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Does anyone have any advice for training for a sprint triathlon?

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Gobucks2204's picture
August 31, 2015 at 1:51pm
38 Comments

I'm considering training for a sprint triathlon which would be 750-meter (0.47-mile) swim, 20-kilometer (12-mile) bike, and a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run. I feel that I can really get a well rounded fitness program by setting this goal, and avoid boredom. I have a membership at my local college which has an Olympic pool, and indoor running track as well to train on.

I feel that I could build up to the 5k run a little at a time so that my shins and knees have time to adapt. I did a 5k run/walk last week by myself in 45 minutes so I'll have to work up to the nonstop 5k.  I'm not going to go for any longer than a 5 k because I want to protect myself from injury. I have a mountain bike which I could train outside, and also have a device that I can mount my bike on inside as well. The treadmill and indoor bike at the gym could also be useful for inclement weather as well.

Here are some questions I have:

I have a mountain bike that is very solid. I will not be competing against anyone but myself and am not concerned with how I compare with others, so would a mountain bike be sufficient for for a sprint triathlon? Or would I need to get a hybrid bike or a road bike?

The running will probably be my hardest aspect to train because I will have to overcome soreness and overuse from trying to get up to speed too fast. What would be a good protocol to build up my running to a 5k in a reasonable time to prevent too much shin and knee pain?

I'm not starting from complete scratch since I've been doing HIIT training, and spin classes as well as weights for my workouts and hiking long distances with occasional jogging.  How would you advise me to proceed in my training? And is a sprint triathlon a reasonable and achievable goal for me?

Lastly, how long should I give myself to train in order to work up to a time where I don't look like a fool?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated, and many thanks in advance for your advice.

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