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R2R Training Plans
R2R has designed training plans for athletes that view themselves as having a single weak sport.
For each distance there are three training plans, one for each sport:
- 12 weeks for a sprint triathlon
- 16 weeks for an Olympic triathlon
- 20 weeks for a half IM distance triathlon
With your purchase, you will receive a schedule with all workouts. Also attached is an exercise plan to
help with strength that focuses upon your weaker sport. There are specific details and specifications
for each workout. Finally, each plan purchaser gets an email based consult with an R2R coach as a
part of your plan. We suggest that you wait until you are at least part way through the training before e-
mailing us. Within reason, based solely upon the coach’s judgment, we can help you with more than one
problem. Address your e-mail to: plannedtraining@rehabtoracing.com
Your chances of success are significantly improved if you have basic qualifications for each type of
training plan. Please be honest about your abilities in the very recent past, before picking a race, and
starting a plan.
Please recognize that there is a real chance for minor muscle and tendon injuries while training. If you
attempt to train for a race without an adequate exercise background, you greatly increase your risk of
injury! Overall, about a third or more of athletes will sustain an injury while training that forces them to
stop training in one or more sports. If you are injured, there are ways to proceed with training while giving
your injury time to heal. Read the injury related articles on the R2R website.
- The most common injuries are from running. Often a runner can’t run without pain, but can cycle
pain free. Then just sub cycling for your run workouts.
- Knee pain with cycling is commonly related to having your seat too low, cranks to long for your
legs, cycling cadence too low, or a combo of the three.
- Low back pain from cycling is commonly due to core weakness. Upper back pain can be a result
of either core weakness or very aggressive positioning, with the front of your “cockpit” set too low.
Stem angle adjustment provides a quick and inexpensive solution.
- Swim-related pain is usually low back pain due to core weakness, or shoulder pain. Shoulder
pain can have many causes but is often related to shoulder muscle weakness, specifically rotator
weakness. If the pain is due to “impingement” or a torn rotator cuff there may be no simple
solution, and you need to see an orthopedic shoulder specialist who deals with athletes.
Basic strength training plan prerequisites:
Sprint Triathlon:
- You can run or run-walk 2 miles in less than 25 minutes.
- You ride your bike for 25 minutes without stopping to rest.
- You can swim 200 yds (meters) in less than 6:00-6:10 doing the crawl or breast stroke without stopping. You should also be comfortable swimming with your face in the water.
- Time to train! This training plan starts out with 4+ hours per week total training, and progresses to a
peak of 6+ hrs the week before your goal race.
Olympic Triathlon:
- You can run or run-walk 4 miles in less than 50 minutes
- You ride your bike for 45 minutes without stopping to rest
- You can swim 500 yds (meters) in 15:00 -15:40 doing the crawl or breast stroke without stopping. You
should also be comfortable swimming with your face in the water. If you cannot meet these, then you are
unlikely to progress fast enough to safely swim the required distance in 16 weeks . If your goal race is in
open water you should consider hiring a professional swim coach for at least several sessions, if not on
an ongoing basis.
- Time to train! This training plan starts out with 5+ hours per week total training and progresses to a
peak of 9+ hours the week before your goal race. You must also plan f time to prepare for, and recover/
clean up from, workouts. You will need travel time to and from your swim site, and you may have to allot
travel time to find a safe place to bike and run.
Half IM distance Triathlon:
- You can run or run-walk 8 miles in less than 1:30 minutes.
- You ride your bike for at least 1:30 minutes without stopping to rest
- You can swim 1000 yds(meters) in less than 24:00 ( 25:30 for m) doing the crawl or breast stroke
without stopping. You should also be comfortable swimming with your face in the water. IF you cannot
meet this test, then you are not likely to progress enough to safely swim the required distance in 20
weeks safely if your goal race is in open water (lake or ocean) without buying professional swim coaching
on a weekly basis.
- Time to train! This training plan starts out with 7+ hours per week total training, and progresses to
a peak of ~12 hrs, three weeks before your goal race. You must also plan for time to prepare for and
recover/clean up after workouts. You will need travel time to and from your swim site, and you may have
to allot travel time to find a safe place to bike and run.
- You should remember our adage that successfully completing a half IM distance triathlon is about
three (3) times harder than completing an Olympic distance triathlon. Yes the swim is only a third longer
than an Olympic swim, BUT the bike is 32 mi longer AND the run is 13.2 not 6.3 miles. You should
have been training regularly for at least one and better two full years before trying to race this distance,
otherwise your chance of injury during training is considerably higher than the injury rate of approximately
35% of all athletes that train for races of this distance.
Equipment Prerequisites include:
- Access to a pool or open body of water 3-4 days per week.
- Swim goggles, swim cap, and short swim fins (Zoomers or other brand.) Small dropper bottle of
NoMoreTears baby shampoo to defog your goggles. Small squeeze bottle of 50:50 white vinegar/alcohol
to put in both of your ears after every swim to prevent swimmers ear (trust us you don’t want this one.)
- Running shoes, with less than six months use or less than 200 miles running use.
- Working bike, with tire pump or CO2 inflator with 2 cartridges, spare tube, approved helmet, and bike
kit to repair a flat tire.
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