General Discussion Triathlon Talk » 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri? Rss Feed  
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2017-12-22 11:37 AM


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Subject: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Hi everyone! Started considering tri this year when I began swimming to keep my cardio up while recovering from a knee injury. I was originally training to move up from half to full marathons. But I really got into swimming and used to cycle regularly... so I'm just entertaining the idea and hoping to find some wisdom on the internets

My 10k run is just under 1 hour (best time 54 min) and my 1500m swim takes 40 minutes. (The reason I'm slow is I'm five feet tall ) I haven't cycled in a while so I don't have stats on that.

As a full-time PhD student I can only commit to 5 hours of training per week (which I've been doing for 3 years now). So, is it realistic to train for an August 2018 triathlon, giving me 8 months? Or should I train a full year and aim for 2019? My goal isn't to win or anything - just to finish with a not-too-embarrassing time

Many thanks for your advice!


2017-12-22 11:53 AM
in reply to: calamity_j

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
What distance are you talking about? I’d guess Olympic, from the data you gave. No problems in 8 months!
2017-12-22 11:54 AM
in reply to: Rollergirl


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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Yes, Olympic - should've mentioned that!
2017-12-22 5:10 PM
in reply to: calamity_j

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
8 months at 5 hrs per week is more than enough.

P.S. it's not your height making you slow in swimming...at 40 min for a 1500 it's your form, some very basics are missing. This isn't intended to sound harsh, but instead offer you guidance; get swim lessons, they'll pay untold dividends and be the best investment of your swim time right now.
2017-12-22 5:48 PM
in reply to: 3mar

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?

If you've been training 5 hours per week for 3 years and can already swim 1500.......you can do a sprint triathlon tomorrow morning. 

2017-12-22 6:55 PM
in reply to: calamity_j

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
8 months at 5 hrs per is plenty. Check out the free training plans here on BT. Most are 20 weeks I believe. If you pay for a silver membership, it unlocks the HR plans and allows you to dump them straight into your calendar... which is pretty nice. You can then drag and drop workouts if you need to change the schedule.

Also, I agree with the above advice on taking a few swimming lessons. If you can't afford that, see if you can find a friend or group to help you. Good luck and if you liked running, I think you're going to love triathlon!


2017-12-23 9:08 AM
in reply to: 3mar


3

Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Thanks! Didn't sound harsh at all - in fact it's good to know there is room for improvement! Will def look into swim lessons.
2018-01-03 9:46 PM
in reply to: #5233188

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Yes 8 months is plenty of time for an oly .

Good luck! Let us know how you do
2018-01-04 11:23 AM
in reply to: calamity_j

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Why not start with a sprint? You'll learn a lot.
2018-01-04 11:53 AM
in reply to: b2run

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?

Yeah, start with a sprint or two, and then do your Oly.  Eight months is totally plenty of time.

2018-01-04 12:27 PM
in reply to: calamity_j

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Eight months should be plenty of time to train for an OLY distance, even after a knee injury. Just be realistic about performance, which it sounds like you are. If you don't feel confident enough to finish the OLY distance on race day, the race director might allow you to drop down to a SPRINT distance (if offered)...you could ask them ahead of time.

I did a SPRINT about 10 months after ACL, PCL, MCL and Meniscus replacement (16 months after tibia reconstruction)....tibial plateau fracture playing rugby. Trained for only 4 months, but my goal was just to finish. It's not that hard once you build a foundation.

Good luck!


2018-01-04 2:03 PM
in reply to: iSWIMgreatlakes2.0

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
Definitely aim for this year!
I signed up for my first tri 8 months before the race and I did not know how to swim............. I did not have a bike, the longest I run was 10K over an hour.
Oh, and I was also limited with time, as I could only train during my lunch breaks (so less than an hour, 5 times a week).
You have a solid base, you will do awesome.
2018-01-05 4:26 PM
in reply to: calamity_j

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Subject: RE: 8 months vs. 20 months to train for first tri?
With some kind of background and the goal to finish, you could get ready for an Oly in a couple of months on 5hrs/week.
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