Training for your first this summer

triathlon 101: people who enter one. The level of psychological, physical, financial and scheduling commitment is substantial, Train for your big race if not as daunting as the event itself. In my opinion, if it doesn’t change your life in a big way, you did something seriously wrong. You missed the Swim, bike and run to better health friendships, the hard days, the easy days, the whole experience of preparing for something that could leave you out By Rick Hellard on a highway, dehydrated in a pile of W HEN YOU MENTION the term triathlon, most people think: Ironman.

“You know,” they say, “the one in Hawaii where that lady your own salt, and conquering it all.

I figured I can do that, but without the triathlon. The sport has evolved because it’s hard to find exact routes crawling part. I’m better than that, aren’t considerably, but many things remain that are more imaginative than the outI? And smarter. I’d never let myself get the same. Ironman-distance events are and-back format. There are, however, that far gone. More than a couple of held all over the place now. They are many non-standard distance events on decades later, I am happy to report that, still the same silly distance. There is the calendar. although I’ve been reduced to walking a still no drafting and everyone must be As a triathlon coach for more than few dozen times, I have yet to crawl in self-sufficient. The biggest thing that has 12 years, I have had the pleasure to any event that didn’t require it. I wonder changed is the equipment: it’s way more work with a variety of personalities if I’m just not tough enough to go that tricked-out…and expensive. and abilities. I’ve seen non-swimmers hard — to disregard all signs of bodily Ironman is, and always will be, a without bikes or running shoes sign up failure for the sake of a few seconds and life-changing experience for most for a triathlon with a month to prepare, possible victory. I hope never to find out, but I digress. NAME SWIM (M) CYCLE (KMS) RUN (KMS)

Triathlon was born in 1979 when Try-a-tri 1-200 5-10 2-3 three men — a swimmer, a cyclist and a runner — suggested their respective sport required more fitness than the Sprint Olympic 500-750 1500 20 40 5 10 others. They challenged each other to a Half Ironman 2000 90 21.1 race combining all three disciplines and Ironman 3800 180 42.195 duplicated the distances and routes of marathon events held in Hawaii.

The Ironman was born, and it was a For more information on triathlons in and around the National Capital Region, as well as Ontario, check out the following web sites: big baby with a 2.4-mile swim, a www.trirudy.com for local happenings and discussion groups 112-mile bike ride and a 26.195-mile www.sportstats.ca for all race results and schedules run, which is a full marathon in itself. The organizers didn’t realize that www.somersault.ca for triathlons in eastern Ontario the 112-mile ride on that course was www.ottawakidstri.com for information on kids triathlons in the Ottawa area originally intended to be a two-day www.triathlonontario.com for official site of triathlon in Ontario event. Fifteen people successfully www.triathlonontario.com/kos for information on kids triathlons in Ontario completed that first Hawaii Ironman.

Since that time, tens of thousands www.zone3sports.com for personal triathlon training have completed an Ironman-distance www.triathlonottawa.com for triathlons in our Ottawa region

Triathlon has matured from being as long as imaginable into shorter events that are more achievable for a greater crawled across the finish line.” Yeah, Julie Moss inspired a lot of peonumber of people. Triathlons are now ple that day in 1982, including me. set into relatively standard distances. The distances are rough guidelines

and do it with a smile. They may not be quick, but the look of satisfaction on their face is hard to mistake as they cross the finish line.

More often than not, a triathlon is more intimidating than it is difficult to do. If you want to go fast, it’s harder. If you just want to get across the line, it’s not as hard as you might think.

If you are interested in training for your first triathlon, the following steps will help you get ready. These guidelines pertain to Try-A-Tri, Sprint or Olympic distance triathlon. z You should be most concerned with: 1. Having fun 2. Getting to the start line uninjured and enthusiastic 3. Getting to the finish line uninjured and enthusiastic 4. Going faster z You should be less concerned with: 1. The techno toys (they are not a replacement for training) 2. Looks 3. Comparing times and/or performances with others z Assess your current abilities in all three disciplines and focus on your weakest, then the next weakest and pay least attention to your strongest. }It should be reasonably safe to assume that if you were a competitive swimmer, cyclist or runner at one point in your life, you can get back into it by remembering what it feels like. If you work up to 1½ times the distance of the actual race, you’ll be fine. } The swim is the shortest event in the triathlon, so not always the

best return for time invested. But if you can’t swim, you can’t get to the bike or the run, so it is very important in that respect. Make sure you can swim the required distance in the open water, which is not the same as a pool. }If you get tired on the run, you can walk. If you get tired on the bike, you can change gears and rest going downhill. z Three workouts per week in each discipline should be sufficient for a first triathlon up to Olympic distance. Once per week, combine a swim and ride as well as a bike and run. A fourth workout may have to be added when training for longer events, but not every week or in all disciplines. This is where it gets complicated and a coach becomes useful. z The science of training can be very complicated, but it doesn’t need to be. The basic principle is simple: train enough to get to the finish line. Once you can do that and you decide to improve your time, add speed or strength sessions once or twice weekly. To do this, pick an intensity you can maintain for 15-20 minutes. Train at that intensity once or twice a week and get used to it. When your system adapts to that intensity, either add a bit of volume or turn the intensity up a notch. Train at the new intensity until your body has adapted and repeat. z A few weeks before the big day, start to practice changing from swim to bike and from bike to run. It takes practice to switch physiological activities along with footwear, helmet and sunglasses. When you get on your bike after swimming, there won’t be enough blood in your cycling muscles — it takes a bit of getting used to the feeling of empty legs while the body diverts the blood to where it is needed. The same can be said for the transition from bike to run. The more often you do these transitions, the easier they become. z When you’re comfortable with the distance and the transitions, you’re all set until race day. }On race day, be sure to know the routes — it’s your responsibility.

}Be sure to understand the transition zone layout. They are not always simple, and are often in a state of mass confusion. The more familiar you are with where and what you are doing, the smoother your day will be. • Know where Photo by XCZone.tv your bike is located and how best to find it from the direction you will be coming out of the water. • Know where the BIKE OUT gate is located from your transition spot. • Know where your bike is from the

BIKE IN gate. • Know the way to the RUN OUT gate from your transition spot.

OTHER HINTS: • Pick up your ChampionChip from the green ChampionChip tent and strap it on your ankle right away. This is a computer chip programmed with your race information. When you pass over the mats along the course, your times are recorded for the results. No chip, no time. • No bare torsos except in the swim. • No outside assistance. If something breaks, either you or a race official must repair it. • There is no drafting allowed — you can’t ride within an imaginary box surrounding another cycling which is three bike-lengths long from their back wheel and two metres wide. • Always pass on the left, and then move over to the right. Never pass on the right. • Your chinstrap must be secured at all times while the bike is in your possession. Put your helmet on and secure it before you touch your bike and don’t undo it until your bike is completely racked. This should be the last thing you do in transition on the way out to the run.

—Rick Hellard has been competing in running, cycling, triathlon and cross-country ski races for more than 21 years. He is the owner of Zone3sports: Multi-Sport Training Programs.