Entries Tagged as 'swim'
Hate the swim?
So do I. A strong swim has three benefits to any triathlete:
Efficient swimming can shave minutes off your triathlon time. Swim training carries improved fitness that benefits the bike and the run portions of the triathlon. Swimming is a full body work out that’s easy on your joints. Gives your body a break from the pounding of the run.
Swimming is all about technique.
Poor technique can wear you out before you even get to your bike. Before my first Ironman, swiming was my weakest link. In fact, in my first triathlon 15 years ago, I swam with my head out of the water for the entire 1/2 mile. Before the IM, fishing and water skiing were my adventures with water. Swimming the Ironman’s 2.4 miles is much different than swimming to get the tow rope behind a ski boat. (In triathlon, the shortest distance race is a swim portion of 800 meters or about 1/2 mile.)
Training for the triathlon swim adds about 3 extra hours of training every week, not even counting the travel to the pool or lake. That’s the main reason why I stuck to duathalons (run/bike/run) races for 8 years.
I’ve improved a lot since then. Here’s how I improved my swim time: [Read more →]
Where do you find the time to train?
One of my favorite blogs to read for business is Seth’s Blog. Today, he wrote about Marketing Time. How did I find time to train for an Ironman with four kids, a wife and a job? We’re all busy. And, there are a million excuses about why we don’t have time to train.
A contractor that prides himself on finishing every single job on the day it’s due, regardless of what it takes, is telling a powerful story, doing marketing that’s actually cheaper and more effective than advertising ever could be.
Finding time is a simple formula.
- Hit the pool.
Hit the bike.
Hit the track.
Do your training today, and leave nothing left undone for tomorrow.
Extreme Shaving?
I ran across this website. Interesting. And I thought this:
- 2.4 mi (3.8 km) Swim
- 112 mi (180 km) Run
- 26.2 mi (42.195 km) marathon Run
was an extreme sport.
What are the official rules for Triathlon?
According to Wikipedia, Traditionally, triathlon is an individual sport: each athlete is competing against the course and the clock for the best time. As such, athletes are not allowed to receive assistance from anyone else inside or outside the race, with the exception of race-sanctioned aid volunteers who distribute food and water on the course. This also means that team tactics, such as drafting, a cycling tactic in which several riders cluster closely to reduce the air resistance of the group, are not allowed.
This has begun to change with the introduction of triathlon into the Olympic Games. Many Olympic-distance races, including the Olympics themselves and ITU World Cup events, now allow drafting during the cycling stage. This change has [Read more →]
How much should I train for a triathlon? A training schedule
It’s spring, and it’s right before race season. Right now, you’re goal is to build fitness and endurance for the upcoming races. I’ll post a sample triathlon training schedule here that covers swimming, cycling, running, transition and core strength. Follow this schedule at least 8-10 weeks before your first race.
Let’s say you’re signed up for 2 triathlons this summer. Your triathlon training schedule should run 5 - 6 days per week, with one - two days off for rest – Friday is the best rest day, because if you race on Sunday, you’ve got a built-in day of rest already in your schedule. Here’s one way your triathlon-training schedule could look:
- Swim: 30 min 2 xs per week Mon/Wed: Focus on drills and stroke.
- Core: 2x per week, Mon/Wed: 15 reps lighter weight. [Read more →]
What is a triathlon?
What is a Triathlon? A triathlon is an athletic event that includes swimming, running, and cycling. How long is the swim? How long is the bike? How long is the run? There are different lengths of triathlons:
How long is a Sprint Triathlon?
- ½ mile (750m) swim
- 12.4-mile (20Km) swim
- 3.1 mile (5km) run
How long is an Olympic Triathlon? [Read more →]
Base Training
Well, I’m in my 8th week of base training for the upcoming Coeur d’Alene Ironman race in June. The exciting thing is that I’ve lost 8 lbs already, and estimate I will trim another eight pounds by race day based on my race weight last IM race. The main routine right now is about an average of 8-10 hours per week (3 runs, 3 bikes, 3 swims and 2 days of weights) focusing on technique and improved fitness to start the next 10 week build phase.
During my morning swim I had a 600 meter warm up broken up by 200 meters swim, kick, drills. Then in the main set was 10 - 200s. The format was 200 swim, 200 pull with paddles, 200 pull w/o paddles, 200 kick swim and 200 swim then repeat. I am trying to work on my endurance today so wanted to add some extra kicks to the routine to help build strength and technique using my zoomers. You can add drills if you like such as single arm, fist, pause, finger tip, etc for each 25 in the 200. Then a 400 cool down for a total of 3000 meters.
This evening on the bike was a straight 1 hour spin on the trainer at 100+ rpm at low heart rate (zone 1). This helps build technique and it becomes rather difficult after about 30 mins. Throw in some single leg drills too. I actually tried playing with the kids on the Wii. It was fun for all of us and a little distracting but hey time management takes multi-tasking. Cheers!
Is your core strong enough for the Triathlon?
Want a competitive edge? Start with a strong core. This does not take a long time to build (15 mins 3-5 days per week) - however, it’s one of the most overlooked components of triathlon training. Your core muscles are the focal point for all of the 3 main elements of the triathlon; swimming, cycling and running:
- Swim: Helps you maintain your body position in the water while you work your arms and legs together.
- Bike: More power to the pedals - it’s not just about the legs.
- Run: Keeps your posture aligned, to prevent back pain, maintain your balance, and improve your speed.
These “core muscles” are more than just your abdominal muscles: Think about what you feel when you’re cycling up steep hills on your bike - that’s the core. Your core is all those small muscles running along your spine, and the small muscles that connect to your hips, groin - giving your base the power to fully work your arms [Read more →]
Ironman Race Report
Overall time: 11:15:24
What’s it like to swim 2.4 miles, then bike 112 miles, and then run a marathon, 26.2 miles? Here’s the story. Photos, here.
Well, after my first Ironman, (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) — in temperatures soaring into the 90s. . . all I can say is it was quite a race. This was also the first time I swam that far and the first time I completed a full marathon. The water temp was only 62 degrees so practice swimming in the lake on Friday and again on Sat was really good to get a feel for the cold water. However a mass start was something that I hadn’t experienced before. My strategy was to just try to keep my head down and pulling forward. [Read more →]
