Newbie to Triathlons/Duathlons-Any good starter tips?
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TimRuns
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Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 10062
Location: Coquitlam, British Columbia
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 Posted: 09/26/03 - 00:35 Post subject: Newbie to Triathlons/Duathlons-Any good starter tips?
hey guys,
I recently joined the Tri/duathlon club at school and I'm pretty keen in doing a duathlon/triathlon in March of next year. I'm new to the sport (though running is my forte) and I have yet to get a decent road bike to train on (I havent biked much in 3 years since my mountain bike broke down..). Swimming is my greatest weakness at the moment-I have to work on my endurance and technique. The club basically offers an interval run training session once a week (did the 1st one this week), weekend bike rides, swim classes 1-3 times a week and a cardio workout on a stationary bike at the gym once a week. The swim classes are full and they clash with my classes anyways. So i still have to train mostly on my own. So how do you triathletes organize your training time for all 3 sports? Any good training tips for starters? Any input will be appreciated. Thanks!
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 14462
Location: ON YOUR LEFT!
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Posted: 09/26/03 - 05:17 Post subject:
Go to :: http://www.totalimmersion.net/ and get either Fishlike Freestyle: The Total Immersion Way in a video or Triathlon Swimming Made Easy as a book. I got the book and taught myself how to swim. If you're on a budget and can't afford a coach, that's the best way to go.
Cycling :: Ride lots.
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kobyj
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Joined: 24 Jul 2002
Posts: 2370
Location: Lake Pine
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Posted: 09/26/03 - 07:35 Post subject:
Biking to work (class) is a good way to get some bike time in. Even if you only live 1 or 2 miles away. In that case, on your way home, make the route longer by visiting the other side of town or campus. As for a decent bike, you can start by just getting a cheap one for training over the next couple months. In the months of November/December/January, I believe that prices for used bicycles are the cheapest.
As for swimming, I have not gotten that to fit in my schedule yet. I plan to soon. It will probably be on Sundays only.
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Happy2tri
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Joined: 02 May 2003
Posts: 1003
Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: 09/26/03 - 07:37 Post subject:
Biggest tip I can give you is to learn the proper technique to swim and then continue to improve your technique. I could not swim prior to starting my tri career, but just stayed with it. PH suggests a great book, which also helped me out and I did the same self-teach type of program using the TI book as my basis. If you can get coaching in the pool get it!! In the pool a focus on efficeincy in the water, it will pay off compared to just pushing through workouts without focusing on fish like swimming, pushing on your bouy, and swimming downhill (if you do not know what these things mean, you so need the TI book!!)
Bike, bike, bike and then bike some more.
Most of all have fun, it is a challenge at time to balance all the workouts and to keep all 3 sports moving forward, but once you get into it you cannot imagine not doing all 3.
Good luck.
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TriBob
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Joined: 29 Aug 2002
Posts: 5771
Location: Lost in Transition
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Posted: 09/26/03 - 07:44 Post subject:
Get a copy of Triathlon 101. It will cover all the basics.
Then cross everything off you calendar and write training 
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TimRuns
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Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 10062
Location: Coquitlam, British Columbia
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Posted: 09/27/03 - 00:20 Post subject:
Thanks for the input guys!
I have to organize my training time around my classes-it really seems quite alot to start with.
Kobyj: Yup, I was thinking of getting a 2nd hand road bike to train on though it would be a hassle for me to bring it up and down from school-I live bout 35 km away. Maybe if I can find a place in school to store my bike such as the club office, that would work... I know a few people who are either selling their bikes or were once triathletes (my piano teacher for one believe it or not: he used to do Ironman triathlons in Hawaii and Penticton when he was in his mid to late 20s! maybe I can ask him for some tips as well...) If not, I'll probably post an e-mail to fellow club members who may be selling their bikes.
PH and H2Tri: I still have yet to figure out when to fit swimming in. The book seems like a great idea. I'll see whether i can borrow or buy it from the local library or bookstore. The swim classes won't work for my schedule for both terms unfortunately. If I can't get my swimming up to speed this year, then I'll stick to a duathlon this spring
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genie
Master of Prissface
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 16194
Location: Finding serenity one day at a time
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Posted: 09/29/03 - 15:38 Post subject:
Also try www.trinewbies.com it has info on everything as well as sample training schedules.
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