Prepping for your first triathlon can be both nerve wracking and exhilarating.  Don’t be that person that wants to tackle an Ironman or 1/2 Ironman for their first triathlon.  It’s best to get a start with a sprint triathlon.  It will enable you to fully understand how your body will respond to all 3 events at race pace:  swim, bike, run.  Here are the top 5 things you can do to prepare for your first sprint triathlon.

1.  Know the course – wether this is by reading reports, looking at the detailed descriptions on the events website or seeing the course in person days before hand this can give you the power to visualize the critical segments: an important climb, a tricky descent, a critical corner. That kind of awareness helps you check off that issue so you can flow smoothly through race day.

2.  Extra rest during the nights prior to the event –  the night before the race can be loaded with anxiety and an athlete many only sleep in fits and starts. By adding an extra 30-60 minutes of sleep to each night in days prior to the race will take the pressure off that night before the big day

3.  Gain confidence through reflection – look back over the past weeks of training and a dozen bits to be proud of – your longest ride, longest run, consistent days of training, days you kept up with or beat a training partner or a time that you have for your favorite route. Even things that seemed like problems can be viewed as confidence builders: that time you flatted and learned a bit about repair, the side stitch you got and worked through, etc.

4.  Go “over duration” – make a rough assumption of how long the whole race might take you. Figure the swim in a worse case scenario, maybe 3 minutes per 100 meters. Do the same longest-possible-time for the bike and run – bike at 10mph??? or a run/walk combo at 12min pace. For a typical sprint (400yd swim, 10mi bike, 3 mile run) that’s 12 minutes for the swim + 1 hour for the bike + 36 min for the run + 10 min for transition (5 min each) and you’ve got about 2 hours of race time. Now, give yourself a bike workout in the weeks before the race that is over 2 hours long and you will have confidence being able to go the duration of the race.

5.  Race Morning Warm up – When you wake up on race morning, over dress right away. Dress in layers and over do it so much that you have a light sweat going while on your way to the event site. That’s “warm up” part A. Then get the cardio system very awake with a short run of 6-8 minutes. The first half can we a run/walk but the second half needs to have some brief moments (perhaps 30-40 seconds) where you are going harder than race pace. This will get have you fully awake and race for the start signal.

That about sums it up for the top 5 things you can do for your first sprint triathlon.  Trust us.  This stuff works!

For many triathletes, the open water swim is the toughest portion of the race.  If one is living in a coastal area, this is especially true when factoring in waves.  Get ready to read about the best open water swim workout for triathlon in the history of man.  Well, not the *entire* history of man.  Maybe “most epic open water experience since scurvy” is more apropos.  Though this open water triathlon workout won’t make your gums swell, the Ocean Speed Circuit will leave you feeling like an animal.

Triathlon has 5 sections.  Swim, T1 (transition 1), bike, T2 (transition 2) and run.  Most people new to triathlon focus only on the 3 sections everybody thinks about:  swim, bike, run.  The distance between the swim portion and T1 for people doing coastal triathlons can be a bear and a place to shave time.  This is usually the section where triathletes have to run through deep sand to get to their bikes in the transition area.  Like the open water swim, this section is the most difficult to simulate.  Until now.

The Ocean Speed Circuit is a weekly workout in Santa Monica, California that simulates triathlon with a series of open water entrances and exits combined with a stretch of deep sand running.  Think: big triangle with one side as the sand run.  Bring the pain and priceless experience (and parking machine cash).

Just like a triathlon, there is a mass start on the beach.  The group quickly stretches out as the experienced swimmers and triathletes jump ahead.  A few hundred feet out, past the break, there is a giant orange buoy (pictured above).  Swimming in a clock-wise fashion, the group rounds the buoy and makes their way to a cone on the shore.  After not getting pounded by the surf, each person rounds the cone and runs in the sand towards the entry point.  That’s lap 1.  If you are a newbie, 2 laps might be enough to make you feel like you got a good workout.  If you are a lifelong swimmer and have gills, you may do 4 laps at race pace and kick Neptune in the crotch.  Totally your call.

Don’t forget:

1.  There is NO lifeguard on duty

2.  This is not a coached session…each person swims at their own risk and is responsible for their own safety

3.  Bring cash for the parking machine

4.  Bring wetsuit just in case it’s cold

5.  Bring brightly colored swim cap (no blue, white or grey)

You may be asking yourself what do Triathlon Training Series (TTS), world champion Ironman legend and at-risk kids near Los Angeles have in common.  The answer is more things than you may think.  One of our top coaches here at Triathlon Training Series is Cherie Gruenfeld – multi Ironman world champion.  Beyond being a highly sought after coach, Cherie dedicates her time to at-risk kids triathlon through an organization she founded called Exceeding Expectations Foundation.

If you know Triathlon Training Series, you know that we have a true passion for coaching world class ITU triathletes and sharing the passion of triathlon.  Regardless of triathlon experience or rank, Triathlon Training Series loves coaching anybody with a passion to set and achieve goals.  Cherie Gruenfeld takes this to another level by working with at-risk youth east of Los Angeles in San Bernadino County through her organization called Exceeding Expectations.

One may be thinking that this is another case of a superstar athlete grooming elite kids to be expert triathletes.  Think again.  Cherie’s primary goal is to give at-risk kids the experience of setting a challenging goal and meeting it.  Sounds a lot like triathlon, huh?   To the kids, simply living life on the straight and narrow is a challenge.  They have diverse backgrounds, but have equally daunting challenges to overcome.  That’s where Exceeding Expectations comes into play.

By coaching these at-risk kids through triathlons and 5k / 10k races, she shows them that all challenges are surmountable if one plans, applies themselves and gets creative.  This formula for life success has helped hundreds of kids in the desert communities in San Bernadino County.  Who knew that an Ironman legend could single-handedly help so many kids?

Triathlon Training Series did.  Cherie is the caliber of triathlon coach with whom TTS is proud to be associated.  Not only does she compete at the highest levels and coach age-groupers from all over the USA, she makes an indelible, positive mark on the lives of kids triathlon and at-risk youth in the LA area.

You know the drill:  Triathlon is expensive and can be complicated for people just getting involved.  Not only are you worrying about finding a coach, but also stressed about finding the correct gear at a good price.  Training for triathlons just got easier now that you know about our triathlon DVDs.  You’ll also feel great about knowing more about the gear.  Nobody likes going to a shop and asking rookie questions.

Let’s take it a step further.  Maybe you live in an area where seasoned triathletes don’t live.  Maybe you live in an area where there are no triathlon coaches.  Maybe you are so busy with family, work and ongoing commitments that you simply don’t have the bandwidth to located a local or virtual coach.  Though we are some of the top coaches in the virtual and local worlds, we are also the dominant player in triathlon DVDs.

Here is what a few of our customers are saying about us:

From Hannah of Beverly Hills, California

I’ve been working out for awhile now and had wanted to get involved in triathlon but just wasn’t quite sure how to take the steps to get there. Now I know. This Box Set has really helped me understand what I need to do to get myself going in the right direction. I also realized how much I’ve been doing wrong that wasn’t serving me as an athlete in a good way, which I have been changing and feeling so good about!

Regardless of your background as a runner, cyclist or swimmer, this DVD series will help give you the insider tips people just tell you when you get started in triathlon.  We have it broken down into 5 discs that will help you break through to the next level of your triathlon experience.  Here’s what you’ll get:

• Basics for Triathletes
• Swimming for Triathletes
• Cycling for Triathletes
• Running for Triathletes
• Strength Training for Triathletes

One thing to consider is purchasing this as a gift for yourself for all of the hard work you do.  Or, get it for a loved one as a “just because I was thinking about you” gift.  It’s better than a terrible striped shirt, right?  Whatever you decide to do, take a look at our products.  You and the loved one you purchase it for will be so happy that you supported their healthy lifestyle.

Workouts for us triathletes can be demanding to say the very least. Mix in bike or brick workouts when a spoke breaks and you’ve got a solid recipe for frustration, possible injury and a good probability of being stranded far from your home or car. Don’t know about you, but being late to the office because of a bike mishap doesn’t usually go over very well; unless you ride your bike to work.

The truth is that bikes are strong and durable, but still remain sensitive and temperamental. Does that sound like your loved one? Ahem. I digress. Rims are strong. Are they indestructible? No. That also means spokes are not made of indestructo material. When a spoke snaps on a training ride or a brick, it could send you skidding to a stop, ruin a rim or just be a pain in the neck. Here’s what you can do to help minimize your risk (not foolproof,but things to look out for):

1.  Bladed Spokes – Avoid these if you are over 200 lbs or like to climb in massive gears.  If you are 250 and ride a 36 hole rim with bladed spokes you are NOT guaranteed to break a spoke, but in general bladed spokes are great for smaller riders.

2.  Avoid Potholes – Sounds like a no-brainer, right?  Not only will avoiding a pothole decrease your likelihood of ever getting a pinch flat, but also prevent your rim from getting whacked and warped.  Once that rim gets “out of true” or warped, the likelihood of spokes breaking increases quite a bit.  Essentially, some of the spokes are shouldering more of the load of your body and bike.

3.  Avoid Cornering at High Speeds with Wheels that are Severely Out of True or Warped:  Because your potential for breaking a spoke is increased when the wheel is severely warped, take a fast or sharp corner just adds to the stress of that already stressed out rim.

What happens if you take all of those precautions and you still break a spoke?  There are a few thing you can do:

1.  Open your brake:  You can flip the little lever on your brake caliper to increase the distance between your brake pads and the rim surface.  This will minimize or even sometimes eliminate rubbing so you can get back to your car or home.  IMPORTANT:  If you only use one brake on your bike, don’t do this because you would be riding with no brakes.

2.  Wrap the spoke:  If the rim is not severely warped after the spoke breaks, simply wrap that spoke around a good spoke so that it doesn’t clatter and drive you totally insane.

3.  Let a pro repair it:  Wheels are something you want to leave to the pros.  Trust us.

So, fellow triathletes, you now know how to handle a broken spoke.  Remember to train safely and consult our bike DVD for triathletes if you an any other questions about the bike and triathlon.

Spend enough time hanging out with off-road triathletes or even mountain bike riders and there is a high probability in finding yourself in a discussion some call The Cold War of the Cycling Kit:

Should road triathletes convert to baggy shorts and nondescript jersey, rather than riding their road kit when racing in an Xterra or mountain bike race?

There seems to be very distinct views on the two types of garb.  We’ve heard the mountain bike side say that road kits are a joke and shouldn’t be ridden or raced on the dirt.  The other side of that “dirt” coin says that wearing a road kit just makes more sense in Xterra races.  The primary point being that one will have to wear the mountain biking gear under the wetsuit unless one wants to waste precious time in T1.

Let’s take this a cut deeper.  There is a bit of divide in the mountain bike world too.  We’ve found that mountain bike racers and off-road triathletes at the elite and pro level don’t bother with the baggy shorts.  It would be just as easy for their sponsors to create a branded pair of shorts, but the racers simply go with a traditional road cycling kit.  One of the benefits stated the most is lack of restriction.  In a road kit, the body is not restricted in its movement.  Additionally, there is less fabric that has the potential to snag on trees and rocks.

It seems that our recreational dirt brethren are alone in this ongoing discussion about using road kits on the dirt.  The pros prefer them, as to age groupers competing in Xterra.

The good news is that it’s all good because it boils down to one’s own personal preference.  It’s as simple as that.  Sure there are pros and cons, but at the end of the day we are all bike riders out there doing for the love of camaraderie, sport and fitness.  At least that’s our take on it here at Triathlon Training Series.

So, next time you get sucked into this discussion with your off-road triathlon buddies or mountain bike riding co-workers, don’t let it frazzle you.  Just “roll” with it and invite them on a training ride and gift them a copy of one of our great triathlon DVDs.

The sad truth is that few people are completely satisfied with their bodies.  This even applies to triathletes; people known for having some of the best looking and fittest bodies.  One of the things we notice with folks that are new to triathlon- guys or gals- is that some folks are a bit self conscious when it comes to the swim workouts.

This could be due to lack of swimming history, fear of the water or just plain unhappiness about how a busy family / business life has distracted us from taking care of ourselves the way we know we should.  Whatever the flavor, we’ve seen it all.  Trust us.  The challenge is to not let that derail the goal of completing your first triathlon, PRing at Arizona Ironman or making it to Kona for the Ironman World Championships.  Time to jump in the pool and get some work done, not beat yourself up for not being Michael Phelps or Natasha Badman.

The good news is that you are not alone!  ALL of us feel some sort of insecurity at some point when we get into triathlon.  The trick is to focus on the work you need to get done in the pool so that you can have a more comfortable or faster swim time in your race.

Here’s what we suggest:

1. Go the pool at a time that makes sense for your schedule
2. Arrive with your swimsuit already on, under your clothes (if possible)
3. Walk immediately to the area where you’ll leave your bag (locker room, pool deck, etc…careful to keep an eye on stuff if you are not using a locker)
4. Keep all of your swim items (swim cap, water bottle, workout cards, ear plugs, goggles) in a small mesh stuff sack that can get wet and you can toss on the deck right next to your swim lane
5. Get into the water
6. You can do some stretching in the water or on the deck.  It’s up to you.
7. Do workout
8. Jump out and towel off and walk to changing room to get street clothes together and off you go

The key is to not think about it too much.  The person in the lane next to you that looks like they should be on the cover of Beautifully Fit Person Monthly could care less about what your belly or butt looks like.  They are just as self conscious as you are, but in ways that you can’t even tell.

To help with all of the actual workout portions, check out or swim specific triathlon DVD.  You’ll love it.

For triathletes that train at or near sea level, going to Boulder, Colorado for a weekend of training can be a fun or heart wrenching experience; depending on how you look at it.  We’re in Boulder this weekend and in awe of all the triathletes and road cyclists that were climbing the road up to Gross Reservoir.

Like you, we train quite a bit during the work week.  We squeeze in a ride in the morning before the office or a swim at lunch.  Regardless of how much time we triathletes or road riders train, it may not translate immediately to an evironment where there is elevation above 5,000 feet.  If you’d tried this, you know exactly what we are talking about.

The legs feel like they are made of lead.  Your lungs and bronchial tubes feel like they are constricted.  If you’re like us, you find yourself thinking, “Wait.  I thought I was more fit than this.  What’s going on?!”  Then you catch yourself and remember that you used to training at 4,800 feet lower.  Then you don’t feel so bad.

One thing to keep in mind when training at higher altitudes than you normally do is to stay hydrated.  Your blood and muscles need that extra little bit of water or sports drink.  Though you’re not at Camp 3 on Everest, the air is thinner and your body is putting in over time learning to adjust.

The key is not to push too hard and not to get dehydrated.  What I’ve found training and hiking in Boulder, Colorado is that the sheer beauty of the surrounding trees, rocks and mountain faces provide a wonderful distraction to how full of lactate your muscles truly are.  Good pain.  Right?  Right.

A few things to keep in mind of you find yourself climbing up to the Gross Reservoir is that the shoulder on the road is not very wide at all and doesn’t exist in some places.  Also, the park rangers and sheriff don’t allow people to swim in Gross Reservoir.  That’s understandable.  People in Boulder need to be able to drink that crystal blue snow melt.  Bottoms up.

TTS coach Ian Murray answers a question during the LA Tri Club Coaches Panel – LtoR – moderator Jeff Matlow from IMathlete, Ian, Gareth Thomas. Not pictured; Lori Christensen, Gerardo Barrios and Rom Levitsky

The Los Angeles triathlon club (aka: LA Tri Club or LATC) hosted a coaches panel that featured the likes of Ian Murray, Gareth Thomas and others.  Between fielding questions on fueling, injuries and gear, this panel was moving in full force and packed with more data than you can shake a stick at.

One of the best things about the LA Tri Club is that it fosters positivity and education.  The good news is that age group and elite racers from Santa Monica, Venice, Mar Vista, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, El Segundo, Culver City, West LA, The South Bay, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance can all come together via the LA triathlon club and learn more from panels like this than they can from an aggregated blog somewhere in the ether.

We find it great that newbies and gear geeks can go to a panel like this and not feel intimidated.  Check your snobbery at the door.  Triathlon Training Series (TTS) and the LA Triathlon Club support all walks of triathlete life (as strange as we may be at times).  Espousing that same “everybody is welcome” mentality is longtime Triathlon Training Series Coach and race director of the Strawberry Fields Triathlon in Oxnard, Jamie Silber.  Or as we like to call him sometimes:  Big Jim Silber.  That’s him below standing  behind Tom Regal (TTS client on left) and Ian Murray.

If you happened to miss this panel, don’t fret.  There will most likely be more next year.  In the meantime, if you are looking for a serious, easily approachable way to learn about or refine what you know about triathlon, then you should probably take a look at the best triathlon training DVD available.  It’s addicting.  Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

TTS athlete Tom Regal and TTS coach Ian Murray in the booth at the expo before the LA Tri Club Coaches Panel

Whether it be the ITU Championship Series in Madrid in 2010 or the Strawberry Fields Triathlon in Oxnard, the number one priority when you travel for a race is to inspect your bike. Freak damage can happen even when the bike is in the best hard-shell case. We checked into the hotel, built up the bikes, got in a tiny run and then headed to the pool mid day. The sport complex here is amazing. The building holds a 50 meter, 10 lane pool indoors. It’s perfect.

There are “dugouts” on the side of the pool so that coaches can walk down and peer through a window that’s been built in the side of the pool wall and watch the swimmers at profile, head on and going away.  The pool here is in a University….we have those in the US, but while in the States a university might have facilities dedicated to football or basketball most colleges in Europe have facilities dedicated to sports on the Olympic program. There are athletes practicing judo and rhythmic gymnastics and the like.

The race takes place in a gigantic park that’s right in the heart of Madrid . The park is called Casa de Compo and it’s amazing…to begin with it’s probably three times the size of Central Park in New York . It’s got great topography with some solid hills. I hear there’s a zoo and a amusement park in the corners but I haven’t come across those yet – I have seen the gondola that crosses the park but have yet to eye its two ends.

There’s a good sized lake and prostitutes…..what? Yes, there is a gaggle of prostitutes that hang out on the side of the road. They dress in manner that leaves no doubts and they can often be seen leaning into cars that pull over to negotiate terms. I was shocked when I was here last time and now I’m kinda immune to it. The police don’t seem too concerned, I’ve been through their zone twice when police cars have been driving through and they just roll on by.

There’s quite a support staff for the team here and one of the stand outs is chiropractor, Camille Reagan. Beyond being a phenom doctor who knows and understands athletes bodies she’s also adventurous and resourceful. Camille found an amazing Indian restaurant just blocks from the hotel. We all piled in a private room with rugs on the walls and sat on deeply pillowed couches for an amazing meal. One thing that’s so true about endurance athletes is they can eat. We put away multiple courses and left deeply satisfied.