Are you considering whether you could sign up and do a sprint triathlon? Maybe you are new to the triathlon completely, or to the sprint triathlon specifically. Or maybe you are an athlete but are always on the lookout for more tips on how to improve your triathlon training plans. Here are some ideas to get you started!
Don’t delay with your sign-up - get it done so you know how long you have to prepare and so you don’t psyche yourself out and you can start motivating yourself.
Have personal training plans - your plan should be specifically for you, your experience, your athleticism and such. You should consult with a coach who can do something for you rather than get one online.
Work out the timing - when you have the race date you can then ensure you prepare far enough in advance so you can build up the intensity and have enough rest time too.
Don’t get advice from people doing longer Ironman triathlons - it is a very different race, all that is similar is the three events! A triathlon training plan from an Ironman race is a lot different physically and mentally!
Do not spend too long tapering down - while you might need a two or even three week tapering with an Ironman event, you only need five to seven days for a sprint event.
Regularly test yourself - every 4 weeks check your time on a 500m swim, a 1 mile run and a 3 mile bike ride. Then you know where you are working from.
Start including sugar rinses - these are a great way to get a boost from a sports drink even if you do not want to actually drink anything, you just swirl the drinks and spit for a quick hit of energy.
Make sure your triathlon training plans include Overspeed training - this does not mean running, swimming or biking faster than you would usually do when you train. It means training your muscles to work quickly and repetitively. You might use a metronome when you swim, use a treadmill when you train and run, and for cycling go at more than 100+ revolutions per 60 seconds.
Avoid weightlifting on the week of your race - there is no point in rushing to the gym and pushing the training right into the last week you have. What you have not trained or achieved cannot be achieved in just a few days. Also, muscle tears take up to seven days to repair so you do not want your body damaged for race day. Your triathlon training plan should in those days just cover some recovery time and some quality bike, run and swim sessions.
Include plyometrics in your plan - these are exercises such as bounding, jumping, leaping and hopping and they can help improve your performance because you are teaching your body to do forceful actions quickly and then to recover between them.
