Become a triathlete this winter

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Wednesday, 17 March 2010 14:12

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Become a triathlete this winter

by Ian Craig

Winter is typically a time when most sporting activities SHIFT into reverse GEAR and PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO the TV and X-box. BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO ROLL OVER SO EASILY!

For serious athletes, winter is when the hard work is done: thousands of kilometres on the bike and lap upon lap of a heated pool, not to mention several pairs of running shoes worn out. If you are new to the multisport tribe and have decided to take part in a triathlon or two next Spring, take a leaf from the pros’ book and prep before the warm weather kicks in.

It may not sound appealing to slog away in the cold and damp of winter, but the benefits gained in the enjoyment of your sport, not to mention long-term performance, outweigh the work required in the short-term. You can start very slowly and still build a good fitness base even if you avoid the worst of the weather (see ‘Tips for Overcoming Winter Weather’). We will give you some guidance on how to begin your triathlon ambitions straight away.

Winter is the time to establish some good habits. Planned well, these training routines will boost your triathlon specific fitness and if combined with appropriate nutrition, can increase lean muscle mass while diminishing unwanted fat mass. This shift in body composition will push your power to weight ratio in the right direction, boosting performance without even doing any specific swim-bike-run training.

We will review the three triathlon disciplines and give you practical ideas for incorporating them into your life. For example, the acronym KISS means a lot on its own – training can be effective without being technical, so don’t worry about the latest gadgets. Most people, for instance, only use a fraction of their heart rate monitor’s functions. Many sports people actually prefer to listen to their bodies and the RPE chart is a great way of assessing the intensity of a session.

Your training is best based around some ‘key sessions’, which will be a mixture of intervals and stamina (or endurance) training. Additionally, some strength & conditioning training has been shown to improve economy of motion for endurance performers as well as reducing the risk of overuse injuries. For a sample week’s training, pick one Key session for each discipline listed in the box (page 30). If you have a bit more time, consider doing an additional leisurely walk/run, cycle or swim with friends. Depending on your motivations, this 3-4 session pattern can be built up to 5-6 over the course of your winter training.