Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: The Balancing Act - Swim/Bike/Run Training

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: The Balancing Act - Swim/Bike/Run Training: The age old question of how you should divide your training time between swim, bike and run is a vexing one. From my time as a coached at...

The Balancing Act - Swim/Bike/Run Training

The age old question of how you should divide your training time between swim, bike and run is a vexing one.

From my time as a coached athlete, from observing other coaches to experimenting with varied approaches one thing is clear. Anyone serious about finding the best balance with their training should work with a Triathlon Coach who oversees all three disciplines for the athlete.  

Athletes who use speciality coaches, such as a cycle coach for their riding, and a separate run coach for their running are less likely to strike a healthy balance with their training load. Single sport coaches are more likely to emphasise the discipline they specialise in, which sometime can be detriment to the other two disciplines if there isn't overall co-ordination. This mostly comes down to where their passion and area of expertise lies.

Tri Coaches see triathlon as one sport with three closely related disciplines, and this is reflected in their approach to training and strategies within the race. An example of a coach who may not see the sport in the same light is one who doesn’t believe running off the bike in training is of any importance.

In my view as a triathlon coach, during specific phases closest to an event, bike to run sessions are essential to helping athletes develop the ability to find their running rhythm and form quickly following the bike leg. They condition the body to adapt more quickly from a tucked bike position to the upright running stance.

There are many ways to structure such sessions. For example, if a long more intense bike ride is the key aim for the session, make the run immediately after easy with the purpose of hitting your rhythm and stride early, or vice versa.  In this case the run should be relatively short, say 20-30mins.

How to plan training load between disciplines over a period

There are a number of different approaches to this question.

There is the blanket approach of continued even balance swim, bike and run training over a period, but that doesn’t account for individual strengths and weaknesses. Then there is loading up one discipline over a given period, but this generally requires that the others take a back seat during this time to ensure continued adaptation.

Whatever the approach, a coach should thoroughly research your past training history, results, and strengths and weaknesses prior to going down a path of training for you.

Then there is the goal itself, be it a short sprint, a draft legal Olympic, or even an ironman event.  Each event lends itself to areas of speciality, such as draft legal racing with more of a swim/run emphasis.  A coaches understanding and practical experience of how you can achieve the best result in your ARace is essential.

Finally, the period of time you allocate to train for your goal race is critical. The longer the block, the more latitude you will have to strategize within the periodised plan.

Essentially each phase of a periodised plan builds and prepares you for the next one. Knowing the important training components you need to concentrate on in each phase is the key. I.e. Phase 1 - may be all about building aerobic fitness and condition, Phase 2 – strength and aerobic capacity, and the final phase could be speed and speed endurance.

It could be likened to a jigsaw puzzle, once you know the important components it’s a matter of allocating adequate adaptation time required for each, and then slotting them into your training block.    

It’s a balancing act, but that’s the nature of multisport.

Coach Foz

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: The Long Haul

Triathlon Coach Sean 'Fozzy' Foster: The Long Haul: As I sit here planning periodised training for events 25-50weeks away, it brings to mind what’s really required to reach a goal, in sport an...

The Long Haul

As I sit here planning periodised training for events 25-50weeks away, it brings to mind what’s really required to reach a goal, in sport and life in general. It’s pretty simple, but actually carrying through with it is the hard part. Committing to a plan and sticking to it consistently over time, with consistency being the key word.

‘Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising ones level of aspiration and expectation’ ITU athlete - Sam Warriner. This quote was shown at the start of the now famous Bevan Docherty / Kris Gemmell video showing an amazing sprint finish in New Plymouth. And it’s so true.

Recently I had the pleasure of coaching Kristy Hallett, an athlete of mine for Ironman Melbourne. She did a great PB taking 35mins off her best time, finishing in 9:42hrs. Funny thing was that I contribute a lot of her success in that race to not her Melbourne preparation, but the one she did for Hawaii 2011, which started some 12months earlier.

Kristy has steadily improved from the complete novice triathlete I met back in 2007 to now being 1^st Female age grouper and 11^th Overall at Ironman Melbourne in the best female field outside of the Hawaii ironman.  

Kristy like many who are successful over time, consistently adheres to a training plan, one that matches her ability and aspirations at the time. Kristy has steadily gained endurance, strength and skill, never getting ahead of herself. She continually achieved and then reset her expectations as she developed, and the result of that is what you see today.

The longer the period of time you allow yourself to reach a goal, say 30-50weeks prior to your ‘A’ Race, the more gradual the increase in effort can be and the more effective the end result.  

Often I come across clients at the start that are super enthusiastic to the point of extreme. More often than not these athletes are the most likely to fizzle out the quickest. The slow burner who is prepared to be consistent and do what required in moderation in the end burns brightest every time.

So I am sitting here developing plans for athletes of all levels for goals in late 2012 and 2013, like the NZ Worlds, Ironman Melbourne or a Gatorade Sprint race. The earlier these guys set themselves on a considered path to achieving their main goal, the more gradually and safely they can build their level of aspiration and expectation to that goal.

With excitement, I can say that Kristy is now turning pro in Long Course racing in 2012/13.

Once again we will look at her periodised training plan, but now with new goals and expectations to get her to the next level of aspiration and expectation.

This applies to every athlete of every level thinking about their own way to achieve their goal.

Happy training

Coach Foz