Sprint Triathlon Training: The Basics
No longer reserved for only elite athletes, sprint triathlons have become a mainstream test of endurance. Whether you’re a weekend warrior out for a new challenge, or you’re just starting a fitness journey and want a race to work towards, sprint triathlon training is for you.
The Benefits of Sprint Triathlon Training
1. Excellent cross-training
When you train for a triathlon, you naturally incorporate cross-training as you prepare for all three disciplines, resulting in more well-rounded, full-body strength.
2. Weight management
If losing weight is a goal for you, triathlon training will help you meet the recommended weekly exercise goals for weight loss. Swimming, biking, and running all scorch calories to help you drop pounds.
3. Longevity and heart health
Engaging in moderate-intensity exercise regularly improves heart health and increases lifespan.
3. Personal challenge
Imagine the immense pride you’ll feel crossing that finish line and all the bragging rights that come with it.
Program Components
Consistency
Aerobic fitness improvements come with repeated, consistent training. Swim, bike, and run most days of the week, for at least 8-12 weeks, and you’ll most likely cross the finish line of your race successfully. A structured training program will certainly maximize your preparation and speed, but consistency is the most important component.
Recovery
Recovery is two-fold in a training plan. First, every week, build in at least one rest day. Second, on a big-picture level, scale back training with a lighter volume week every 3-6 weeks. Your body becomes stronger and more adaptable this way. This periodized method also reduces injury risk.
Mental Fitness
The saying “you are what you think most of the time” applies here. If you are struggling with intrinsic motivation and arriving at your first race feeling like you’re going to fail, you just may do so.
Find ways to maximize motivation, set realistic and positive expectations, and control the aspects of training and racing that are within your power (like consistency and recovery).
The Swim
A sprint triathlon swim is short, but often the most nerve-wracking part of the race for new athletes. Here are four key training strategies to put into place:
Train for Longer Distances
Find out the length of the swim in your race, and train so that you’re comfortable swimming a little longer than that. Not only will it help to improve your overall fitness and ease pre-race nerves, but it also serves a bigger purpose.
If you’re doing an open water race and there’s a strong current, you’ll probably end up swimming further since the current causes you to drift.
Boost Speed and Efficiency
Drills improve your form and make you a more efficient swimmer.
Research Logistics
If you will be participating in a race with an open water swim, read up on the logistics so you can familiarize yourself with the start process.
Nervous about starting in a group of people? Seed yourself in the back of the group, on the side furthest from the first buoy. This will reduce the risk of an accidental elbow or kick from being stuck in the middle of the pack.
Practice in Open Water
One of the biggest mistakes that a first-time triathlete might make is to train for an open water swim exclusively with pool workouts. Because of this, some people get to race day, start swimming in water where they can’t see anything and freak out.
Get some practice in the open water during training. Not all your swims need to be in open water but make sure at least a couple of them are.
The Bike
The bike leg can be relatively comfortable or quite challenging, depending on your fitness level and the course. If the course is hilly, you can obviously expect a tougher ride than pancake-flat terrain.
One strategy to practice during training is shifting gears. No matter what type of bike you have — mountain, hybrid, road, or tri — you’ll almost certainly have the ability to shift gears.
The Run
Running may be what comes most naturally, but as the last leg in a triathlon, it often feels like the hardest part. Your body is already tired at this point, but if you train correctly you’ll be able to cross the finish line successfully.
Incorporate “bricks” into your training schedule. Bricks are a back-to-back bike/run workout.
The first time you do this, you might experience a “jelly legs” sensation and find a hard time getting into your run stride. That’s completely normal! Your body will get used to this the more you practice it, making it easier to segue from the bike to the run.
Essential Gear
There are only a few pieces of gear that are absolutely essential for a race.
Gear for the swim includes:
- Bathing suit (+ shorts/shirt), or a triathlon suit
- Swimming goggles
A triathlon suit is made specifically for the sport and includes a little padding to make cycling more comfortable. You can wear a triathlon suit for the entire race. They are very convenient but can be a bit pricey for your first race.
There’s nothing wrong with wearing a bathing suit. . Men can wear spandex-style bathing suit shorts and can add shorts over the suit along with a shirt in T1.
Wetsuits create buoyancy, which can be welcome for those less comfortable with the swim. They also keep you warm; a major benefit in chilly early-season races.
However, it’s definitely not a necessity. You can certainly do a race without one. If you do wear a wetsuit, it goes on over your bathing suit or triathlon suit.
Gear for the bike and run includes:
- Bike (any kind)
- Helmet
You can complete a triathlon on any type of bike. You’ll be faster and expend less effort on a road bike that’s meant for cycling quickly on the streets. But if all you have is a hybrid or a mountain bike, you can definitely still finish successfully on them, it’ll just be slightly more challenging.
If you’ve been cycling for a while, you probably have a pair of cycling shoes that you use to clip into your bike pedals. If that’s the case, you’d use those shoes for the bike portion and switch to trainers for the run. If you don’t have clip-in shoes, you can do the bike and run in the same pair of trainers.
Beginner’s Training Plan
Now that you’re fully versed in all the basics, it’s time to start training.
Whatever training program you decide to follow, make sure have a general level of fitness that allows you to swim a few lengths in the pool, bike for 20 minutes straight, and run for 15 minutes straight. If you cannot do those things yet, work on building a base first to get you there.
When you’re physically ready, then you can start researching online for the training program that would work best for you.
10 Time-Saving Triathlon Transition Tips
The order of activities in a triathlon includes changing from swimming to cycling and then going from cycling to running. You’re switching from one sport to another. Here are some suggestions to assist you in avoiding spending valuable time during the competition.
1. Make a plan well ahead of your race.
The most important of all triathlon transition tips: you need to plan precisely what you need to do in each transition. Once you have a plan, you need to practice it several times until it is second nature.
Ideally, you will practice your transitions on the morning of the race too. However, this may not be possible due to logistics and time constraints.
But, it is a good idea to keep visualizing how you are going to perform your transitions. This will make your transitions virtually automatic, as you won’t need to think about what you need to do next.
2. Decide what you want to do with socks.
You can either wear them or not. But it all depends on your personal preferences and what you are used to.
Some triathletes wear their socks throughout the whole race, even the swim. They do this because it is really difficult to put a dry sock on a wet foot. If you wear your socks the whole time, the sock is already in place, saving you time.
Other triathletes go minimalist and don’t wear socks. If this works for you, you will be on your bike in no time. If going sockless doesn’t do it for you, practice putting your socks on.
You do this every day, right? So why do you need to practice? Because most of us don’t have to put shoes and socks on wet feet while being tired and full of adrenaline.
Work on putting on your shoes and socks with your feet wet until you get used to it and it is something you can do instinctively. This could seem odd, but if you can slip them on speedily, you won’t be bumbling about on the floor as other people pass you. To make it easier and faster to put on shoes and socks, use speed laces on your shoes and put some baby powder in them.
3. Practice taking your swimming cap and goggles off.
This may seem like something that you don’t need to practice. But pro triathletes make it look simple and cool when they pop off their cap and goggles.
They can do it like this due to practice. But you can look like less of an amateur in the triathlon transition without grabbing a handful of hair, getting your cap stuck, and dropping your goggles. You will also be much faster out of the triathlon transition.
4. Practice taking off your wetsuit.
Wetsuits are stretchy and tight, so taking them off quickly can be challenging. In fact, some high-end Ironman races have volunteers to help people out of their wetsuits. But this isn’t something that happens often.
Practice removing your wetsuit several times before your race. You can find some great YouTube videos on how to do it quickly.
5. Attach your shoes to your bike pedals.
Attaching your shoes to your bike pedals is quite an advanced move. But, there is a reason why experienced triathletes do it.
With your shoes already on your bike, you can jump on the saddle, get rolling and slip into your shoes. It takes quite a bit of practice to get to this, but it is the smoothest way to leave T1.
You may have to use a rubber band to hold one of your shoes in an upright position. If you don’t do this, they will both be upside down and difficult to slip into on the move.
You may have to use a rubber band to hold one of your shoes in an upright position. If you don’t do this, they will both be upside down and difficult to slip into on the move.
6. Make your transition area stand out.
A triathlon transition area consists of row after row of bikes, making it difficult to find yours. If your bike is at the end of a row, you should be fine, but you need to make it easy to find if it is in the middle.
In the past, triathletes have used helium-filled balloons to indicate where their bike was. But you can drape a brightly coloured towel or fit a brightly coloured saddle and bar tape to make your bike stand out.
7. Run out of the transition.
When you see people walking out of the triathlon transition, you know they are losing valuable time. This is the time that they have worked hard for during their training.
So, it is best to run with your bike safely to the transition exit. Run with good form, with one hand on your saddle. Keep your bike upright, but tilt it to turn. This is something else you should practice at home or in a parking lot.
8. Don’t stop before the mount/dismount line.
As you ride into the triathlon transition, make sure you speed over the line. Get ready to jump off the bike by slipping your feet out of your shoes. Once you have crossed the line, jump off and run to your transition area with your bike.
9. Make sure you attach stuff to your bike.
You don’t want to have to think about what you need for your ride in the transition. Therefore, it is best to have everything you need for your ride already attached.
For example, your water bottle, gels, sunglasses, tyre levers, spare tube, and Co2 shot should be ready without you even thinking about it.
Your race is over if you don’t have the necessary stuff to repair a puncture. Nobody can help you, as you need to fix any mechanical issues yourself.
10. Consider a tri-suit.
A tri-suit is an all-in-one suit that you wear under your wetsuit. Wearing one means you don’t have to change into any cycling or running clothing in the triathlon transition.
