9 month out update: Triathlon training

Hey Everyone-- Been off the boards lately as I've been ramping up my training for a triathlon. This past week I was 9 months out from surgery, and so I decided to do a self-run Novice triathlon. This is 300m swim (12 laps), followed by a 5mi bike, followed by a 1.25mi run. I focused on finishing, and was able to move from one event to the next without any stopping. This was a huge accomplishment for me, and is something I would have never even considered possible 9 months ago. I'm not at the level of winning any competitions, but I am doing great. As I continue training, I'm seriously ramping up. The night before last I swam 1000m without stoping (40 laps). I still have alot of work to do on speed and endurance on the other two events, especially running. Today I'm weighing in at about 195. My highest was 350, lowest 188, and date of surgery 322. Not bad for somebody 6'4". Anyone is welcome to join me in tri-ath training!! You start out small and work your way up. It's been a great way to help me get refocused on structured exercise. -Dave

I have been thinking about a tri-ath too. I've never been an athletic person but I thought it would be the perfect event for me. I tend to get bored doing the same thing for too long - so switching from swimming to biking to running would be ideal. I haven't even started to train - not sure what to do and until lately haven't had the time to train. We've had some really bad weather in KS and the kids and I have been passing a cold back and forth so it's been hard to start. Any suggestions? Amie

Here's some suggestions: There's some free training schedules, and free log-in and discussion boards on the following website: www.beginnertriathlete.com They also have an activity tracker that helps you track how much swim/bike/run times and distances you're doing. They offer some upgraded options too, depending on how interactive you need everything to be. Try a google search for beginner triathlon too. There's so much info out there. You can also search your state and triathlon to discover what events are coming up in your area. You might be surprised to find that your exercise and weight loss has made a shorter distance triathlon a true possibility. As for poor weather, many people retreat to indoor training during poor weather. Local YMCA's are particularly popular due to their low fees, and tendancy to have indoor lap pools. Any gym with a heated lap pool can support a swim/bike/run regiment. You'll also want to be near weights to increase your strength for endurance. Some gyms have indoor tracks too for running. You could use a stationary bike and treadmil for the bike/run legs. I only recently transferred from indoor to outdoor on the bike leg. We are very spoiled with good weather here in AZ, although it's been pretty cold over the past couple weeks (for us). Another key to triathlon training is making sure that you get the support of a loved one (husband, wife, parent) especially if you have kids. You should be prepared to dramatically increase your daily workouts, as you will likely want to train 2 sports on the same day during the week (poss an a.m. and p.m. workout). www.beginnertriathlete.com has various workouts that vary on your current fitness level and the amount of time you have to dedicate to training. Particularly, they have one called "from couch potato to 5K run" to help get the running part up to par. There are some other financial considerations as well, at least once you decide it's something you're going to stick with for a while (i.e. new bike, specialized clothes, etc). The nice thing is you can make current stuff wor****il you make that call. I wish you the best in ramping up your exercise. So far my tri-training has been a good kick in the pants to get off my duff and move my personal fitness to the next level. It's been lots of fun training. I just registered for my first official event... a 1K swim, 10K bike ride, and a 5K run at the end of May 08. Take care, --Dave

Dave, Great job on the Novice Tri. I started running pretty early on and ran a seven mile leg of team run in the Baltimore Marathon in October. Unfortunately, due to the heavy training schedule to get ready for that I ended up with an IT Band injury. That shut me down until about 10 days ago. I am now training for the 1/2 marathon in Frederick, MD and a full marathon in Baltimore in October. Funny...when I was younger, and in shape, I hated running. Now...I feel lost on those days that I don't run. The 5 weeks off drove me (and my wife) crazy. I have started dabbling in some cycling, but my swimming is horrible. I can't do a freestyle stroke for more than about 50 meters without choking and sputtering. I just can't get my breathing right. I am considering taking some lessons to see if they would help me improve. There are some guys at work that are trying to talk me into some sprint level Tri's. I can cover the run and I think the cycling...but until I can swim a little better...they will have to wait. Again...congrats on the Novice Tri. That is a huge accomplishment and you should be very proud. Regards, Dave

Thanks for the congrats. I'm gearing up for my first Sprint level tri... I just signed up for it in the end of May. It is a 1K swim/10K bike/5K run. I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the bike (just did a 16 miler this past week), and the swim I know I can finish, even if I have to do a portion in breast stroke; the run is my biggest obstacle. For that reason, I 've given myself another 5 months to train. I want to be able to jog/run the full 5K at the end of the bike ride/run. I find it absolutely amazing that I even am considering this a posibility, especially since I haven't swam since I was a child on the swim team and have never considered jog/run ever. --Dave