How to train

General Information

Training for the TP Human Capital Corporate Triathlon should not be an arduous task, in fact anyone with a basic level of fitness can participate in the event without any training!

Saying that though, we'd all like to finish our leg comfortably and not look and feel like we have just swum, ridden or run all the way to Cairns and back! So putting in a bit of training for your specific leg will make the entire day a whole lot more enjoyable and who knows it might just have been the fitness or exercise goal you were looking for.

So lets get started on our triathlon training...

Injury Prevention

You don't want to be watching from the sidelines on the event day because of injury, so consider the following injury prevention points for your discipline;

Swimmers

Swimmer's ear - I'm sure some of you have been here before and for those who haven't, you don't want to be here. Dry your ears well after training, use earplugs if necessary and seek advice at the first sign of any earache.
Hopefully you won't be living in the pool like Grant Hackett, but if you start to get unusual and prolonged shoulder aches and pains... rest and seek medical advice if it doesn't clear up after a few days rest.
If you don't have a background in swimming, don't hesitate to ask one of the Accredited Coaches at your local pool for some technique correction or advice (they may even have stoke correction classes you could join into) - a few small tips might just make the difference between being comfortable for 400m or wallowing like dugong for 400m!
Swimmers need to drink as well - don't forget the water bottle and sunscreen

Cyclists

Coming into winter the daylight hours are getting shorter so ensure you are visible to traffic - bright clothing and lots of lights
Make sure your bike is serviceable and helmet in good condition
Follow the road rules, lets not make ourselves unnecessary targets
Stick to the quieter streets if you are not comfortable in traffic
Stay aware of your situation at all times you are on the bike, look - listen and be prepared to react to and pre-empt situations.
IPods - here's a bone of contention... a great tool in the gym and to beat boredom on a long ride, but if it's a distraction in the traffic or limits your hearing, then maybe you need to think twice!

Runners

How old are those running shoes? Unfortunately our running shoes don't last as long as we would like them to - even if you haven't used them very much, if they are 6-months old, then take a good look at them, if they are 12-months old - don't even think about hitting the pavement with them on!

If you have a tendency to succumb to shin splints, plantar fasciitis or have a history of ankle, knee, hip and or lower back problems - then make sure you get the right shoe for your type of foot. Some of our local sports stores have tools to assist you in choosing the correct type of shoe, but if you have any doubts go straight to the professionals in the field - Podiatrists.
For those runners who wear shoe orthotics, if you haven't had them checked in the last 12-months - now is probably a good time !
If you are running in the dark hours - bright clothing and small lights are a good idea and so is running in small groups if you are in the quieter areas of town.
If you are running in the heat - don't forget the hat, sunscreen and water.
There are advantages and disadvantages to running on the various surfaces - grass, concrete, tartan tracks, asphalt and treadmills. If you are just getting into or back into running, you should consider using a variety of surfaces to limit impact injuries and add some variety to your training.

Most importantly - listen to what you body is telling you, if it hurts... STOP and find out why!

Warming Up

Swimming, cycling and running warm-ups are quite simple, but VERY important.

Whether you are running, swimming or cycling you should aim to take the first 5-10 minutes at a steady pace - your warm-up should be specific for your discipline, so if you are cycling, your warm-up should be on the bike - not running or swimming!

The aim is for your body to steadily build up to a light sweat (ok not hard in Townsville!) and for the general population - this should see your heart rate sitting between approximately 120 and 130 beats per minute. Or if you don't have a heart rate monitor, your perceived exertion rate should be a 5 out of 10 - you are still able to comfortably talk (with 10/10 being the feeling that you are working so hard you are about to have a heart attack).

Gone are the days when we specifically conduct static stretching during a warm-up. With research demonstrating that there is no proof that static stretching will decrease injury, the current suggestions in regards to warm-up stretching are to conduct Range of Movement (ROM) activities once the body has generally warmed up. For example;

Swimming

Exaggerated arm technique - slow and steady
Exaggerated leg / kick technique - through the full range

Cycling

Low resistance high cadence spinning
Higher resistance, lower cadence spinning - technique
Single leg cycling concentrating on technique

Running

exaggerated knee lifts and high stepping
exaggerated long stepping or bounding
exaggerated short quick steps
raising the heels to the butt (kicking self in butt)

Cooling Down

The cool down is the most neglected part of any amateur or social sporting participant's training program... and we wonder why we have sore muscles later on!

Again - swimming, cycling and running cool downs are quite simple, but VERY important.

When you finish the body of your training session, you need to spend the next 5-10 minutes swimming, running or cycling at a steady pace to allow your heart-rate, blood pressure and body temperature to steadily decrease and to ensure that the waste products that built up in your body during the session, continue to be removed from the body. Aim to work at a perceived exertion level of 4-5 / 10 and steadily drop it to 2-3/ 10 and you should see and feel your heart-rate drop steadily.

When you have finished the active cool-down, it's now time to conduct some stretches. Two of the main benefits of our cool-down stretching are to reduce muscular soreness and reduce muscular tension, therefore allowing us to train again tomorrow! The stretching methods that we tend to use are static-active (individual) and PNF (partner) stretching.

How to conduct cool down stretching...

Select the major muscle groups used in your sport and stretch them through their full range of movement
Aim to hold the stretch for 10-20 seconds until you feel it relax
Do not bounce - stretch gently and slowly, keep breathing
Stretch to the point of tension - NEVER PAIN

Training Program Safety Note

Training for a team triathlon is different to training for an individual triathlon. Individual triathletes need to train for swimming, cycling and running, we've got it easier than them - we only have to train for one discipline!

As the TP Human Capital Corporate Triathlon is a Team event, the monthly training programs that you will see on this site have been designed for single disciplines. So if you are keen to move onto individual triathlons before or after the Corporate Triathlon, its time to talk to an Accredited Triathlon Coach. Crunching together the monthly programs from here will only see you train ineffectively and you will more than likely succumb to over-training injuries - see an expert!

5 Months Out

Training Program For May

If you jump straight into the deep end and go too hard to early, there is a chance that you are going to get sore and discouraged - therefore in 5-months time the last thing you even want to think about is participating in the Corporate Triathlon!

So May is our "get a goal and get into a routine" Month

Commit to the Event
Make the decision now, that no matter how well you have trained, whether you are doing the best times you have ever done in your life or you have dropped the ball and slept in everyday for the last 5 months - you will participate in the Corporate Triathlon!
Choose your Discipline
Ok this may not be a conscious decision, if you have an allergy to water and can't balance on a bike without training wheels - then maybe running is for you! Although you could always try to sweet talk the organisers into letting you use training wheels on your bike if you are really that keen!
Tell a Friend
It is so much harder to drop the ball if someone else knows your goal... in fact why do it alone, grab your friend or workmate and convince them to commit as well. Not only do you now have a training partner but hopefully you and your training partner (or small team of training partners once you get your whole team organised!) will have the motivation to see it though to the end. This is a corporate event; you wouldn't let your workmates down, would you?
How's your Health
If you have any doubts about your general level of health and whether it is safe for you to exercise, then now would be a really good time to head to your GP for a check-up. Hopefully you get the all clear, but if your GP is going to give you certain restrictions with your exercise, its better to know sooner rather than later.
Find a Start Point
You have chosen your discipline, now lets get a start point from which you can monitor your improvements. Head to the pool, the local walking track or a quiet suburb and time how long it takes you to swim (400m), cycle (16km) or run (4km). Don't worry about how many times you have to walk, stop or rest, aim to cover the whole distance - remember you will only get better from now on! Drag your training partner with you - easier with two than one.

MAY - Get a Goal and Get into a Routine

Your aim this month is to conduct your discipline once a week and cross-train once a week - how easy is that! Your aim is to start developing a training routine.

Swim

Weekly Swim

Long and Steady
Pick a time (eg 20-30mins) and aim to swim continuously for that time, including a steady warm-up and cool-down.
If you get tired of freestyle - add some breastroke or kick boarding or even flipper work - just keep going
Record your distance and time

Start Point

First or second session - 400m continuous - record time

Cycle

Weekly Cycle

If you haven't been on the bike for a while, then now is the time to get familiar and comfortable on the bike again.
Long and Steady
Pick a time (eg 20-30mins) and aim to cycle continuously for that time, including a steady warm-up and warm-down.
No need to find hills or headwinds yet - find a route that is fairly traffic quiet and that won't have you stopping and starting at lights, give-way or stop signs on a regular basis
Get used to your gearing and aim to pedal a comfortable cadence without too much resistance on the pedals
Record your time and if possible your distance
If you don't have a bike (or a serviceable bike) then next best option is a spin-cycle or X-biking class at the gym!

Start Point

First or second session - 16km continuous - record time
If you don't have a bike then you can always use an exercise bike at the gym - make sure you have some resistance on the pedals though, no taking it easy!

Run

Weekly Run

Long and Steady
Pick a time (eg 20-30mins) and aim to run, walk or run/ walk continuously for that time, including a steady warm-up and warm-down
There is no need to choose route that is too adventurous yet, stick to the smooth and flat for the moment
Get used to maintaining a constant pace, don't worry about how slow you go or how often you have to walk or slow down - the aim is to get you used to running for at least 20 minutes.
Record the time you ran for and if possible the distance

Start Point

First or second session - 4km continuous - record time
Although treadmills have their place in exercise, aim to do your start point time trial outside if you can.

Cross Training

Your cross-training aim is 45-60 minutes of exercise - as long as it gets the heart rate up, gets you moving and is a little bit different to your discipline, that's a good start.

Community happenings in May, consider...

Sat 05 May - Castle Hill Goat Track with Tsv Road Runners
Sun 13 May - McDonalds Mothers Day Classic - 5km
Sat 24 May - North Ward Circuit with Tsv Road Runners
All Sun's AM - Snappahead Triathlon Club Bike Rides

General Cross-Training Options

Walk, run, rollerblade the Strand or to Pallaranda
Walk or run Castle Hill with Genesis Fitness club - 7am at the lower carpark
Attend Strength and Cardio Classes at Genesis Fitness

Contacts

Genesis Fitness - www.genesisfitness.com.au
Snappaheads Triathlon Club - www.snappaheads.com
Roadrunners Townsville - www.townsvilleroadrunners.com.au