planned for this weekend are 500/15/5. I increase each week from there at a rate of 10-15% each week until I get to 3000/80/20 in early March.

[Goughy]

I wing my sessions, so take what I think with a grain of salt. But firstly, I don't see any need to get to the point of finishing at least double of what any leg is by the time you taper. Riding 40k or running 10k is a different animal to doing 80k or 20k. But remember that an OD is still an endurance event that may take you over 2.5 hours. The training you've got there is pretty much more than what I was/am doing for HIM races.

I would most definitely add a brick session to that training, at least once a fortnight and better still once a week. Doesn't have to be super long or anything, but you need to 'get' the feeling of trying to run after having been on the bike. It can knock you around if you're not ready for it. Can be as simple as going for a short run, even for 15mins after one of your rides. Just don't take too long getting out of our riding gear and into running. You don't want to recover too much from your ride before setting out.

[NewbiefromNewy]

I didn't have any brick sessions planned but I do have about 4 or 5 club races and a competition race that I have planned on doing over the next 3.5 months

The "double the distance" thing came from a website somewhere and since everything on the internet is true, then I figured it was sage advice to heed. Jokes aside, I don't expect to finish it in anything less than three hours so I understand the endurance nature. In my mind, I have likened it to be almost the level of endurance required to run a marathon. I guess that's why I decided the "double the distance" thing was a good idea since it was all about the endurance.

[Goughy]

You could probably trust the internet over my advice . But they did seem like long distances. You could do a HIM on those sort of distances. My longest ride before my HIM was 75k and longest run was about 16. But I did some squad sessions that past 4k.

The club races may be enough, and in saying that I haven't done any bricks since start of October with the exception of 3 club races. But I'd still squeeze some in if you can. It's a bloody awful feeling running off the bike and the more you can acclimatise yourself for it the better. The quicker you'll go straight off the bike feeling bad, and the faster you'll recover.

[ratdog]

yes you can do it.

15 weeks is a long time and you wont have too many probelms along the way if you dont go too crazy. Im willing to say that you can and will be feeling very confident of a good time once you line up on the start line on the day, on the proviso you dont get injured along the way.

Best of luck.

keep us posted.

Start a thread with the race you intend to compete in and see the others join with u.

[Ewoksta]

Being from Newy I am guessing that the Oly is part of the Sparke Helmore triathlon weekend.

15 weeks is ample time to be able to get fit for it. I would start doing brick sessions about 8-6 weeks out from race day. As goughy said they dont have to be long but you need to do them.

Swim 3 times a week, with a squad if you can and get a coach to look at your technique. Don't try and swim fast at the beginning of the 15 weeks as you will tire quickly in the session and then feel like you are not getting anywhere. use the next 8 weeks to build up your swim base. Time in the water is what you need not to be able to swim double the distance. If you are in a squad you will do this distance anyway.

Bike. 3 sessions min p/w. one session to be a strength session. Go to the hills my boy. they dont have to be steep but not speed humps either. 20 min w/up then 6-8 repeats of 5 mins. couple of weeks of this and then inc it by 1 min. Again 6-8 weeks of this. This can be done in your long ride on the weekend. Long ride would probly only need to be 2hrs. Build up to it.

Run. Long and slow with hills. 80 mins at a slow pace. A speed session during the week and a 40-50 min easy run during the week as well.

Hope this helps and good luck. Keep us informed as to your progress.

Cheers
Andrew

[donnat]

If you can, join a swim squad and go 2 or 3 times a week. You'll cover more distance than you're planning on doing, but it will be more fun, more motivating, you'll get fit quickly, and swimming the black line will get very boring after a while if you're swimming on your own - sometimes when the training gets boring, it might be easy to give up. I'd bike 4 times a week and run at least 4 times a week too. One long ride and three smaller rides, focus on speed on the smaller rides. With running, one longer run, a speed session, and a couple of other runs. There are triathlon programs on various websites if you google beginner triathlon olympic distance, you'll get a feel for what would be a good program. If you're really nervous, you could find someone to write you a 15 week program. Look for the website of your local triathlon club, they will probably have a list of coaches. Wishing you the best of luck

[NewbiefromNewy]

Sparke Helmore was the one I had my eye on.

I know a guy who has Level 2 Swimming and Triathlon Coaching certificates so he is helping me out with stroke correction. I was planning on spending some time by myself in the first instance until I had my technique bedded down and a little bit of endurance under my belt before I joined a squad.

Does the 10% rule apply to each leg of a triathlon in the same way it applies to running generally?

Thanks everyone for all of your feedback. It will be very helpful.

[rohan]

NewbiefromNewy, on Dec 3 2009, 01:20 AM, said:

Does the 10% rule apply to each leg of a triathlon in the same way it applies to running generally?.

the ten percent rule doesn't even apply to everyone in running. eg. person with previous marathon experience can ramp up training faster than a newby.

but anyway, my view is that cycling and swimming can be ramped up way faster as they are easier on the body, but watch your knees in cycling and your shoulders in swimming, particularly if you have some pre-existing weaknesses.

[Wedged]

Can be done Newbie. I did something similar and couldn't swim. Be mindful of your body and its limitation. All the best.

[paigebaby]

The best bit of advice i was given was make sure you get your bike properly fitted. Spend the money and time to get that right and it will protect your back and knee's. Even the smallest adjustment makes a big difference.

[twosheds]

I agree with the brick session comments. I did my first OD at Noosa and even though running is my strongest leg and i run quite fast off the bike ( relative to my normal times and others of similar running ability)- I find it feels extaordinarily hard. worth preparing for this.
twosheds

[Peterhorse]

rohan, on Dec 3 2009, 11:42 AM, said:

.... my view is that cycling and swimming can be ramped up way faster as they are easier on the body, but watch your knees in cycling and your shoulders in swimming, particularly if you have some pre-existing weaknesses.

yes can be done no probs, hope so, i just entered M'ba and hadn't been near the bike or pool for 9 months. been running though.

agree with Rohan the swim and bike picks up pretty quickly compared to running. i'm an ordinary swimmer and find not much difference between 6-10 swims in the last few weeks and two months worth of training so i spend more time trying to improve the bike....and in saying that, i'm a bit time poor so i do 2-3 wind trainer sessions a week for say 35-45mins and only get a road ride in every few weeks for say 40-50k.

also agree with rohan on what to watch 'cause i got too excited on the bike and after the first week back training on it, i now i have ITB problems for the first time in 4 years

you'll be fine, you can obviously finish something you start off a little base, so 15 weeks you'll nail sub 3hrs for sure

[Sunset]

Peterhorse, on Dec 3 2009, 09:03 PM, said:

yes can be done no probs, hope so, i just entered M'ba and hadn't been near the bike or pool for 9 months. been running though.

Same, and I don't intend to go near a pool till about 6 weeks out

[crazycatwoman]

Hey there Newbiefromnewy, I have been wondering what tri to do as my first and now I know. Me and my family and a couple of friends are going to do the short course. Cant wait!

[getfitfast]

Newbiefromnewy..

How is your training going? I'm also a newbie to tris..running is my thing..

Currently learning to swim..progressing OK and learning to cycle..not got out much on it..

Looking for a race to do before I turn 44 on 23rd March..this one sounds like a good option..

I was consider a sprint at Kurnell....but you have got me thinking out this one..

Should I consider it? My cycling and swimming still need a bit of work..

I am also pushing my training early next year for the Canberra marathon in April..is this too much?

[NewbiefromNewy]

Crazycatwoman - good luck to you and your family in the race.

Getfitfast - I'm really not the person to be answering your questions. I have no experience at all and any information I give on the subject of exercise is best disregarded. There are three distances that you could enter - 500/15/4 or 500/25/6 or 1500/40/10 so there is something to suit almost everyone.

As for me, I'm planning on doing the OD. But before that, I will do my first ever tri on 27-Dec at a local club. Just a short one but hopefully it will be successful.

[Heff]

Hey Newy,

You have picked a great tri to do, If you get on the website you should be able to download the course maps. Newy bike course went up through King Edward park 4 times last year, so if you can get down there at least once for your hill training it might be a good idea.

All the best, hope to see you up there

[getfitfast]

Hey..

I'm tempted to do this too...originally a runner so that's OK, swimming coming on OK..doing Coles Classic 1KM..

But the cycling sucks...never had a bike as a kid..just got one a few weeks ago..the best I have done is some simple rides at Homebush..16-18km rides..taking me an hour..

I've checked out some race results and most folks are cycling at +30Km per hour...feel a bit intimidated...though I may improve between now and the race...

My main issue is biking skills and the getting use to crazt cleats!

[twosheds]

getfitfast, on Dec 21 2009, 10:59 AM, said:

Hey..

I'm tempted to do this too...originally a runner so that's OK, swimming coming on OK..doing Coles Classic 1KM..

But the cycling sucks...never had a bike as a kid..just got one a few weeks ago..the best I have done is some simple rides at Homebush..16-18km rides..taking me an hour..

I've checked out some race results and most folks are cycling at +30Km per hour...feel a bit intimidated...though I may improve between now and the race...

My main issue is biking skills and the getting use to crazt cleats!

This is/was me. I can run and swim Ok but hadnt really ridden a bike in a long time. Started off in the Gatorade series- in the bike leg was 18/20 in my age group - and a long long way behind trhe leaders(2nd and 3rd in swim and run) That was in october.-The last race ( a week ago)came 8th out of 18 in bike- getting better. Its just a case of doing it. Ironically I find the bike the easiest in some ways- Im just slow. I still dont feel very confident- we rode up and down Mt Gravatt on the weekend- I clutched my brake so tight all the way down I had reallysore hands arms and shoulders- not legs!. I managed to ride 22km/ hr down Mt Gravatt- I think that must nbe the slowest in history LOl
The run is definitely the hardest part of the trithough- thats what keeps me going- i am a runner- the non runners must find it even tougher than I do