Week #2: 30 weeks to go to race day next Saturday

This is our second instalment of common-sense tips for training for your first long-distance triathlon from the original Hardman, Hugh Carberry. You will know from Hugh’s last post that what you need to be doing at this stage of your training is developing a routine. Hugh won the very first long-distance triathlon in Killarney in 2011, so he knows what he’s talking about:

The Road to Hardman: Step 2

Last month’s tip focused on routine, so by now the idea of getting up early to go to the pool a couple of times a week or fitting in a run at lunchtime should not feel as tough. You still have a full 30 weeks to go until the Hardman, though, so you want to make sure that the habits you are developing are good ones.

Yes, it’s great that you are crawling out of the bed at 5AM to hit the pool and eating lunch at your desk so you can train, but are you bedding in bad habits? In other words, are you letting a poor stroke slow you down in the pool? Are you going all out on the bike but feel like you’re getting nowhere? You still have plenty of time to tweak the things that are making your training life difficult. Now is the time to get that swimming lesson or join that running group, so that you can work on training EFFICIENTLY.

A full-distance triathlon takes a lot of effort. Work on getting your swimming, cycling, and running right now, and you will make your life a lot easier on August 29th.

If you’re perfectly happy with your stroke/gait/cadence, great. If not, NOW is the time to get them right. 

Until next time,

Hugh