Triathlon Journey

Couch to Tri: Technique Tips and Tricks

This week we hope to give you a few simple and easy tips for each of the three sports to help you move faster while saving that precious energy.

Swimming

The power in swimming comes from your hips. There should be little movement in your knees when kicking. Think about using those glutes and letting your hips do most of the work for your lower body.

You should be able to lay your body against the surface without moving. Next time you are in the pool, give it a try. Hands together in front of you lay flat against the surface of the water…do your feet and hips sink? They shouldn’t. Get those hips lifted to the surface.

Get out into the open water. I cannot stress enough that pool swimming is very different from open water swimming. Do not discount the value open water practice can have.

Here are some tips from the pros:

Cycling

When cycling you should feel smooth and fluid. No portion of your movement should be harder or easier than another unless you are changing your speed.

No rocking in your seat. Your hips and shoulders shouldn’t be moving around as you pedal. All of that movement is in the cycling in your legs.

Never stop peddling, even when coasting downhill.

Push the pedals with a flat foot. Pushing with either your toes or through your heels will fatigue some of the smaller muscles, like your calves.

Running

My favorite running tip is to picture your feet grabbing the ground and throwing it behind you. Naturally we thinking about falling forward, but throwing the ground behind you can be a game changer.

How your arms move can really help or hinder your run. Bend the arms and move them back and forth. Elbows should stay in and hands shouldn’t cross your body.

Keep the cadence of your feet quick and don’t let your stride be too long.

Here is a great video to help with running form:

See the couch to sprint triathlon training plan here.

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

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

Subscribe to StrideBox here.

Couch To Tri – Week 2 Update

Hello Runner –

Well, week 2 of training is almost over, and it’s hard to believe that we are already only 10 weeks from event day. Plenty of work still to do. Check out week 1 update here…

Big swim day today. Even though the training plan had only one day of swimming included this week, I’ve been to the pool twice so far, and will be heading this afternoon as well. The first two days were totally technique based, and were spent working on efficiency in the water.

After last weeks training, I did a lot of research on triathlon swimming, and came upon a fellow named Terry Laughlin who teaches “Total Immersion” swimming. I won’t bore you with the details, but I have bought his book, and will be self-teaching/emulating his style. You can check out Total Immersion here, or you can do a search on YouTube.

Let’s Talk About Gear.

Sarah talked a lot about gear last week, you can go back and see it here.

Since this is a first Tri, I am not planning to purchase a lot of gear. I do want to be comfortable, and I want to make sure I am not wasting energy (efficiency). My old adage says that Michael Jordan could beat me one one one barefoot, so $200 shoes probably won’t help me. (technique and repetition will.)

During the swim i’ll likely get a wetsuit. I know for many Tris, the event, or someplace will offer rental wetsuits. We’ll get to that when we get closer to the event. I did however invest ($25) in a european style swimsuit (Speedo like) for training. I found that swimming in a regular suit felt like a parachute was dragging behind me. I’m slow enough in the water as it is.

As for the bike, I have a $200 Schwinn I got from Walmart a few years ago that rides well, and will be my bike of choice. I did but some used aero-bars on eBay that will eventually replace the commuter style handlebar on the bike. I also will be wearing regular shoes with no clips or cages or anything on my bike. For the time it may gain me, it is not worth the investment. Also, It will save me time in changing on the transition from bike to run… I’ll wear the same shoes.

For the run, I’ve got my shoes and don’t need much more. I’ll have a nutrition sampling at T1 and T2 (Thanks StrideBox) that will be there when I transition, so I can pick up something if I want, or leave it. I like the option to carry something. I may also just down a gel and some water while in transition and that should carry me the final 3 miles.

Let’s talk about the course…

I’m lucky as I chose a Tri that is in my local area, and I want to be smart and efficient, so I am training for the course. The river where the swim will take place is about 2 miles from my house, and because I have access, I will likely swim, bike, and run the actual course, although not necessarily at the same time. You can see the course here. Every event (the good ones at least) should have a page like this that will show all the course info for you before you arrive.

But if the course isn’t near you, check it out before you arrive. I know the swim is in a relatively calm area of the river, but will take the time to learn where the strong current runs. I know the first 6 miles of the bike has an elevation gain of 500+ feet, but the downhill is -500 feet, so I am training accordingly. The run is pretty flat, but also half paved, half flat dirt trail, so I will be training on both surfaces.

Questions for the week ahead…

One thing that I have noticed is that I am very disoriented getting out of the pool after a training swim. Sarah told me to try earplugs during my swim to see if that helps. I really would hate to jump out of the swim on event day only to wander around like I would during a dizzy bat race. So I’ll give that a try next week.

Also, I am wondering a little about what to wear on event day. Is a wetsuit needed? The event is July 18, middle of summer, but the river is fed by snow melt, so will likely be in the 60 degree range. I also don’t want to restrict my movement, or take extra time getting out of a wetsuit at the transition. (Will my socks be wet the whole time?)

What about worst case scenarios? Say I get kicked in the head during the swim? Or what if I get a flat tire? What is someone steals my water bottle at t2? I’m sure Sarah will get into that at some point.

Also, tracking my trainings, what’s the best? What goals should I be hitting? Where should I expect my times to be? How slow will my run be compared to just running?

I’ve added a few things to my training bag as well, so maybe I’ll lay that out next week.

If you have any questions for us about my training, or Sarah’s plan, leave a comment below, or tag us on Twitter with #sTRIdeBox.

Until next week, Just Keep Running.

Couch to Sprint Tri: What Triathlon Gear is Needed?

Some would say that the number one rule for a new triathlete is, “Don’t look faster than you are.”

Last week, James had a number of questions about what gear is needed. The triathlon gear options are endless and it can be tough to weed through it all to figure out what you really do need and what can wait until you have fallen, head over heels, in love with triathlon.

So, you can be this person if you want, but you don’t have to be:

Clothing:

I do recommend a tri-suit if it is reasonable for you. Go find a good deal though. Don’t wear your bike shorts in the water! They have cushioning that could weigh you down for the rest of the event. You can wear a swimsuit if a tri-suit isn’t reasonable. It should be an athletic suit that is tight fitting with no frills (for safety purposes).

Women often wear a sports bra and spandex shorts in the water. Then you can toss a bike shirt on after the swim.

Swim:

A wetsuit is usually worth it if you are swimming in a colder climate. These can be rented to reduce cost. You can go without if the water is warm enough. The wetsuit will help you swim faster, but will take time to remove in transition. If you do choose to wear a wetsuit, make sure it is a triathlon wetsuit. There is a difference and it is a USAT rule.

You must wear a swim cap, but these should be provided for you at the event. Just be prepared for it. Water safety is extremely important in triathlon.

Goggles are a worthy investment. Spend the few extra dollars to get a pair of swimming goggles that will fit properly and stay there. Anything that can give you comfort and reduce anxiety in the swim is beneficial.

If you find that you are dizzy when you get out of the water after a swim, you may want to think about ear plugs. They are a small investment that can help you avoid any embarrassing crawling to your first transition.

Bike:

You do need a bicycle. You do not need a special bicycle. You may want to consider putting road tires on your bike if you do not have a road or triathlon bike available. The better the bike, the smoother your ride. But, a sprint triathlon will be relatively short and might not be worth the potential thousands of dollars you could spend.

I do not suggest buying clip-in pedals and shoes until you are sure you will be cycling regularly. They can be pricey and there is a learning curve to getting in and out of them. It is better to spend your time logging miles rather than learning to start riding all over again. But, as soon as you have converted to a cyclist, clip-ins are a good idea.

Aerobars are not necessary. But if you feel like you want them, get them. It will give you an opportunity to rest those muscles from swimming that help you with good form on the run.

If your bike has suspension, you should lock it up for the triathlon and road training. You will lose energy through the suspension when it isn’t needed.

You do need a water bottle on your bike. Stay hydrated during your event!

Don’t forget your helmet. It is required. There is no triathlon with out a bike helmet.

Run:

Technically, you do not need anything new for your run. But, you want to be comfortable. You may want to have a fuel-belt to carry water, gels, chews, etc. on the run. By this time you may start running out of energy and it is always good to keep something on you, in case the course doesn’t have something the moment you need it. You won’t need anything excessive though. That extra weight can also slow you down, so get a good idea of your nutrition needs.

You should have a good pair of running shoes. It is worth the price to go to your local running store and get the right shoes for you.

Transition:

Bring a towel to put your stuff on for your transitions.

Have an extra pair of socks. When you don’t have all of the fancy gear, the run and bike can get a bit soggy.

Have a plastic bag for your gear in case it is raining.

The main point: A triathlon shouldn’t cost a fortune.

You can beg, borrow, and…well, we don’t recommend stealing, but you know what I mean.

If you have endless money, by all means, have at it. But you don’t have to buy it all. Triathlon can be for anyone.

See the training plan here.

Read about James’ (StrideBox Founder) first week of training here.

Subscribe to StrideBox here.

Couch To Tri – Week 1 Update

Hello runner,

This is James, for those of you who don’t know, almost three years ago, I launched StrideBox, and since then, it’s grown quite a bit, and although the endless hours, and many sleepless nights have helped it grow, they have also led me to a somewhat less active life than before. No time for training, no events, etc… In other words, all work and no play makes James a dull boy.

So in a fed up fit, I decided to get back to training and “competing” in events (participating is more like it.) I’m still working hard to grow and improve Stridebox, but as the saying goes… I don’t find time to run, I make time… It’s time to make time.

If you read Sarah’s kickoff article last week, you’ll know I’m starting with an event I’ve never done, a Sprint Triathlon… if you haven’t read and seen the training schedule, Click Here to read it.

Okay, with that into out of the way, I’ll be chiming in every Friday (from here on out) to give an update to the week, how my training went, and raise any questions about Triathlon training, fueling, racing, and anything else. I invite you to send your questions to us on twitter using the hashtag #sTRIdebox. If you don’t follow us on twitter, Go Here.

This Week – Balance and Efficiency

In these updates, I want to share a couple of struggle points for me, and how I’ve overcome them, plus any Tri-related questions I am running into. Please feel free to provide some feedback, and look for Sarah’s answer on the Monday edition.

The first one is balance…

…As in work/life/training balance. I know this is one many people struggle with, and I hit that head on this week with training. Even though it was only a paltry 3 days last week, I found it hard to squeeze in the training to fit the schedule.

Between getting the kids to school, putting in precious family time, and getting the next month’s StrideBox planned and put together, there were small bits of time, and getting changed, and getting on a bike or getting to the pool, or finding a good route to run was taking up much of the training time.

So, here’s what I did about it going forward:

#1: Scheduled workouts for certain times and days. I’m so easily scheduled for meeting, I will just treat this like a meeting and have it pre-scheduled. That way the times are always available.

#2: Packed any and all workout stuff in a bag that I’ll keep with me. This includes goggles and swimsuit as well as a change of underwear, running shorts and socks. That way, I’ll have no excuse to getting out and doing something even if only the shortest time window opens. As the boyscouts said, Be Prepared.

#3: Got the kids in swimming lessons. Being that I don’t have a pool in my backyard, I was wondering how to get my swimming time in. Well, my wife and I put the kids in swimming lessons. This gets them in the pool an hour a day 2x/week, which gives me some time to head to the lap pool to get my training in.

#4: I quit worrying about the perfect swim/bike/run, and just went. In between starting StrideBox and now, we moved to a new city, and I have no idea of the good running/biking trails around here. I also know that the pool will be crammed at times, and getting a perfect swim in may be out of the question. But I know the endurance will only come with time, and along the way, I am sure I’ll find the awesome trails and top secret swim times at the pool.

Big focus/question – Efficiency

In my past in the Marine Corps, we had a saying, “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”*

During my training sessions this week, I struggled a bit with them, but not a lot. I do know though that if something doesn’t change, I’ll be in trouble come July 18th.

It’s because my technique is bad. There, I said it.

The swim especially. Making through a 15 minute swim was OK, I used to be a great swimmer (Thanks Marines), but I haven’t swam a lot lately, and knowing that I’ll have to get out of the water, and jump on a bike for 12 miles, then run for 3 miles. I know I’ll need some extra energy.

The swim is a downriver one, so I am not concerned about choppy waves, but I have to streamline my technique to make it as efficient as possible in order to keep up, and have the energy to jump out and with to bike mode. Same goes when switching from bike to run. Efficiency will be everything.

This week, I will still be pulling the week 2 schedule that Sarah posted HERE. But I will put a lot more emphasis on technique in the run, bike, and swim. I think doing this early will lead not only to more efficient racing, but also more efficient training. Figuring out the places I can save energy while not sacrificing time will be a big help on race day.

See you next Friday!

That’s all for this update. Like I said, I’ll be updating you on the progress all the way through race day on July 18. If you have any questions or help, feel free to send us a note on Twitter with hashtag #sTIRdebox

Until next time, Just Keep Running.

* We likely stole this from the SEALS.

Couch to Sprint Triathlon for the Busy _______ (mom, businessperson, etc.)

James, the founder of StrideBox, has been working hard over the last 2 years to grow this company and hasn’t made time for his own events. But, now he is taking some of that time back and decided to make the jump over to give his first Triathlon a shot.

Being the resident certified personal trainer in the office, I have been tasked with building a training plan for James that is realistic for his life and schedule. It also needs to get him to the finish line of the Deschutes Dash Sprint Triathlon. We wanted to share this journey so we will be posting twice a week. Once a week I will post about beginner questions for Triathlon. We will talk about gear, nutrition, transition, and any other topics that come up during James’ training. James will also be posting once a week to share about his training progress.

We have included the simple plan that I have put together for James to use over the next 12 weeks. You may notice it is a bit lighter than other plans. This is on purpose. I want to prevent burnout, illness, and injury. Too much, too soon will often suppress an athletes immune system, causing them to lose a week of training. We want none of that!

We are starting off a bit on the easier side and just focusing on time rather than distance to ease in to the training. The plan is never more than 4 days a week, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a 5th workout day. If time permits, the weakest area will get an extra workout. Everyone is built differently and struggles with a different section of the triathlon. I wanted to leave room to focus on the weakness. After the first couple of weeks, the goal is to have a 5th workout when possible repeating a previous workout of the week.

The training times are short because sprint triathlons aren’t long (hence the name sprint). You need consistent training and some brick workouts (workouts where you do more than one exercise in one session) in order to be successful.

James won’t be going out to buy all of the latest gear either. He will proudly mount his $200 bicycle, lace up his StrideBox branded running shoes, and squeeze into a used or rented wet suit. Save all of that money spending for after you fall in love with triathlon!

We hope you follow James on his journey.

Download a PDF version of the Triathlon Plan.

Sarah Tucker has been a certified personal trainer for more than 10 years, is an RRCA Running Coach, and is part of the StrideBox team. She has worked with athletes to prepare for both running and triathlon events and worked for companies putting the events on.

Want more? We have the whole training series linked below. You can find tips, tricks, and training updates.

James’ Week 1 Training Update

Sprint Triathlon Gear

James’ Week 2 Training Update

Triathlon Technique Tips and Tricks

James’ Week 3 Training Update

Triathlon Transitions

James’ Week 4 Training Update

What Not To Do

James’ Week 5 Training Update

Triathlon Rules

James’ Week 6 Training Update