Are you interested in entering a triathlon race?
If so, you’re in the right place.
No matter your experience level, you can always do with a bit of extra knowledge to give you more of an edge.
Triathlons are unique because not everyone competing has the goal of coming first. Most people have the aim of simply finishing, which is incredibly tough. And that’s probably why you’re here – to gain some useful info on how to prepare and perform well.
Without a doubt, your training program will be one of the biggest factors that determines the results on race day.
So, if you’re curious to learn more about how to give yourself the best chance of finishing a triathlon, and even placing well, take a look below.
Consider Your Experience Level
When it comes to a solid 12-week triathlon training plan, it should be divided up into different sections. This involves getting things off to a start and increasing the intensity over the coming weeks.
So, if you’re a complete beginner, the beginning weeks will give you the chance to determine your base fitness levels. The intensity doesn’t start ramping up until the middle portion of training.
The middle section is the toughest part. These are the weeks where the overall volume and intensity will be increasing weekly. Having said that, since the intensity is higher, you do also get some time to recover as well.
Training programs can vary wildly depending on the person and distance. But what this triathlon training plan will provide you with is an improvement in your fitness. The result is a more effective finishing time.
The last few weeks prior to the race day begins to ease the gas in terms of intensity and volume.
The Swimming Part
You’ll find one of the hardest parts to the whole triathlon is the swimming part. This is because it can become very easy to accidentally lose sight of your end target. The outcome ends up with miles being added on to your trek.
So, the swimming section requires more than just an improvement in your speed and stamina. It also means you have to be vigilante to stay on track as much as possible – which is hard to do in the franticness of race day.
Most competitors opt for the front crawl or freestyle strokes. These are the swimming methods that provide the most speed. So, during your training, try to focus on either one of those, or both.
What a Triathlon Involves
If you are a complete beginner to triathlon races, this section is for you.
Triathlons are started with swimming, followed by biking, and ended with running. Therefore, you need to prepare yourself to get onto a bike in wet clothes. After this, you need to be able to transition smoothly into the running phase to save time.
Between each type of race, there’s a period of transition. This is where you should change your shoes in between the swimming and biking, as well as in between the biking and running.
However, your shoes are the only thing that you can change. The outfit must stay the same throughout.
12-Week Training Plan
Since you want to avoid burning out, we’ve put together a simple but effective 12-week training plan that has you practicing three days a week.
Week 1 |
|---|
Day 1: 30-minute swim |
Day 2: 30-minute bike |
Day 3: 20-minute run |
Week 3 |
|---|
Day 1: 40-minute swim |
Day 2: 50-minute bike |
Day 3: 30-minute run |
Week 5 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim race distance (not time) |
Day 2: Bike race distance (not timed) |
Day 3: Run race distance (not timed) |
Week 7 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim for 40 mins – 10 min intervals |
Day 2: Bike 60 mins (not timed) |
Day 3: Run 30 minutes – 1-minute jog, 30 second sprint intervals |
Week 9 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim for 30 minutes |
Day 2: Bike for 40 minutes |
Day 3: Run for 35 minutes |
Week 11 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim race distance |
Day 2: Bike for 30 minutes |
Day 3: Run for 20 minutes |
Week 2 |
|---|
Day 1: 30-minute swim |
Day 2: 40-minute bike |
Day 3: 25-minute run |
Week 4 |
|---|
Day 1: 40-minute swim |
Day 2: Bike race distance (not timed) |
Day 3: Run race distance (not timed) |
Week 6 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim race distance (not time) |
Day 2: Bike race distance (not timed) |
Day 3: Run race distance (not timed) |
Week 8 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim for 40 mins – 10 min intervals |
Day 2: Bike race distance (not timed) |
Day 3: Run race distance (not timed) |
Week 10 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim for 30 minutes |
Day 2: Bike race distance (not timed) |
Day 3: Run race distance (not timed) |
Week 12 |
|---|
Day 1: Swim for 25 minutes |
Day 2: Bike for 20 minutes – run for 20 minutes |
Day 3: Race day! |
What Do You Need to Start?
So, now that you’ve got a better insight into what the training is like, you may also be wondering what kind of gear you need.
One of the aspects that makes triathlons so great is that the equipment required I very simple.
The essentials include:
And if it’s a sunny day, sunglasses would be useful too!
Conclusion
If you were feeling nervous about completing a triathlon, whether it be for the first or third time, you should know that it’s completely normal.
However, it’s important to ensure you enjoy the day. When it comes to the actual day of the event, having a positive mindset can do wonders.
Have confidence in knowing that you’ve put the hard work in by using the 12-week training plan guide above. All you have to do now is put what you’ve been doing for weeks into practice.
Again, the most important thing is that you enjoy it! And remember, there aren’t many people who can call themselves a triathlete – it’s a major achievement.
