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Racing and training for short course... I have no clue!

GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
in General Training Discussions

Initial goal for 2015 was to make a legitimate run at snagging a slot for the 70.3 WC in Austria.  I felt that I could get a top 10-20 spot in the M45-49 AG at a given race and snag a roll down.  Having surgery in November pretty much derailed that.

Decided to concentrate on short course stuff for the summer and do a couple of 70.3's to end the season.  I have never been a short course guy.  I've done more Ironman races than I have sprint races if that puts it into perspective.

Houston has a pretty full schedule of sprint and oly races from May to October.  I'd like to race every two weeks or so.  I know how to train as far as workouts are concerned.  I'd like some advice on scheduling.  Racing every two weeks or so requires some odd calendar management I'd imagine.  Obviously you don't really need to taper for short course stuff but I'd like to podium most of the races if possible.

Any thoughts?  Mainly looking for advice on how to handle race week for a sprint or oly when another race week is just a week or two away.

Comments

  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    I am usually good for a Sprint race per year. My training generally focuses primarily on threshold work. You can load up the "get faster" plan, rinse and repeat. I focused on a 1000 meter swim with lots of 50's and 100's. I then focused on lots of threshold bike intervals for a 19 mile ride and then mile repeats targeting a faster 5k. All that was for the "Malibu Classic Distance Triathlon" - 1/2 mile swim, 19 mile bike, 4 mile run.

    Then execution was "grip it and rip it". Redlined my heart rate for about 90 minutes. Good times. No food or beverage either, which makes for a really simple nutrition plan.

    The work in short course isn't bad. It's just a different flavor of pain from Ironman. The thing that spins me out is that everything feels "frantic" versus IM. The other weird thing is that it's over almost before it get's started. Gun goes off at 7:30 and you are done in time for brunch.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Bob - I've found success with bundling short course races, doing, say 3-4 in a 5 week period after training specifically for 8-10 weeks. The routine was:

    • Consider the race = to 3 intense intervals workouts that week, so you really don't need to keep up the high intensity run and bike workouts while in the racing phase.
    • Day off before a race, or at least limit activity to 20-30 minutes of EZ pace in 1-2 disciplines
    • Day off after an Olympic, day after a Sprint again limited to short EZ work.

    As Dino says, nutrition and pacing are MUCH easier in these short races than HIM of IM; makes it FUN!

    Finally, I remember what a local tri god told me when I asked him how much running he did each week. (He was recently the national and world champion in the 55 or 60 y/o AG). He said, Apart from racing, I run 8 miles a week. But then, he did not have anything longer than a 10K on his agenda.

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