Speed or eundrance
TRIumphant
Posts: 850
in General Chat
I'm new to Tri, and not too sure whether I'm built for speed or endurance. SO far this year I've done four supersprints, an aquathlon, and an OD race. Finished them all within the times I've expected, but I'm only ever mid table. The rest of my season is now an aquathlon, sprint, aquathlon, HIM, supersprint, supersprint. Then I'll be able to review which was most enjoyable, or challenging, and then concentrate my training over the winter to either step up to IM next year, or stay at one of the lesser distances.
I know that sometimes triathletes are referred to 'jack of all trades, master of none', but I wondered if anyone else ties to mix different distance races throughout the season, or is it best just to concentrate on one?
I know that sometimes triathletes are referred to 'jack of all trades, master of none', but I wondered if anyone else ties to mix different distance races throughout the season, or is it best just to concentrate on one?
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Comments
Really, when it comes to tri, the main determining factors for which distance you do, are:
1) How much training you can do (in terms of time)
2) What gives you the most pleasure (in terms of the challenge).
3) How injured you get!
If it is long, then you throw a few sprints in to get speed etc. etc.
You can train you body to be fast over long distance. A lot of people when training for IM think that you have to do loads of long slow stuff because there is no way they could hold a fast pace over the long distance.... this is all in the mind.
If you train long and slow you will race long and slow......
If you train long and fast you will race long and fast......
My 'A' race this year is the European Long Distance Champs in Prague in 4 weeks 6 days:)....
Over winter obviously I did the long slow stuff but as soon as there was a hint of march/april I was doing Long fast stuff aswell as Long slow and Interval stuff.
If you train for Long Course doesnt mean your gona be crap at the sprint stuff either... Take my result from the Oulton Park Duathlon in April and the FGS Sprint last Sunday.... 3rd overall in both, won my age group at both and clocked the fastest bike split at both.....
I averaged 25.9mph at FGS and 26.8mph at Oulton park, I know that this is short and people can blast it for these distances.... but Last year at the Long Distance World Champs I averaged 23.8mph over 120km...and this year ill be hoping to break the 24mph over 120km.
Use this year to find what you enjoy the most at and make a decision when you do your post season analysis. Set some goals for next year or even the next 2 or 3 years. If you enjoy the Longer stuff then train for that and use the sprints/olympics to build up to your 'A' races for next year....
My race plan usually goes something along the lines of:
Sprint, Olympic, Sprint, Middle, Olympic, Middle,Olympic or Sprint, Olympic, Long Course
That way Im building up and tapering off the race distances prior to my main 'A' race at the end of the season Then after the LD race ill take some time out then do a few other races to chill out with and finish the season.
This is my second tri season, and I'm seriously addicted.
I'm planning to do a half IM distance race next year and if that goes well a full IM distance race in 2011. However, due to work and family commitments, these are going to be done with a view to just completing them rather than getting anywhere near any kind of respectable time.
I'm finding myself wondering however whether I'd get more out of focussing on shorter distances? I like the sprint race idea of just going for it without having to worry about pacing, nutrition etc. I'd have to speed up my transitions a bit I'm thinking that I'd have enough training time to make some serious improvments on my current sprint times/positions, rather than achieving just getting round longer races. Not that I'm going to ever be elite standard or anything. Quite Good would be nice though.
So, do I ditch the HIM and IM plans for the time being to concentrate on improving my sprint times? Can I do both, or is that a stupid idea if I don't have enough training time?
Hmm.
I really enjoy the short, sharp stuff and despite having never done OD, HIM or Ironman I believe my strengths lie over a shorter course.
I LOVE going fast and would like to try and get to the top of my age-group (within two or three years) in a sprint.
At school I was a good runner, but excelled at shorter stuff like 5ks and even 400m.
I trained for a 10k last year and found it hard work. I put in an ok time but I didn't really enjoy it. The thought of more 10 mile training runs (for OD) doesn't excite me (or my creaking body!). The thought of doing some 400 or 800m intervals and trying to get my 5k time down does.
The races I've done this year have been frenetic and I've really enjoyed them.
I know for many doing an Ironman is the pinnacle but I'm not bothered. Maybe also if I did do it I'd like to compete rather than just complete. But, with time to train, a creaking body, young family and the buzz of doing sprints I'd rather stick with what I believe I can be good at.