First Time Triathlete Seeking Training Advice
834
Member
1362 days
JamieM posted 1 year ago.
First, welcome to the site!
I'd recommend picking up Joe Friel's Triathlete's Training Bible. It spells out in great detail how to plan a season and schedule training, tyes of workouts, etc.
And I was lucky enough to get a 305 for X-mas as well. Really cool info to have. I haven;t looked at Training Peaks, I just use the Garmin software and the Free version of Motionbased right now. Seems to be all I need so far.
Where in Central NJ? I lived in Monmouth and Ocean Counties up until a couple of years ago. I know of a few clubs in the area if you're interested.
4483
Member
1635 days
kylie posted 1 year ago.
Welcome to the sport! Sounds like you are approaching the whole thing very well :)
1 & 2. There are a number of good articles on this site, as well as a few training plans. I've never followed them though -- when I started I was flying by the seat of my pants and didn't really know what I was getting into.
3. Sounds like you are set on gear... I'm assuming since you were a runner you have good running shoes that you were fit with, and it sounds like you have the most important stuff (bike, bike pedals, bike shorts, goggles) in progress. I'd say the next thing you need is to go for a ride ;)
4. I always found coaching and swim stuff through the internet and my LBS (local bike shop) -- I swam with a master's group for a while, and my LBS (which had a tri focus) introduced me to a lady who did some one on one coaching with me.
5. I know there are some articles on this site for it, or check out the forum search. Things written by BlueBirdBiker in particular, as he's done a lot of research on training zones.
6. I use a 301 and love it. I'm also a motionbased user (free level account) and I use that with the trifuel log to track my progress.
Again, welcome, and I must say you sound ready to get into it! So stop reading and go swim!
381
Member
1256 days
triNick posted 1 year ago.
Welcome,
You found a good site here.
1 - I recommended this link to a newbie triathlon friend of mine. There are 15 videos and Carey talks about the basics, equipment and techniques/tips related to triathlons.
Carey Kepler : Triathlons
Another option would be to find a local triathlon club. Some clubs offer seminars, besides you might be able to find a few people to train with. To find a triathlon club in your neck of the woods you could check this link out.
Triathlon Clubs in New Jersey
2 - A couple of the books I have (which are at home right now) have some basic training plans. Most of the B & N bookstores have Tri books on the shelf, just flip through some of them, you see some training plans. There are training plans here on trifuel.
3 - Other gear to look at would be blister shield if you plan on biking without socks, body glide, a visor/cap, extra tire and C02 cartridge and tools to fix a flat. Things to test out would be nutritional gels for the oly tri's.
4 - Look for a USA Master Swimming coach or a Total Immersion coach. A tri club might have someone that does swim coaching also.
6 - Right now I use the free software provided with the watch.
Good luck,
-triNick
TRImapper.com - visual triathlon finder
TRIJUICE.com - triathlon resource blog
Hello everyone,
I am planning on my first triathlon this Spring and have some basic questions about planning my training for the next few months.....
Background:
I have been a competitive high school runner and collegiate rower. Two years removed from college and looking to get back to competition. Planning on starting with a few Sprint Distance Tris in May and June and attempting an Olympic Tri in mid-July. I am planning on following an Olympic Training plan (w/ a focus on swim training as it is my weakest event).
I had the good fortune of receiving a Garmin Forerunner 305 for Christmas and i recently purchased a new Felt road bike which i am in the process of getting equipped with pedals, lights and a computer.
Training Questions:
1)Are there any good articles/sites for planning all aspects of Triathlon training and a racing season? Maybe a blog or an article about how people plan each season from the beginning.
2) I can dedicate about 4-5 hours per week to training currently and that can increase to about 6-7 hours per week in 6 weeks. Which plans have people had the most success using in the beginning?
3)What additional gear would help me with my training? (I realize that i need some bike shorts and i have already picked up a new pair of goggles...)
4)Swimming is a huge weakness for me. I have the endurance from running to make it thru swim workouts. However i have no form and i feel like at this point i am cementing bad technique. What is the best way to improve my form and make consistent progress in the swim portion of the Triathlon? I am particularly worried about the swim portion of the Olympic event due to its 1500m distance. What are good resources for finding a swim coach or others to training with? I currently live in Central NJ.
5)I have never used a Hear Rate Monitor before and i would like to use it for my training. Are there any good articles about training with a HR monitor?
6)Does anyone else use a Garmin 305? Is Training Peaks the best site to use with this device or do most people just use the Garmin software?
Thanks for the help everyone and I look forward to creating a good thread that will help myself and other newbies plan for a successful first Tri season!
~ Mike