Run Better with the 5 Components of Fitness cardio is running, the idea of taking on a triathlon for the first time can seem intimidating—if not downright overwhelming. That’s true even if you’re an experienced marathoner, because everything is different, from the The Sprint Triathlon Training Plan for First-Timers you’ll do in training to the gear you’ll need to have ready for race day (there’s a lot of it for a tri!).
A sprint triathlon—which, as its name suggests, is a short version of the event—is a great place to test the waters. A sprint can vary in length but typically involves a quarter-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride, and 5K run.
To help you prep for the multisport even, we’re breaking down everything you need to know to prep for race-day success—from the physical training for each of the three legs to how to shave seconds off your time in transitions and easing race-morning nerves.
How to Approach the Bike
Why Trust Us aerobic base from running regularly, our training plan will get you ready to race in eight weeks. “It’ll take you five-plus hours weekly to prepare for a sprint,” says Joe Friel, a coach in Sedona, Arizona and author of The Triathlete’s Training Bible.
Experienced triathletes tend to break down their training into about 20 percent swimming, 50 percent cycling, and 30 percent running, but Friel recommends that runners who are newbies to the triathlons drop their time running a bit and devote that extra time to the pool or the bike.
Plan to work out six days a week, plus one day off for rest. Your workouts will be a combination of single-activity sessions and workouts called bricks—named such because they involve stacking two workouts together, generally a bike ride followed by a run.
“Brick workouts are essential for triathlon training no matter what the distance,” says Rich Engelstad, personal trainer and triathlon and endurance coach at Life Time in Plymouth, Minnesota. “They normalize the transition to running off the bike and are the best way to build endurance than what you normally do for the run-leg race distancethere will be some.”
Our training plan includes one brick per week. For bricks early in your training cycle, you might just do a five- to 10-minute easy jog (our plan starts at 10) after a ride to start to get your legs used to going from pedaling straight to running, he adds. As you get close to race day, sprinters’ last bricks will be work up to the 12-mile ride and 3.1-mile run done back-to-back.
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of the Best Leg Exercises to Fight Fatigue
Swimming is often the most intimidating section of the race for racers—especially runners who are taking on their first triathlon. To get comfortable swimming and ensure your best time, enlisting a coach or trainer for at least a session or two can make a huge difference, says Engelstad. That’s because proper form is key.
“The swim stroke is very complicated, and it’s best to learn the proper mechanics early so you don’t have relearn farther down the training cycle,” Engelstad says. Our training plan includes several types of swimming drills, which helps mix things up and keep your pool sessions interesting and also fine-tunes aspects of your stroke.
Additionally, you’ll need to practice swimming in open water, a.k.a., a lake, river, or ocean—ideally the same type of body of water you’ll be racing in. “Open water offers many different challenges that many athletes are not comfortable with: Waves, seaweed, watercraft, sea life, and other swimmers add to the formula, all of which contribute to anxiety,” says Engelstad.
Plus, you’ll have to get used to sighting to ensure you keep swimming the right direction come race day, says Friel: “Gradually adapt to putting your face in the water and frequently looking up to see landmarks onshore to help you stay on course,” he says.
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Even if swimming feels like your weakest link, it can pay off to spend more time training on the bike, says Friel. That’s because the bike portion of the race takes up the most time—and, therefore, gives you the biggest opportunity to shave off some minutes.
Engelstad’s two go-to cycling workouts for pumping up power and making you extra efficient on the bike are hill workouts and speed-interval training. Yoga vs. Pilates: How to Choose tempo effort (i.e., the effort you can sustain for about an hour). As with swimming, expect to do some drills on the bike, too—to We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article The Triathletes Training Bible.
The biggest mistake of newbie triathletes, says Friel, is riding the bike too hard and then not being able to tap into your full run fitness. To gauge that you’re cycling at the right effort, he says: “On a scale of 1 to 10, the bike should be around a 6 or 7—not 8, 9, or 10, which is usually what newbies do.” Friel recommends taping a note that says “hold back” to your handlebars to remind yourself of the goal effort throughout your ride.
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You’ve made it to the last third of the race—and the section you’re (presumably) the most experienced with. Congrats! But, of course, running after swimming and cycling can feel vastly different from running on its own. Setting yourself up to feel as good as possible than what you normally do for the run-leg race distancethere will be some is all about how you handle the first two legs (see: Friel’s advice above about holding back on the bike ride).
“Expect to run slower than what you normally do than what you normally do for the run-leg race distancethere will be some-leg race distance—there will be some fatigue from swim and bike,” says Friel. That said, “Brick workouts are intended to get you used to running right after the bike with somewhat tired legs.”
of the Best Leg Exercises to Fight Fatigue
Between the swim and bike portions you’ll enter a transition area, where you leave your cap and goggles (and wetsuit, if you wore one) and put on your cycling shoes and helmet; then you’ll do that again to go from the ride to the run.
Friel recommends running through your own mini transition area in your garage each time you tackle a brick workout. “Position your running shoes, tied so you can slip them on, by your bike rack,” he says. “After each weekly brick evaluate how the brick went always aiming to make it faster.”
Some little tweaks can help make your time in transition even more efficient. For example, Engelstad encourages cyclists to practice slipping their feet out of their shoes before they hop off the bike for a quick switch to their running shoes.
Get Ready for Race Morning
Most sources say it takes novice sprint triathletes about an hour and 30 minutes, on average, to complete the event. Of course that depends on your fitness level, your training, and a slew of other factors. But it accounts for about 20 minutes for the swim, 40 to 45 minutes for the bike ride, and 25 minutes for the 5K run. Take a look at how long your workouts were taking during training Races - Places.
When nerves creep up as you get to the race venue, remember, says Friel: Being nervous is normal—every racer there is nervous. To help calm yourself, first things first: Stick with a breakfast you’ve tried in training and you know is easy on your stomach and leaves you feeling fueled up and energetic, he says.
Next up, Friel suggests leaving lots of time to go through the transition area methodically before you start racing. “Make yourself move slowly in everything you do prerace—arrive at least an hour early to review and dry-run everything,” he says. “Then walk through the transitions, noting the entrance and exit for each and noting where landmarks are relative to the transition area.”
While you may not need to fuel during the race (though you might want electrolytes or a gel on hand just in case), you definitely want to hydrate. Make sure your bike has a water bottle filled up, so you can sip after the swim, while you ride, and before you run.
Finally, head to the water, get warmed up, and remind yourself of all the training you have in the bank to set you up for a great race.
