• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
a million graces
  • About
  • uncluttered living
    • home
      • storage
      • clothing
      • books
      • food
        • recipes
        • organising
        • kitchen appliances
        • planning
    • exercise
      • walking
      • running
      • swimming
      • cycling
      • triathlons
  • uncharted travel
    • packing
    • places
    • people

sprint triathlon training

26/09/2022 by Bridget

Training for a sprint triathlon takes some planning and commitment. When I face disappointment and doubt then my training plan keeps me going. I am not in the position to join a club so my training plan is my lifeline.

garmin training results

If you are able to join a club, then do so. Doing it with friends and getting live tips and motivation will still be the best.

follow a sprint triathlon training plan

I love the Garmin training plans because they are free and they have different levels.

Over the last three years, I have attempted to follow and complete 3 different training plans for sprint triathlons. The first two were at a beginner level and the third has been at an intermediate level.

garmin running training breakdown

It really does depend on your level of fitness though.

To be absolutely honest, I am not sure that I was totally ready to go onto intermediary, but I have given it a real good go.

sprint triathlon swimming training

Swimming the sprint triathlon training. In the beginning and still, now, I do not manage to do the sessions as set out.

This is what I did – in the beginning, all I did was try to make one length doing breaststroke. When I could do that, then I tried to do 2 lengths.

This was done in a 25m pool to start off with.

Now I manage to do the whole session in the time that is required. I am yet to do all the activities as set out in the Garmin training plan.

indoor pool

This is what a session in week 4 of 12 in the Garmin training looks like:

  • Swim, a mix of kick, pull, and swim, easy effort, 100m. Repeat 3 times.
  • Pull, moderate effort, 100m. Rest, for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
  • Swim, moderate effort, 100m. Rest, for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
  • Swim, a mix of free and back, easy effort, 300m.
  • Work on your stroke during the pull set, then maintain the form when you introduce your kick.

This equals:

Distance of 1600m!

This is what I managed:

Distance of 1100m and I thought that was good after so many months of not swimming!

What my takeaway here is – maybe this was the wrong training plan for me. I am not at that level of training ability yet.

triathlete definition little poster

To be absolutely honest, I chose this to push myself, and yet I still find that difficult to do. Injuries at my age are real and I am still nervous that my energy and endurance will not sustain me!

This is what a session in week 9 of 12 in the Garmin training looks like:

  • Swim, a mix of kick, pull, and swim, easy effort, 100m. Rest, for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
  • Swim, moderate effort, 600m. Rest, for 60 seconds.
  • Swim, med-high effort, 400m. Rest, for 40 seconds.
  • Swim, high effort, 200m.
  • Swim, a mix of free and back, easy effort, 300m.
  • Hold your technique together as you increase your speed. Remember to relax your arm during the recovery phase.

This equals:

Distance of 1800m!

This is what I managed:

Distance of 1200m!

garmin swim open water

What my takeaway here is – I am definitely trying to relax and breathe well. I know that in the water, panic is a real challenge.

I would love to swim the whole 400m in the crawl, but I do know that I can switch to breaststroke too. In some way, I do feel ready because I know that I can do the distance.

But, on the other hand, I do know that I have not spent enough time in the lake. Swimming pool training is one thing but in order to prepare well – I should have completed more sessions in the lake.

I had two goals with swimming this time around. One was to be able to dive and the other is to be able to swim the entire 400m in crawls.

I was not able to achieve this and that is disappointing but it is also the reality. I will still give it my best shot.

Next time around, I will try again to achieve these goals.

The swimming leg of a triathlon is what prevents many people from doing a triathlon. There are two, maybe more options on how to overcome this big hurdle.

The first option is to do a duathlon and there will be no swimming involved. The second option is to learn to dive!

city bike

sprint triathlon cycling training

In the beginning, cycling sprint triathlon training was done on my city bike. It is quite different to cycle for fun and then to try to achieve a distance or a time.

It got me around the block.

This is what a session in week 4 of 12 in the Garmin training looks like:

  • Bike, easy effort, 85 RPM, 5 minutes.
  • Bike, moderate effort, 90 RPM, 5 minutes.
  • Bike, med-high effort, 95 RPM, 5 minutes.
  • Bike, easy effort, 5 minutes.
  • Bike, high effort, 95 RPM, 4 minutes. Bike, easy effort, 85 RPM, 4 minutes. Repeat 5 times.
  • Bike, easy effort, 90 RPM, 10 minutes.
  • Cool down, for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Stretch.

This equals:

Time of 60 min and I managed only 30 min. It was a slow and tentative start.

I have progressed to cycling for 60 min and my speed has improved.

Getting back to cycling was not too difficult. Where I live it is pretty hilly and I know that for the race it will be totally flat.

lady with a broken arm

sprint triathlon running training

I have been running for a while. There was a break of 2 months over the last 8 months because of sickness and injury.

This is what we all face.

What to do?

Take the necessary time to heal and start again. It is frustrating but it is possible.

Keep your goal in front of you always. Adapt and reschedule and keep on going after it.

garmin brick session

brick sessions

To cycle and then run – this is an important part of sprint triathlon training because your legs can feel like – bricks or jelly or very weird!

I haven’t found this part of the race super taxing yet because I still do the shortest distance and race.

to sum sprint triathlon training up

Am I ready to face this sprint triathlon? Yes and no, but I will give it my best because if I walk away without trying I know I will be even more disappointed.

two ladies after a run

ARE YOU READY FOR WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU?

Have I physically improved? Yes, definitely. I am still not where I would like to be though. I have to either readjust my gaols or work a whole lot harder.

lady doing exercise inside

HOW ARE YOU NEEDING TO ADJUST?

Am I mentally ready? Yes, I think that I know that this will be hard and that is what I’m expecting it to be.

HOW DO YOU MENTALLY PREPARE FOR WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU?

What are my obstacles? I think that I am my main big obstacle. Doubts are real and I am constantly working on that! When I have been sick or injured, I do feel frustrated but I try to pick it all up again. This may be temporary and I try to deal with it as best as I can.

two ladies getting their bikes ready

I have friends who are dealing with far bigger health issues at the moment. They are often in my thoughts when I am struggling through a workout session.

GO FOR IT FRIENDS.

YOU CAN.

IT WILL BE TOUGH.

BUT IT WILL ALSO BE A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUN.

Filed Under: triathlons Tagged With: beginner, fitness, planning

Previous Post: « sprint triathlon preparation
Next Post: instant pot spaghetti bolognese »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. דירות דיסקרטיות בקריות

    24/07/2022 at 8:21 am

    5 stars
    Itís difficult to find experienced people for this topic, however, you sound like you know what youíre talking about! Thanks

    • Bridget

      25/07/2022 at 5:13 pm

      Thanks, I am still learning.

Primary Sidebar

Hi there!

me at amilliongraces

Hi, my name is Bridget and I love learning new things.  I’ve lived on three different continents and now currently live in Europe.  I ran my first triathlon in my 50s.  I was never able to find a blog by someone of my age who had done that, so I decided to write one!  If you want to get to know me more and to explore fitness, health and fun every week, click here.

Let’s connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent Posts

  • can you take or bring pens & pencils on a plane? 13/03/2023
  • can you take tea bags (or loose leaves) onto a plane with you? 06/03/2023
  • How to run 5k without stopping: run with me 13/02/2023
  • minimalist meal planning: simply delicious & quick 06/02/2023
  • great bedding storage ideas: simple & smart 30/01/2023

Archives

Categories

Footer

BORING BUT IMPORTANT

  • About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 a million graces on the Foodie Pro Theme

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
7 shares
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print