History of triathlon. The sport of triathlon consists of three sports; swim, bike and run. Triathlon’s roots can be traced back to 1974, Mission Bay, Southern California where a group of friends began training together. Amongst them were runners, swimmers and cyclists and before long training sessions turned into informal races. Directed and conceived by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan the first Mission Bay Triathlon was held on September 25th, 1974 and welcomed 46 athletes. Triathlon’s foundations had been set!

In Hawaii, 1978, an argument arose regarding which of the three disciplines required the greatest endurance. At that time Hawaii hosted The Waikiki Rough Water Swim (2.4 miles), The Oahu Bike Race (112 miles) and The Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles). Originally events in themselves, they were rolled into one to become the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon.

The event attracted 15 athletes and of them only 12 crossed the finish line. By 1982 the Hawaii Ironman gained extensive coverage on ABC World Wide Sport and participation levels had increased to 580 competitors. Last year over 3000 athletes completed the grueling challenge. The fastest women finish the course in just under nine hours and the fastest men finishing in little over eight hours!

You can be a triathlete. The sport of triathlon is for all levels of athletes. Being a triathlete means embracing a healthy lifestyle. It means watching less television. It means that you will make good food choices so that you can perform well.
Why Triathlon? Cross training is built into the sport with three discipline options every day! Triathlon builds a balanced physique which is good for every day life. Triathlon strengthens the most important muscle; the heart. As compared to running only, triathlon training is less likely to produce a use injury.

Triathlon Distances. Most people only know about Iron distance tri’s however, over the years shorter and shorter distances have been established. Today, there are three standard distances in triathlon racing:

• Sprint -swim 0.5 miles, bike 14 miles, run 3 miles
• Olympic -swim 0.93 miles, bike 24.8 miles, run 6.2 miles
• Half IronMan -swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, run 13.1 miles
• Full IronMan -swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2

If you are just getting started in the sport of triathlon, it is recommended that you start with a “Sprint”.

Triathlon Disciplines. A triathlon race is always a swim, followed by a bike, followed by a run.

Swim. Technique is more important in swimming than any other sport. A swim technique called, Total Immersion Swimming is recommended for tri swimming. This technique focus on three key principles; balance, swimming tall, swimming skinny. Total Immersion swim technique will improve endurance, speed, efficiency and stamina.

Swim Equipment:

• Swim equipment checklist
• goggles
• swimsuit  
• towel  
• water bottle
• kick fins  
• pull buoy  
• kick board  
• sunscreen
• shower supplies  
• swim cap  
• wetsuit  
• post swim fuel

Bike. Bike riding will challenge your skills with every outdoor ride. We share the roads with many hazards; cars, big trucks, riding partners, road conditions and weather to name a few. Two ways to improve your efficiency and safety are to make sure your bike is properly tuned and to practice your drills. Your skill level should improve by just riding however, completing a drill set will significantly enhance your skills. Dedicate an entire workout to improving your skills by performing these drills; mounting and dismounting, clicking in and out of your pedals, starting and stopping, braking, cornering, climbing, descending, gear selection, shifting, pace line, hand signals, passing, etc. Mountain bike riding is a great way to improve your road bike handling skills. You can also improve your technique by practicing cadence changes, single leg pedaling and increasing strength and flexibility. Bike fit is also very important to riding efficiency.

Bike Equipment:

• bike 
• compressed air  
• water bottle(s)  
• first aid kit
• helmet  
• mini pump  
• ride fuel  
• sunscreen
• hydration pack  
• floor pump  
• sun glasses  
• lip balm
• patch kit  
• pressure gauge  
• gear bag  
• heart rate monitor
• tube  
• multi-tool  
• seat pack  
• bug juice
• tire levers  
• lubrication  
• post ride fuel/cooler  
• tail light/flasher

Run. Most of us run with our natural style and never try to improve the way we run. A small improvement in form and technique will produce faster run times and better resiliency. The “Pose Method” of running is recommended. This method was developed by Victor Romanov and has been endorsed by USA Triathlon. This technique is a lower-impact run technique and emphasizes efficiency.

Run Equipment: Professionally fit run shoe (see Fleet Feet for this), heart rate monitor, run shorts/apparel, dri-release fabrics, no cotton, “Balaga” socks.

• shoes  
• synthetic socks  
• run shorts  
• run tights
• synthetic t-shirt  
• long-sleeve top  
• wind breaker jacket  
• post run fuel
• water bottle  
• hat  
• towel  
• warm clothes

Pick a Race. Your triathlon training begins with picking a race. This is the first and most important step in your training…establishing a goal. This will allow you to focus on the specific distances for your race and motivate you thru your workouts.
 

Develop a schedule. It is important to have a weekly routine of workouts that you are comfortable with and that fit into your lifestyle. You will need to decide which days are best to do which workouts. Having a regular weekly plan helps you develop consistency and establish your training plan. In order to improve rapidly, it is recommended that you complete 3 swims, 3 bikes, and 3 run workouts each week.
 

Have a focus for each workout. If you are doing three run workouts each week, we recommend the following: Base run (works on developing your aerobic base/base fitness), tempo run (this is a faster and harder workout; hills, sprints, etc.), and endurance run (start at the top of your base distance and add an additional 10% in distance each week). Apply this strategy to your bike and swim workouts too.

Strength training. Strength training is the unofficial fourth sport of triathlon. If you have not strength trained before, begin with a simple routine; “GET STARTED”. If you are more fit and ready for a bigger challenge, begin with the “GET FIT” routine. If you have been strength training regularly and have access to a gym, jump right into the “Get Strong” routine.

GET STARTED

Equipment Required: None

• Push-ups
• Squats
• Lunges
• Abdominals

GET FIT

Equipment Required: Abdominal ball, dumb bells, resistance tubing

• Bench press: 1-3 sets of 10 reps
• Upright row isolation: 1-3 sets of 15 reps
• Lunges: 1-3 sets of 20 reps
• Shoulder press: 1-3 sets of 15 reps
• Squats: 1-3 sets of 15 reps
• Standing calf raises: 1-3 sets of 15 reps
• Reverse crunch: 1-3 sets of 15 reps
• Abdominals / core body: 10 different exercises for 60 seconds each (straight leg lifts, crunches, bicycle, etc.)

Sports Nutrition. The quality of your food will determine the quality of your workouts. Develop good everyday eating and hydration habits. Preparation is again a key to eating well, especially for busy, on-the-go lifestyles. Have healthy easy to eat snacks available to maintain your energy and avoid making bad decisions when you hungry and in a hurry. Energy bars, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables are easy to prepare, carry and consume on the go.

1. Always eat breakfast. Your first meal of the day is your most important. It provides your body with the fuel it needs to start off your day with an increased metabolism and energy. Include a combination of foods like yogurt, fruit, bread, cereal, eggs or even leftovers.

2. Eat lots of carbohydrates. Athletes who do not eat enough carbohydrates will have low stores of glycogen in their liver and muscles, which will result in poor performance. Fruits and vegetables are great carbohydrates to eat everyday. Include starchy carbohydrates for lunch, like rice, potato, pasta, and bread. Include vegetables with lean meats for your dinner meals.

3. Eat before you exercise. Eat a regular meal 2 to 3 hours before exercise to allow adequate digestion. Eat a carbohydrate snack, like a Clif Bar 60 minutes before exercise. An energy drink can be consumed 30 minutes before exercise. Energy gels are the fasting acting and can be taken 0-15 minutes before your workout.

4. Eat during exercise. Use energy bars and shots during your workouts to maintain your performance and assist with the recovery process. Drink water and electrolyte replacement fluids your workouts to maintain hydrated.

Nutrition for recovery after exercise. When you're demanding a lot from your body, you should fuel your muscles with a carbohydrate-rich diet prior to strenuous exercise and also refuel them afterwards. By making the effort to eat carbohydrates after rigorous training, you will invest in your ability to train at your best. Otherwise, you will end up feeling chronically fatigued and jeopardize your performance.

To integrate an optimal recovery diet into your daily training diet:

1. Focus your recovery meal on carbohydrate-rich foods since only carbohydrates effectively get stored as glycogen.

2. Eat those carbohydrate-rich foods within 5 to 15 minutes after a hard workout. That's when your muscles are most receptive to replacing the glycogen.

3. After refueling your glycogen levels with carbohydrate-rich foods, consume a protein rich food or an amino acid supplement. This will supply your exercise-damaged muscles with the building blocks necessary to repair muscle fiber and cellular damage.

4. Eat at least 200 - 400 calories of carbohydrates within two hours of a hard workout. Two calories of carbohydrates per pound of body weight is a good estimate to use.

5. Keep eating carbohydrate-rich foods for at least two days after exhaustive endurance exercise to adequately replace depleted glycogen stores. Your muscles need time to refuel!

6. Rest your muscles, to allow them the opportunity to store (rather than burn) glycogen. Follow the hard-easy principle of training. Active recovery is best.

7. Eat wholesome fruits, vegetables and juices that contain potassium, a mineral (electrolyte) that you lose in sweat. Some excellent choices include oranges or orange juice, bananas, raisins, apricots and potatoes.

8. Drink enough fluids to quench your thirst, and then drink some more! Clear colored urine is an indicator of proper water balance and hydration.

In addition to these guidelines, remember to follow basic nutrition principles:
Your calorie distribution for the entire day should be 55% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 20% fat. You should try to eat smaller meals every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day. Eat 4 to 6 servings a day of fruits and vegetables. Drink lots of water!!

RESOURCES

Swim locations

Sacramento YMCA, 1926 V Street (916) 452-9622

Sacramento McKinley Park, 601 Alhambra Blvd (916) 277-6060

Rancho Cordova Hagan Community Park, 2197 Chase Drive (916) 362-1841

Folsom Folsom Aquatic Center, 1300 Riley Street (916) 355-8318
Roseville Roseville Aquatics Complex, 3051 Woodcreek Oaks (916) 774-5250

Folsom Lake Open water swimming at Beals Point and Granite Bay

Lake Natoma Open water swimming at Nimbus Flat

Tri clubs

River City Tridents

Sacramento Triathlon Club

Davis Mad Cows

Bike clubs

Folsom Breakouts (MTB)

Sacramento Wheelmen

Sacramento Bike Hikers

FATRAC

Run Clubs   

Want help in the sport of triathlon?

Total Body Fitness is Sacramento’s premier multi-sport racing, training, and travel company.  TBF Training offers the best in multi-sport Classes and Coaching.  Ask TBF Head Coach Dan Foster anything about triathlon or schedule a personalized 1-on-1 lesson.  Or even better, go for the 'Get Started' package which is a 4-session package that includes a swim lesson, bike lesson, run lesson, and personalized training plan. This package is all that you need to get started in the sport of triathlon and it will help you build confidence as your prepare for your goal race.

*click 'go' to ask Coach Dan Foster your triathlon questions