Tri It Now has put together a 6-Week Training Plan to use as you prepare for one of our sprint or super-sprint distance races. Please feel free to use this plan as you schedule your training sessions to help you get race-ready! Contact info@triitnow.com, and Coach Andy will work to assist you as you tailor this plan to your own fitness level.

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Training Logs

Keeping a training log is a valuable way to monitor your training and racing performances.  Whether your goals are to maintain a healthy lifestyle, lose weight, or improve your race performance, watching your training tendencies over longer periods of time will allow you to fine tune your training and get the most out of your efforts.  

It is easy to get started.  You can use a spiral notebook or a commercially available triathlon training log book.  Record as many or as few data points as you would like: sport, time trained, distance, heart rate averages, power data, terrain, weather conditions... there are many variables that might be useful to know when looking back on a training session. However, don't be too ambitious. A good rule of thumb is to make your log simple enough to keep up with recording your workouts.

--Geoff N.

Bike Fit

Don't underestimate the importance of a quality bicycle fit. Modern bicycles are adjustable in almost every dimension. Saddle height and fore/aft, stem length, pitch, and height above the head tube, crank length, cleat and pedal adjustment... the list is nearly endless. Navigating the world of bicycle fit on your own can be a daunting, but not impossible, task. There are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Comfort is relative - you should be comfortable on your bike, and you will hear this over and over. But bear in mind that comfort is relative. And while you very likely could be more comfortable on your bike than you are currently, it will never feel like your favorite recliner. It is a piece of sporting equipment, and it will take some amount of effort to sit on it and pedal. Sore muscles are part of the deal. Sharp pain and potential injury should not be.

2. The perfect saddle does not exist - the saddle is the part of the bike most athletes complain about being painful the most often. While many sizes and shapes of saddles are now on the market, there is no saddle that will feel perfect all of the time. You should aim to find a saddle that is pretty good, most of the time. Your saddle must allow you to interact with your bicycle freely and not interfere with the rest of your fit. Often times a harder saddle that hits you in the 'right' spot is much better than a softer saddle that will eventually rub you the wrong way.

3. Don't play 'bicycle limbo' - many triathletes, in their pursuit of the fastest and most aerodynamic position, try to get lower and lower with their handlebar height. But be aware: you should never get so low in the front that you can't maintain the position for the duration of your longest triathlon distance *and* get off the bike and run afterwards.

--Geoff N.