Henry Ash / Marlies Penker

Triathlon: Half-Distance Training

70.3 Miles – Swim/Bike/Run

Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.

Contents

Imprint

© 2009 by Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.

3rd edition of Ironman® 70.3® – Training for the Middle Distance

Aachen, Auckland, Beirut, Cairo, Cape Town, Dubai, Hägendorf, Hong Kong, Indianapolis, Manila, New Delhi, Singapore, Sydney, Tehran, Vienna

Member of the World Sport Publishers’ Association (WSPA)

978-1-78255-414-1

info@m-m-sports.com

www.m-m-sports.com

ISBN 978-1-78255-414-1

Foreword

Welcome. This book is a thorough guide to preparing for the most popular triathlon racing distance in the world. Spawned from the renowned Ironman® Triathlon series, the half distance, also called Ironman® 70.3®, is booming internationally because these triathlons, raced at half the Ironman® distance over 70.3 miles, provide the challenge of long-distance triathlons but are not as intense a training venture as the full Ironman® distance.

Having personally coached hundreds of athletes successfully at this distance, from beginner to world champion, I can tell you that Henry Ash and Marlies Penker do a fantastic job of skillfully directing you through the intricate steps of preparing for this endurance challenge. Starting your event well prepared physically and mentally will build your confidence and put you at ease, allowing you to enjoy a day that will forever be a memorable milestone in life. Ash and Penker present their information in an easy-to-read, systematic manner.

Whether you are just starting out there or looking to up your game, you will find this guide to be an essential resource in your training library. Get ready to get in the shape of your life!

Lance Watson

1 Introduction

1.2 The keys to success

“It is better to start slowly than to drop out quickly!”

By using realistic training suggestions, specific examples and other tips, we intend to give you the keys to succeeding in the half-distance triathlon. The 70.3-mile course is purely theoretical. In competition, many factors can cause the 1.2-mile swim to become a few hundred yards longer, and almost nobody finds the ideal line during the 56-mile cycling component or the 13.1-mile running course.

Our daily swimming, cycling and running training should be equally flexible. Who knows that better than Henry after 25 years of triathlon training! This makes our half-distance training a little more accessible.

With this book, we – Henry and Marlies – would like to lead you on your personal half-distance triathlon journey. The countless facts, tips, suggestions and hints are intended to ensure that you retain or enhance your enjoyment of endurance sports as well as master your journey to the half-distance triathlon as safely as possible. Unfortunately, we cannot completely save you from slight detours.

We hope that you too will experience the deep satisfaction of completing a half-distance triathlon successfully and in good health. We therefore wish you much fun and enjoyment, for we are absolutely certain that success is sure to follow.

© picture-alliance/dpa

2 The Appeal of the Half-Distance Triathlon

The fascination of the half-distance triathlon can be summed up in two sayings and with a few important facts:

More facts that make the half-distance triathlon appealing:

The fascination with the half-distance triathlon is closely linked to swimming, cycling, as well as running the course length. The Olympic discipline, on the other hand, is considered to be a standard triathlon competition that can easily be mastered with the correct training. However, it is precisely those extra miles on the bike and on foot that make the difference and give the Ironman® its mythical status. They account for the uncertainty and thrilling anticipation typically felt in endurance events (flow) as we head toward the finish. Can we can get our legs, mistreated during the cycling, to cover the 13.1 miles on foot? After the 60.3 miles, will our burning muscles be able to cover the remaining 10 miles? Will we avoid “hitting the wall” until after the finish, or it will be waiting for us at the next aid station? In a half-distance triathlon, we never know what will happen until we actually cross the finish line.

Most half-distance triathlon participants ask themselves just before or during the race, “Why am I doing this? Do I have to? Can’t I live without the half distance?” Many curse themselves, the race, and everything around them and vow never to put themselves through this torture again.

However, after a short recovery phase at the finish, nearly all paticipants become repentant liars, and in typical triathlon fashion, bask in the positive memories and start to plan their next half-distance triathlon.

Here the common saying, “the journey is the reward,” applies. Positive memories of the training for swimming, cycling and running are awakened.

The goals that we were really seeking were overcoming obstacles; the countless hours in the sun, rain, wind and snow; the positive, sociable and exciting hours spent swimming, cycling and running; these are the things that make an Ironman® out of a triathlete.

The rich experience of these hours of training give us the opportunity to let our minds wander, but also to socialize and enjoy the beauty and changing seasons of nature. All of this makes triathlon an event that provides a quality of life that we are not willing to give up.

Follow us on our short, imaginary triathlon journey

You are surrounded by other athletes on the bank of a lake, the atmosphere is tense yet calm, and there are only a few minutes to go before the start. Thoughts are swirling around your head: “Have I trained hard enough?” “Will I make it to the finish?” “How will the swimming, cycling and running go?” But then your train of thought is interrupted by the starting signal and you and your fellow athletes rush into the water. You dive into the water, then come back up to the surface and try to get some air, which is quite hard in the first few yards. You fight for space, get jostled a little but gradually find your swimming rhythm. After a few minutes, you feel better and can maintain your speed. Now and again you try to catch or overtake the leader, and soon notice that the first discipline of the half-distance is nearly over. You can already hear the cheers of the spectators in the transition zone; you climb quite happily out of the water and are relieved to have the swimming section under your belt.

You run into the transition zone, fetch your bike bag and get changed in the transition tent. Full of motivation, you grab your bike, push it out of the transition zone and the race now continues on land. As you start, your legs feel a little tired, but gradually you get into your stride and take over other triathletes here and there. You don’t forget to eat and drink and feel that today your body is capable of great things. You occasionally have phases of fatigue and wonder if you will be able to cover the whole 56 miles. But it’s ok, these moments soon pass and your legs soon feel fresh again. Now the second discipline is ending, and in the last few miles, you are relaxed as you approach the next transition zone.

In this transition zone, you put on your running clothes and then the final discipline is soon under way. Now it is hard, because over the first few miles your legs feel “rubbery” and heavy; you have the feeling that you can’t run properly. But your muscles adjust because you have already practiced the transition from bike to running in training a few times. Now in the race, your legs remember how to run again. The spectators cheer you on here and there and carry you toward the finish. You don’t give up when moments of fatigue occur. If you really can’t run any more, you walk for a while, and are usually able to start running again after a while.

You get nearer and nearer to the finish, the crowd drives you on, you know that you can do it. Only a few more yards, then you cross the finish line. The feeling is indescribable, you want to “hug the world,” all the effort and minor ailments are forgotten. You’ve done it. A wave of happiness flows over you; you smile from ear to ear and are absolutely elated to have accomplished your goal.

Would you like to have this feeling too? In this book, we provide tips and tricks that will enable you to become a happy and successful half-distance triathlon finisher.

2.1 Four reasons to do the half-distance triathlon

There are four good reasons why so many triathletes attempt the half distance:

© M. Nüsken

3 The “Four” Disciplines of the Half Distance

Twenty years ago, when Henry was first preparing for the long distance, he found it helpful to compare the triathlon to a restaurant menu. This idea was his key to the mental preparation necessary to complete the half distance successfully.

This thought will also help you to overcome your fear before a half-distance triathlon. Imagine a menu full of everything that you particularly like to eat, and like this lavish meal, thehalf-distance triathlon is a special occasion.

As the first discipline, the 1.2-mile swim is considered the “appetizer.” After this warm-up follows the “main course,” the 56-mile bike ride. Our “dessert,” which we save until last, is the 13.1-mile run. Both transitions constitute the “intermediate courses”: the first from swim to bike and the second from bike to run.

3.1 Swimming: the appetizer

Swimming represents the biggest problem for many athletes, as a good technique is necessary to attain reasonable results. At the elite level, good swimming technique is the basic pre-requisite to keep up with the pace. In a race, it is not unusual to see women getting out of the water in front of or at the same time as the fastest men.

The effect of water on the body is different then that of air. When moving through cold water, the blood flows more strongly through the working musculature, which increases heat loss. In the case of swimmers who have low body fat, their body temperature is constantly decreasing, unlike their more corpulent competitors. This can be counteracted, particularly over longer distances, by wearing a Neoprene wetsuit.

For many triathletes, swimming is an unpopular or boring discipline. Athletes who really have a problem with swimming therefore usually prefer the duathlon, which consists of running, cycling, then running again. Advanced swim training is intended both to improve the swimming performance and also to make it easier to cope with the cycling part of the triathlon.

Front crawl is the fastest swimming stroke and, compared to the breaststroke, puts less strain on the legs, which will have to work hard in the second and third disciplines, cycling and running. It is therefore very challenging for many athletes to not just swim along using the breaststroke technique but to keep up with the crawlers. Anyone who is considering a half-distance triathlon should most definitely learn the front crawl in order, as mentioned above, to spare their legs for the cycling and running to come.

3.2 Cycling: the main course

Cycling is the second discipline in the triathlon and as the main course, it accounts for the largest portion of the whole race. In general, it is prohibited to draft other cyclists, apart from a few exceptions in the case of elite or young athletes, particularly over the Olympic distance.

© jolsport.at

Prerequisites for good performances on the bike are an optimal cycling technique and a correct sitting position, which will allow you to run with as little pain as possible afterwards. The “lying” position over the aero handlebars should not hinder breathing or the efficiency of the leg power. Many triathletes adopt the preferred “American position” on the bike, i.e. the tip of the saddle is situated well in front of the bottom bracket.

In cycling, the gluteal muscles support most of the bodyweight, which means that there is little stress on the musculoskeletal system. Even in the case of out-of-saddle riding (riding standing up), the orthopedic load is much lower than when running. In order to avoid general injuries, it is advisable to wear a helmet (a MUST in the triathlon). A helmet should always be worn, whether you are just testing a bike or popping down the road to the store.

Regardless of which triathlon distance you are aiming to compete in, the cycling component is always the longest part of the race. In the half-distance triathlon, the 56-mile bike ride accounts for the majority (50-55 %) of the whole competition time. You should therefore incorporate cycling into your daily routine whenever you can.

3.3 Running: the dessert

Running constitutes the triathlon “dessert.” This discipline is the most taxing for the musculoskeletal system; swimming and cycling are much less stressful for the body. Running most quickly reveals weaknesses in the core trunk musculature, the strengthening of which should not be neglected in training. Only with a strong core will your body be able to accomplish optimal running performances.

As well as strengthening the core trunk muscles, your running time can also be improved with running drills. These exercises give the body a complex workout. In the “bum flick,” from a relaxed trot, the heels are brought up to the glutes.

In the “knee lift,” the front leg is bent at the hip and the knee is raised. The support leg is kept straight and the arms work vigorously. Running backward and to the side is also recommended. Leg crossovers involve twisting the hip and upper body in opposite directions.

For some triathletes, running in a half-distance triathlon turns into a kind of torture. The legs are tired and heavy and the small of the back often hurts, too. It is therefore no disgrace to take a few walking breaks, soon after which it is usually possible to run again.

3.4 The transitions: the intermediate courses

The change from swimming to cycling and then from cycling to running are the “intermediate courses” on the triathlon menu. They constitute a smaller part of the whole race time. In triathlon circles, the transition is referred to as the “fourth discipline.”