Triathlon Learning Curve

So.  I am signed up for a triathlon.  I thought I should probably learn some more about just exactly what I have gotten myself into.  Here is what I have learned so far...

I found lots of helpful resources on runnersworld.com.  For instance, I discovered a training calculator for runners.  You plug in your best time for one of the standard distances and it will calculate what your time would be for all the other standard distances.  By example, my best time for a half marathon is 2:33:13.  Based on that calculation, I would run a 5K in 00:33:20, and a full marathon in 5:19:27.  The calculator also posits the best speeds for various different training  runs to improve my time!

So, now I know what speeds I should be doing in each of the three different types of training runs; speed forms, VO2 intervals, and tempo runs.

Speed forms:  These help increase speed.  Duh.  It is an interval workout involving one minute of high intensity speed running, followed by 3-4 minutes of recovery jogging... repeated about 6 times for a 30 minute workout.  I did one of these today and it felt great!

VO2:  These workouts are done to deliver the maximum amount of oxygen to your muscles possible.  They are 4-5 min. of moderately intense speed running (not has fast as the speed form), you have to be able to sustain the speed for the entire time, followed by 4-5 minutes of recovery jogging, repeated 3 times for a 30 minute workout.

Tempo:  These are workouts at your race tempo, or the speed you can maintain for at least 20 minutes non stop.

All of this will help my running and overall fitness.

I have also learned a thing or two about swimming in open water.  For instance, I need to work on my technique to get more rotation and better extension on my stroke in order to get good breaths in the waves.  Also, I need to practice lifting my head slightly to the front periodically as I swim so my goggles peek out of the water to see where I am going!  This is called sighting and is critical when swimming toward a destination in open water.  When sighting, it is better to first pick a tall object that aligns with the buoy, because when you are in the water, you might not be able to see the buoy you are aiming for because the water swells may obscure it from you.  So, if you know it lines up with something higher up that you can see from the water, you will know you are heading in the right direction!  Wow!  I am really glad I learned that trick!

I also learned that open water swims most often cause a momentary panic in many racers because of all the other bodies thrashing about in the water near you.  I don't know if that will happen to me, but it is good to know about it and be prepared, just in case!

I watched several YouTube videos about transitions.  They have been called the fourth event in a triathlon, because they can be stressful if not thought out and executed well.  Basically, a transition is the time it takes you to move from one event in the triathlon to the next event.  There are two transitions; swim/bike, and bike/run.  The swim/bike transition seems to be the one that is most technical.  Most of the videos I saw dealt with getting a wet suit off before getting into biking gear.  I won't have to worry about that, because I don't plan to race in a wet suit.  The lake's temperature in late August will be plenty warm!  However, there were lots of helpful tips about how to lay out your gear in the transition area to make the transition as smooth and speedy as possible.  I think I will need to practice a transition before the race.

Something Bill mentioned about biking struck me, as well.  He has shoes that clip into the pedals of his bike.  I don't.  I was just going to wear my running shoes on the bike, too.  However, he said that biking without clipping onto the pedals only uses 1/4 of the muscle power I could be using.  Without the clips, I can only exert downward force on the pedals as they complete the front of the rotation.  If I had my shoes clipped to the pedals, however, I could exert an UPWARD force on the back rotation as well!  In fact, I could be using my muscles all the way through the pedal's circular rotation.

So.  Do I go buy myself some biking shoes and the right kind of pedals?  The shoes cost about $100!  Ouch!  I would need to do it soon, if at all, because I would need to train in them.  I already intend to buy some tri shorts.  These are specially designed compression shorts that wick water away, dry quickly, and have a thin pad in the seat for the biking leg of the race.  They are worn in all three events.

Oh.  And the most disturbing thing I discovered is that mp3 players of any kind are strictly FORBIDDEN during any portion of a triathlon!  Of course, that is fine for the swim, and even the biking... but it will be sorely missed while I am running!