IM 2014 Training Program

[Dinamic]

I agree with Davem, when you are starting out you don't need a coach. I made that mistake and got tired of paying my 500 ZAR per month to a well known coach/athlete in Cape Town after a few months. The program was completely cut-and-paste, he even forgot to take out someone else's name once, and he took 2 weeks sometimes to reply to my emails when I asked for explanations of the sessions. It's just not worth it.

 

I think you can swim, run and ride as much as you can fit into your schedule when you are starting out and you will be fine, you don't need any fancy training sessions. I have 2 tips for you from a beginner's perspective:

 

1. Make sure you do a good portion of your training in conditions similar to your planned race (for example make sure you swim in the ocean sometimes, and not just the pool, and if the run is hilly make sure you run some hills every now and then etc.)

2. Use some of the money you saved by not having a coach and get a real swim coach to look at your stroke, I cut 5 seconds per 100 off my pace immediately by making a single small change to my stroke. Someone like Neil from Dinamic or Natalie from Velocity will help you. (this helps whether you are trying to cut serious time off your swim or just trying to survive!!)

 

Once you get through your first few tris and you start looking at really improving times then you should get a coach, but if your coach tells you they don't need to at least meet you or have a phone conversation with you about your goals and acheivements then you may be getting a cut and paste!

Good point from Ewald99. If the coach has not at least taken into account, your current volume and intensity of training, along with current paces and discussed with you your training availability as well as other aspects of life then it is not possible to do an individualized programme. I have worked with triathletes training for IM races who are based on North Sea Oil rigs, you have to take their realities into account. A standard programme will not work. However for most people starting off the key to success is 1) Get the basics including technique right. 2) Be consistent in your training, 3) Don't rush it.

[Wheelsuck]

TRIATHLETE'S TRAINING BIBLE...by Joe Friel. Wade through the book and you will never need a coach again, you become your own coach.

 

That being said it didn't work for me as I have the attention span of a 2 year old hopped up on Green cooldrink, so went the coach route. So if you need supervision a coach will be better.

 

For a first timer a good coach would be Jonno Rumbelow (Ex Ironguides) or Gerhard de Bruin

[travisza]

TRIATHLETE'S TRAINING BIBLE...by Joe Friel. Wade through the book and you will never need a coach again, you become your own coach.

 

That being said it didn't work for me as I have the attention span of a 2 year old hopped up on Green cooldrink, so went the coach route. So if you need supervision a coach will be better.

 

For a first timer a good coach would be Jonno Rumbelow (Ex Ironguides) or Gerhard de Bruin

Where do Jonno and Gerhard work from? I mean which area in jhb?

 

I'm in Illovo but all coaches seem to be in Fourways area - impossible to make it out there during the week

[TYWALK]

You can google Gerhards Website http://debruintrain.com/ or email him on gerhard84@gmail.com .

[travisza]

Thanks

[Wheelsuck]

Where do Jonno and Gerhard work from? I mean which area in jhb?

 

I'm in Illovo but all coaches seem to be in Fourways area - impossible to make it out there during the week

 

jonno rumbelow 082 761 3119, he is in PE but knows his stuff

[Wheelsuck]

Maybe try Lindsey Parry from HPC think he stays in that area, might be totally wrong

[CarineIM]

Thank you for everyone's help on the training program topic!

 

Slowly but surely I'm getting all the gear together...My next buy is a pair of swimming goggles. Can anyone recommend a brand/type/supplier? I'll want to use it for open water swimming as well as indoor training.

[reteid]

goggles will differ from face shape to face shape.if possible use some of your frinds goggles to try out.after you have decided which fit is the best buy one.if you are happy after testing it more rigerous,go back and buy a few of them.Zogg predator flex is my goggle of choice.

[Wheelsuck]

Thank you for everyone's help on the training program topic!

 

Slowly but surely I'm getting all the gear together...My next buy is a pair of swimming goggles. Can anyone recommend a brand/type/supplier? I'll want to use it for open water swimming as well as indoor training.

Aquasphere Kayanne or Kayman (spellin) I like the Kayanne. But it's like shoes a bit of a lottery. Saw some Zoggs the other day that is Photochromatic, Zoggs is not to bad either.

[gadget]

Aquasphere Kayanne or Kayman (spellin) I like the Kayanne. But it's like shoes a bit of a lottery. Saw some Zoggs the other day that is Photochromatic, Zoggs is not to bad either.

 

+1 on the KAyenne's

[davem]

First find goggles that fit your face well and keep a seal over a long swim without having to be too tight. You just got to try them out.

 

Choose clear lenses for the pool and dark lenses for the open water. Turning your head into the rising sun as you breath can be quite unpleasant.

[Seeker911]

Go to the Fittrack site. Currently the triathlon programs (or most of them) are free or not very expensive and give a fair idea of what needs to be done and then lets you track where you are. Of course its not going to tell you how you should be doing things but there's enough folks on this site who would be more than willing to help with info on how and technique.

[gummibear]

We are proud to announce our new partnership with RAYNARD TISSINK as our coaching partner to IRONMAN SA, IRONMAN 70.3 SA and 5150 African Triathlon Series! Ray will be providing bi-weekly training tips and downloadable beginner training programmes on our websites as part of our new web project for athletes.

 

Check out the LIFESTYLE section on our websites for training tips, psychology, IRONinspired posts, tri clubs and tri stores directories and more. We'll be tweaking things over the next few weeks to make it an athlete-friendly zone with useful tri info, so let us know what you think of the initiative!

 

View IRONMAN SA here - http://www.ironmansouthafrica.com/blog/categories/training-zone