So you’ve done a good number of half and full marathons, and you are looking for some new challenges. You scroll down your social media feed and notice many people posting up really crazy run times and distances. When you pay closer attention, you find out that they are not run times but bike times, and they seem to be having a lot of fun with it. The bikes, the gears, the change of atmosphere – these are triathletes!
“I know, I could be a triathlete!” you think to yourself. Oh, but could you?
Read on.
As we know, a triathlon, “tri” for short, consists of three disciplines – swim, bike and run. There are also many different tri races out there. There is the Olympic Distance or Standard Distance Tri, which consists of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle, and a 10km run. Go down one level, and there’s a Sprint Distance Tri, which is half of that: 0.75km swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run. Go up one level, is the half Ironman distance, and that is a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and a half marathon (21 km). And then the big one that has just hit our shores again is the Ironman distance, which consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a full marathon (42 km) to cap it off. So, if you are like me, with a full time job and bills to pay, you might find it impossible to find the time to train for one discipline, let alone three! Fret not, for I will help you out.
Training Plan
Time is of the essence when it comes to planning your training schedule. You need to cover all three disciplines in your week and it isn’t going to be easy. First up, find out which discipline is your strongest? That is the one you train the least. If you come from a running background like I did, you would probably not need to spend that much time on running. I only log in a run twice a week these days, and it is more than sufficient. For a runner, this sounds crazy, but I assure you, it does not mean you will be running only twice a week. See “Brick” on the next page.
Swimming is the shortest leg of a triathlon. However, as it is the first part, you would want to be careful not to waste all your energy in your swim. Train swimming enough to ensure you can complete the race distance as energy-efficiently as possible. You would want to keep as much energy as possible for the bike leg. If you can already swim (as in, you would not drown in water), I would recommend 2 to 3 times of swimming per week.
Cycling is the longest leg of a triathlon. To all runners out there who think that having strong running legs will translate to strong cycling legs, you would stand to be corrected. Cycling uses very different muscles and energy systems. If you’re just starting out, this is probably where you’ll spend most of your time training. Your weekend mornings and/or weekday nights will usually be cycling training days. I would recommend 2 to 3 times of cycling a week.
Coaching
Many of us have the basic knowledge of swimming, cycling and running. However, when it comes to putting all three sports together, efficiency is the key to crossing the finish line. If you are inefficient in any one of the disciplines, get yourself a coach. You could do so by joining a class or engaging with a personal trainer to correct your techniques. This applies most to swimming, as good swimming technique is quite difficult to master as an adult. Lucky for us, there are many swim coaches out there who can provide stroke correction classes.
For cycling and running, there are also ways to fine-tune our technique, and having a coach would definitely help. If you would prefer to train without one, then, try looking for a cycling and running group with relatively more experienced athletes on board. They will be able to teach you basic techniques on cycling and running.
Brick Sessions
You may have seen your triathlete friends going on “Brick” training sessions. This refers to doing two disciplines back to back, either a swim, followed by a bike ride, or more commonly, a bike ride followed by a run. As you get closer to your triathlon race, you might want to convert a few of your training sessions into Brick sessions. This is an integral part of training for a triathlon and here’s why:
What makes triathlon so unique, or should I say, triathletes so strong, is the fact that not only do you participate in three different elements but you do them continuously, one after the other. We are talking about putting your body through tremendous change in environment, muscular system and energy system. For an unconditioned body, this can be difficult to overcome. Hence, the “brick” sessions will take you further in your performance, allowing your body to get used to the change of environment, and training it to change its muscular and energy system efficiently. After all, isn’t that what training is all about – adaptation?
Rest, Recover and Recuperate
Because training for a triathlon can be a little more taxing than just training for a single sport, for us mere mortals at least, it is critically important to know that rest is an integral part of your training too. Allow yourself a day or two of no activity to rest your body. On this day, I would recommend a lot of stretching. You can schedule in yoga or a massage on your rest day too.
If you can, get your hands on a foam roller from your nearby sports shop. This self-myofascial massage tool will be your best friend when you begin your triathlon journey. Using the foam roller on you tired muscles will help you to recover much faster, so when the next training session comes, you’re raring to go again.
If there’s a problem in finding people to train with, we may have a solution for you. Join our triathlon camp this September!
Check out our Facebook page “Kia Kaha Fitness” for more information. Good luck with your training. And see you at the finish line!
Karen Siah
Karen Siah is a certified Fitness Coach and Founder of KiaKaha Fitness – a fitness company which provides personal training, group exercise classes and corporate fitness programs. Being the only girl in her family, Karen grew up strongly influenced by her father and brothers who are active swimmers, runners and triathletes. She started as a rhythmic gymnast in school and competed in national gymnastics meets. Now, she is a keen marathon runner and triathlete and has competed in many marathons and triathlons. She has a strong passion for living fit and healthy, and aims to spread the good word of an active lifestyle to the people around her, with hopes of brightening the future for fellow Malaysians through healthy living. Follow her article series in Running Malaysia Magazine for tips and advice on how you can live a healthier and fitter lifestyle. If you have any queries, you can contact her via e-mail at karen@kiakaha.com.my.
