Training

So, I got some books on triathlon training and I'm learning a lot! There's one really great book I picked up from Triathlete Magazine called Complete Triathlon Book: The Training, Diet, Health, Equipment, and Safety Tips You Need To Do Your Best. Here's some notes from the first chapter about training methods:

1. Train for Endurance: There's a careful balance between aerobic and anaerobic. *endurance training enhances the bodie's ability to store and conserve carb fuel.

2. Train specifically for the race: Train each bike, swim, and run endurance longer than what you'll be biking/swimming/running in the race.

3. Train Progressively: The author called it "progressive overload" where you carefully scaffold your body to raise your anaerobic threshold and endurance. Take it slow but constantly push your "overload level" higher.

4. Train using frequency, intensity, & duration: Each workout should feature one of the following levels of intensity(and rarely more than one) 1. recovery 2. endurance 3. threshold 4. max oxygen & 5. speed. Of course your frequency and duration depends on which intensity at which you train. If triathletes only had to use one level of intensity it would be endurance! *Train at this level 12 weeks for your base. Duration at this level is 40min-6hrs. It's a 70-75% heart rate.

5. Train in phases: The four phases should be base, build, peak, and taper (taper should be 1-3 weeks before race)

6. Train in cycles: The training effect of a given workout type is only effective if repeated at least once a week. *create a weekly cycle *arrange micro(weekly)cycles in 2-4 step cycles (with last week build in recovery)

7: Recover sufficiently: You need it weekly as well as once a month

8: Customize your own training. Be your own coach!!

I'll post more as I learn more!! But CRAP Jeri! What are we getting into??! Haha I know we're not doing an ironman or anything, but every thing I've read so far says that if you can finish your first triathlon with a smile you'll be hooked. addicted. obsessed. ahhhhh! Well we have 15 weeks to train, so I'm gonna write up my training program. I was thinking we could post our weekly workouts on the blog and find and update new information we learn. yeah?? You're an author on the blog so you can change anything you want too!