Triathlon Journey

Couch To Triathlon Training – Week 5 Update – Triathlon Swimming

Hello Runner-

Sorry about the delay in the update. We did some upgrades behind the scenes to our website, and we were really busy making sure they were functional before wanting to add too much new stuff. Thanks as always for following the journey.

I am 100% healthy again, and have been hitting training pretty hard the past week. I jumped right back in on Monday with a fun, taxing swim, and then Tuesday, I tackled a killer bike ride that had me climbing about 600 feet over 5 miles. Similar to the path the actual race course will take me on. Add 2 runs, and one more day in the pool to that, and it was definitely a good week.

Let’s talk about the water (Triathlon Swimming)…

The one thing that people usually say to me when they find out I am training for a Tri is “I’d do that, but I just don’t like swimming.”

I think the real problem with swimming is that we spend most of our lives on land, and not in water that we’re not really comfortable when it comes to submersing our bodies in a liquid, and only breathing every few seconds.

If you’ve followed my training, you know I am pretty analytical, and spend a lot of my time reading and studying video to train more efficiently. This last week, I read that the Oxygen cost to increase pace by 10% during the three events in a Tri are as follows:

Running +10%
Cycling +25% to 30%
Swimming +60% to 80%

WOW… that’s a big cost to increase your swimming pace by only 10%.

The Big Takeaway…

The biggest takeaway for this is that you’re likely not going to win the triathlon during the swim, but you can lose it. Especially in a sprint Tri, it is a lot easier to gain 1-2 minutes on the bike, or during the run than it will be during the swim.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t focus on your swimming, but know that completing the swim efficiently and with extra energy will put you in a better spot than finishing as fast as possible, but completely exhausted.

So REEELLLAAAXXXX…

I concentrate much of my swimming training on technique, a two beat kick, and stroke length rather than stroke rate. And a huge amount of my triathlon swimming training focusses on relaxation.

I’m pretty comfortable in the water, my Marine Corps swim survival training forced me to be very comfortable in open water, but I still use a lot of time (25%-50% of training) practicing being comfortable in the water. This includes being “that guy” in the slow lane.

Walking, Coasting, or Sinking…

If you are struggling during a run, you can always walk… if you need a break on a bike ride, you coast, but if you are struggling during a swim, there is only sinking and drowning.

For a lot of people that is what they think, but, without practicing comfort in the water, there’s a state of instant panic that hits you even just entering the pool. Couple that with the other 100+ people swimming a race with you, and the swim induced panic attack can start even before you hit the water.

So, in my training, I spend a lot of time warming up on my back, as in floating. Practicing deep breaths, keeping my head streamlined, hands down by my side, and resting/floating on my lungs. This is my “walk” during the swim. If I find myself struggling, or my technique breaking down, I can roll over to my “safe” place and regroup.

It’s not how I a planning to do my race, but if something happens (get kicked, swallow water, kick someone else) it will help me keep calm and continue. It also provides that sense of safety and security knowing you have a way to be relaxed in a foreign environment.

I also do a lot of my training in the shallow end. I know this isn’t game day style training, but this helps a lot with my focus on efficiency. I know that if I am slapping the water, or picking my head up too much, my feet will go to the bottom, and it forces me to be conscious of my technique. It also allows me the opportunity to stop and adjust should I need to work on something such as my body roll, or breathing timing. The shallow end can be a crutch for some, but it can also be an important part of “perfect” practice.

Swim vs. Survive…

I know I spent all of this post focussing on the swim portion of the Tri, but again, it’s the one I’ve had the most feedback about, and the one people are most consumed with.

I also know that my approach may not be the one the magazines are writing about, or the way the elites are training, but it’s the way I see it, and the way I am approaching it. Making it to T1 with extra energy is the way I see my race happening.

We’ll see… if I survive the first Tri, I may train differently next time.

Until next time…

Just Keep ~~Running~~ Swimming

What Not to Do in Triathlons

Oh the faux pas to be had in a triathlon event are seemingly endless. Some people enter a triathlon with the hopes of winning, some with the hopes of not dying, and some just would like to not make a complete fool of themselves. If you fall into the last category, we are here to help you! Here are some ideas for what not to do in triathlons.

1. Don’t go to Slow Twitch with a question that belongs on Beginner Triathlete.

The forums. Oh, it happens every day. You landed in the wrong forum at the wrong time with the wrong question. They can tear you apart in the Slow Twitch forum. Make sure to research your questions before taking them there or just be safe and save slow twitch for after you have a few races under your belt.

2. Don’t be discouraged if you are the only one left on the course.

What if you are really slow, blow a tire and end up walking your bike, or just plain bonk and drag yourself to the finish line?

You never know what the future holds and sometimes those people get the best finish line welcome. It could be the start to a whole new life. Just finish, no matter what. Who cares about course time limits? If you complete the course you finished the race.

Just let me wipe that tear before moving on…Okay.

3. Be prepared to change a bike tire during the race.

Can you change a bike tire? Make sure you can and have the supplies to do so. It doesn’t matter how short your event. A flat tire is no reason to quit and walking your bike 8 miles is never appealing during a race. Sometimes even the pro’s can neglect being properly prepared:

4. Remember to take your helmet off when you transition from bike to run!

After your helmet has been on for a while, you can just forget it is there. When you pull into transition and drop off your bike, drop off your helmet too. Otherwise, you may be running with that helmet on for the next 3 to 26 miles.

5. Don’t assume that everyone wants to hear about your triathlon all of the time.

Some will want to know all about your training and some might not. But there is a phenomenon that happens to a triathlete, there should be a name for it. A triathlon can be all consuming (including your brain and more importantly your mouth). It can be amazing how much conversation there is to be had about training, nutrition, preparation, and race day. Be careful about how much you talk about it and to who. There is a whole community of people who can talk all day long about triathlon. Find your allies and protect your friends and family.

See the couch to sprint triathlon training plan here.

Find out what gear you may or may not need here.

Get some easy tips and tricks for each event here.

Some tips and tricks for transitions here.

Read about James’ (StrideBox Founder) first, second, third, and fourth week of training.

Subscribe to StrideBox here.

Couch To Triathlon Training – Week 4 Update

Hello Runner,

Well, week 4 is close to being over, and as an update, I am still sick, although recovering.

Wednesday I finally went to the doctor (after 11 days of sickness) and begged for something. My doc prescribed some decongestants, and an antibiotic o be taken only if I wasn’t getting better. To which I answered “I am not getting better, that’s why I am here. I am on day 3 of a strong 5 day antibiotic series, and I am feeling much better, although not yet at 100%.

So, today, it’s back to the pool, and finally getting back to training.

This brings up a fear of mine… The Worst Case Scenario…

Let’s be honest, my 2 week on, 2 week off training plan already sounds like a “What not to do when getting ready for a Triathlon” book, but there are still a lot of other worse things that could happen.

I touched on it a bit in my first or second post… what about worst case scenarios. What if I get a flat tire during my bike ride, or get kicked in the head during the swim, etc… some of those problems I can prepare for, but others, which likely happen more frequently, are difficult, if not impossible to train and prepare to avoid.

Knowing how to change a tire on a bike is a start, and I know how to do that. I need a small kit to carry on my bike to do so. Getting kicked in the head during the swim is another story. I’ll have to ask Sarah about some things that may happen… she really helped me out on my transition questions in her last post here.

Only 8 weeks left… YIKES…

I’ve only been at this thing for two weeks, and then effectively sick for week 3 and 4, so in looking at the training schedule, I am way behind. My focus now is to get the most out of my training time. No wandering or waiting, no taking extra time at the pool to get training aids, or wait for the interval clock to point straight up (although that helps).

Starting week 5 in the training plan, we are switching from a time based training to a distance based. This is great, as it will be a better preparation for the actual race. The distances (600M swim, 12 Mi. Bike, 3 Mi run) are what I am training for, no more, no less. I don’t think there is any reason to train for a longer run, or bike.

It would, however be nice to know that I could swim 1000-1200 meters in one session, being that I will have to get right into the bike after the swim. It would be a good psychological advantage to know that I can handle 1000-1200 meters on race day when I only need to go 600. I’m not worried about the swim, but I know I’ll need energy left over afterward.

To maximize my training time, I am going to push, while focussing on technique. For me this means no music (there’s none on race day), and a mental switch to being conscious of what my body is doing. I can’t “check out” for 10 miles on the bike. I really need to focus on my technique and maximizing my time… I still may sneak some music in… But no more text messaging in the pool…j/k.

Let’s Get Moving…

I’ve been pretty dormant for 2 weeks, as whatever I have/had has forced me to rest a lot. It’s time to get moving. Although I know that I may not be tops come race day, even in my age group, I still want to put on a good showing… Then I can share all my accolades… just like the video below:

Until next week…

Just Keep Running

Couch to Sprint Tri: Transitions

Possibly the most daunting portion of a triathlon is the transition. With a little preparation, you can reduce your race anxiety and time in transition.

#1 – Get some practice in for your transition before race day!

It can be easy to overlook the transition in your training. But, you don’t want to end up tangled in a wetsuit pretzel 1/3 of the way through your event. Knowing what the transition is going to feel like will make your whole race go smoother and make it more fun too.

#2 – Keep it clean!

You will be working in a tight space with many other people. Be respectful. Lay a small towel to put your stuff on and keep your gear organized and within your space.

#3 – Every second counts!

Whether you are trying to win your race or just finish, remember that every second counts in triathlon. Transitions can be 90 seconds or 20 minutes. When you are just trying to get your bearings, time can pass you by without you even noticing. This doesn’t need to be the portion of the event that hinders your success.

#4 – Bring extra stuff!

When heading out on the bike or run, you don’t want to carry everything but the kitchen sink with you. But, it is ok to have spare and extra items in your transition area. Don’t be afraid to have a little more nutrition than you might need, extra socks if you wear them, supplies to change a bike tire, a garbage bag in case you need to cover your items in bad weather. The name of the game is: be prepared.

Here is a video with great ideas on how to go through transition and many other time saving tips:

Here is a video with instructions on a good way to remove that wetsuit:

See the couch to sprint triathlon training plan here.

Find out what gear you may or may not need here.

Get some easy tips and tricks for each event here.

Read about James’ (StrideBox Founder) first, second, and third week of training.

Subscribe to StrideBox here.

Couch To Triathlon Training – Week 3 Update

Hello Runner,

An interesting thing happened this week… I got sick. As in body-ache, sore throat, dizzy in-bed kind of sick. This did not play well into the 12-week training plan we had setup to be ready for the Dechutes Dash on July 18. I really wanted and need to train, but my body was telling me no. So far, it’s been 5 days of sickness, and I am going to attempt a light bike ride tomorrow assuming everything goes good today.

In talking to people about my sickness and training plan, they all came to the same conclusion I had… When you put your body under stress training for an endurance event, something has to give, and many times your immune system may be weakened as your body recovers from training. (I’m not a doctor, but that’s what I’m told, and it makes sense.)

It was really frustrating not being able to train this week. I had 2 weeks of great training, and getting the routine and schedule down. The swimming was coming along nicely, and all of the sudden… BANG… out of commission for 5 days.

Luckily, it is not event week, or it did;t happen the day of the event (knock on wood if you got it). I still have 9 more weeks to train, and I’ll likely be adding an extra swim session in each week to make sure I can get the technique learned and honed to precision by event day. Sarah put together a great technique post earlier this week, check it out here.

Let’s Talk Newbie Tips:

It’s been amazing to me how much there is to learn just simply going from running events to a triathlon. To start with, I’ve never changed clothes (twice) in any running event I’ve ever done. I’ve always started and ended in the same shoes, and never had to start barefooted.

I picked up the latest edition of Triathlete Magazine last week, and in my sickness, actually had a little time to sit and read it. It had a great little article about some mistakes to avoid. They were simple tips, but really are great… I don’t want to show up at my first try looking like a total idiot.

Here were my 3 favorites mistakes to avoid (Thanks Triathlete Magazine):

1. Don’t park your bike in a big gear. (Make sure it will be easy to get started out of T1 by leaving your bike in a higher gear.)

2. Don’t put your timing chip over your wetsuit. (Put it on under the wetsuit so you won’t struggle t get the wetsuit off.)

3. Don’t wait to put sunscreen on. (Put the sunscreen on before they inscribe your number on you, or else you’ll smear black stuff all over your body.)

These are some little things, but these are things I didn’t think about at all until reading this article. I do have some common sense, but in the chaos of event day, I could have made all of these mistakes.

Let’s Talk Transitions…

We’ve talked about training for the course before, so we have to also prepare for the transition areas that are provided.

Some of the larger Triathlons (IronMan, etc.) have avery involved transition process which includes warming tents and separate changing areas for men and women. Some events have single transitions (where you will go from swim-bike, then return to go from bike-run) and others will have 2 different transition areas.

There’s also some transition operations that give you a bag, and your clothes that you want to change into are in the bag, and when you leave the transition area, you drop your bag off with all the clothes you changed out of in it.

In the case of the Dechutes dash, there are two separate transition areas, so I’ll have to have a setup for swim-bike, and bike-run as they will not be in the same place. It looks like, by reading the website that there will not be a bag system, and I’ll be able to both lay out my gear, as well as leave my gear when I leave the transition.

What I put in my transition bag is another story. Obviously, there are things that I will need (running shoes, etc), but what about things like sunglasses, fuel, sunscreen? I’ll have to have a talk with Sarah, and she can post that on the blog next week.

Thanks for checking out the progress. I am feeling a bit better right now, and if all is good, I will get out for a training session tomorrow.

Until next time, Just Keep Running,