Ben really knows his training tech. And he’s been around for a while as a triathlete and ironman, with a decade of studying, training, racing and coaching pro and amateur endurance athletes. A duathlon is running and cycling without the swimming leg of a triathlon, so his triathlon information provides everything you need to know. A lot of it is cutting-edge information including training plans, nutrition plans and time management so that you don’t spend your whole life training with no time left for family and work.  He offers you instant 24-7 help with training or nutrition questions you have for 9 months, replying to you in person.

You can find out about Ben’s training from his website Here

My Verdict – 14/15

If you’re serious about doing well with your running and cycling, I recommend Ben’s Triathlon Dominator Package

OK, running is 2 legs of a Duathlon, and there are several packages out there that cover marathon training and will help you reach peak condition.

Marius Bakken – 2 time Olympic runner

This is good material from a guy who was an Olympian and has since become a trainer (and medical student) and got great results from his students. What’s important to me, is that he provides an online member’s area where you can ask him questions and get access to FAQs posted by other members.  A good book is fine, but it’s stacks more useful to be able to talk to other people currently training themselves; especially an Olympian !

His 100 day marathon plan provides 8 different training schedules and videos that take you step-by-step through them. There are also write-ups and 15 additional videos that cover how to choose training shoes, strength training and more. His website isn’t as flashy as others I’ve seen, but the info and help is really good. You can get to his website Here

My Verdict -12/15

The 100 Day Modern Marathon Plan

Jill Bruyere – marathon runner & trainer

Jill’s put together a package called the Marathon Dominator. It covers nutrition/eating, handling injuries and provides a training schedule outline.  The info is provided on a couple of videos and MP3s as well as several eBooks. You can visit Jill’s website Here

My Verdict – 11/15

I found a couple of other information products, but they were only books & PDFs, which I don’t find nearly as useful as videos and online-training plans.

Here are seven tips for the triathlon beginner:

1. For beginners, triathlon training should be targeted to a shorter distance race – almost always a sprint triathlon. Sometimes you can even find a beginner triathlon advertised in your area. Today races fill up pretty quick, so pick a race and sign up now (this will also give you a goal race to keep you committed).

2. Come up with a triathlon training plan. There are some great beginner triathlon training plans available on the web.

3. Triathlon beginners usually need to work on their swimming. So the next step is to find a pool where you can train. If you can find one with a swim coach or masters swimming program that is ideal. Otherwise, try to get a more experienced triathlete or certified triathlon coach to help. You’ll find several additional swimming tips here on my site.

4. Beginner triathlon training mileage should be reasonable. You will be tempted to over train at the beginning, especially if you are already a strong athlete. Try to resist the temptation. Triathlon beginners should work on their weakest event the most, and just make sure they can finish the other events. You can build speed after you finish your first race.

5. Practice your transitions, but don’t go overboard. A beginner triathlon bike leg transition is especially good to practice by doing a few “brick” workouts – where you complete a bike workout and then go for a run before you cool down. But take it easy. Just make sure you have all your triathlon gear ready and that you know how you plan to get it on and off in the transition area. That is plenty of preparation for your first triathlon.

6. Listen to pre-race instructions carefully and ask questions if you have them. Everyone was a triathlon beginner once, so don’t be embarrassed to ask questions. It seems like almost every triathlon has some slightly different setup, so even professionals have to ask questions about things like where to rack a bike, how to get from the swim area to the bikes, where the bike dismount area is and other details. If you have questions, ask.

7. Relax and enjoy your first triathlon. Don’t forget to have fun during the intensity of the race. Take pride in the fact that you reached your goal. If you have any challenges (the most common are mechanical problems on the bike) just remember that this is your first race. Remind yourself that you are just “learning the ropes” – don’t add performance pressure until you have first proven to yourself that you can do it.

If you follow these seven tips you’ll have a great first triathlon – and be on your way to going from a “beginner triathlete” to a “competitive” one.

http://www.coach-janet.com Triathlon Coach Janet Wilson is a USAT certified triathlon coach and ACE certified personal trainer. Janet is an accomplished and nationally-ranked amateur triathlete and she coaches triathletes of all skill levels, from a triathlon beginner to Hawaii Ironman qualifiers. To learn more about triathlon training, swim tips, coaching programs or just great tips on how to stay in shape visit her website at http://www.coach-janet.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Wilson

Are you telling that running buddy of yours to slow down? If you are then I have a few great ways for you to learn how to run fast.

Anybody can learn how to run faster. I don’t mean that you will be setting world records. I mean that you can learn to run your best.

Here are just a few of the ways to run faster: Mechanics, Hills, Treadmills, Tempo Runs, and Stretching. Stride Mechanics can be one the easiest and hardest parts of running to understand and perfect. Watching the really fast people run is a free way to learn what good stride mechanics looks like. Watch how they lift their legs; hold their arms, how they swing their arms, listen to their breathing, etc. When you run by yourself try and picture what you have seen. By visualizing good running form you will become faster.

Hills will give you the biggest bang for your buck. No other training method will get in you in shape faster or improve your speed like running hills. Running hills once a week for 4 weeks will improve your speed guaranteed. The beauty of hills is the improvements in stride mechanics and speed that you will gain.

Treadmills are a secret weapon that can be used to learn how to run really fast. By setting the treadmill at faster speed than your race pace and running repeats of three to five minutes great performance gains can be made. On a technical note there is a speed difference when using a treadmill. Always set the incline to 1 or 2 % when running your repeats.

Advantages of tempo runs for running faster show up in races longer than the 5k. Distances of 10k through the Marathon are better for tempo runs. The great advantage of Tempo Runs is that you can train longer without the long recovery involved with all out racing. People who use heart rate monitors have a great advantage by being able to zero in on their tempo pace. For those who do not use heart rate monitors remember to run comfortably hard and not all out.

There is a lot of debate about the merits of stretching. I personally stretch each time before I run. I have run for 10 years now without any real serious injuries. I don’t believe in stretching more than a couple minutes at a time. I do just three stretches that take about 3 minutes to complete. My feelings about stretching are that if my stride is longer by even an inch I will cover more ground and I will run faster.

Try these methods for yourself and see how your speed will improve. Don’t expect to go from a snail to a cheetah in one week. Give your mind and body a chance to learn how to run fast. Listen to your body it will tell you when you have trained enough.

Richard Shryack is the author of Fatigue Nutrition & Endurance Exercise. http://www.fatiguenutrition.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Shryack

You may be able to do all three sports back to back but single- sport focus can give you a new events calendar and allow an edge to be gained. Moving from a multisport to a one-sport athlete is not as dumb as it seems.

Short term

For many triathletes, focusing on one sport gets them away from doing all three sports to the same extent all the time. This may allow them to work on a swim weakness when the weather is too bad for much biking or when they are getting back to their preferred sport for a recharge. You do not have to be a three-sport expert all the time and taking some time out from each sport may even be a good thing to do occasionally. If it’s planned and short term, it won’t affect your long-term progress.

The positives and pitfalls

The up-side of single-sport focus is a hunger to get back to missed sports afterwards. Similarly, you get to really give a sport total focus. However, the downfall, especially in running, is that the overload can lead to injury. Cross training keeps you low on injury risk, but focusing on one sport can lead to muscle overload and injury.

Options

Swimming focus can include hitting the water every day for a week, an open-water event or entering a Masters’ gala. On the bike again, you can get out every day and combine a time trial or harder group with your increased mileage to raise the overload level. Run training must be carefully increased, however, and it may be wise to include Aqua-jogging in the pool and soft surface running to reduce the chances of injury.

Duathlon

Duathlon, lacking the swim segment, is often seen by some people as the easier option to triathlon. However, with two runs to contest, it is actually harder than a triathlon. Use these events wisely and you can improve as a triathlete.

Season expanders

Duathlon is a way to include some tough workouts when triathlons are not available or convenient. Use them pre-season (March through April) to bring on your competition ability and test equipment. As triathlon winds down in late September, duathlons become abundant, so you can extend the season for several weeks by incorporating run-bike-run events. Draw a clear line when the season ends, as you must have your required post-season recuperation period followed by winter base building.

Form testers

Many short duathlons are organized by tri clubs to give members a chance to compete when or where swim facilities are not convenient. These can be integrated into mid-week or weekends as quality workouts to see how well you are doing. The key with duathlon racing is simple: treat the first run like a cruise, then get on the bike and start to race proper. That way, you run off the bike strong, like a triathlon feels.

Paul has been writing articles for several years. Check out his website on Photography which gives help and advice on all types of photography such as Wedding Photography Tips and Digital Wedding Photography Tips

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_O._Scott

I officially mark May 2007 as the date when I started running. When I say running, I mean really running, not just jogging a few miles here or there when I felt like it. May 2007 is when I began to really call myself a runner, when I began a habit that sticks with me to this day, and has become such an integral part of my life that I couldn’t imagine living without it. Prior to this time, running was for me, as the saying at the beginning of this article alludes to, like a form of self-punishment. I did it because it was supposed to be good for me, or because some coach at some time ordered me to do it during some practice – I did not, however, enjoy running. That all began to change for me when I began to gain weight after the birth of my two kids. I realized that I was now in my 30′s, and if I was going to take control of my health, I needed to start getting serious about exercise. This brings me to my first tip:

Tip #1 – Find a Source of Motivation For me, having children was the primary impetus for beginning my running habit. I wanted to get my health back under control, and I wanted to be able to keep up with two little kids as they grew up and became even more active. To this day, one of my main motivations for running is to set a good example about the importance of exercise for them. A secondary source of motivation was entirely personal – I wanted to lose some weight. It turns out that I lost about 15 pounds during my first six months as a runner, and that was strong motivation to keep going.

If you don’t have kids, and your weight is not a problem, motivation can still be found in other areas. My next tip for beginning runners details one of the things that really helped to keep me going at the beginning of my running life:

Tip #2 – Sign Up for a Road Race I’m extremely competitive with myself, and one of the things that initially got me running was a deal that my wife and I made to sign up for and run a 4-mile road race on the 4th of July, 2007. When I signed up for the race, I had never run more than about three miles in one go, and four miles seemed like an astronomical increase over that. Signing up for the race and paying money to reserve my spot gave me a goal to train for, and because I’m not a quitter, there was no way I was going to back out. If you’re even the slightest bit competitive (even if just with yourself), signing up for a local 5k is probably one of the best things you can do to motivate yourself to keep running. For me, racing hooked me in a way I never would have anticipated, and running races is one of my prime motivators for training to this day. It also introduced me to a whole “running world” that I didn’t even know existed. In every town there are like-minded people who run crazy distances simply for the fun of it. These people are among the most open and friendly people I have met, and their enthusiasm for running can be infectious. If you want to gain entry into this little slice of the world, start by going to some road races – I guarantee that you won’t regret it.

So lets now assume that you have some source of motivation to get you off of the couch and onto the road or trail. What follows are the lessons I learned from personal experience that I think are the most important to pass on to a beginner who has made the decision to start running.

Tip #3 – Get Appropriate Running Shoes I can’t emphasize enough how important this tip is. When I say “appropriate” running shoes, this doesn’t mean to head to your local sporting goods store to pick out the coolest shoe in the “running” section. What most people don’t realize is that each of us has a particular type of running gait. The way our legs move, the way our feet hit the ground – each of us is a little bit different. When it comes to running shoes, you want to be sure that you find a pair of shoes that is suitable for your particular gait. How do you do this? The best way is to go to a specialty running store where they will analyze your gait (usually for free) and let you try out a few pairs of shoes by running around the block. Any good running store will do this, and getting the right pair of shoes for your body and gait type will go a long way toward making your transition into running go more smoothly. It will also to help minimize any chance of injury that might arise from making an uniformed choice of the wrong shoe simply because you like the way it looks. Finding the best shoe for you can take some trial-and-error, but it is well-worth the effort.

Tip #4 – Start Slow and Run Short When you first start running, it is best to begin by running slowly for relatively short distances. Running will be a lot more enjoyable if you don’t overdo it to the point where it becomes hard and starts to hurt. So, consciously and repeatedly tell yourself to slow down. If you need to walk, do it. When you’re out on the road by yourself, nobody is going to care if you take a walk break, and if this helps you to keep running, then it’s worth it to do so. For me, when I used to run sporadically before May 2007, I felt like I wasn’t getting any benefit unless I pushed myself to the limit. This made running unpleasant, and explains in large part why the habit never clicked. By approaching my development as a runner this time around as a long-term process, it became enjoyable, and I eventually got to the point where running harder and longer was a joy rather than a chore. I found that every increase in run distance was a new milestone, and triggered a desire to go even farther. This culminated in my decision to run a marathon in May 2008, one year after I began running, and that was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

Tip #5 – Track Your Effort If you need help tracking your effort, purchase a heart-rate monitor or a running computer. For beginning runners who own an Ipod Nano, the Nike+ system is a good choice. It’s cheap (Tip #6 – Eat and Drink Appropriately This probably goes without saying, but fueling and hydrating properly for your runs is critical. If you eat something (even just a Powerbar or similar product) an hour or so before you run, and hydrate well, your runs will be much more pleasant. Starving yourself to lose weight while running is counterproductive and should be avoided at all costs. Your body needs fuel to power your muscles on the run, and it needs fuel to repair any damage that occurs after you run. If you deprive yourself of fuel, your desire to run will fizzle away. One additional note about hydrating – if you run in the summer or in a hot area of the country, be wary of your hydration level. When it’s really hot I generally carry water with me. Sometimes I carry it in hand, sometimes I use a water bottle belt, and for longer runs I use a Camelbak hydration pack. Dehydration can be dangerous, and is easily avoided with proper preparation.

Tip #7 – Find Something to Pass the Time Some running purists prefer to avoid all electronic devices while running. I however, am a gadget freak, and can’t bear to run without my Ipod Nano attached to my arm (except during races – for that I go without). Listening to good music on a hard run can be incredibly motivational, and there are times when music alone can pull me through a tough patch. For long runs or slower, easier runs I like to download podcasts from Itunes or audiobooks from my local library’s digital audiobook download site. Most library’s offer these digital downloads now, and although MP3 player compatibility can be an issue at times, there are ways to overcome this and downloads are typically free with a library card. Listening to audiobooks on the run has opened up a whole new world of options for me, and there are times when I’m so engrossed in what I’m listening to while running that it feels almost effortless.

Tip #8 – Run with a Partner I tend to run solo or with my dog (who is a great running companion by the way), but many runners thrive on running with friends/family/co-workers. Having a partner helps to pass the time, conversation on the run generally forces you to slow down, and having a partner to keep you honest helps to prevent lapses in dedication to the sport.

Tip #9 – Join a Running Club Most towns/regions support local running clubs. Generally, these clubs cater to people of all levels and abilities, and joining one can be a great source of motivation. Meeting other local runners provides an avenue for learning about new running routes in your area, and they can be rich source of information and advice for beginning runners. Check out the Road Runners Club of America RRCA for information on finding a local club in your area.

Tip #10 – Join an On-Line Running Forum On-line forums are a great place to find information and advice on running. There are tons of running forums out there, so finding one to your liking should not be hard. A few examples are the Runner’s World Magazine Forums, the dailymile.com Forums, the Runner+ Forums, and the Cool Running Community Forums. Even if you aren’t an active contributor, reading through the collective knowledge on these forum sites can be incredibly beneficial.

I could probably go on-and-on with tips like those presented here, but I’ll cut it off at 10 for now. Probably the most important pieces of advice I can give to beginning runners are to stick with it and to have fun. As your running progresses, you’ll begin to experience both physical and mental changes that you might never have expected. Running improves the health of your body, but it also can change your mind (it’s a great stress reducer for one thing), and once you’re hooked, there’s no turning back.

Happy running

The author of this article, Peter Larson, maintains a website, Run-NH.com, that provides information on running in New Hampshire. His blog,Runblogger, provides thoughts and tips on running, blogging, and living an active life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Larson

Bulletproof Knee

This program is worth looking into if you’ve had trouble with your knees while running ( lots of us do ).

Ben Greenfield is a pretty well known Triathlete in the United States and has a great program to sort out this sort of problem. It’s easiest to send you straight to his website than copy what he says in this post -> Bulletproof Knee

Running too quickly does not mean that you intend to run fast; it just kind of happens. Eventually, running at a moderate pace becomes more difficult than picking that pace up. What happens to be a fast pace is different from person to person and even from workout to workout, and picking up the pace when you are supposed to be running easy can quietly sabotage your workout schedule.

-The Risks of Never Running Easy-

If you do not make a conscious effort to slow down on your recovery or other easy runs, then you are going to have problems.

1. You will not be well rested for your next speed session or race.
2. You will increase your risk of injury.
3. You will increase your risk of burning out.
4. You will suffer from a state of perpetual exhaustion.

-How I Discovered That I Never Ran Easy-

The first time that I consciously recognized that I was running too fast on my easy runs was in the Summer of 2000.

I was running a half marathon in Connecticut, and a couple of miles into the race I started to get sort of dizzy. It was more of a sense of vertigo than real dizziness, but my balance was thrown way off and I was afraid that I was suffering from heat exhaustion. The sensation lasted for about 5 or 6 minutes and then went away.

I did not want to risk going to the hospital, but I seemed all right once my balance returned. I decided to run the rest of the race easy and be sure to grab a couple of cups of water at each water stop. The race was a lot of fun, and I chatted with the folks I was running near as I jogged my way through it.

Towards the end of the course, you begin doubling back on the first few miles. As I came to the same part of the road where I had had problems at the beginning I began to feel the same sensations of wooziness and an inability to hold myself upright. I began weaving back and forth across the road uncontrollably. I took this as a good sign, because it meant that my issues were not heat related but environmental.

As soon as I got past where the problems had first started, they went away and I knew that it was safe for me to sprint the last mile of the race in to the finish. I got quite a few dirty looks from the people that passed my seemingly inebriated self mere minutes before as I sprinted past them to finish the race.

So how did I realize that my easy runs were too fast? This race had been at my Sunday Run pace when I was training with my team in college, when we normally went for 15 to 18 miles. Our schedule always called for a race on Saturday and a long run on Sunday, which was supposed to be at a relatively easy pace. When I looked at my finishing time for the half marathon, I saw that my relatively easy pace was at 6:47/mile.

If I was running my easy runs at that pace, then I was not giving my body a chance to recover. With an average of 12 running workouts per week when I was in season, that could prove catastrophic. (In fact, it did, as the next Autumn I got a stress fracture in one leg and tendinitis in the other.) I needed to slow myself down.

-How to Slow Yourself Down-

It took me a few years to find reliable ways of slowing myself down. I know how important it is to run at the correct pace for the workout, so I often employ different strategies depending upon my circumstances to make sure that I hold to that correct pace on my recovery runs. What works for me may not work for you, though, so you will need to experiment. Here are a few things that you can try:

• Run by feel. This does not usually work for me, since my mind might wander and I might accidentally pick up the pace. Even though the pace might feel easy, my body may not realize what I am trying to accomplish and might betray me. For some people, though, running by feel will be all that they need to do to keep themselves at the right pace.
• Find a running partner. If you can find a running partner that runs at the pace that you need, then you are all set. Just run with that person and try not to force them to run too fast. If you are conversational, then you will tend to slow down so that you can have enough breath to keep talking.
• Sing out loud. You can sing when you are running with somebody or when you are by yourself, but I guarantee that if you are running too fast and trying to sing at the same time, it will be very readily apparent when you are running too fast! I’ll warn you that you may get some strange looks, especially if you are singing while you run alone. If you are in a race, you may also annoy the people around you. (Why are you trying to run easy in a race?)
• Breathe through your nose. I have a breathing exercise that I do on easy runs that helps me to run a little slower when I am running alone and I do not feel like calling attention to myself by singing out loud. I will breathe in through my nose for 4 or 5 steps (2 left, 2 right) and will then exhale through my mouth for 4 or 5 steps. You are unable to bring as much air into your lungs when you breathe through your nose, so you begin having trouble breathing when you go too fast.
  Breathing in and breathing out through my nose does not work very well for me when I am running, although you may want to experiment with it. It tends to lead to my having to sneeze when I try that, which is why I breathe out through my mouth. As a side benefit, this is a great way to protect your lungs (a little) when you are running with traffic, because your nose filters the fumes in the air somewhat rather than providing a nice straight path that the fumes get when you breathe in through your mouth and are gulping air from a fast pace.
• Calculate your pace. If you are running with a wrist watch over a measured distance, you can calculate what your pace is and adjust your speed accordingly. Just be aware that trying to do the math in your head might be distracting, so be careful that you don’t pick up the pace and try to be aware of any traffic nearby. An easier way to calculate your pace is to use a footpod or GPS device that can calculate your pace for you. The numbers may not be 100% accurate, but they will be close enough and can be pretty close to real-time.
• Check your pulse. Your heart rate can be a great determiner of how hard you are running. If you are running at 90% of your max heart rate and you want to be running at 60%, then you know that you are running too fast. The beauty of this method is that it takes environmental factors such as hills and weather into account, as well as how recovered you are from previous workouts, so you can truly run at an easy pace no matter how fast that happens to be.
  You can calculate a very rough heart rate by finding an artery and counting the beats for 6 seconds and multiplying by 10, but it is better to count for at 30 seconds and multiplying by 2 or just count for a full minute. You may need to stop to get an accurate count, though. An easier way is to wear a heart rate monitor and then just glance at your wrist to see if you need to slow down. If you get a fancy one, you can even make it beep at you when it is time to slow down.

The next time that you have an easy day on your schedule, try one (or more) of these strategies to make sure that you run at a moderate pace that is going to allow you to recover from previous workouts and be ready for your future workouts.

Blaine Moore has been running since the early nineties, and regularly competes in distances between the 5k and the 50k. To sign up for Blaine’s Running Tips Newsletter, visit http://www.RunToWin.com or http://www.Marathoning.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blaine_Moore

No matter who you are, the Rock Star Triathlete Academy has designed 10 ways to make your sprint triathlon training productive, efficient and enjoyable.

1. Sign-Up Now. That’s right. Don’t wait until 4 weeks out from the race. By signing up right now, you’ll trigger some very powerful components of your psyche – specifically the parts that inspire you to get off the couch or out of bed and begin your sprint triathlon training. The pressure of knowing that you are signed up for an event provides intrinsic motivation (“must be ready!”) combined with extrinsic motivation (“can’t embarrass myself!”. The latter motivation will be even more powerful if you tell the whole world that you signed up for a sprint triathlon.

2. Make Your Plan. Here’s how to perfectly design your sprint triathlon training plan: a) pick the date of the race – that’s your race and taper week; b) take the 4-6 weeks leading up to that week – that’s the part where your workouts build in intensity and race specificity; c) take the 4-6 weeks before that – that’s the part where each workout becomes longer and you develop more endurance; d) take the 4-6 weeks before that – that’s the part where you hone your skills like swim drills and run drills and strength training. Voila! A sprint triathlon training plan!

3. Test. There is nothing else that even comes close to motivating you than a test. One of the biggest mistakes that triathletes make during sprint triathlon training is not taking a baseline measurement, then repeating that measurement several times leading up to the race. Try to test every 4 weeks: a 500m swim test, a 1 mile run test, and a 3 mile bike test are perfect measurements for a sprint triathlon.

4. Avoid Your Facebook Ironman Friends. If you just got back from an explosive 2 mile run, then log-in to your social network to find that your friend just slogged out 12 miles, you may be discouraged. It is very important, however, for you to realize that the individual who is training for Ironman is actually making themselves slower when it comes to sprint triathlon training. So don’t be discouraged that you’re not “fit enough”. For sprint triathlon training, you should pursue speed, and not slow endurance.

5. Consider Nutrition Supplementation. There are many nutrition supplements that can assist you with explosiveness, power, speed and recovery. A few of the tried and true aids that are easily accessible to enhance your sprint triathlon training include: creatine, nitric oxide, CoQ10, branched chain amino acids and glutamine. Don’t be afraid of supplements! All those listed here have been researched many times and found to be both safe and effective.

6. Include Overspeed Training. Despite popular belief, overspeed training does not mean that you go out and swim, bike or run faster than you normally would during your training. Instead, this term refers to neuromuscular training – teaching your muscles how to contract quickly and repetitively. For swimming, this could include practicing with a metronome. For running, you can include treadmill efforts at a pace that makes your legs turn over faster than they would while running outside. And for cycling, you can simply choose an easy gear and perform fast spins at 100+ revolutions per minute.

7. Do Plyometrics. Jumping, hopping, bounding and leaping exercises, also known as “plyometrics” can significantly enhance your sprint triathlon training performance by teaching your muscles to recover quickly between contractions and also produce faster and more forceful efforts. An example of plyometrics would include perform a series of 3×10 jumps up onto a bench or box before you go out for run, or chest passing a medicine ball against a wall for 8 explosive reps. Doing a single plyometric session at least once per week for eight weeks leading up to your sprint triathlon will make you a quicker athlete.

8. Don’t Taper Too Long. Tapering for 2-3 weeks is a “trickle-down” technique from Ironman triathletes that unfortunately will leave a sprint triathlete unfit and stale for their relatively shorter competition. Five to seven days will adequately prepare most athletes for a sprint triathlon, and seven to ten days are all that is necessary for an athlete who is performing rigorous sprint triathlon training.

9. Don’t Lift Weights On Race Week. At many gyms, you’ll see triathletes rushing to the weights on race week to get that last little bit of strength training into their sprint triathlon training preparation. Unfortunately, it can take up to seven days for your body to fully recover from the muscle tearing and damage that occurs while resistance training. In the last week prior to your sprint triathlon, stay out of the weight room and skip your plyometric exercises. Instead, focus on a few quality swim, bike and run sessions at race pace intensity.

10. Do Sugar Rinses. Although your body has more than enough carbohydrate storage to last the entire length of a sprint distance triathlon, that doesn’t mean that you should completely avoid any sugar during the race. Research studies have shown cyclists to be significantly faster and have a higher tolerance to the pain of exercise when they simply tasted sugar by doing a quick mouth rinse with a carbohydrate-based sport drink solution. During the last few weeks of your sprint triathlon training, try swirling and spitting a sweet solution. You’ll find that it gives you just a little extra energy, even if you don’t actually take a drink.

These ten rules of sprint triathlon training, brought to you by the Rock Star Triathlete Academy, will ensure that the build-up to your race is smart and highly effective. For more practical and useful tips just like this, go to http://www.rockstartriathlete.com

Ben Greenfield is an author, personal trainer, nutritionist and triathlete coach from Spokane, WA. He produces the popular free fitness, fat loss, and human performance blog and podcast at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com.

Ben holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sports science and exercise physiology, and is a certified nutritionist (C-ISSN), personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and strength and conditioning coach (NSCA-CSCS). If you are interested in asking Ben a question, or learning more about utilizing his services, simply e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com or call 1-877-209-9439.

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Triathlon Bike vs. Road Bike

A road bike is certainly adequate for competing in triathlons, but most people who train and race for any extended period of time, usually end up purchasing a triathlon specific bike. Why? There are many reasons, but mainly because a triathlon bike has been specifically engineered for a triathlon.

Athletes competing in triathlon have just expended massive amounts of energy using almost all of the muscle groups of the body in the pool, and immediately after the ride will have to run. Triathlon bikes are designed to conserve muscles for the run, during the ride.

The concept of a triathlon specific bike came about in the late 80s with the design of the Quintana Roo Superform. The bike had and 80 degree seat angle and 650c wheels. Skeptical professional triathletes soon turned into believers when the bike was ridden in the Ironman New Zealand and the bikes rider, Ray Browning broke both the bike and overall course records. He even began the run leg of the competition with a 30 minute lead over the second place athlete!

Incredible advances in triathlon bike design have been made over the years and the science used to design these bikes is astounding. A study performed in 2000 called The Garside Study compared the bio-mechanical benefits of a triathlon bike versus a road bike, removing aerodynamic factors. Subjects riding 24.8 miles on a road bike then running 6.2 miles were compared to subjects riding the same distance on a triathlon bike then running the same distance. The results were impressive. The athletes riding the triathlon bikes averaged a full5 minute time savings on the run after transitioning off the triathlon bike versus the road bike.

Where to get the best deals on Triathlon Bikes

If you have already begun your search for a triathlon bike, you have learned that all of the integrated technology does not come cheap. Some of the higher end bikes can weigh as little as 13 pounds and cost well over $10,000.

Deals can be found, you just have to know where to look. By all means visit your nearest bike store, ride some bikes and find out what you like. Triathlon bikes come in a variety of frames, styles, weights and colors so it is important to know what you like before you begin bargain hunting.

With the explosion of the internet, one of the best ways to find deal is to go online. Some bike stores offer limited stock online, but online auction/classified sites like eBay, Craigslist and the triathlon specific TriGearTrade.com offer a unique way to find a gently used or closeout new triathlon bike for a great price!

The most important thing to remember in your search for triathlon bike is to find out what you like and shop around for the best deal!

Jessica Albrecht is the COO of TriGearTrade.com which can be found athttp://www.trigeartrade.com

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But unfortunately, some clubs can be a bit stagnant, and may not provide you with exactly what you need. The last thing you want is to be paying membership dues so that you maybe get a jersey with a club name on it, but not much else! Here are 5 crucial elements that I recommend you look for in a triathlon club.

1. Social Events: Triathlon training is certainly important, and organized swims, bikes, runs and cross-training events are important, but it’s also nice to be able to get out and loosen you triathlon training tie with other triathlon club members. Look for social events like bowling nights, skating parties, field trips and other extracurricular activities that take your mind off the grind of training but still allow you to spend quality time with other triathletes.

2. Forum: It is very useful for a club to have an online forum to interact with other members of the club, to ask questions, to list gear for sale or trade, to post training sessions, or to talk about races and race results. The alternative is a messy e-mail inbox as letters fly back and forth about where the swim is on Thursday night or when the next club meeting might be. Assuming the triathlon club has a website, a forum is a must.

3. Meetings: Another crucial feature of a triathlon club is some form of a structured get-together during which members of a triathlon club can meet and greet, learn about upcoming events, review past events, socialize and maybe even have a guest triathlon expert presentation. Without regularly scheduled meetings (i.e. the second Tuesday of every month), it’s easy for a club to just become another ignored detail in your life.

4. Gear: Your club definitely needs to be branded. With options to put a logo on everything from cycling jerseys to hats to towels to hoodies to bumper stickers to racing equipment, there’s no excuse not to have a way for triathlon club members to wear a brand with pride! This is also a great way to recognize other fellow triathlon club competitors at the races.

5. Clinics: It is important for you to be able to learn about the sport of triathlon outside of the regular triathlon club meetings. Your club should be able to organize tire-changing clinics at a local bike shop, swim clinics at a club member’s pool, or run clinics at the track. Continuing education is another good way to socialize and interact with fellow club members while also enhancing your triathlon abilities.

There are a variety of websites such as TriMapper that will allow you to search for local triathlon clubs in your area.

There’s even a section of the Rock Star Triathlete Academy at http://www.rockstartriathlete.com that is devoted to building a database of clubs that members are a part of. Be sure to look for these 5 crucial elements in your search for a triathlon club and you’ll be sure to wind up a part of a successful organization!

Ben Greenfield offers free advice and a blog/audio podcast for nutrition, fat loss, human performance and triathlon training at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com. Visit today and get a free e-book and newsletter gift from Ben!

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