Winter Training Tips

Domo1982

Hi All,

Could any of the more seasoned guys on here suggest how to approach the winter after my first season of triathlon?

Did 5-6 Sprints and some duathlon/aquatlon events

Turning 40 and usually finish middle of the pack in races this year.

Basic objectives for 2018 are 1) Bring down Sprint time as much as possible & 2) Move up to Oly distance later in the year.

Couple of key areas I need to work on in my own mind are

1. My run off the bike is poor. I had fair amount of brick work done during the season. My 5 km times after 20km cycle in training were a lot better that the 5km run in the race for example.

2. Building up miles on the bike. I need to up this over the winter to move on potentially to Olympic distance next year. Thinking of buying a turbo ....or should I just be out on the bike come hell or highwater?

Any advice or suggestions appreciated

Thanks

EC1000

Domo1982 wrote: »

Hi All,

Could any of the more seasoned guys on here suggest how to approach the winter after my first season of triathlon?

Did 5-6 Sprints and some duathlon/aquatlon events

Turning 40 and usually finish middle of the pack in races this year.

Basic objectives for 2018 are 1) Bring down Sprint time as much as possible & 2) Move up to Oly distance later in the year.

Where are you at the moment - i.e. what are your PBs for running and biking standalone?

Domo1982 wrote: »

1. My run off the bike is poor. I had fair amount of brick work done during the season. My 5 km times after 20km cycle in training were a lot better that the 5km run in the race for example.

2. Building up miles on the bike. I need to up this over the winter to move on potentially to Olympic distance next year. Thinking of buying a turbo ....or should I just be out on the bike come hell or highwater?

Any advice or suggestions appreciated

Thanks

I'm no expert but... Yes, get a turbo. It's a necessary part of training IMO. If you have an hour here or there for biking you will get a much more beneficial session in an hour on the turbo than anywhere else. I predominantly train on my turbo all year round and just do my longer cycles outdoors. There are lots of training aids out there for making it productive - e.g. trainerroad, Zwift, etc.

Domo1982

EC1000 wrote: »

Where are you at the moment - i.e. what are your PBs for running and biking standalone?



I'm no expert but... Yes, get a turbo. It's a necessary part of training IMO. If you have an hour here or there for biking you will get a much more beneficial session in an hour on the turbo than anywhere else. I predominantly train on my turbo all year round and just do my longer cycles outdoors. There are lots of training aids out there for making it productive - e.g. trainerroad, Zwift, etc.

Cheers for that.

Can do 5k in around 22.30 on its own...moves up to 24ish after 15/20km bike session. Have been hitting 27+mins for 5 km in some Sprint events.

Cycling - I'm a 25.5 kph average speed guy on the bike. That's been improving all year. Only started back cycling after 20 years in March. Love getting out on the bike now though

I'm guessing it could be leaving too much out there on the swim/bike leg. Could also be general level of fitness I guess. Estimate I was spending 5-6 hours per week training.

RacoonQueen

It's fairly simple. To run faster off the bike - you need to cycle more...and you need to run more.
You can't run off the bike if you can't run in the first place.

Domo1982

RacoonQueen wrote: »

It's fairly simple. To run faster off the bike - you need to cycle more...and you need to run more.
You can't run off the bike if you can't run in the first place.

Makes no sense unfortunately

Tibulus

I find myself returning to the gym more this time of year. Find the it easier to motivate myself for a spinning class than a turbo at home. Run before or after the class on a treadmill to make a brick session of it. Use a heart rate monitor if you have, set target heart rates etc.

Dont think the spinning clases compare at all with the turbo however, getting set up with a power meter (soon €€€) and plan to use trainer road.

rooneyjm

Don't stop training but train easy until January. There is a great thread over in the running forum with articles from cloniffe running club that explain a lot about training, periodisation, training cycles, rest, recovery.

mossym

Domo1982 wrote: »

Cheers for that.

Can do 5k in around 22.30 on its own...moves up to 24ish after 15/20km bike session. Have been hitting 27+mins for 5 km in some Sprint events.



.

when you do 24 after a cycle, does that have a swim before hand? i bet not. triathlon is not 3 different sports, it's 1. if you are just getting to reasonable shape your swim fitness is probably muck, meaning you are fatigued getting on the bike, and more fatigued getting off it, hence the slower time

stop focusing on individual times, work on building fitness in the 3 areas over the winter, and you'll see big benefits next year when you put them together

Macy0161

Didn't feel in a position to say, but what rooneyjm says pretty much ties in with what I've read. You have to take some time off structured training (will be looking at that thread on running). I'm finding it hard as I still like eating, so still swimming/ running/ biking but just ticking over rather than following specific plans. My season is over, so I've done a few trail runs, hoping to put the mtb back on the road. Also just be available for the family a bit more (earn a bit of credit!).

Regarding the turbo, TrainerRoad made a massive difference to me, both in terms of progress but also motivation. Even on their Olympic plan, most of the sessions are an hour or so, with a longer weekend session (which I swap out for the club spin unless weather really miserable). I've read that the rule of thumb is time on the turbo is worth between one and quarter and one and half times an outdoor session, if you take no breaks. Also, a lot of their low intensity sessions have form drills included, which is what I'm using at the moment. Never tried zwift (may do if/ when their android app is out), as I don't have a machine capable at the moment.

Keeks

rooneyjm wrote: »

There is a great thread over in the running forum with articles from cloniffe running club that explain a lot about training, periodisation, training cycles, rest, recovery.

Which thread is that......I'm either blind or stupid this morning as I can find it....

Domo1982

Tibulus wrote: »

I find myself returning to the gym more this time of year. Find the it easier to motivate myself for a spinning class than a turbo at home. Run before or after the class on a treadmill to make a brick session of it. Use a heart rate monitor if you have, set target heart rates etc.

Dont think the spinning clases compare at all with the turbo however, getting set up with a power meter (soon €€€) and plan to use trainer road.

Thanks for the feedback Tibulus - Much appreciated.

I'm a pool member only at the leisure centre so adding the gym membership over the winter sounds like a good plan. Also have invested garmin watch and HRM so just starting to learn how to use that as well.

Thanks again.

RacoonQueen

Keeks wrote: »

Which thread is that......I'm either blind or stupid this morning as I can find it....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057737844

Macy0161

Tibulus wrote: »

Dont think the spinning clases compare at all with the turbo however, getting set up with a power meter (soon €€€) and plan to use trainer road.

Just to say TrainerRoad will also do virtual power on most non-smart turbos, once you have a speed and cadence sensor, so it needn't be an expensive start up. I think zwift might have the same option.

Domo1982

mossym wrote: »

when you do 24 after a cycle, does that have a swim before hand? i bet not. triathlon is not 3 different sports, it's 1. if you are just getting to reasonable shape your swim fitness is probably muck, meaning you are fatigued getting on the bike, and more fatigued getting off it, hence the slower time

stop focusing on individual times, work on building fitness in the 3 areas over the winter, and you'll see big benefits next year when you put them together

No swim beforehand mossym - you're spot on.

Appreciate the advice...Thanks

Keeks

RacoonQueen wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057737844

Cheers RQ...found lots of others except that one

rodneyr1981

rooneyjm wrote: »

Don't stop training but train easy until January. There is a great thread over in the running forum with articles from cloniffe running club that explain a lot about training, periodisation, training cycles, rest, recovery.

Great read very interesing