Best Mix - Triathlon Week

tridogkaty · 01-26-2007, 07:52 PM

Something that has always perplexed me is the make up or mix of most triathlons. I started racing back in the mid 80s and the normal make up then was about a 1000 yard swim, 25 mile bike and 5K run. This always seemed a bit unbalanced to me. You could be a world class swimmer, and pretty good runner, but if you were only fair on a bike, you would get beaten (hammered actually) by someone would could barely swim at all, was a fair runner, but really good on a bike. It seemed like once the strong cyclists (cycling back ground) learned how not to drown, and were willing to put up with the run it became a lopsided sport – in my humble opinion anyway.

I adjusted somewhat by devoting about 50% of my training time to cycling and then using the remaining 50% on about a 30/20 split - running then swimming. I also sought out races that had longer swims in comparison to the bike or run, and where the bike was on flat land. There weren’t really any hills in my neck of the woods to practice on. This even though my most enjoyable race ever, ended up being a half iron man in very hilly country, that amplified the differences between each segment. I didn’t do all that well, I just really ended up liking that race. I came from a swimming background so I was able to maintain, but not really improve much my swimming times with dividing up my training time as described.

All of this got me to thinking about what the perfect mix for a triathlon would be so that if a person was strong in only one area and just fair in the other two, he or she would be on as even a playing field as possible. I reasoned that if you took the average of say the middle 50% of the racers and figured out what mix would cause them to spend (on average) one third of their race time in each discipline, you would have a pretty fair mix. I did not do any hard corps number crunching, but guesstimated that this mix would come out to about a 1 mile swim, 15 mile bike and 4 mile run.

I was wondering what other’s thoughts were on what would make up a balanced race mix. Not that I am going to put one together or even expect to ever find one. Just curious. Especially interested in ways others have found to reduce the inequities via training, equipment, nutrition, etc.

Also, just for the record, I really miss the old fashion races where everyone started at once. Having to combat swim was fun I thought. I don't suppose any triathlons are done that way anymore?

sfricks · 01-27-2007, 02:30 AM

tri dog,
sounds like it's time to aquaint yourself with the great equalizer; Ironman! You'll get it all. A swim that gives you a mass start and all the beatings you crave, a bike that can go well or leave you wanting and a long enough run to catch up or get your rear handed to you.

tridogkaty · 01-27-2007, 07:20 AM

Thanks for the comment Scott, but I don't know about a full blown Ironman. It would take me quite a while to get in that kind of shape. I do century rides now and again and the thought of even doing a 5K after that seems daunting : )

imjm2006 · 01-29-2007, 10:40 AM

Sfricks nailed it........Ironman is the great equalizer. And if you've been doing tris since the mid '80's or so, you should have no problem with at least a half..........

sfricks · 01-29-2007, 05:14 PM

tri dog,
Think about IM FL. It's relatively easy for an IM. (Sorry IM FL finishers :)) I did the GFT in 2005 on less than 10 hours a week training. No need to run after 100 on the bike. My longest bricks are 60/6. It's amazing what you can do if you've got the heart. Good luck!

craignyc · 02-15-2007, 07:48 AM

seems as though a sprint distance would work for you as the swim is only .5 miles and the bike is 13 miles and run is 3 miles.