Triathlon Training
The Daily Mile
Mar 18th
I have been looking for a website to help keep me motivated with my triathlon training. I have found myself slacking over the past few weeks, and with race season approaching I needed to get back on track. I was reading the blog Run Faster Mommy, and I saw she uses the daily mile to track her workouts. So I thought this sounds like a good idea, and I am now giving it a try. The website is the Daily Mile, it allows you to log all of your training miles, and connect with others who are training. So far I have logged my running miles, I tend to cycle indoors on my trainer or the spin bike–so logging miles for that is a little more difficult.
If you are thinking that you just want to start running again or are training for a running event, this is definitely a helpful little tool to keep you on track!
What Gear is Necessary to Complete my First Triathlon?
Mar 5th
Swim, Bike, Run, TRI!
You have got the idea in your head that you want to compete in your first triathlon. Maybe you are just thinking about it, maybe you have decided on a race, and you have started to research training plans, and then you think…WHAT GEAR do I need.
You see the ads for all the expensive bikes, wetsuits, running shoes, cycling shoes…and you are wondering if you really need all of that.
My advice would be that if this is going to be your first triathlon, keep it simple. It can get expensive to buy all the GEAR, but really you just need the basics.
What you have to have:
- Running shoes: go to a local running store.
- Have someone watch you run, and fit a shoe just for you.
- Very helpful at preventing an injury as you are just starting your tri career.
- Triathlon top/bottoms, or trisuit, or swimsuit
- Swim goggles
- A bike–doesn’t have to be fancy, just has to have two wheels and get you to the finish
- Bike and helmet: You don’t need a fancy bike, any bike will do!
- Obviously a road or tri bike will be helpful, but you can compete on any bike. (I did my first triathlon on a mountain bike.)
- Get your bike tuned up at a bike shop.
- The pedals with straps are handy at making your pedal stroke more complete.
- Bathing suit, goggles, cap for training
- Race suit or tri top and bottom
- The bottoms have a small pad to help cushion on the bike, they dry quickly for the run
- Miscellaneous: Sunglasses, sunblock, hat, water bottles, energy gels
That’s all you need to get started to try your first tri!
Other helpful tips:
Check out your local running store, alot of them sell triathlon gear. And they can be very helpful at getting you outfitted with shoes and what you need for your race day.
How to complete your first Triathlon
Feb 1st
Thinking about trying out your first TRI?
For all of you mommies who have interest in getting a little exercise. Anyone can do a triathlon. It is not as difficult as you might think. You don’t need insane amounts of time to train, or talent, you just need a little MOTIVATION. So to all you thinking about adding fitness to your lifestyle, get out and give it a TRI!
The advantages of trying a TRI:
1) It is a multisport, so you will never be bored
2) You will be training your ENTIRE body
3) You will get in good shape, and live longer
4) You get to be outside and enjoy the great outdoors
5) It’s fun!
There are many resources to help you get started. There’s a ton of information out there. However, here are a few suggestions.
To get started with training:
1. Take it slow.
If you haven’t been exercising, don’t overdo it. Your body isn’t used to it. Start with 30 minutes a few times a week, and increase gradually. Just getting out there is progress.
2. Set your goals.
Training is best if you write it down. Give yourself a goal. Think simple, you are not trying to win the event, you are going to be thrilled with whatever you accomplish. A good place to start is completing a 5k or 3.1 mile running race.
3. A workout plan.
Now, figure out how much time a week you have for training. Make sure you give yourself days off, you want your muscles to recover.
Check out Beginner Triathlete–it will provide you with training plans for your triathlon, based on the distance you are looking to compete at.
4. Sign up for your race.
This will commit you and motivate you to stick to your plan. There’s no excuses after you sign up for a race!
If you need more motivation, join a local Tri club–gives you more motivation to train with buddies!
There are some great triathlons just for women. This offers competition with women–just like you! Takes out the worry of competing with men. Great for the first time triathlete. They offer triathlons in various locations around the country, there is probably one in your backyard.
My journey as a triathlete!
Feb 1st
When I was 28, I was living in Chicago and one of my friends introduced me to running. At that time, I was in school finishing my master’s degree in nursing, and was working full-time as an ER nurse. I did not have a lot of free time, but I wanted to get back into exercising.
My friend and I ventured to FLEET FEET SPORTS, it is a running store that sponsors weekly fun runs for men and women. They run 3-6 miles as a group and have various paces. That night, I just about died after the first mile, but managed to run/walk my way through this “fun run.” The next day I thought that wasn’t so bad. So I ventured out for another fun run the following week, and started to get the running bug. So I kept at it, although not a fast runner, I was running.
Now my running friend, then upped the anty…let’s do a triathlon! I thought, well okay–what does that entail. Now I did have an advantage at being a swimmer in college, but hadn’t really swam since then, and other than playing recreational soccer and weekly fun runs wasn’t in great shape.
Living in Chicago, we decided to do a local race, and signed up for the Mrs. T’s triathlon, and we didn’t just sign up for the sprint–we went for the olympic distance. Now I started to think–”we are crazy”. That meant I was going to swim 1 mile, Bike 24.2 miles, and run 6.2 miles. At that point I had been running three miles twice a week, not swimming, and only owned an old mountain bike.
Well, since we took this crazy plunge into the life of a triathlete–the research began on how I was going to finish this race. That was my goal, TO FINISH!
I searched for training programs, I ran across this great website called Beginner Triathlete. It had plans from novice to expert, and I just had to pick the distance and it gave me a plan. Another resource we used was Slowtwitch, a great triathlon discussion forum.
We started training our 20 week training plan, added biking and swimming to the regimen. And I sucessfully completed my first triathlon, on my mountain bike. I was so excited and proud of myself for accomplishing my goal!
And that was all it took, one summer of training, and I was addicted to the sport of triathlon. Since then I have completed several triathlons from sprint to Half Ironman distance. Most of my life as a triathlete occurred before I had a BABY in the spring of 2008.
Now, I have become a triathlon mom. I still am addicted to the sport. It provides motivation, helped me shed the baby pounds, and it is a wonderful stress reliever. I bought a jogging stroller. Found a local Triathlon club and made great training friends, which provides me support, cycling classes, swim plans, and a gym with a nursery so I can get in my workout.
So if you think you can, YOU CAN! Get motivated TODAY!
