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I got a question this week from a triathlete struggling to build up mileage on his triathlon bike. This is a common challenge for triathletes. The trick here is to build mileage slowly and consistently. Here are some tips:

Remember to consult your physician before starting any fitness program.

1. Build up mileage slowly. Most triathletes are competitive by nature and they tend to push themselves to the limit. Out of frustration they might try to do a 4-hour bike ride when their longest ride before that is only a couple of hours. This is very risky and counterproductive.

If you overtrain like this you are likely to injure yourself, which can take you out of the game for weeks. Even if you manage to finish it without injury, your body will take a long time to recover from the workout and you may lose a lot of the benefit you might have gained from the long ride. Instead you want to build up slowly over time, adding maybe 25 to 50 percent to your base long ride (based on time in the saddle not mileage) every couple of weeks (see my sample plan to do this below).

2. Take time to recover and adapt. The goal is to slowly build up the length of your longest training ride while building in time to recover. Get to a plateau, ride there for a week and then try to extend it (see the sample program below).

3. A beginner can build effectively riding just 2 to 3 times per week. You don't have to build your endurance by riding 3 or 4 hours every time you get on your bike. Instead focus on one long ride each week (time not miles). Your ultimate goal should be to ride for as long as you think your complete race will take you to finish. Your other rides during the week don't need to be as long, but you might want to add some strength or technique training to these rides (like hills or cadence work).

4. Sample triathlon training plan Let's say that your goal is to finish an olympic distance triathlon in around 3 hours. "Leg time" for this race is 2.5 hrs or more. Building your bike to 2.5 to 3 hours will help build the endurance needed for this event. Let's make your goal to do a long ride of around 3 hours about a month before your race. Today you can easily do two one hour rides per week. How do you get to your goal?

By the way, you don't have to be able to do a 3 hour ride to finish your first olympic distance race, but it is a good goal. As you advance you might try to increase the number of miles you finish during your long ride (see tip 6 for more on this). Here is an example of a basic plan to get you to your goal:

Building Bike - Time goals for your one long ride per week. Other workouts for the week would be based on your personal level of fitness.

a. Week One: Ride = 1.5 Hours
b. Week Two: Ride = 1 Hour
c. Week Three: Ride = 2 Hours

At this point you've doubled your long ride. Do you need more time to recover? If so then start over at Week Two and then do Week Three again. If you recover better then move on to Week Four. Do the same thing after each week that you build mileage - if it takes more than a couple of days to recover go back to the next lowest recovery week and start from there.

d. Week Four: Ride = 1.5 Hours
e. Week Five: Ride = 2 Hours
f. Week Six: Ride = 1.5 Hours
g. Week Seven: Ride = 2.5 Hours
h. Week Eight: Ride = 2 Hours
i. Week Nine: Ride = 3 Hours

Note: All rides should be ridden fresh with no hard workouts at least the day before and the day after. The pace should be in a comfortable easy pace (you should be able to talk or have a conversation while you are riding during the majority of your ride). Learn to "spin" or use your easier gears to prolong your muscle endurance.

You did it! At this point your long ride is now 3 hours and you have made a great improvement in your endurance. Next you will want to start working on other things like speed, terrain, etc.

5. Make sure that you are eating and drinking during these rides. If you are hungry or thirsty you waited to long to eat or drink. Right now you are asking your body to do things it hasn't done before, you will need the calories. Eventually you will get more efficient and may not need to eat as much.

6. Time, Mileage or Heart-rate? Eventually all three of these measures will be important. When I start training someone we focus first on time at a comfortable pace. Next we add a heart-rate monitor to the mix and shoot for time within heart-rate zones. Finally we start working on the number of miles covered, heart-rate, and time. I suggest you start the same way.

If this sounds too over-planned, simplify it. Last winter I started training for a spring Century ride and my workout plan was just to add an hour to my long ride every 3 weeks until I got to 6 hours (although remember that I was starting from a pretty strong base and I didn't train much in the other disciplines, I did hit the weight room 1 time per week, and the Yoga mat a couple times a week). The key is to do what works for you. Use this plan to adapt something for yourself or for you to present to your coach.

Triathlon Coach Janet Wilson is a USAT certified triathlon coach and ACE certified personal trainer. Janet is an accomplished and nationally-ranked amateur triathlete and she coaches triathletes of all skill levels, from a triathlon beginner to Hawaii Ironman qualifiers. To learn more about triathlon training plans, triathlon bike tips, coaching programs or just great tips on how to stay in shape visit her website at http://www.coach-janet.com

posted by 45193  # 3:25 PM 0 comments

When you have control of your abilities, you can successfully take control of your life.

If we do not have control, when your ship rolls in you will be out in the middle of the sea trying to swim your way out. When you allow the negative thoughts that appear subconsciously take over causing a lot of health and mental problems, your control is out of your hands.

Take control by meditating to improve your self-development skills. Learn to think positive. This will put you in control of your life. You will feel good about you. To take control however, you must meditate by digging deep inside your mind and asking you questions.

Find your inner self by meditating to draw from your inner strengths. When we lose control, it takes over our lives. We become stress; tense, depressed, and physiological symptoms emerge, such as stomach pain, headaches, and restless sleep. The pressure causes use to lose control, which we cannot make good decisions. Start making good decision on taking control of how we feel by mediating.

Dig deep down and explore your inner being. When you find new discoveries write them down followed by creating a list of goals. Write down what you like about you, and what you do not like about you.

Take a moment and jot on paper changes you want to make to take control of your life. You will have to make many changes and this list of goals will help you to become successful.

By learning to meditate, you can alter how you feel by relieving stress and pain. Relaxation comes from mediating to help eliminate the stress that is causing you pain. Relaxation will restore your healthy sleeping patterns also. By meditating, you can alter your feelings by making changes. For instance, when you are anxious or stressed, you will learn to slow down your breathing and change the way your thinking to relieve these feeling.

Meditation skills will teach you how to slow down and let relaxation take over so you can stay in control of how your feeling. By Slowing down you will be able to think more positive and concentrate on what is the problem exactly that made you feel this way. By being able to relax and use your positive thinking, you will be able to make better decisions on how to handle your life.

Stress is the main cause of many diseases. When you are feeling stressed you also make bad choices often. You can improve this behavior by developing your skills through mediation.

Meditation teaches you how to gain control and manage your life to improve you self-developing skills. Learn the practices of yoga.

Yoga will train you to meditate effectively.

Searching the Internet is a good way to read and learn Yoga and meditation skills. You will find free downloads as well as programs to instruct and guide you to relaxation.

Other sources include your library, bookstores, and so on. Take some time and visit your local library. Search for self-developing information, meditation, or Yoga information. You will find that the library has different CD programs that you can take home and begin your practice.

Bookstores also have books and packets on Yoga and meditation that you can purchase. You will find there is a lot of information out now to help you stay healthy.

Reading is a good way to meditate for relaxation. When you start to meditate, choose a place that is quiet and far away for distractions. Using your imagination and reading about this place will help you relax and meditate.

Take control today and learn the skills of meditation.

Enhance your Self Development skills using meditation at http://self-development-meditation.blogspot.com

posted by 45193  # 5:03 AM 0 comments