Training for triathlons

[GIRR]

Hi All

 

I've decided to start doing triathlons whith an ultimate goal of doing the ironman next year.

 

I'm going to need to get a swimming wetsuit for those colder swims, what is a good make, price (are there different types of swimming wetsuits?) for one?

 

I'm sure a few hubbers did the ironman this year, how many hours would I need to do for swimming and running a week with about a 12hr time in mind?

 

Thanks

[AfreekduSoet]

Wetsuit makes, ORCA, IronMan, 2XU.  About R2-5k depending on level.  (I've got a nice 2nd hand one for R1500, size 10, Orca Predator 

Making 12h cut is difficult to say without knowing your background (are you a swimmer or runner, have you done 180km on a bike, in what time?)

 

Break your IM into 3 (realistic) targets for the swim, bike and run.  Then set training plan round those targets.

 

Good luck!  It is worth it.

[GIRR]

Thanks Afreek

 

The last time I did a 180km ride was at the end of Jan as a LSD, it took me 6hrs comfortably, so i'm not very worried about the bike.  I haven't run full distance marathons before but my running for shorter distances is fairly strong, just my swimming will take some work.

 

I'm really just trying to get an idea of the number of hours a week per discipline I need to put in, before winter I was doing 13-15hrs a week on the bike.  But I'm not sure of what I must be doing for run and swim.

[Thug]

If you need the details of a good coach give me a shout. I know a guy who trained a couple for the Ironman that was recently held.

[SwissVan]

Hi All

 

I've decided to start doing triathlons whith an ultimate goal of doing the ironman next year.

 

I'm going to need to get a swimming wetsuit for those colder swims' date=' what is a good make, price (are there different types of swimming wetsuits?) for one?

 

I'm sure a few hubbers did the ironman this year, how many hours would I need to do for swimming and running a week with about a 12hr time in mind?

 

Thanks

[/quote']

 

I just been through the shopping process for a wetsuit and decided on a Full length "Sailfish". I tried a few different types (Orca, Green Turtle and Sailfish) and this one just felt better than the others to me, very flexible and does not tire your shoulders out when swimming like some full length wet suits.

Dont buy one unless you have actualy swum with it and happy that it suits you (no pun intended ).

 

 

 

[GIRR]

I'm going to wait till the start of next year before looking at getting a coach.I'm planning on just building up my running and swimming for longer distances untill then.

 

Are there any triathlete shops in gauteng, like the sandton/fourways kinda region that you can get swimming wetsuits and other triathlete equipment from?

[gummibear]

Get a swimming coach from day one.Let them correct your stroke.Swimming is 40%effeciancy and 60% fitness.If your stroke is bad you will always battle  no matter how fit you are..especially in the sea.

[mon-goose]

I started last year around the same time with an aim of just doing the half iron man this year. Some lessons I learnt

 

1- Spend lot of time swimming,

2 - get a swimming coach now (as windblown said you have to start with the correct technique otherwise you'll never swim well. All you may need is a few sessions for them to monitor your strok but it's something that may be more difficult to correct later.

3 - do lots of open water swimming and get confotable now with the sea and your wetsuit early on. I didn't do any open water swimming with the wetsuit before my first tri and I really almost drowned.

4 - Spend time now getting your bike set up right. Your body will be sore and tired if your time trial position is not correct

5- running goes without saying, it's the last discipline and you'll be tired by the time you get there so make sure you can run a full marathon before the event.

 

Then the other thing to remember is that although you need to aim to be able to do each discipline seperatly you also have to do them all in one go on the day. So aim to do lots of training days where you maybe swim then cycle straight away or cycling and then run. The more your body gets used to it the better.

 

I got a couple of training programs when I looked. PM me your email address and I'll mail them to you

[ChrisH]

Get a swimming coach from day one.Let them correct your stroke.Swimming is 40%effeciancy and 60% fitness.If your stroke is bad you will always battle  no matter how fit you are..especially in the sea.

That's the best advice you will ever get right there.

 

Swimming as an individual discipline has the least impact on the results if done efficiently, but the most impact on your ability to be strong in the cycle and run if you get it wrong and blow up/hit the wall.

[Ox_Wagon]

Good advise.  I folded on the swim so sort your swimming and save your self a lot of disappointment.  Swimming is a skill sport and the normal way of doing more miles (Running/Cycling) does not work for it.   <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Have a look at Total Immersion or get some help from a good Triathlon/Open-water Coach. 

http://www.totalimmersion.co.za/

[Ox_Wagon]

If you haven?t run a marathon yet try to do one.  Here in <?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Gauteng I think there is only the Soweto (which I don?t really like) early in November and if you decide against it run the Though One 32km.  It is usually the weekend after the 94.7.  <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[GIRR]

Thanks guys I'm definitely going to make sure my swim technique is right, this seems far more important than I would've thought.  I also did intend on doing about two marathons before Iron man but there doesn't seem to actually be too many of them around.

[AfreekduSoet]

IMO, don't over stress the marathon thing.  Only ever done two marathons, both at IronMan.  My longest training run, 32km.

If you not use to running, don't go out the blue blast 40km+/week into your legs.  You will pick up annoying injuries!  Increase your millage slowly and increase your pace even slower (it is IM, not 800m Olympics)

 

And yes, I did walk (a lot!) at IM.  90% of the field does. 

 

 

Btw, why the 12 hour target?  Got to beat a mate's time?

[doman]

I like to break the week up into 10 to 12 training sessions depending how much time you have. 

 

Swim 3 long swims a week of around an hour each if you want to make sure you'll get through the swim leg fine and make sure you do a few open water swims closer to the event.  Remember, the biggest reason for people pulling out of the swim leg is due to sea sickness, so do a few rolling swims in the sea, to get your 'sea legs'.

 

Spend plenty of time on the bike, because not only is this the longest discipline time wise, but it will also determine the quality of your legs during the marathon.  Lots of very strong bikers who bike within themselves during the bike leg, prove to be the strongest runners too because they were still relatively fresh after the bike course.  Also get your TT setup right, it will save you plenty of time.

 

The marathon is simple.  Run the whole thing.  It sounds strange now, but less than 10% of all IM marathons are completed without walking at some stage.  If you run the whole thing, you'll have a respectable time. 

 

So, swim 1.30, bike 6.00, run 4.30 - and there's your 12 hour IM - easy!

 

 

[Ox_Wagon]

I agree with AfriqueduSud. If your want to do a <?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Marathon do it this year. (Not a lot to choice from after Comrades) and it will  purely be a mental thing that you know that you have done one.  <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

While in the thick of training next year it will cause more damage than it worth by increasing the risk of injuries. Stick to 32 km races.

[GIRR]

hmm... so marathons dont seem to be that big of a part of training, more of a show of how far you are with your training.

 

I have swim open water in the sea a few times and don't get sea sick but do get a bit nervous when the water is about 20m deep (big things move down there)...

 

A friend of mine has done a 12hr time so I want to try and match it.