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Winter is the time to work on the weaknesses that you don't have
time to address during the regular season. © Romanchuck - Fotolia.com
Most busy triathletes struggle to fit enough swimming, biking, and running into their weekly Ironman training program to meet the minimum requirements of long-distance triathlon. Maintaining peak form in your strongest sports leaves too little time to focus on and improve your weaknesses. Running trashes your cycling legs, and vice-versa. Swimming takes a back seat because going to the pool isn't time-efficient. Whatever their skill level, every triathlete falls behind in one of the three events, and winter is the time to let your strengths slide so that you can make huge gains in your weakest sport.
'Wait, winter? But it's only the second day of fall!' you're thinking. Remember that Ironman doesn't abide sloppy training like shorter events. One of the keys to success is taking some time in the offseason to schedule your year. Unless you're doing the Fantastic Nantasket this weekend, the New England tri season is over, which means that you are probably (or should be) taking a month off from structured training. Now that you have the time, you should be deciding what your goals are for next year, which probably includes improving your weakest sport. So yes, it's already time to be talking about winter training.
Once your rest period is up (you should have the date that you return to structured training circled on the calendar), plan to devote a couple of months primarily to improving your weakest sport. Spend about 60% of your training time developing one sport, only practicing the other two in 1-2 weekly sessions. Don't worry, when spring returns you'll get your fitness back quickly in the other sports.
Set intermediate goals for yourself to keep yourself motivated, like "swim 1000 yards in 15 minutes," "push 300 watts for 20 minutes on my Computrainer," or "break 1:45 for a half marathon." When you are tempted to stay in bed on cold, dark winter mornings, these goals will help you peel yourself free of the covers. Here are some more tips for improving in each sport:
Swimming
If your weakest sport is swimming, then you're in luck. You can become a better swimmer simply by spending more time in the pool. "Feel" for the water develops with time in the water, whether you're swimming hard or easy. Of course some technique drills will help things along nicely. If you usually only swim once or twice a week, plan to swim at least four times a week. These sessions don't have to be long or intense. Dedicate one thirty-minute session a week entirely to drills and technique work, and include more technique and drills in your other sessions.
Ironically, cold winter mornings are also the time when Masters swim lanes are the most packed, giving you plenty of people to distract you from your misery if you don't enjoy swimming. It may be hard to drag yourself out of bed to make a before-work masters practice, but you'll get used to it. Most early-morning swimmers enjoy getting their workout out of the way and showing up at work alert, having already gotten in some "me time" that day. After a winter in the pool, you will be because you are more efficient. It will take you less energy to swim 2.4 miles, leaving you feeling fresh for the bike ride ahead.
Biking
If biking is your weak sport, then you've hit a bit of tough luck. A bike-specific block in the winter means logging a lot of trainer miles and getting chummy with your spin instructor. Don't lose heart, though. Pro triathletes Peter Reid, Lori Bowden, and Heather Fuhr all made quantum leaps in their cycling by training on their trainers instead of the road. Try the Spinervals DVD's, or get a subscription to Netflix to help kill time on long trainer sessions. In previous years Karen Smyers and Dede Griesbauer have led weekend indoor Computrainer classes at Fast Splits in Newton. If being in the presence of top international pro triathletes will keep you motivated, contact Fast Splits for details.
You may think that there are no cycling events to inspire you to withstand long trainer hours, but you'd be wrong. There are actually a few indoor time trials in Boston. Because there are so few biking events that time of year, some of the best cyclists and triathletes in the Boston area turn up. The Harpoon Indoor Time Trial is a Computrainer race on a simulated course ridden inside the Harpoon Brewery. The Harpoon ITT used to be an exclusive Team Psycho event that opened to the public for the first time last year. The Boston Triathlon Team also holds an indoor time trial. Last year the BTT ITT was held on March 1. Watch those teams' web sites to find out the ITT dates for 2010.
Running
If you are a weak runner, Boston is the place to be in the winter time. With the build-up to the Boston Marathon in mid-April, winter has become the long distance running season in New England. You can find races with distances in the double digits almost every weekend from mid-January until late March, plus dozens of 5 and 10K's almost daily. Check out some of the big ones on the Winter Running Hub Page, or visit Cool Running. By the time the Boston prep races taper off, it will be time for you to end your running block and turn your attention back to triathlon.
Inevitably there will be days when it is too snowy or icy to run outside and you will be forced onto a treadmill. Don't despair! Just like bike trainers allow you to distill quality in your training, a treadmill is an excellent way to do speed work or tempo runs where you need to dial in your speed. You may find that you can get a better workout in on the treadmill than on the roads where you have to watch your footing on the icy, dark sidewalks.
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