Читать книгу The Bonsai Handbook - Adam Dickson - Страница 9

Triathlon combines swimming, cycling and running in a single event. As the timer runs from start to finish, with no breaks in-between, all your training will need to be geared specifically for this. Most newcomers find the transition from one discipline to the next the hardest aspect to cope with, so the more you practise in training, the better prepared you will be on the day of the race. Writing out a checklist of what you need to do at each transition will help you familiarize yourself with the process and the various items you will need at each transition.

Take time to learn the basic techniques associated with each discipline. Lessons from a qualified swimming instructor will help improve things like stroke, breathing and streamlining, although these will need to be adapted if your race starts in open water. Combined cycling and running workouts will prepare your leg muscles for transition, so practise a smooth pedal stroke on your bike, while a sound, economical running style will keep fatigue at bay and increase your performance overall.

The key element in any triathlon is endurance. Race distances vary depending on the event (see chart on Triathlon distances), meaning you could be racing from anything from two to 17 hours. Structure your training accordingly and use one session per week in each discipline to build endurance specifically for the length of the race you’ve entered. These longer workouts should be performed at a moderate pace that doesn’t overtax your aerobic system and leave you exhausted.