How to Start Triathlon Training

Determine your current physical condition. If you have not exercised in a long time or do not exercise often, start your training slowly and build up gradually to avoid injury and burnout. If you are a complete beginner or have any health concerns, visit your doctor before embarking on your training program. More seasoned athletes can begin with a harder training program but still must increase their training slowly.

Assess your goals and decide what triathlon distance you want to train for. This will determine the length of training. Consider starting with a sprint triathlon if you are new to exercise. A sprint triathlon starts with .45-mile swim, a 13.2-mile bike and a 3.1-mile run. Joining a local triathlon club is a good way to get professional advice on technique and training and meet other like-minded triathletes.

Build your base. If you are a newcomer, starting all three disciplines at once might be too much. Focus on either biking or running for two to six months to build your aerobic base. Aim to train three to four times a week during this period. If you are new to running, train three times a week for one month in 10- to 15-minute sessions. In the second month, combine walking with running in 30-minute sessions. Aim to run for two to six minutes per running interval. Over the next four to five months, steadily build your running minutes until you can run the full 30 minutes. If you start with cycling, aim for three to four sessions a week. Start with 10- to 15-minute sessions and gradually increase to 40 minutes. When you are comfortable with 40-minute sessions, increase the duration or distance by no more than 10 percent per week.

Incorporate swim training. If you have never swum or it has been a long time, attend swimming sessions with a triathlon club or learn to swim with a qualified coach. You should be able to swim comfortably using the front crawl stroke, non-stop, for 20 minutes before you start your triathlon training plan.

Start your training program. If you are starting with a sprint distance, you need to train twice a week in each of the three sports or incorporate a brick session one day a week where you train in two sports on the same day. Most programs for a sprint distance triathlon are between 13 and 20 weeks long, assuming you have built your aerobic base. According to the Beginner Triathlete website, a sprint distance training program includes a brick session of swimming and running on a Monday, bike sessions on Wednesday and Sunday, running on Thursday and swimming on Friday. Start with swim sessions of between 15 and 30 minutes, bike sessions of between 35 and 40 minutes and run sessions of 20 minutes. Increase durations by no more than 10 percent per week. Do not start out too quickly.