Do the Legwork

AMC Outdoors, June 2007

Training for a tri? Start with your base.

Build a base. That’s the starting point for all triathlon training, says Ryan Oelkers, director of coaching at Philadelphia’s Cadence Cycling and Multisport Centers. “Most people come here and feel like the initial workouts are too easy,” he says. “They’re used to a ‘no pain, no gain’ approach and I have to remind them to increase intensity only after they’ve built up their endurance. It’s like building a house. You need the foundation first. There has to be something to sustain the workload.” If you don’t, your fitness level will increase at first, but then you’ll plateau—never reaching optimum performance.

According to Oelkers, devoted triathletes divide their races into three categories: the A race (that “big race” you spend a year training for); B races (those you want to do well in, but not necessarily reach your peak); and C races (races you enter simply for the training). But even if you’re a first timer planning to compete in a sprint triathlon—a 400-meter swim, 10-mile bike, and three-mile run—the approach is the same. Determine how much training time you need—the more, the better—but it’s essential to increase and decrease intensity appropriately. Here are three training regimens (one for each sport) to help you ramp up after you’ve built your base. And while some may never compete in a triathlon, the training can be applied to general conditioning.

BIKE  Successful bike training is all about lactate threshold, says Oelkers. Lactate, a byproduct that impedes performance, is created during any activity that involves use of your muscles. Your body is capable of clearing out this inhibitor, allowing you to continue operating at a high level. But there comes a point when it can no longer keep up with lactate production—which means you’ll eventually have to slow down. The question is how much energy can you exert before reaching this threshold. The answer is found by comparing your heart rate (beats per minute) to the power you’re able to produce while pedaling (wattage). By consistently training below your lactate threshold (which can be assessed by a trainer), it’s possible to increase your power considerably without going lactic. For those training for a sprint triathlon, Oelkers recommends doing three intervals at your lactate threshold (which is different for each individual) 10 minutes in length with six minutes to recover. Furthermore, exercises that involve more than just your quads (the primary leg muscle used in cycling) will help you spread out the workload. “If you’re just using your quads, you’re going to fatigue quicker,” he says.

RUN  Just because you’re a strong cyclist doesn’t mean you can skimp on running, explains Oelkers. You use some of the same muscles—hamstrings, quads, calves—but they’re being asked to do different things. They’re pushed, pulled, and pounded as you play Forrest Gump across a litany of uneven surfaces. As race time nears, hit the track for some speed work to raise intensity. Oelkers suggests quarter-mile intervals. Run a quarter-mile sprint. Then do a half lap of easy jogging to let your heart rate come down. Do it four to five times, and shoot to keep the same pace throughout. Blowing the barn doors off the first one and petering out at the end defeats the purpose. “You’re using different energy systems so there’s little benefit,” he says. “You want each one to be at the same speed to increase your lung capacity.”

SWIM  Swimming is all about technique. And that’s where Oelkers finds triathletes need the most help. “It needs to be worked on sooner rather than later,” he says. The upper body tends to be the biggest problem area. Bad habits like improper shoulder rotation, poor reach, and incorrect breathing add costly seconds to your time in the water. “Even at the highest levels, athletes continue to work on technique,” he says. Start with a coach who can help prevent bad habits from creeping in. “Stroke is so important,” says Oelkers. Start with your standard “swim, kick, swim, pull, swim” warm-up. End with a cool-down. What you do before and after your core workout is as important as the workout itself. “Billions of hours of research have been put into these methods,” says Oelkers. No need to second-guess the basics.

- Christopher Percy Collier