Possible to train for a Triathlon in 2 months?

curadh

What are your good thoughts on it being possible to train for a triathlon in June, starting from scratch? I havent done much fitness for about 6 years.
Is this a heart attack in the making?

Pen1987

it depends how fast you want to complete it... have you set a time/goal for yourself?

You could complete it now no problem if your in ANY WAY once you can swim jog cycle about half the required distance without a LOT of bother, you might just come last.

Training for a national standard would be a heart attack in the making, just trying to FINISH then 2 months would be about enough IMO unless you unhealthily unfit.

Hanley

What length triathlon is it?

(I know VERY little about them, just that the length's differ greatly!)

nibble

Honestly, I just couldn't see it. Maybe, MAYBE if you were already a fairly expierenced runner and is/was swimming somewhat regularly then.... But if like you say you havent done much fitness for about 6 years, then no.
Take a lot longer than 2 months and train for a different triathlon, run some races to get some expierence.

Now I have never done a triathlon, but have ran plenty of cross country. I know guys that have done them and you really need to be fit and have good race experience. Good luck whenever you do get around to doing one, it takes balls!

matrixroyal

Yes it is easily possible.
Depends on a few things :

- duration / distance ( sprint, olympic, half ironman, ironman ? )
- your current fitness level
- are you a specialist or very good at 1-2 of the disciplines ? ( eg. if you are a great swimmer or cyclist that would be a great help.

If possible, immediately start cycling to and from work ( this will give you a great base and you can concentrate your workouts on the running and swimming ) and make sure you run and / or swim every day in addition.
( giving yourself a few days total rest here and there to recover ) .


I did a half ironman once ( my first triathlon ) with little or no training, spent most of it fighting cramping muscles but got through it on adrenalin, that said I needed a zimmer frame to walk for 2 weeks after.

xebec

As others have mentioned, it depends on the length of the triathlon and your current fitness levels.

Hal Higdon has an 8-week training program for a sprint triathlon, but it does come with the caveat that it is designed for someone who can already complete 10km running...

Best of luck if you decide to go for it. You'll need to show a huge level of commitment, but I'm sure it can be done!

goose06

Try this out, its a beginners guide,
its 11 weeks long but you guide adjust it to suit your 8 weeks

http://www.trinewbies.com/tno_training_programs3.asp

I'm in week 3 now at the moment and so far its not too tough, I have been adding extra swim sessions in because that would be a weakness of mine

curadh

sorry forgot I posted this!
an update...triathlon i'm told is june 1st. Started training on saturday. Went for a run did about 1 and a quarter km, had to stop. Half did another 2.
Went for a cycle today, was around forty five mins on the bike, bit of uphill, didnt have to stop.
Does this give any idea of my fitness? You think I'll be able for it?
Also wheres a good spot to get a wet suit for the swim part of it?

BossArky

I've been doing triathlons for the past 2 or 3 years. The first year I did all sprint distance races, and trained for my first one in about 6 weeks. I didn't win it but didn't embarress myself either.

This year I'm doing all Olympic distance ones. It will take a year or two for you to get your fitness levels up.

I find that the swim/cycle/run is alot more interesting that just hammering away at one of those all year, or just keeping to the gym.

You should aim to just finish your first one, then use subsequent events to raise the bar. Sprint distances are pretty much fun events anyway.

sharkDawg

curadh wrote: »

sorry forgot I posted this!
an update...triathlon i'm told is june 1st. Started training on saturday. Went for a run did about 1 and a quarter km, had to stop. Half did another 2.
Went for a cycle today, was around forty five mins on the bike, bit of uphill, didnt have to stop.
Does this give any idea of my fitness? You think I'll be able for it?
Also wheres a good spot to get a wet suit for the swim part of it?

Firstly, OP what are the distances involved? Having to stop after 1.25km is not a good sign, i presume you were just jogging? Spending 45 mins on a bike doesn't give anyone an idea of their fitness, what sort of speed were you doing and what distance did you cover? tbh I'd say a wet suit is the least of your worries! Sorry if I seem a bit pessimistic but I can't help but feel that your going into this with your eyes closed. I hope you prove me wrong!

gabgab

Hey man,

Go for it trust me, even if you have to be very very slow, its still quick by your standard. I did one last year with 25 days training and I was not in good shape at all,

I have every confidence that you can do it and that you should, the sense of achievement is brilliant trust me,

I am doing one in my and I have not been in a pool yet this year, its all about mind over matter,

justsomebloke

a bit late now as this has been here over 2 weeks but you would be better off asking in the marathon/triathlon forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=972

HardyEustace

Join a club and then see if anyone is interested in a relay for the first race.

That way you can compete in June and have the experience of your first tri and work towards competing a full one as the summer and your training progresses.

curadh

Thanks guys, Yeah Im going for a swim tonight, its amazing how I feel since I went training again! Its a new lease of life to me! I'll do the triathlon and hopefully wont come last. Thanks for the replies!

911sc

Are you doing this one?

curadh

Mate just told me we are doing the one in mullaghmore on june 21st. Thought I'd be grand till I saw it was a 20km cycle. Think I might forget about that and try the one you linked 911sc in leitrim.

tunney

Garadice is a great race, did it last year, great fun, great organisation. Water is the cleanest that you'll swim in in Ireland. Might do it myself again this year.

curadh

Okay now I'm really fecked. Went for my first swim in years tonight and could barely do a length. I could of sworn there were people laughing at me!!
How long do you think it would take me to get up to doing a few hundred metres non stop?! at a veeeerrrrryyyy sssslllllooooooowwwwwww pace!

liamo

Hi,

I was in exactly your position (swimming-wise) at the start of the year - barely able to do a single length.

I bought a PDF book from triswimcoach.com which was an enormous help in explaining the how and why of swimming, eg finding your balance in the water, why you should keep your head in the water, etc. I hadn't a clue about these things but they made perfect sense when they were pointed out.

I swam most days trying to implement something new from the book each day, although I was still only swimming a couple of lengths at a time before becoming exhausted.

Then one day, something "clicked" and I swam 200 metres non-stop. By the end of February I had hit a Kilometre.

If I can do it then so can anyone else. From my point of view the key is to get your technique right and then practice, practice, practice.

Best of luck with it.

Liam

damoz

Liam - that pdf sounds just what i need. I have to technique, and never really took proper lessons. Do you have a copy... or can you point us to the 1 you recommend...

liamo

damoz wrote: »

Liam - that pdf sounds just what i need. I have to technique, and never really took proper lessons. Do you have a copy... or can you point us to the 1 you recommend...

Hi Damoz, the link is http://www.triswimcoach.com/order.asp

Good luck.

Liam

Canis Lupus

liamo wrote: »

Hi,

I was in exactly your position (swimming-wise) at the start of the year - barely able to do a single length.

I bought a PDF book from triswimcoach.com which was an enormous help in explaining the how and why of swimming, eg finding your balance in the water, why you should keep your head in the water, etc. I hadn't a clue about these things but they made perfect sense when they were pointed out.

I swam most days trying to implement something new from the book each day, although I was still only swimming a couple of lengths at a time before becoming exhausted.

Then one day, something "clicked" and I swam 200 metres non-stop. By the end of February I had hit a Kilometre.

If I can do it then so can anyone else. From my point of view the key is to get your technique right and then practice, practice, practice.

Best of luck with it.

Liam

oooh oooh ooh I had my clicky moment today!!! Been stuck on 2 lengths for a long depressing horrible month! This evening I swam 10 lengths, quick pause then six more. Then sets of 4-6.

I almost got out of the pool and bloody danced even though I've a long way yet to go. (I need to hit 750m comfortably before July for a sprint triathlon)

Damoz, if it helps, stop fighting the water is what I discovered. The harder you try to power yourself through the worse it all gets. Think skinny and use slow motions.

messed_up

Hi Liamo,

I've been toying with buying the triswimcoach e-book for a while now as I too am a struggling swimmer. Need something to click pretty soon as I'vethe Fingal Tri looming large now.

Think I might take the plunge now, pardon the pun!

liamo

Canis Lupus wrote: »

stop fighting the water is what I discovered. The harder you try to power yourself through the worse it all gets. Think skinny and use slow motions.

That's exactly what worked for me. I simply stopped trying so hard. And the funny thing is that my times are gradually improving even though I don't seem to be trying any harder. I do, however, still try to improve my technique each and every time I get into the water. That's what is making the difference, I suppose.

Regards,

Liam

tunney

messed_up wrote: »

Hi Liamo,

I've been toying with buying the triswimcoach e-book for a while now as I too am a struggling swimmer. Need something to click pretty soon as I'vethe Fingal Tri looming large now.

Think I might take the plunge now, pardon the pun!

Fingal tri was my first race a good few years ago. I couldn't swim either and the race organiser took bets on whether I'd finish the swim at all.

As someone who has been there can I recommend NOT getting a book. Get a few sessions with a good coach. They will do so much more for you than a book.

--amadeus--

Interesting reading the last few posts...

Don't tell HM but I am thinking about giving Tri's a go. My major block at this stage is the swimming, despite being moderately fit I can't swim a full length. I am pretty sure it's in my head but I just get this idea that I'm not getting enough air and I need to stop. Looking at whats being said though I'm doing what some of you were - attempting to sprint my way through. I'll try relaxing a bit more.

Cheers!

Canis Lupus

Don't laugh but think like a canoe with your arms as the paddles, you want to gracefully (or as close as possible to gracefully :P ) slide through the water.

Take deep breaths to maintain buoyancy on top of the water and relaaaax.

And best of luck

EDIT: Also breath every 3 strokes, alternate side. Initally this seems like madness but once you click with the above and take deep breathes you don't wear yourself out cos you're not windmilling your arms and running a race with your legs so you don't need to breath as much.

hunnymonster

as both a kayaker and a swimmer I'm not sure I agree with the paddles approach but the key to swimming for triathlon is the "glide". Stop fighting the water.

tunney

hunnymonster, hunnymonster, hunnymonster...........

its so not the glide! A "glide" is simply a dead spot in your stroke...

Canis Lupus

hunnymonster wrote: »

as both a kayaker and a swimmer I'm not sure I agree with the paddles approach but the key to swimming for triathlon is the "glide". Stop fighting the water.

S'only a metaphor

hunnymonster

For a novice swimmer who is trying to use brute force to stay afloat (not necessarily move anywhere fast) I still stick with the idea that getting to the point where you feel like you are gliding is what it's all about. You can add power back in afterwards to get faster but you have got to start with ease of movement through the water.