Hello everyone, I'm just getting into triathlon and wanted to know what peoples opionion are in how many races should you do before you step it up to the next level? I'm going to start out with a sprint triathlon, should I do a couple of those in one season and then move up to the Olympic distance, then 1/2 ironman, and then maybe one day an ironman. How's it all work or is it all personal perference. ;)
I think for the most part it's personal preference and your ability to gage where you fitness/endurance levels are through tracking your training and races.
I can offer how my progression went as a mid packer triathlete with a full time job. Did a couple mountain bike sprints the first year, which got me hooked. Purchased a road bike and added the aerobars, etc. the second year and did all olympic/international distance races, then stepped up to add one half during the last 2 seasons, the rest olympic. I'll prbably do that again this year and then maybe step up to full iron distance in 2006. Last year was an off year due to work and financial restrictions so it'll take me a little time this season to get my fitness back to where it was 2 seasons ago.
hope that helps, just gage where you think you are and if you're able to train at the race distances then certainly you can race them.
Also, a rule of thumb with training colume is no more than 10% increase each week in your volume with usually an easier/recovery week every 4-5 weeks. So you could do some math and calculate how far out that might put you for each level jump. Take into consideration tapering for races and doing sprint work which will lower your volume a bit during those phases. But maybe say 20-25% increase per month to be safe.
Hey TriMarine4027,
welcome to the fray!
What you suggested sounds perfectly logical,
and boring.
Where's the challenge? Where's the sense of adventure?
You're young, go for it!
Go big or go home! Ironman here we come!
OK, just kidding..
But maybe you have already run a marathon? Perhaps you've been a competitive swimmer in school or college? If you were, that changes everything, compared to say, if you can't swim and the last race you ran was a sack race in grade six.
It's all relative.
Jim Ward's first Ironman was at age 69. I don't think he did many (any?) Olympic distance events beforehand. He had been a marine in WWII though, those guys are fearless!
I got off the couch one day, aged 41, having never swum as far as 1500m in my life, having only lifted weights and played Basketball in the previous year, I wrote a check and entered an Oly distance tri, but I was nuts.
I figured what the hell, I can swim on my back or sidestroke, Grandma can ride 40K if there's no rush and you can walk 10K in an hour or so. Right? I finished. It wasn't pretty, but that's how you set PRs the next year, heh.
I never did a sprint tri. Unless you're a contender for medals, why bother.
'sides you may be a sprinter or maybe a natural plodder, that's going to make a difference to your choice, and.. many more things, like the training time you have available?
Bottom line is, do what excites you.
There's nothing worse than trying to drag your butt out of bed at six in the morning if the race you're training for doesn't turn you on.
Start with an IM if that's what gets your motor running. I wish I had started triathlon when I was your age.
PoC