Triathlon: I need a plan!

Oryx · 08-09-2010 11:39am #1

Dipped my toe into Triathlon this year, and I liked it.

Im terrible at it, but getting there. Ive done a few sprints this year, but as usual Ive got my eye on bigger things.

I want to get from pretty ok sprint distance, to Half Ironman by next July. Im not even going to ask if its possible. Hell yeah its possible, just needs a lot of sweat and a few tears.

My problem is that Im a bit all over the place. Im training lots, but I dont have a fixed training plan or schedule, and Im finding myself getting tired. I do events without any goal in mind, just doing all kinds of stuff. So I need to get a plan, so I train the right way, rather than just wearing myself out on the wrong things, and I need to pick events that gradually up my distance and ability. For the first time in my life, I want to get smart about this, and not just fly by the seat of my pants into it.

Can anyone recommend a coach, or someone who can help me plan out the next 8 or so months, both for training and the events should and should not enter? I am in a club, they do have a training schedule, but I need someone who can educate me a bit on what I need.

Cheers.

DustyBin · 08-09-2010 11:55am

Hey Oryx - must be that end of first season-itit that we both seem to have

I know you asked about a coach, but I've this week started making my plan for next year using the Joe Friel book The Triathletes Training Bible
It seems very popular with other lads and ladies around here, and I reckon that I'm going to be able to get an awful lot out of it. Basically you create your own training plan with your own specific goals & objectives. Lots of detail in it too.
Fairly cheap from bookdepository.co.uk (€13.70 delivered) if you fancy a punt on it, or you can borrow mine to have a flick through if you like either

Oryx · 08-09-2010 12:01pm

Just ordered that.

Got to stay with the competition.

BTH · 08-09-2010 12:10pm

Can I borrow it?? I'll bring it somewhere sunny!!

connundrum · 08-09-2010 12:25pm

I have The Bible, but am really very crap at planning my own stuff.

I am scattered and tired, but really need to join a club as its only when someone else structures my training that I follow a set plan.

Maybe OP could look at joining a club too?

Macanri · 08-09-2010 12:32pm

Hey Oryx,

Good to se your enjoying it - that will make the training all the easier!

I'm not the man to be advising on a plan as I haven't been following one really through the year, but had looked at a few and developed my own.

Check out beginertriathlete.com, limericktri club training plan for joey hannon oly distance. http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1918

Basically what I have done for a while now is 2 or 3 sessions of each discipline. Which obviously means double sessions some days and also 1 or 2 days of rest per week. Also build in a brick session each week, swim/bike, or bike/run.

Then you need to think about what you are doing in each discipline each week - Swim: session of short sharp stuff, session of longer streadier swim. Similar for Bike and Run.

Oryx · 08-09-2010 12:35pm

connundrum wrote: »

Maybe OP could look at joining a club too?

Im in a club, but while its very sociable and I do get to some of the training, its pretty much every (wo)man for himself as we all have different goals. And the bike sessions they do just dont suit me.

connundrum · 08-09-2010 12:57pm

Oryx wrote: »

Im in a club, but while its very sociable and I do get to some of the training, its pretty much every (wo)man for himself as we all have different goals. And the bike sessions they do just dont suit me.

Well you're one step ahead of me so

This was the plan I was following through the beginning of the summer until life got in the way.

Oryx · 08-09-2010 1:23pm

That website looks good, Ill need a few hours to sit down and study it tho. I got to sprint distance with no plan but am feeling drained now, thats why I feel like I need someone to look at me and tell me if the training I do should be changed so Im not burning out.

tunney · 08-09-2010 1:32pm

connundrum wrote: »

I have The Bible, but am really very crap at planning my own stuff.

I am scattered and tired, but really need to join a club as its only when someone else structures my training that I follow a set plan.

Maybe OP could look at joining a club too?

TBH joining a club is over rated. I used to be a huge advocate of clubs but have changed my mind.

Someone else structures training - not yours. Training in most clubs will be based around a generic catch all programme that tries to all things to all men.

Oryx · 08-09-2010 1:44pm

tunney wrote: »

TBH joining a club is over rated. I used to be a huge advocate of clubs but have changed my mind.

Someone else structures training - not yours. Training in most clubs will be based around a generic catch all programme that tries to all things to all men.

I find its good for making me do the hard stuff, like sea swimming when its miserable out. And it is good support wise when you have events together.

But training-wise, I totally agree with you.

shg101 · 08-09-2010 2:52pm

Oryx wrote: »

Dipped my toe into Triathlon this year, and I liked it. Im terrible at it, but getting there. Ive done a few sprints this year, but as usual Ive got my eye on bigger things.

I want to get from pretty ok sprint distance, to Half Ironman by next July. Im not even going to ask if its possible. Hell yeah its possible, just needs a lot of sweat and a few tears.

My problem is that Im a bit all over the place. Im training lots, but I dont have a fixed training plan or schedule, and Im finding myself getting tired. I do events without any goal in mind, just doing all kinds of stuff. So I need to get a plan, so I train the right way, rather than just wearing myself out on the wrong things, and I need to pick events that gradually up my distance and ability. For the first time in my life, I want to get smart about this, and not just fly by the seat of my pants into it.

Can anyone recommend a coach, or someone who can help me plan out the next 8 or so months, both for training and the events should and should not enter? I am in a club, they do have a training schedule, but I need someone who can educate me a bit on what I need.

Cheers.

I signed up for an account at www.beginnertriathlete.com, currently starting a 4-5 month off-season plan. There are lots of plans to choose including IM and HIM plans of various lengths. The workouts are detailed if you pay for the account, which I have. As tunney says, they are still generic plans, so I have modified mine to account for my specific limiters (eg can't swim for s**t). I was looking for a tool that I could log my training to, which the site allows, so I can see on a weekly basis how much swimming/running/biking/other sports I'm doing. Might review this in a separate thread if people are intersted.

EDIT: I also have the Bible, but am also poor at planning from scratch.

ocnoc · 08-09-2010 3:01pm

shg101 wrote: »

I was looking for a tool that I could log my training to, which the site allows, so I can see on a weekly basis how much swimming/running/biking/other sports I'm doing. Might review this in a separate thread if people are intersted.

This could be a completely seperate thread as there is a huge number of websites that people use.

The one I used is - www.attackpoint.org

for instance my log is here - http://www.attackpoint.org/log.jsp/user_3495

There are hundreds of websites that allow you to log training and view millions of graphs and all that jazz. A downloadable one is Sportstracks. I also use the free demo version which works fine

Triathlon: I need a plan!

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