Getting closer to contest

As the global sporting spotlight will fall on Bahrain again later this year, GulfWeekly has teamed up with one of the world’s top trainers to coach the island’s sports-lovers to prepare to take part. If you have ever fancied trying a triathlon there will never be a better opportunity. Your community newspaper hopes to inspire you to put your best foot forward and have a go.

Don’t be scared … Andy Price will help you every step of the way!

HERE’S YOUR WEEK 6 – 113 DAYS UNTIL BAHRAIN CHALLENGE.

* Training programme for the week starting Sunday to August 22, 2015

This is the final week of Block One. The block continues to focus on building up strength and endurance. This week’s aim is to continue on your endurance building mindful that the following week is a rest week (but that doesn’t mean you won’t be training, just at a far less intensity to allow your body to recover)

For ease I will include a key to explain abbreviations each week:
• F/S – Freestyle or front crawl
• Alt – Alternative stroke. For most this should be backstroke, but for some breastroke
• PULL – F/S with a pull float between your legs
• KICK – F/S kick using a kick board
• R – Rest (normally in seconds)
• Z – Zones (1 – 4)
• RPM – Revs per Minute
• HRM – Heart Rate Monitor

* GENERAL – Remember we are now just five weeks away from the start of the BRR competition events. To remind you of the events we know about to date:
• September 18 - Water Run at location TBC
• October 2 - Aquathon (swim followed by a run) at Hamala Beach Resort. You can enter either as an individual or as a team so one does the swim, one the run.
-Children swim 300m and run 2000m
-Adults swim 600m and run 6,000m
• October 16 – Olympic Triathlon (Sofitel). This will be a critical indicator of our training Distances – 1,500m swim / 40km bike / 10km run
• October 30 – 5km Grand Prix at Muharraq between the two bridges
• November 6 – 10km Grand Prix at Muharraq between the two bridges
• November 13 – 15km Grand Prix at Muharraq between the two bridges
• November 20 – Bahrain Challenge
• November 27 – Bahrain Marathon Relay at the BIC
•December 5 (Saturday) – Ironman Bahrain

To date we have looked at bilateral breathing, stroke length and body position. This week it’s all about your head position. Try and keep your eyes looking forward and down, your head in line with your body and the water level between your eyebrows and hairline (ok for some that might be a fair way back).

* SESSION 1 - Pool
• Warm up
300m F/S R60
300m F/S Pull R60
200m F/S Drills R60

• Main set (All at race pace)
300m F/S Swim R30
200m F/S Pull R30
100m F/S Kick R30
Repeat 3 times
Warm down
200m Easy
Total – 2,800m

* Session 2 - Pool
• Warm up
6 x 100m F/S all steady / Zone 2
• Main set (all at race pace)
6 x 200m F/S R60
6 x 100m F/S R45
• Warm down (steady / Zone 2)
4 x 100m
Total – 2800M

* Session 3 – Open Water
1,500m time trial. Go 1,500m at race pace and take your time

So we have done cadence and rhythm and last week even power through the legs. This week we will look at technique. The correct use of gears coupled with the optimal cadence will prevent early leg fatigue. Many new to riding will try and power through too higher gears with a slow cadence.

Remember, you should be aiming for 90 RPM on the flat and dropping to 80 or so on hills. Try drafting during training because most Olympic Triathlons will let you do this but, remember, you won’t be able to during Challenge or Ironman. Drafting can save you up to 30 per cent of effort.

Make sure your gear selection is right for the conditions. It will be different when in a head wind or undulating ground.

* SESSION 1 - Indoors / Turbo Trainer
• Warm up – 10 minutes steady
• Main set (focus on keeping your RPM even)
10 minutes in 5th biggest gear
8 minutes in 4th biggest gear
6 minutes in 3rd biggest gear
4 minutes in 2nd biggest gear
• Warm down - 15 minutes steady in easy gear.

* SESSION 2 - Outdoors (remember this is a bike to run)
• 110 minutes ride in Zone 2 / Steady but ensure you go further than last week followed by a 6km or 30 minutes steady run (Zone 2)

* SESSION 3 – Outdoors
• Warm up – 10 minutes steady, easy gear
• Main set – 60 minutes at race pace. You need to be accurate with your pace judgment and maintain an even pace (unless strong headwinds)
• Warm down – 10 minutes steady

Each week aim for three runs. They will be broken down into
• A steady run at gradually longer distances.
• Some form of interval training be it on a track or known distance (400 or 800m).
• A bike to run.

* Session 1 – Steady Run
• Warm up (before you start the run. Try to avoid going straight off. Always do some form of warm up) Mobility stretches
200m jogs
• Main – 55 minutes at Zone 2 / 3 (just below race pace)
• Warm down
4 x 200m strides (just above race pace)
Dynamic stretches. Don’t push the stretches just hold for 20 seconds each. Work from your feet up stretching each major running group muscle.

* Session 2 – Intervals on a track if possible
• Warm up (get into a routine of doing the same warm up before each training session or race) Mobility stretches
400m easy
Mobility stretches
400m easy
• Main set (Above race pace)
6 x 600m R60 3600m
• Warm down
1,000m steady

Dynamic stretches. Don’t push the stretches just hold for 20 seconds each. Work from your feet up stretching each major running group muscle.
Total distance – 5,400m

* Session 3 - Bike to run
• Following your weekend bike give yourself 3-5 minutes rest as you stow away the bike then go for a 6km or max 30-minute run at a steady pace (Zone 2) whichever is the shortest.

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The Bahrain Triathlon Club membership for the 2015/2016 season starts from September 1. Membership will include:
* Refreshed training programmes for beginners and intermediate/advanced written by professional coaches. As with last year, the BTC will be helping to organise teams for those interested in competing
* We are working on a non-residential triathlon clinic/ camp. We also hope to have a swim clinic with a Masters swimmer to take place in the second half of September
* Membership will be similar to last season’s – offering of a full and affiliate membership
* Full membership will include race and training kit (personalised with your name on the trisuit), training programme, goodie bag with products from our new sponsors (including salt tablets, energy gels, etc.), social events, access to a closed group facebook page with relevant info, access to our coaches for Q&A, advice and reading material leading up to the races, discounts on a variety of tri products
* Affiliate membership will include social events, access to a closed facebook page with relevant info, access to our coaches for Q&A, advice and reading material leading up to the races, discounts on a variety of tri products, etc.
* Membership costs are still to be finalised

Those interested in joining should e-mail bahraintriathlon@gmail.com with ‘BTC Full’ or ‘BTC Affiliate’ in the subject header.

Application for full membership should be submitted by September 10. Bahrain Triathlon Club is sponsored by Ebrahim K Kanoo.

***

Bahrain will be hosting a two-day ITU Technical Officials Course on September 11-12, at the National Stadium in Riffa.

The course will qualify attendees as a triathlon official able to marshal and/ or referee in official triathlons.

The cost is BD80 (BD25 for Bahrain Road Runner members).

To register go to https://www.triathlon.org/development/course/2015_riffa_itu_event_organizers_and_technical_officials_community_seminar

Fill the application and send it to Vicent Beltran, Bahrain Triathlon Federation, his email add: Vicent.beltran@triathlon.bh