How To Keep Your Triathlon Training Plans

Your triathlon training plans might be admirable goals, but until you act on them, they will only be plans. They won't become a reality until you take action.
We are all capable of creating a plan, but all of us don't have the determination to see it through. Determination is a must-have quality in a triathlon. Without it, none of your training goals or race day goals will be realized.
When you're planning for a triathlon, you need to get to know your strengths and weaknesses; you want to make the most of your strengths and reduce your weaknesses, both physically and mentally. By following a proper training routine, you will learn more about yourself and develop a strategy for improving yourself all the way around.
It all starts with your triathlon training plan. When you work out, you need to have achievable goals set for yourself.
If you keep reaching all your smaller goals, you will be far more likely to follow through your entire plan. You aren't just training your body. You're also learning how your mind handles fatigue and negative voices telling you that you'll fail. It's all part of training for a triathlon.
How long will you be training? That largely depends on the type of triathlon you're competing in. A few months will probably suffice for a mini triathlon. But if an Ironman Triathlon is more what you have in mind, you'll need at least a year or more of training.
Triathlons consist of three different sports, so it should come as no surprise that even diehard athletes take a long time to prepare for these races. If you're good at two of the sports but weak in a third, you'll want to concentrate heavily on the sport you're least good at. Once you've gotten good at it, you can begin focusing on improving your performance in all three events.
Because you'll be switching sports in a triathlon, you need to ensure that your triathlon training lets you practice the transitions. The hard part is getting your body adjusted to quickly switching to using other muscles.
For example, if you are going from the bike to a run it will take your body a little bit to register that a different muscle group is being used. It is essential that you know beforehand what this transition feels like. Make sure you know the order of your events so you can plan accordingly.
About the Author
Before you start your triathlon training, make sure to read our Triathlon Training Schedule, and Triathlon Training Programs.

Shimano Triathlon Shoes: A Great Choice

Stick with one of the few top sources for great running shoes or triathlon shoes and be sure you are getting the genuine article.
Where Do I Get Them?
Some brands of athletic shoes have raced ahead of the pack in popularity, among them Adidas running shoes and, in a more special area, Shimano triathlon shoes. These name brands and a few others have gained the respect of thousands of amateur and professional athletes around the world, because of great design, quality construction and durability that rivals any other shoe.
Some sources for these great running and cycling shoes are better than others, simply because of customer service and price. While it is impossible to list all the great sources, there are a few that serious shoe buyers will want to investigate. Even if the time isn't right for investing in a new pair of athletic shoes, it may be wise to keep some of these suggestions in mind, in addition to looking for a few other sources, if only for reference in the future.
Sports Basement has come to be a very popular place for purchasing such items as Adidas running shoes and Shimano triathlon shoes. The company has a massive range of sports apparel, equipment and shoes, including clothing for men and women, heart rate monitors and other accessories.
But don’t stop there. Take a close look at Holabird Sports. This company has been in business for more than 25 years, offering equipment and footwear for amateur and professional athletes from a leader's position in the industry. Holabird is well represented on a great Web site but the interested buyer can also visit the company in person.
Most top athletic shoe companies have great Web sites that allow the customer to shop from home, have items shipped directly to the door and pay by electronic transfer. Some companies offer custom-made shoes as well, which may be a great idea for the serious competitive runner or tri-athlete. Even the committed jogger or workout fanatic may want to invest the little extra that custom gear will cost. The benefits may far outweigh the initial investment.
Cautious Is Best
Aside from the few top sources for Adidas running shoes and Shimano triathlon shoes, customers may want to use caution when shopping online with smaller, less well-known businesses. Make sure you are getting the real item and not some cheaply made imitation. The explosion in athletic shoe popularity over the past few years has spawned a number of copycat manufacturers whose shoes may appear to be genuine. But when it comes time to put these shoes to the test, they quickly fail the test. When in doubt, talk to a store employee or customer representative, then follow your best instincts.
About the Author
Still looking for information about adidas running shoes??, Adam Peters loves writing for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Read additional info on cycling shoes or triahtlon shoes

How to go faster in your triathlon transition

Swim to Bike
1. Make sure your wetsuit is round your waste by the time you get to your bike.
2. Make sure you SPOT your gear early and hone in on it.
3. Don’t take your swimming hat or goggle off before you take your arm out of your wetsuit. You won’t have 2 free hands… duhh…
4. Practice the same routine over and over and over again
We use wetsuit off (if open water) > sunglasses on > helmet on > number belt on (if pool swim) > cycling shoes > on away
5. Don’t use vaseline anywhere
6. Don’t clip your shoes to your pedals like the pros â€" They have all week to practice â€" you will fall off and look silly.
7. Sit at home and repeatedly put your helmet on and take it off so you can do it without even thinking letalone fiddling. (When you can do something without thinking about it pyschologists call this “unconciously competent”)
8. Consider mountain bike cleats and spd pedals if the transition is long, stony or uneven surface. That’s what they were designed for right?
9. Don’t think about anything else or look at anything else â€" Concentrate solely on getting in and out as fast as possible
10. Don’t stop to have a drink â€" you can do that when you are moving on the bike
11. Make sure you know where the Bike out exit is
12. Practice getting in your bike without having to stop running. You will fall off when you first try to do this…
Bike to run
13.Make sure your running shoes are facing the way you are going to go…
14.BE CAREFUL taking your feet out of your shoes â€" the flaps might go into the chain wheel and you will do a spectacular flying dismount off your bike…
15.Get off your bike without stopping running
16.Make sure you SPOT your gear early and hone in on it. Someone may have kicked your stuff away from where you left it.
17.Undo your helmet and tilt your head forwards. The magic of gravity means it falls off by itself. Leave it where it falls.
18.Use elastic laces and open each shoe with one hand on the tongue and one one the heel tab.
19.As you have put the first shoe on, you can hop-turn and face the way you want to go whilst putting the other one on.
20.Make sure you know where the run out exit is..
21.Don’t start running too fast
22. Enjoy â€" where else would you rather be on a Sunday morning…
About the Author
Inside Triathlon team have been competing in age group triathlons since 1996. They specialise in sprint distance races and like to go FAST. Our website is http://insidetriathlon.org

The World Triathlon Festival

The World Triathlon festival in New Zealand kicks off on April 4, 2008 until April 6, 2008.
The 3 day weekend festivities includes the Weetbix kids race, the popular beginners triathlon, specific age-group competitive triathlon, competition between teams triathlon, the one mile feature run, the 1.5 km Ocean swim (where competitors from all over the world gather to compete for the fastest swim time in rough waters), and the all famous BG Triathlon World Cup â€" New Zealand's best athletes taking on the World.
The April 3rd to 6th event will showcase the New Plymouth region to the rest of New Zealand and the world. Triathlon New Zealand today launched an ambitious and exciting four year project to focus the world of triathlon on New Plymouth each April with the announcement of the Port Taranaki World Triathlon Festival, incorporating a round of the ITU BG World Cup series. The event will be a fun filled, family weekend for all with great spot prizes at all events!
For more info please visit www.mydriveholiday.com
About the Author
I love travel.

Tips for triathlon nutrition

If you are trying to be healthy, it is essential to incorporate proper nutrition into your lifestyle, not solely physical activity. This is even truer for someone who is training for a triathlon.
Food is fuel, and when one of the things you should be doing when preparing for a triathlon is making sure your giving your body the right fuel. Changes to your diet may be in order to make sure that you're getting the right triathlon nutrition, and you may even want to consider taking supplements.
You'll have a far better chance of succeeding if you eat the right foods and consume the proper amount of calories, minerals, and vitamins.
Your body needs to be in tip-top shape if you really want to succeed. That means you'll need to be in good shape, follow the proper training regimen, and do what you can to avoid any injuries.
One of the things you need to do when you're training for a triathlon is to feed your body what it needs to perform at its best. Some people blow off triathlon nutrition because a lot of calories are getting burned off as they train.
While you do need more calories when you're training, it's not an excuse to eat a lot of highly processed junk; you'll do far better if you eat good, wholesome foods.
On the other hand, many thriathletes understand how important it is to follow the proper triathlon nutrition, which is why they consult professional dieticians. Talking to a professional dietician will help you determine the best nutrition plan for you while you're training.
More than likely, a dietician will recommend a diet that's most appropriate for someone who engages in physically demanding activities-- like training! He'll probably suggest that you eat plenty of fresh, wholesome foods that are full of minerals and vitamins.
Your body will benefit from the energy boost it'll get from consuming grains, vegetables fruits, and lean meats: They contain nutrients that will keep your tank full. It's a good idea to plan meals ahead of time instead of relying on energy bars or drinks, which can be pricy.
While training for a triathlon, you should stay away from sugary or fatty foods. Most junk food will adversely affect your training efforts. You should also avoid alcohol, since it will dehydrate you.
When you follow a proper triathlon nutrition, you'll have more energy and enthusiasm for your training, which means you'll enjoy better results!
About the Author
Before you start your triathlon training, make sure to read our Triathlon Training Schedule, and Triathlon Training Programs.

The Variety in Triathlon Training Can Help You Lose Weight

Training for and competing in a triathlon is an excellent way to help you lose weight. A triathlon consists of a swim, a bike ride and a run. Participants complete each leg of the event starting with the swim leg and concluding with the run leg. The distance of each leg varies. There are very short events for novice athletes and longer events that are ideal for well conditioned amateur and professional athletes. Typical triathlon events include sprint events, Olympic distance events and Ironman distance events. Sprint events do not have set distances and may vary from one course to the next. The distances for an Olympic distance triathlon are 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run, and the distances for an Ironman distance triathlon are 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. This article will focus on how tri-athletes enjoy an improved metabolism because of the cross training and speed work that helps them prepare for triathlons. While the information in this article will provide insight into the type of triathlon training that best facilitates weight loss, be sure to consult with your doctor before beginning your training program or taking supplements. This will help ensure you are fit enough to undertake this type of training and that any supplements you are taking will not interfere with prescribed medications.

Cross Training Keeps Your Metabolism High

One of the key reasons training for a triathlon is such an effective way to lose weight is the cross training that is necessary to prepare for competitions. Cyclists often focus solely on biking during the competition, while swimmers or runners likewise focus almost exclusively on their sport of choice. However, since a triathlon involves all three of these sports, tri-athletes have to concentrate on training for all three disciplines during the racing season. If you opt to train for a triathlon, you will find yourself enjoying the benefits of cross training while you prepare yourself for the swim, bike and run portions of the event.

As part of your triathlon training, consider training for an endurance cycling event such as a century ride. A century ride is a 100-mile bike ride, and most participants who are planning to participate in this type of event spend the vast majority, if not all, of their training time cycling to prepare for this event. While this might be good for your weight loss goals initially, as your body becomes accustomed to your workout schedule, you will begin burning fewer calories each time you ride your bike. This is due to improved muscle efficiency. This efficiency is ideal for improving your performance and your cardiovascular health, since as your muscles become more efficient, they require less fuel, but as a result, your weight loss will plateau, and you may become frustrated with your fitness routine.

Now consider training for a triathlon. You will have to prepare yourself to complete the swim leg, bike leg and run leg of the event. As a result, you will likely split your training time among the three disciplines to ensure you are adequately prepared for the event. By cross training and preparing yourself for three different events, you will prevent your muscles from becoming overly efficient. This will cause a significant metabolism boost during and after each training session. This metabolic boost will help you continue to lose weight while you train for your triathlon.

Speed Work Can Also Boost Metabolism

If you are training for your first triathlon, you will likely select a sprint or Olympic distance event. These races are significantly longer than the Ironman distance triathlons that many people associate with the sport. Shorter events such as these are ideal for novice athletes who are hoping to lose weight and enjoy participation in a competitive sport. Danskin even hosts a series of sprint distance triathlons for women entirely to encourage participation in the sport of triathlon. For more information on the Danskin Triathlon series, visit: http://www.danskin.com/triathlon/triathlon.html.

Since you will likely be training for a shorter event, you will also likely incorporate some interval training into your swim, bike and run training sessions. Interval training essentially involves alternating short sprints with recovery periods where you are swimming, biking or running at a moderate pace that allows your heart rate to return to a more manageable level of approximately 50%-60% of your maximum heart rate. During the sprint intervals, you will be working at closer to 90% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate can be roughly calculated by subtracting your age from 220. However, there are more effective ways to determine this number and you may wish to attempt them if you are not satisfied with the number determined from the basic formula. If you own a heart rate monitor with advanced features, it may include a fit test to help you determine this number. While you are training at a higher intensity, your metabolism increases greatly both during and after the training session. This increased metabolism can help you lose weight.

Supplement Your Diet to Keep Your Metabolism High

While triathlon training can help to keep your metabolism high, your diet can also have an impact on your metabolism. Making wise nutritional choices such as choosing fruits, vegetables and whole grains over processed foods, and incorporating supplements into your diet can also improve your metabolism. Visit www.Meltorin.com for more information about Meltorin, a metabolism-boosting supplement that can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

About the Author

Written by the V-Team, courtesy of Kamau Austin, publisher. The V-Team's fitness tips may be viewed at: http://www.healthandfitnessvitality.com/blogs/fitnessblog.htm

Dambuster Triathlon Review

It was the day I had been waiting for...further that, the day I had been training for. The winter base and months of following training would all amount to this race, the Dambuster.

The Dambuster Triathlon, one of pacesetterevents finest would be my first Olympic distance event. Not only that, it would be the qualifer for the world championships later this year in Hamburg Germany. How badly did I want to qualify? Badly enough to have already written the date in my diary and ensured that there would be nothing going on in the two weeks before the event so I could progress through my taper without any disruption!

Set in some of Leicestershires most spectacular scenery with the centre point being a Dammed lake in Rutland I would never have even dreamnt of the gruelling challenge that lay before me.

Upon arriving at Rutland Water on the Friday (22nd) me and my dad, who I must add always travels with me to all my events, set up camp near to the lake before heading off the check out the course. We had already driven the famed 'Rutland Ripple' on the way in, a punishing set of up hill drags that seemed keep repeating themselves just when you thought they were over! My dad of course, always keeping a sensible head reminded me that "For every up, there is always a down!", a comment that would stick with me when edging up those hills the next day. The swim was a diamond like route, 1500m around 5 buoys, fantastic! There is nothing worse for me than a straight out and back swim, it just looks so far! Onto transition to find that I actually had me own named area of transition set apart with a little sticker, I would have felt like a professional had the same not been done for everybody else. Still a great touch, well done pacesetter! The run route would take me and all the other potential qualifiers around the lake and out to the dam where an interval type sprint out and back across the dam twice before heading back to the start would make up the 10km. With everything planned out it was back to the tent for some sought after grub!

A typical campsite, with groups of men/women all staying together would typically be expected to be noisy through most of the night. One of the things I absolutely love about triathletes that would seem perculiar to anyone not accustomed to the sport is that we all need our sleep, and we know it! Half past ten and the campsite was dead to the world, not even a whisper! Fair enough really when the first wave of swimmers was off at 06:40! In fact even if you wern't in the first wave, you still had to be in transition for 06:00, that mean getting up at 5:00 for me for an early breakfast!

Oats and bananas, thats what I have found works best for me over the last year or so. Still feeling full after a mountain of pasta the night before I had to keep breakfast reasonably light. I decided to get into my trisuit early, why not be prepared? I`m the kind of person who needs to have everything planned, probably due to the fact that I have to live my life by timetables in order to fit all the training in for 3 sports. As well as this I have a girlfriend, Rachael, probably the most understanding person in my life, who always stands by me with my sport but I would hate to take more time than necessary away from her. Hence all the timetables;to ensure I am getting everything done at times when it doesn't affect anything or anyone else, this normally means the mornings! After racking up I applied the baby oil and got into my wetsuit. It was 0630 so I headed down to the water.

The mass start for the swim was brutal, I didn't want to start at the front because I didn't deem myself quick enough, there were 90 of us in the 18-24 category and I was in the middle of the pack. After a few kicks taken and a few handed out I found a bit of space and swam parallel to another guy, who I kept track of because I recognised his Orca wetsuit. I find normally when I swim I pass the time by counting my strokes per length, in open water there are no lengths...the swim seemed to go on forever! 26minutes to be exact, 4 minutes over my pool time. I couldn`t believe it, to qualify I needed to be in the top 4, I was 50th out the water! After a reasonably quick transition jumped onto my bike and begin to pedal....there was a problem, I was spinning more than a washing machine....my chain was off. What are the chances, the most important race of the year and my chain fell off! After solving the problem I knew I had to make up alot of time, it was a case of just putting your head down and pedalling. After 6 or so miles we hit the Rutland Ripple, I say we because it was almost like a queue of traffic up the hills. This was where I could make up my time, I was used to hills, I train on hills and so I decided to stay in the saddle and spin up the hills. It hurt, the expression on my face in the photos says that, but I managed to overtake a fair few cyclists until that is, on the second hill, half way up my chain came off again....I cannot state the words that came out my mouth! But it had happened, so I jumped off, flicked it back on and continued with the struggle! On the hour I had completed 22.5miles and so coming back into transition I had a fairly fast time of 1hr 12mins for 26.6miles. My legs felt good and I had pulled back a number of places. Now I was onto the run, I ran off the bike quickly, with my dad running parallel shouting advice. The run was mainly track but also a little cross country. The backdrop of the lake was great if you wanted to take your mind off the run. I decided to run the first 2km under 20min 5k pace. I wanted to get under 40mins for the run so badly, I originally opted for 36mins. I can run a 17min 5km and so though 36mins for 10km would work. Straight away I knew that was out of the question. Still I stuck with my plan for 2km and then cooled after a little for the next 4km. Running out and back across the dam meant I could see the opposition heading back the opposite direction. They were fast, some wearing GB tri-suit-what was I trying to do? Qualify against these guys...still anything was possible. I tried to run the last 4km hard but I was already too far behind. I finished the run in 40mins 30secs. Not fast enough but still a personal best over 10km. I ended up 17th in my age group and so didn't qualify for the Worlds. Dissapointed...yes but coming back from 50th to 17th is something I am personally proud of. I have the Wakefield triathlon in a couple of weeks, a last change to qualify. Although this will be the national age group championships as well and so the race will be by no means easy. I just hope that since there are 8 qualifying places per age group I will stand a better chance of getting a place!

About the Author

Author of http://mylifestyletriathlon.blogspot.com blog.

A budding triathlete.