I am currently taking about 3 weeks off but when I start up training I am going to be doing a periodization schedule like is directed by Triathletes Training Bible. Here is my confusion, should I train most at what I’m worst at, or just a lot more than what I have in the past. For instance, I identified that I was best at running, then biking, then swimming. So for the base how many hours a week should I put in swimming out of my 12 total hours a week? I was thinking 3 hours would be way more than what I have done in the past and therefore sufficient, that would leave me 4 for running and 5 for biking. But maybe I should cut the running down to 3 and bump the swimming to 4?
What kind of racing will you be doing?
All kinds. I’m starting out with 2 duathlons. 3 ITU U23 races throughout the summer. Some local sprints and probably finish off the year with a Half Ironman.
Certainly you want to work on the weak point, which is swimming, but not at the cost of the rest of the race. I’m like you in that swimming is definitely my weakest discipline but with some structured training I’ve improved to the point where I’m at least mid-pack at T1 (instead of near the BOP at that point) but more importantly I am much more comfortable and less “thrashed” coming out of the swim. I’m using less energy.
To your overall question, with 12 hours per week: if it were me, I’d hire a coach for more specific direction (it’s working well for me), but off the cuff I would say stick with the 3 hours swimming, move to 6 on the bike and 3 on the run. If you’re a decent runner that will net you roughly 25 miles on the run—which really isn’t the point except for that it will give you enough mileage to do some tempo, LT, and a relatively long run mixed up with some running off the bike.
I’m wondering, though, if you’re looking at the Triathletes Training Bible, do they not have in there sample schedules? I’ve not seen the book so I’m asking honestly, not sarcastically!
Yeah they do have sample schedules, but then again he keeps talking about remembering that no two people can do the same thing, and so on. I just wanted to know how others worked around this. I am working on getting a coach but I’m waiting on a couple of different things before I find one for sure.
Understandable about the “no two people are the same” with regards to training schedules. There have been a couple of threads recently about the point of diminishing returns and how it relates to time spent swimming. For many of us, we’ll reach a point where we would have to spend exponentially enormous amounts of time for increasingly minimal gains, and it won’t be worth it at a certain point.
But if swimming is the weak point relative to the other disciplines, time spent on it will help you not just in terms of sheer time, but in how you feel coming out of the water. Not a real significant factor in a sprint, but meaningful at the OD and even more important at HIM and beyond. For me, I’ve made a massive jump in swim fitness in just over 8 weeks of structured training—but I will be happy if my times don’t come down another second between now and IMF as long as my efficiency and perceived effort continues to improve.
Pretty quiet on the forum today (everyone not working, like me, is out training and racing/preparing to race) so bump this up after the weekend if you don’t get more responses.
I’m sure you know that it depends on many factors such as time of year and type of racing.
I currently am doing the following in specific prep for end of season Half Ironman.
Mon: REST or - Core and Easy Swim
Tue: am - Run :45min pm - Bike 2 hrs
Wed: am - Swim Long Pm Bike easy
Thur: am - Run :45min pm - Bike 2 hrs
Fri: am - Core pm - Swim
Sat: Long Bike 3-6 hours
Sun: Long Run 1-2 hours
I also bike commute 2-3 days week and flex my schedule to accomodate. So sometimes bike is 2 hours total for the day broken up am/pm.
I also recommend to you CoachGordo.com under the “basic week” thread/article if you’re interested in ways in which to structure your week to train long course.
And if you can swing it, break up your long ride/long run to be opposite of each other on the week, like long ride Sat, long run Wed. Not to say that you can’t still run or ride again on Sunday (not long mind you), but you will likely recover more quickly from your long runs by moving it out a few days.
My 2 cents.