Triathlon Training Class


When I talk to people about triathlon, many people tell me they’d like to do one but are scared of the swim.  So I thought I’d offer a triathlon training program at the gym where we’ll spend a lot of time working on learning to swim and preparing for a specific race. No competitive swim experience necessary, but you should be able to swim 25 yards (1 length) of any stroke.

The best part is this training is included in your gym membership. This class is limited to 15 members, though, so sign up soon.

The race

Ice Breaker Triathlon on April 17, 2011 at Granite Bay, CA. (about 2 hrs from Reno)

Two race distances available:

ICE BREAKER Triathlon Distance: Swim .5 miles – Bike 13 miles – Run 4 miles
Ice Breaker Dash Distance: Swim 200 yards – Bike 6.5 miles – Run 2 miles

You can still join if you want to train for a different race (Donner Tri, Pyramid Tri, etc.).

The Training

Swim Training

Ryan Evans (swam for Iowa Hawkeyes, 2nd in 2009 swim across Donner, and a local swim coach) will design the workouts. Ryan and I will coach the group workouts so you learn to swim as efficiently as possible and maximize the effectiveness of your training time. We’ll swim on Wednesdays at 6:15PM at Northwest pool during lap swim ($5 drop in fee).

Bike Training

We’ll do one group class per week at IndoorPower (Lakeside and Moana) on Tuesday evenings at 7:30PM. ($156 for 1/25 through 4/13, 15 classes). These will be Power based rides on Computrainers using your own bike. I believe this will be an effective way to train for the bike leg of the race. Advantages include:

  1. Safety – You don’t have to worry about car traffic or crashing.
  2. Focus – Each person gets a workout tailored to their ability even though we all ride together. As the training season progresses, we’ll move from building base fitness to focusing on getting faster for race day.
  3. Structure – It’s easy to follow the structure of the workout because you don’t have to worry about stoplights, descents, weather, etc.

We’ll still spend some time riding outside to work on handling skills and maybe some longer rides.

Run Training

Group runs will start from the gym at 5:30PM on Thursdays. We’ll also have group runs and/or rides on the weekends, weather permitting.

Schedule

Here is a sample training week:

Weekly schedule

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
CrossFit Cycle at IndoorPower at 7:30PM Swim at Northwest at 6:15 PM Run from the gym at 5:30PM CrossFit or rest Bike and/or run workout Swim or rest

Most weeks will look like this. 2-3 days of CrossFit, at least 1 bike, 1 run, and 1 swim per week.  I’ll try to have at least one group bike, swim and run per week, but if you can’t make the day or time, you can just do the workout on your own when it is convenient for you.

What’s included?

  1. A training schedule customized for the race and your abilities. Training is based on CrossFit plus sport specific training
  2. Group swim training. We will swim at Northwest pool on Wednesdays at 6:15PM ($5 per session for lap swim)
  3. Group runs. Meet at the gym on Thursday evenings at 5:30 PM
  4. Group rides. Group rides from the gym on the weekend (weather permitting).
  5. Clinics. We’ll cover race specific topics like transitions, swim, bike and run technique, bike fitting and aerodynamics
  6. Advice on equipment you’ll need and what to get when it comes to bikes, shoes, wetsuits, etc.

What costs extra?

  1. Indoor rides at IndoorPower. Tuesdays at 7:30PM ($156 for 12 sessions)
  2. Pool fees ($5/session)
  3. Race registration fees

What you need to participate:

  1. A bike. Preferably a road bike but you can make it work with a mountain bike or commuter bike. If you don’t have one I can help you shop for one. Or ask around and find a friend that will let you borrow theirs to train and race on. Try to have a bike by 1/3/11.
  2. A watch. Preferably a GPS watch that will record speeds and distances for biking and running
  3. Swimsuit, goggles, and a wetsuit.  You’ll only need the wetsuit for the race. Eclipse running rents them out here in town if you aren’t ready to buy one yet.
  4. Time. Be willing to spend some time in the water to practice or learn how to swim. Expect to dedicate a minimum of 4 hours a week training for a triathlon.

Sign Up

Sign up online, email me, or sign up at the gym.

FAQ

Q: I can’t make the cycling training at IndoorPower but I really want to train for a triathlon. Are there alternatives?

A: Yes, if you have a cycling trainer, you can do the workouts on your own. You can even be a beta tester for our new cycling training software that plays your workout and tells you how hard to pedal. You’re welcome to do the workouts outside if you have time during daylight hours and the weather cooperates. We are getting a special deal on the IndoorPower class (normally $20/class), but I need at least 6 people committed to it.

Q: I have a gym membership at XYZ gym. Can I just swim there?

A: You can do the workouts there but you obviously won’t get any coaching. I’d recommend you plan on coming to at least the first 4 sessions at Northwest.

Contact me, Reid Weber, at reid@crossfitinitiative.com or 775-233-5859 to sign up or ask questions. Training starts January 3, 2011. Computrainer classes start January 25, 2011.