How To Correct "Snaking" In Your Swimming Stroke

Snaking is when your body jackknifes to each side at the hips going out of alignment with your legs with each alternate stroke. It can be caused by swimming too flat in the water (not rotating) and by a stiff, wide arm recovery flinging your body out of a straight alignment.

To fix the problem try rotating your torso with each stroke. Visualize pointing your belly button to each side of the pool with each stroke, like rocking a boat from side to side. Here are a few drills to work on rotation. I suggest using fins as well so you don't have to worry about sinking while getting these right. 

Start with kicking 6-12 beats on each side, then switching. Place your ear relaxed on your arm...
...once that is mastered you can add 3 strokes in between and a slow relaxed arm recovery



Another thing to try is relaxing your shoulders and forearms during the recovery phase (when your arms are out of the water) of the stroke. This will prevent your body being thrown out of alignment by a tense arm swinging across your body. These two drills lift your elbow and even shaking your hands at the wrist during recovery can help you stay loose.

The Face-Out Swimming Workout

There are two reasons I can think of that you might need this. The most common is you forgot your goggles. Another is you scrapped your face along the road. In any case, here's a workout you can do without getting your face or eyes wet (much). Can't vouch for how your neck is going to feel afterwards.

4 x (100 backstroke / 25 front sculling)

8 x 100 kick, 3 freestyle, 4th one flutter kick, with board and fins, 20 seconds rest.

100 easy backstroke kick (hands stretched out behind you)

8 x 25 water polo drill fast. 20 seconds rest.

100 sculling with pull buoy (25 side sculling, 25 front sculling)

8 x 25 kick with board fast, no fins. 20 seconds rest.

100 backstroke easy

Total workout distance: 2000 yards/meters

Rules To Not Annoy Your Triathlon Coach Using A GPS Watch/Strava

I use Strava more and more to keep track of both the details and for an overview view of my athletes progress. Unfortunately you can't set plans in Strava, so I rely on my TriLog I've developed over the years for that. But for checking in what athletes actually achieved in their workouts Strava combined with GPS watches are helpful. Here are some personal preferences on how to use your watch to display things properly. 

SWIMMING

It's debatable whether wearing a GPS watch in the water is that useful as at most pools looking at the clock for splits and send-off is accurate enough. But it does hold a few advantages. 1. you can get your total distance for the workout without counting laps if you're doing longer stuff. 2. If you can be bothered tapping your watch at the start and end of each interval you don't have to keep your times in your head and Strava will hold a nice record of it. But there are some pitfalls that drive me nuts.

Total Time in Water

There's more stopping and starting in swim workouts than the other 2 sports. As a coach, I'm primarily interested in how long you are in the water. So if you get in the water at 6am and get out of 7am, for me that's a one hour workout. Unless you're chatting up a lifeguard for 15 minutes in the middle of your workout you should only press the START/STOP button twice, once when you get in and once when you get out and the rest of the time you should just be tapping the lap button. Unfortunately Strava has a preference for "Moving Time" which I think unfairly discriminates against swimming (when your coasting on the bike it still counts that).

Drills/Kick

GPS doesn't track drills and kick great. It doesn't matter. As I mentioned it's time in the water that's important. If you really need to tell everyone how much distance you need make a note in description (+400 of kick) or something. Now, I've heard you can do a manual entry with some of the newer watches as a work around. Problem is my drill sets usually alternate between drill and normal freestyle swimming so that's a lot of fooling around with your watch instead of concentrating on your stroke. Let it go...Times aren't important for any warm up or drill stuff so I wouldn't bother touching your watch at all during this time.

Main set

On to the part of the session where you are working on your fitness. As an example I might give the set 8 x 200 (3:40) - 200 yards departing every 3:40. I usually look at the pool clock (not my watch) for the depart interval. It's just easier to see. So if you tap your LAP (or confusingly called BACK button on newer versions) button at the start and end of each interval it will come out like this on Strava.

Which is mostly great except, strangely, there's no record of your resting time. So ideally you could write "8 x 200 (3:40)" in the description or heading and your long suffering coach will immediately understand how much rest you got. Or, if you're doing a set with varying distances you can say "on the 1:50/100 cycle" or whatever the case may be.

A final note, unlike running it's a little bit of an art to press the LAP button while swimming. I recommend pressing it at the start when your head is under the water just before pushing off the wall in your streamlined position and pressing stop just as you bring your hand over to take your final stroke to the wall (so both hands are in front)

BIKING

Strava is better adapted for riding. In general I really just want to know the total time riding. Speed and average on a regular aerobic ride doesn't concern me too much as terrain and conditions vary so much. I'm split on activating the Auto Stop function (the watch will automatically stop every time you come to a complete stop). I don't use it and just stop for major breaks and leave it for short stop lights. Up to you.

Intervals

There's a couple of ways to do intervals, most of my intervals are time based and involve continuous cycling, e.g. 4 x 4 mins hard, 2 mins recovery pedaling. Ideally for something like this you'll hit the LAP button at the start and end of each 4 min interval and it will show up nicely in Strava, giving me an idea of the pace you hit for your intervals.

Another way to record intervals, or hill repeats, is riding intervals over a known Strava segment distance. Hill repeats are a good example of that. In this case don't even worry about hitting the LAP button as I'll be able to see the details of the hard interval on Strava by looking up segments. Below is an example with a segment I created myself.

If you do it the segment way it might be useful to mention in the Strava title a key word (like the name of the road) for the workout in case you do it again and want to look it up to see how you improved. "granite creek road intervals". Or, make the segment a "Starred Segment" as shown.

RUNNING

For a regular aerobic run I'm pretty much just interested in average pace and how your pace progressed mile by mile. All this is recorded in Strava without you needing to touch your watch. I DO stop my watch whenever I stop for water or toilet breaks as I like to know my average moving pace. It sucks when I forget to start it again. Again, I don't use Auto Stop as I just think it gets weird sometimes and stops when it's not supposed to etc. but maybe the newer versions work better. 

Track

My biggest frustrations are with people using their watch at track. Again, unless you are stopping for prolonged times, like over 5-10 minutes I would just start my watch at the beginning of the warm up and leave it on for all the drills and walking around and what not until you've finished the cool down. My position is if you're moving around and your heart rate is above resting during a workout then you're exercising and that should count in your total workout time. Like swimming, your average mile pace is irrelevant during a track workout. What IS important is how fast you're doing your intervals. You HAVE to hit your LAP/BACK button and the start and end of each effort. Strava will show clearly your work and rest. What is slightly annoying is that the distance will often show up in miles and track workouts are in meters so it's sometimes hard to figure out the interval. So it's useful to write the workout in the title.

After I have that info it's easy to make sense of the data in "Laps".

Other intervals

Like on the bike it's a simple matter of hitting LAP/BACK at the start and end of each interval, be in time or distance. You can use the pre-set interval features, especially for something like the 30 second ON, 30 second OFF workout which is a favorite of mine and you don't have to be looking down at your watch all the time. Outside of pre-set interval workouts I prefer to have the Auto time or lap feature turned off as it can mess you up if you're recording manual intervals.

How To Win At Kids Triathlon

Most kids triathlons are held over pretty short distances and much of the total time of the event can be spent in transition if they don't practice it! The goal should be to have your kid complete the triathlon without any assistance. Not always easy to keep your hands off when your kid is struggling with cold hands and wet equipment!

Here a few tricks to make the transitions easier:

Elastic Laces - You don't want your kid to have to tie shoe laces in the transition from swim to bike! There are two options. Shoes with Velcro they can just slip on. Or buy or make some elastic laces that you can replace the normal laces. A final tip. Sprinkle some baby powder in the shoe to avoid blisters. No time for socks!

Race Belt - Kids should plan to complete the triathlon in their bathers (i.e whatever they swim in). They do generally need to wear a number according to triathlon rules. The solution is to attach a number to a race belt and putting that on. Much quicker than putting a t-shirt on a wet body! You could probably make one with elastic from the craft store but you can also buy them online for about $10. May need to be modified for skinnier waists!

Most kids aged 6 and above should be able to handle the skills with a bit of practice.

Should I Do a Marathon To Prepare For My Ironman Triathlon?

I don't have anything deeply scientific to answer this question but it comes up often and I have a few thoughts on it. Except for the very elite, and even for them, marathon running bears little resemblance to Ironman distance triathlon running. Aside from obviously being a slower pace, the mechanics of running after 112 miles of biking are not the same. It's a marathon shuffle right from the beginning and for most will likely include some walking. Ironman running will also involve more variables such as calories intake and the associated possible digestive issues that go with that. They are the same distance but for "middle of the packers" you're trying to compare a 3-4 hour event with a 10-15 hour event.

Ironman shuffling at Arizona 2008

I get that psychologically, if you've never done either, covering the 26.2 distance may help with confidence but I think there are more and potentially better options from a preparation perspective. A half ironman event will give your legs some preparation for how it feels to run after biking in a 5-7 hour format. A long, over-distance bike ride (like 120 miles) will also be closer in total time to your goal event, and with only the swim proceeding it in the triathlon it will give similar sensations that you'll experience during an Ironman.

The other thing to consider about a marathon race as preparation for a long-distance triathlon is that it causes quite a bit of muscle damage with the pounding inflicted especially on the road. So yes, you're covering a large distance but if you get injured, or it takes you weeks to recover, has it really been that valuable a workout if it's impacted your total training volume overall? A triathletes motivation to do a marathon can sometimes be to get a time, test themselves out at a single sport, or just have a goal to motivate them to clock some running miles and that's fine. But I would always suggest a 6-9 month buffer between a marathon and a goal triathlon race to ensure an uninterrupted build up from either injury or an unbalanced training load.

Training logs for triathletes and runners: Why and how?

Goals and planning

A first step to starting a log is to set out your goals. Recording goals is an important element of effective goal setting (it's the "R" in S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goal setting strategy). From there you can plan your race season, putting in dates and priorities, so you can better understand how to focus your training. Diaries are also a great place to store your race results to connect what training led to what results.

All the data

Just recording the time, distance and pace of workouts will provide valuable information. Of course, with power meters and GPS watches now, you can also upload that information onto an online diary or store on a platform like Strava. Once you build a history of your training you'll be able to identify the cause and effect on what you've tried in training and the performance that followed. Replicate what worked.

Thoughts and feelings

TriLog Triathlon Training Dairy

Don't hesitate to get mushy in your diary. Research has shown that writing down your feelings, both positive and negative, can help you regulate your emotions. Research has also shown that subjective self-reported measures (mood, perceived stress) are more accurate than objective ones (heart rate, oxygen uptake) when trying to measure how you're coping with training load.

Sleep, weight and morning pulse

Aside the hard training data. metrics critical to sport performance such as hours of sleep and weight can be monitored and focussed on using a log. Monitoring your pulse at rest in the morning can be an indicator of both fitness and your state of recovery. It's also important to report any illness and injuries to help connect them to any training variations or equipment changes you or your coach may have tried.

There are many ways to record your training from a simple paper daily diary to a complicated software solution like Training Peaks. I use a simple spreadsheet I've developed over the years that I share with my athletes via Google Drive. 

The mid-pre-season blues

When I was racing in France there was a saying that went Fort en janvier. Mort en julliet. Strong in January. Dead in July. In French it rhymes! Basically it meant if you were flying around the track, dominating winter races and, in short, feeling strong, you were going to be burnt out by the time the important summer races came around.

January seems to be a particularly tough time for athletes I coach. They don't see the early gains they see when they first get started in October/November. There a no races to freshen up for and use as motivation. Plus it's dark and cold and sometimes wet. And the holidays are behind them.

Also, I'm a big cumulative fatigue guy. My athletes are generally, at this point of the season, training frequently and consistently. No one workout is crazy in length or intensity but they are training often and combined effects mean they are tired. Most of the time. Tired at the track, tired for the long ride, so they don't feel fast or strong within themselves or compared to other and that's just fine. Fort en janvier. Mort en julliet.

Really, when I was in serious training, I always enjoyed this time of year. I could focus 100% on the training without the interruptions of racing. Skills and techniques and strength deficiencies can be worked on without panic. With experience, I also enjoyed holding back at group workouts knowing that I was laying down a foundation for the season. The measuring and comparing could wait.

Running Diagonals

Diagonals in powder snow on a soccer field. 

Diagonals are a good winter hit out to work on your leg speed while not exhausting yourself like a genuine track workout. They'll get your heart rate up without breaking the bank. They're also a good session for when you've only got a field to play with and/or don't want to venture too far from home because of weather or safety. Like in heavy snow or travelling in unfamiliar areas.

Diagonals Workout: 30-40 mins

10-20 min warm up.

12-20 hard across the diagonal of the field then a barely moving/walk jog across the short end. Move continuously and build them as you warm up. Concentrate on a good turnover and holding your technique together as you tire.

5-10 mins easy cool down.

Some tips for training with baby

"Your life is going to change forever."

I can't count how many times I heard that while my wife was pregnant. When Hayden "Bubsy" Spierings came into the world, there was definitely some adjusting to do. One of those changes was in my workout schedule.

Kristen Van Kley pushes 6.5 month old son in a stroller

From that experience, I've cobbled together some tips for the ever ambitious triathlete when two becomes three.

TIP 1

There'll be plenty to do when you get home from work, so those lunchtime workouts become key. Keep a pair of sneakers at work for lunchtime runs and/or join a gym close to your work to make the most of the time you have alone.

TIP 2

Some equipment investments need to be made so that family and workout time can be combined. A running stroller -- we have the Bob Revolution -- is great for runs and walks. Some new parents are nervous about using it for a newborn. We waited about three months, but baby Hayden loves the rocking vibrations and sights and sounds while we run. We take it on the back streets and, of course, West Cliff Drive is a popular baby stroller location.

TIP 3

You can also bike with baby. We bought a bike chariot off a friend and an orange safety flag from the Bicycle Trip bike shop on Soquel Avenue. After that, we were ready to go. Babies grow quickly, I'm told, so a lot of second-hand stuff can be found lightly used. It's a bit of a struggle to get the helmet strap over Hayden's chubby chin, but he is equally content attached to the rear axle of a bike as to the stroller.

TIP 4

Swimming is a great non-weight-bearing exercise for the new mom, as many find running and cycling uncomfortable postpartum. Luckily, Hayden loves the water and is happy to get swapped between us while one of us swims. You will want to get some water-proof diapers.

So don't be discouraged when your workouts are no longer on the top of the priority list. There are still some ways to get your heart beating without employing a full-time nanny or even compromising family time too much.

Article first appeared in "In the Long Run" column of the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Exercises In A Lower Limb Splint

Posterior Lower Leg Splint and Dumbbells!

I recently had achilles tendon surgery which put me in a lower limb splint for two weeks. I put together a triathlon specific strength workout that can be completed at home with just a bench and a set of dumbbells. None of the exercises will put any pressure on your foot that could slow the healing.

Sit Ups

Modified Push Ups

Alternate Leg and Arm Raises

Dumbbell Press

Bent-Over Row

may need to modify so both knees are up on the bench if having leg down causes too much pressure

Triceps Dumbbell Extensions

Bicep Curls

These can be done sitting

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

I did these on a flatter incline so I didn't have to support with my legs

Some Swim Workouts

Here are about 100 swim workouts for triathletes I've collected/made up over the years.

• There are four sections broken down into 2000-3000 meters or yards and 3000-4500 and Technique/Recovery/Sprint and Fitness type sessions

• You'll probably have to adjust the listed time cycles (the times in brackets) to suit your pace. As a rule of thumb I go for something I'm getting 5 secs rest per 50 yards/meters of swimming

• There are likely some mistakes in here or abbreviations that don't make sense. Feel free to comment and I'll do my best to correct.

Technique/Recovery/Sprint [2000-3000]

200 free, 200 pull, 200 drill, 200 free, 200 kick. 800 pull (200 Z3/200 Z2/200 Z3/200 Z2). 4 x 100 (25 4 strokes each arm/3 strokes each arm/ 2 strokes each side/ normal), 20 seconds rest. 200 easy. [2400]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 (25 kick/50 6 kick/3 strokes drill/25 swim max DPS). 4 x 50 count no. of strokes per 50, 30 secs rest. 1000 continuous (200 fast/200 easy/150 fast etc....50 easy). 100 double arm backstroke easy. 6 x 50 (25 FAST/25 easy). 100 cool down. [2500]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 (50 drill/50 swim). 20 sec rest. Main set: 3 x 100 build Z3 to Z4 pull, 15 sec rest. 300 easy. 6 x 50 swim (25 Z3/25 Z4), 15 sec rest. 300 easy. 8 x 25 Z4, 15 sec rest. 300 easy. [2300]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 free. 4 x 50 build slow to fast. Main set: 1 x 300 easy. 3 x 100 build Z3 to Z4 pull. 6 x 50 pull (25 Z3/25 Z4). 1 x 300 moderate. 12 x 25 pull Z4. 3 x 100 easy. [2800]
400 warm up. 4 x 150 (25 Left arm other arm by side / 25 Right arm / 50 catch up (shoulder width)  / 50 free), 30 seconds rest. 400 (75 pull / 25 scull). 100 DA (double arm) backstroke. 8 x 50 (25 fists, 25 free) odds slow, evens fast, 15 seconds rest. 200 max distance per stroke. [2100]

400 (150 free, 50 back or breastroke).  400 (175 free, 25 polo). 400 (150 pull, 50 sprint kick). 400 (150 easy, 50 sprint). 400 pull and paddles. [2000]

400 warm up. 4 x (25 polo/75 swim/25 switch/75 swim/25 fists/75 swim/ 25 3/6 / 75 swim). 400 easy. [2400]

200 warm up. 4 x 100 (50 one arm drill/50 swim). 4 x 25 stroke count. 30 secs rest. 1000 continuous (200 fast/200 easy/150 fast etc....50 easy). 100 breastroke. 6 x 50 (25 fast/25 easy). 100 cool down. [2200]

400 warm up, 2 x 75 (25 drill/50 swim), 300 every (50 swim/25 kick no board). 450 swim, 4 x 25 at Z5, 300 (faster than 450), 4 x 25 at Z5, 150 (faster than 300), 4 x 25 at Z5. 250 easy. [2300]

400 warm up, 2 x 75 (25 drill/50 swim), 2 x 75 (50 swim/25 kick no board). 300 Z2 swim, 4 x 25 at Z5, 200 (faster than 300), 4 x 25 at Z5, 100 (faster than 200), 4 x 25 at Z5. 10 secs between each rep. 200 easy. [1800]

200 swim, 200 drill, 200 kick (include side kicking), 200 pull. 12 x 50 (50 drill/50 swim). 15 seconds rest between each 50. 16 x 50 (0:50), every 4th hard Z4, the rest Z2. 200 cool down, include some backstroke and double arm backstroke. [2400]

200 free, 200 single arm fly, 200 back, 200 breastroke arms with butterfly kick, 4 x 200 (4). Concentrating on nice long strokes, preserving stroke count, 4 x 50 fast but good stroke count – record GOLF score – total strokes + seconds to complete, 200 easy [2000]

2 x (150 free/ 50 kick), 4 x 200 Z3/Z4 (4 mins). Concentrating on nice long strokes, preserving stroke count. 6 x 50 fast, 30 secs rest. 200 easy. [1700]

600 warm up. 8 x 50 (25 hard / 25 easy), 10 secs rest. 100 breastroke. 400 Time Trial. Rest of the time easy swim and kick.

400 warm up. 4 x 150 (25 Left arm / 25 Right arm / 50 catch up / 50 free), 20 seconds rest. 8 x 50 (25 fists, 25 free) odds slow, evens fast, 15 seconds rest. 100 DA (double arm) backstroke. 6 x 50 (25 waterpolo stroke (head out of water) / 25 free). 200 max distance per stroke. [2000]

300 warm up. 4 x 125 (25 fast kick, 100 easy), 20 secs rest. 4 x 100 (25 Right Arm / 25 Left Arm / 50 finger tip drag), 20 secs rest. 2x {4 x 25 fast, 50 easy, 3 x 150 pull, 15 secs rest}. 200 easy [2600]

400 warm up. 6 x 100 (One Arm Drill: 1st 25 4 strokes each side - left then right, 2nd 25 3 strokes each side, 3rd 25 2 strokes each side, 4th 25 normal free), 15 seconds rest. 4 x 100 (50 kick, 50 free), 15 seconds rest. 24 x 25 at Z3 (30). 400 slow with pull buoy and paddles (if you have them). [2400]

300 free, 2 x (75: 50 RA/25 swim, 75: 50LA/25 swim, 75 breathe every 3, 75 build) 10 secs rest, 8 x 75 (1:20) at Z4 race pace , 600 easy continuous [1800]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 (25 kick/50 drill/25 swim). 12 x 100 (25 hard / 75 easy) (1:50), 400 (75 pull / 25 scull). 100 DA (double arm) backstroke. [2500]

400 warm up. 16 x 50: 1st-3rd (55) Z2, every 4th Z4 (1:15). 6 x 50 kick build, 20 secs rest. 4 x 100 pull buoy, 15 seconds rest. 200 cool down. [2100]

300 mixed strokes. 3 x 50 drill (1), 3 x 50 (build each 50) (1:00). 2 mins rest. 400 timed TT. 200 easy, [1200]

300 easy swim, 100 easy free kick with board, 3 x 100 drill (25 RA, 25 LA, 25 catch-up, 25 fast). 6 x 50 descending, 15 secs rest. 50 kick easy. 6 x 50 holding fastest 50 time from previous set, 15 secs rest. 50 kick easy. 6 x 50 (25 polo / 25 easy), 15 secs rest. 200 easy swim, 100 easy kick with board. [2000]

4 x (150 free, 50 stroke). HIITs 4 x (50 Z5 timed, rest including 150 very easy ~ 3mins total). 400 easy. [2000]

Taper
600 warm up. 8 x 50 (25 hard / 25 easy), 10 secs rest. 100 easy kick. 3 x 200 build each 50 until last 50 at 90% effort, 30 seconds rest. 300 easy. [2000]

4 x (100 swim, 50 kick, 50 drill (25 right-arm, 25 left-arm)) Main Set: 4 x 75 done as 25 easy, 25 fast, 25 easy (15-second recovery) 50 kick easy, 4 x 75 done as 25 fast, 25 easy, 25 fast (30-second recovery), 50 kick easy, 4 x 75 done as 25 easy, 50 fast (30-second recovery). 150 easy swim [2000]

Fitness [2000-3000]

S - 400 warm up. 4 x 100 (50 drill/50 swim). 20 sec rest. 3 x (4 x 100 build Z2 to Z3) 1st set: paddles, 2nd set: pull, 3rd set pull and paddles, 10 sec rest, 30 secs between sets. 300 easy. 8 x 50 swim (25 Z4/25 Z3), 15 sec rest. 300 easy. [3000]

4 x (150 free, 50 side kick no board). 16 x 100 [3 x (1:30) at 1500m pace, 1 x (2:00) at 400m pace]. 400 cool down. [2800]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 build to Z4 last 25 m (1:45). 100 kick. 8 x 150m (2:45) Z3. 100 easy kick. 300 pull [2500]

3 x (150 swim/50 kick), 4 x 100 IM, 10 secs rest. 2 x (200 pull Z2 (3), 200 free Z2 (3), 200 free Z3 (3:30)). 200 kick. 600 (25 hard, 75 easy). 200 easy. [2400]

3 x (200 swim, 2 x 50 drill), 15 sec rest between each interval. 400, 300, 200, 100 pull Z2; 20 secs rest. 8 x 25 fast kick Z5 with board. 30 secs rest. 16 x 50 (every 4th non-free) Z2, 10 sec rest. 200 easy [2800]

600 warm up (200 Free, 200 pull buoy, 200 drills). 3 x 400, 1 min rest at Z2/Z3. 200 kick. 100 easy. [2100]

400 (150 free, 50 back).  400 (175 free, 25 polo). 400 (150 pull, 50 sprint kick). 400 (150 easy, 50 sprint). 400 pull and paddles. [2000]

600 warm up (200 Free, 200 pull buoy, 200 drills). 4 x 100 build to Z4 last 25 m (2). 6 x 150m (2:40) Z3. 200 easy. [2100]

400 choice. 2 x (100 swim, 75 kick, 50 fist drill, 25 swim (breathing every 7th)). 3 x 150 (2:20), extra 20 secs rest, 5 x 150 (2:15), extra 20 secs rest, 3 x 150 (2:20). 250 easy. [2800]

S - 400 warm up, 8 x 50m (50 "catch up" drill, 50 free), 400 pull, 30 seconds rest, 4 x 100 (1:50), 300 (25 fast/25 slow), 300 easy. [2200]

400 warm up, 8 x 50m (50 catch up - trying not to cross over or "snake", 50 free), 2 x {400 pull, 30 seconds rest, 4 x 100 (1:50)}, 300 (25 fast/25 slow), 300 easy. [3000]

400 warm up. 4 x 50 (25 left side kick, 25 right side kick). 2 x [4 x 100 (1:40) at Z4, ~30 sec rest, 400 pull Z2, ~15 secs rest]. 200 easy. 6 x 50 (25 hard/25 easy). 100 easy. [2800]

300 warm up, 4 x 100 (25 kick/50 single arm drill/25 swim count strokes). 400, 300, 200, 100m descending pyramid. Each interval faster pace than previous. 30 seconds rest. 500 pull and paddles if you have them, breathing every 3rd stroke. 300 kick (25 easy/25 build/25 fast). 100 easy. [2600]

800 warm up (200 Free, 200 Kick, 200 drills, 200 Free). 4 x broken 200s (5 seconds rest between each 50) (3:30). 400 (75 pull, 25 sculling). [2000]

800 warm up (200 Free, 200 Kick, 200 drills, 200 free). 5 x 200 [50 fast (touch wall and look at time) then immediately into 150 steady pace] (4). This should be intense - take all the rest. Simulates the sprint start to the race and then recovering into a tempo. 100 back.  400 very easy swimming concentrating on technique. 100 breast [2400] 

200 swim, 200 drill, 200 kick (include side kicking), 200 pull. 20 x 50 (1:10), every 4th hard Z4, the rest Z2. 400 (75 pull / 25 sculling). 200 cool down. [2400]

3 x (150 free, 50 kick), 8 x 50 drill, 20 secs rest. 6 x 50 build (1:30). 2 x (200, 150, 100, 50) on the 45secs/50 cycle - eg. 3:00, 2:15, 1:30, 0:45. 1 min extra rest between sets. 300 easy. [2500]

400 (last 25 of each 100 at Z3). 4 x 50 kick build, 15 seconds rest. 4 x 300, 30 seconds rest, evens with pull buoy and paddles all at Z3. 100 easy. 6 x 25 (40) fast Z5 but with good technique, 250 easy.  [2300]

800 (150 free / 50 kick). 8 x 50 (50 drill / 50 swim) 20 seconds rest. 2 x 600 (150 Z3/150 Z2/150 Z3/150 Z2), 2nd one pull. 45 secs rest between each. 200 easy. [2800]

600 (150 free / 50 kick). 6 x 50 (50 drill of choice / 50 swim) 20 seconds rest. 3 x 400 (100 Z3/100 Z2/100 Z3/100 Z2), 45 secs rest between each. 200 easy. [2300]

800 warm up (200 Free, 200 Kick, 200 pull buoy, 200 drills). 10 x 50 (50), 50 easy, 8 x 50 (50), 50 easy, 6 x 50 (50), 50 easy, 4 x 50 (50), 50 easy. 200 kick. 400 (75 pull/25 scull). [2800]

400 (50 free, 50 drill) 6 x 50 build, 20 secs rest. 3 x 500, 30 secs rest. 500 (even 100s fast), 500 (odd 100s fast), 500 (100H, 25E). 100 easy. [2300]

400 (100 free, 100 pull). 6 x 50 build (1:20). 16 x 100, 10 seconds rest. 300 easy mixed strokes. [2600] 

300 (100 free, 50 kick). 6 x 50 build each 50, 20 secs rest. 8 x 100, 15 secs rest. 300 cool down. [1700]

400 (50 free, 50 drill) 6 x 50 build, 20 secs rest. 3 x 300, 30 secs rest. 300 (even 100 fast), 300 (odd 100s fast), 300 (100 fast, 50 easy). 100 easy. [1700]

600 (150 pull/50 kick). Broken 200s - 6 x 200 (3:40), 5 seconds rest at 100. 8 x 50 (25 drill/25 free), 20 seconds rest. 200 easy. [2600]

6 x (25 kick no board, 25 catch up, 50 build). 2 x 800 (200 Z3, 200 Z2, 200 Z3, 200 Z2), 1 min rest in between. 200 easy. [2400]

400 free. 4 x 100 build to Z4 last 25 m (1:50). 100 kick. 6 x 150m (2:30) Z3. 100 easy, 100 easy kick, 100 easy. [2100]

400 warm up. 4x100 (25 kick with no board, arms at side, rotating continuously/25 Left arm, 25 Right arm (arms by side)/25 swim max Distance Per Stroke), 30 secs rest. 4 x 50m at fast pace concentrating on breathing to side and behind and keeping butt up.
1x200 on (4), moderate pace, 4x50 on (1:00), descend 1-4 from moderate pace to uptempo pace. 1x300 on (6), uptempo pace, 4x50 on (1:00), descend 1-4 from uptempo pace to fast pace, 1x400 on (8), fast pace. 300 easy (75 pull/25 sculling) [2800]

4 x (100 free, 50 side kick). 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50 (50 secs/lap cycle). 100 easy breastroke. 6 x 50 (25 fast/25 easy). 100 easy. [2900]

200 warm up. 5 x 50 (25 switch or slide drill/25 swim). 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50, 20 secs rest. 3 x 100 kick. 300 easy stroke count. [2000]

4 x [100 swim, 50 side kick]. 8 x 50 50 RArm/LArm, 50 fists. 3 x [(4 x 100 (1:30)] 50 slow back or breast recovery between sets (~1:30). 200 cool down. [2400]

200 swim, 200 (half length kicking with arms by side, half length adding arms and keeping but up), 4 x 100 (25 Right arm, 25 left arm, 50 free) - keep head in water and breath behind you and without lifting head too high, 15 x 100 (1:50). Record how much rest you get on average, 200 easy kick, 400 pull (75 free, 25 sculling), 100 easy and out. [3000]

8 x 50 Drill, 15 seconds rest. 400 breathing every 3 or 5. 4 x 25 hard kick. 20 seconds rest. 15 x 100 (5-10 seconds rest). 200 easy. [2600]

4 x (100 free / 25 left side kick, 25 right side kick). 8 x 50 (1 drill, 1 stroke count). 20 seconds rest. 5 x 100y (25 fast, 75 easy), (2:30), 100 breastroke, 5 x 100 (75 easy, 25 fast) (2:30). 300 easy. [2500]

300 choice. 4 x 50 (25 kick no board/25swim), 4 x 50 (25 drill/25 swim). 2 x 300 Pull (7:30), 3 x 200 Swim descending (3:30), 6 x 100 Swim (descend 1-3, 4-6) (1:45). 300 easy. [3000]

300 choice. 4 x 50 (25 kick no board/25 swim), 4 x 50 (25 drill/25 swim) all on 10 seconds rest. 3 x 200 Swim (descend 1-3), 1 min rest, 6 x 100 Swim (descend 1-3, 4-6), 30 seconds. 200 easy. [2100]

3 x (150 free, 50 breast). 3 x 100 (1:35) fast. 300 easy + 1 min rest. 6 x 50 (50) fast. 300 easy. 200 easy pull (50 free, 50 back). [2000]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 (25 kick with arms by side / 75 free (keeping butt up). 2 x 800, 2 mins rest interval. 200 easy. [2600]

300 warm up. 4 x 125 (25 fast kick, 100 easy), 20 secs rest. 4 x 100 (25 RA / 25 LA / 50 finger tip drag), 20 secs rest. 2x {4 x 25 fast, 50 easy, 3 x 150 pull, 15 secs rest}. 200 easy [2600]

2 x (150 free, 50 stroke), 8 x 50 (25 fists/25 swim, 25 underwater recovery/25 swim). 2 x 600 (9). 2 x 200 kick (last 50 hard), 30 secs rest. 300 cool down. [2700]

4 x (100 free, 50 kick or breastroke). 3 x (4 x 75). 5-10 seconds between 75s and extra 30 seconds between sets. 100 easy kick. 400 (75 pull / 25 sculling). 200 easy [2200]

200 free, 200 drill, 200 kick (with fins), 200 free. 10 x 100 (1:50) 2 x (25H/75E, 50H/50E, 75H/25E, 100H, 100E). 200 easy

300 warm up. 6 x 50 (25 Left arm / 25 right arm). 2 x (8 x 100, interval that gives you 10 secs rest). 50 easy and total 2 mins between sets. 250 easy breathing 3 and 5 cool down. [2500]

400 warm up. 4 x 50 (25 left side kick, 25 right side kick). 6 x 300m 1st/4th free, 2nd/5th pull, 3rd/6th pull and paddles, 30 seconds rest between each. 200 cool down. [2600]

Technique/recovery/sprint [3000-4500]

1000 warm up. 32 x 50: 1-3 (45) Z2, 4th Z4 (1). 4 x 100 kick build, 20 secs rest. 4 x 100 pull buoy and paddles, 15 seconds rest. 400 cool down. [3800]

400 warm up. 6 x 100 (25 kick/50 drill/25 swim). 4 x 50 count no. of strokes per 50, 30 secs rest. 2100 continuous (300 Z3/300 Z2/250 Z3 etc....50 Z2). 100 double arm backstroke easy. 6 x 50 (25 Kick fast/25 easy) 6 x 50 (25 FAST/25 easy). 100 cool down. [4100]

400 warm up. 6 x 100 (25 kick/50 drill/25 swim). 4 x 50 count no. of strokes per 50, 30 secs rest. 12 x 100 (25 hard / 75 easy) (1:50), 1st 6 pull buoy, 2nd 6 without. 400 (75 pull / 25 scull). 100 DA (double arm) backstroke. 8 x 50 (25 fists, 25 free) odds slow, evens fast, 15 seconds rest. 200 max distance per stroke. [3500]

300 free, 300 non-free, 2 x (75: 50 RA/25 swim, 75: 50LA/25 swim, 75 breathe every 3, 75 build) 10 secs rest, 5 x 100 (2) at Z4 - go hard, take all the rest!, 300 easy, 400 pull, 400 paddles, 200 easy. [3000]

500 easy swim. 10 x 50 (50 drill/50 swim), 10 seconds rest. 500 (75 pull / 25 scull). 500 (build each 100 Z2 to Z4). 500 (50 kick/50 swim). 500 (50 free/50 non-free). [3000]

400 warm up (incl. Body position drill). 4 x 150 (25 Left arm other arm by side / 25 Right arm / 50 catch up (shoulder width)  / 50 free), 30 seconds rest - odds slow, evens fast. 400 (75 pull / 25 scull). 100 DA (double arm) backstroke. 8 x 50 (25 fists, 25 free) odds slow, evens fast, 15 seconds rest. 200 max distance per stroke. 12 x 50 (50 drill/50 swim), 10 secs rest. 200 easy [2900]

600 choice. 3 x 100 (50 swim/50 single arm drill). 3 x 100 (50 swim/50 side kick no board). 3 x 100 descend 1 - 3. All the 100s 10 seconds rest in between. Sprint Set: 2 x {6 x 50 (12.5 yds Z5 then ease to Z2 pace) 20 secs rest, 100 broken at 25 for 10 secs at Z5, 100 easy}. 400 (75 pull/25 scull). 5 x 100 kick steady pace, 20 secs rest between each. 300 cool down. [3700]

600 (150 free, 50 back).  600 (175 free, 25 polo). 600 (150 pull, 50 sprint kick). 600 (150 easy, 50 sprint). 600 pull and paddles. [3000]

600 mixed strokes. 6 x 50 kick (1:30), 6 x 50 drill (1), 6 x 50 build (0:50). 2 mins rest. 400 timed TT. 100 easy, 100 easy kick. 900 pull, every 6th 50 hard. [3000]

Fitness [3000-4500]

200 free, 200 drill, 200 kick (with fins). 12 x 200 (3). 200 easy. [3200]

800 warm up (200 Free, 200 Kick, 200 pull buoy, 200 drills). 4 x 400 (6) at Z2/Z3. 200 kick. 5 x 100 (25 left arm/25 right arm/50 catch up). 100 easy. [3200]

400 (50 swim/50 kick), 4 x 100 IM, 2 x 12 mins, 1.5 min rest. 6 x 50 (25 polo/25 easy). 300 easy. [3000]

600 (300 free, 300 non-free). 3 x (100 drill, 75 swim, 25 kick fast). 6 x 400 (6:30) Z3 - you can go after these but keep them consistent. 400 cool down, mix in some DA backstroke and breastroke. [4000]

600 (300 free/300 non-free). 9 x 50 (2 swim / 1 kick), 15 secs rest. Focus on speeding up and slowing down the heartrate while swimming...500 (100 Z2, 100 Z3, 100 Z4, 100 Z3, 100 Z2), 400 (50 Z2, 50 Z3, 100 Z4, 50 Z3, 50 Z2, 100 Z4), 300 (50 Z2, 100 Z4, 50 Z2, 100 Z4), 200 (50 Z2, 150 Z4), 100 Z4, 200 Z1, take 20 seconds rest between each interval. 2 x (100 pull/100 kick/ 100 pull) [3350]

1000 warm up (200 Free, 200 Kick, 200 pull buoy, 200 drills, 200 free). 4 x 100 build to Z4 last 25 m (1:40). 100 kick. 6 x 150m (2:30) Z3. 100 easy kick. 6 x 150m (2:25) Z3, try to hold same pace as first set. 100 kick. 500 (75 pull, 25 sculling) [4000]

600 free warm up. 8 x 50 (50 drill / 50 swim) - do fists, 25 left arm / 25 right arm for the drills. 2 x 400 (6:30) Z3, 3 x 200 (3:15) Z3, 5 x 100 (2) Z4. 200 easy. 4 x 100 kick (2:30). 600 pull buoy (75 swim / 25 sculling). 100 easy. [4000]

1000 warm up (200 Free, 200 Kick, 200 pull buoy, 200 drills, 200 free). 8 x 50 (1) (25 fast/25 slow). 12 x 50 (45), 50 easy, 10 x 50, 50 easy, 8 x 50, 50 easy, 6 x 50 (45), 50 easy, 4 x 50 (45), 50 easy. 200 kick. 400 (75 pull/25 scull). [4200]

400 easy. 400 (50 swim / 50 kick). 400 (50 swim / 50 drill). 3 x 600 at Z2, 1 min rest; 400 (75 pull buoy/25 scull); 6 x 25 sprint (45); 150 easy. 6 x 25 sprint (45). 150 easy. [4000]

400 warm up. 4x100 (25 kick no board /25 Left arm / 25 Right arm / 25 swim max Distance Per Stroke), 15 secs rest. 4 x 100 build, 10 seconds rest. 2 x {1x200 on (3:20), moderate pace, 4x50 on (1:00), descend 1-4 from moderate pace to uptempo pace. 1x300 on (5), uptempo pace, 4x50 on (1:00), descend 1-4 from uptempo pace to fast pace, 1x400 on (6:40), fast pace.} 300 easy (75 pull/25 sculling). 300 easy. [4000]

400 warm up. 4 x 50 (25 left side kick, 25 right side kick). 2 x [4 x 100 (1:50) at Z4, 400 pull Z2], 30 seconds between sets. 200 easy. 6 x 50 (25 hard/25 easy). 300 easy. [3000]

3 x (150 free, 50 DA backstroke, 150 free, 50 breastroke). 4 x 100 build (1:40). 3 x (200, 150, 100, 50) 1st set on 1:40/100y cycl, 2nd set 1:30/100y, 3rd set 1:40/100y. 200 easy kick. 400 (75 pull, 25 sculling). 300 easy. [4000]

600 warm up. 6 x 150 [1-2# 50 swim/100kick, 3-4# 100 swim/50 kick, 5-6# 150 swim], 20 seconds rest. 4 x 400 (6:30) (evens pull). 4 x 100 build to max (1:45). 200 easy. [3700]

200 free, 200 pull, 200 drill, 200 free, 200 kick. 4 x 100 (25 4 strokes each arm/3 strokes each arm/ 2 strokes each side/ normal), 20 seconds rest. 3 x 800 (200 Z3/200 Z2/200 Z3/200 Z2), 2nd one pull. 1 min rest between each. 200 easy. [4000]

800 (150 free / 50 kick). 8 x 50 (50 drill / 50 swim) 20 seconds rest. 4 x 600 (150 Z3/150 Z2/150 Z3/150 Z2), 2nd and 4th one pull. 45 secs rest between each. 200 easy. [4000]

3 x (200 swim, 2 x 50 drill), 15 sec rest between each interval. 400, 300, 200, 100 pull; 20 secs rest. Kick Set: {200, 100, 4 x 25 fast, 100, 200}; 30 secs rest b/w each. 24 x 50 (every 4th non-free), 10 sec rest. 200 easy All Z2, just get the mileage done. [3700]

400 warm up. 6 x 50 (25 kick on side no board/25 swim). 10 secs rest. 15 x 100 (2:15). 1 easy, 1 moderate, 1 hard, repeat 5 times. 100 easy. 4 x 100 (50 drill/50 swim). 200 easy. [2900]

400 warm up. 4 x 100 25 LA (left-arm), 25 RA, 50 free, 30 second rest between each). 5 x 200 (4:30), 200 easy, 12 x 50 (alternate 50 Hard, 50 easy) (1:20), 400 easy (75 pull/25 sculling). 4 x 50 stroke count (1:30). 200 easy. [3000]

600 free warm up, 200 easy kick, 4 x 50 (25 hard, 25 Easy), 100 easy free style, 400m Time trial (this is something we’ll do every few months to see how the swimming is progressing.), 400 easy swimming and some drills. [1800]

3 x (150 free, 50 side kick), 8 x 50 drill, 20 secs rest. 6 x 50 build (1). 3 x (200, 150, 100, 50) on the 0:50/50 cycle. 1 mins extra between sets. 300 easy. 4 x 100 kick hard, 30 secs rest, 100 easy. [3500]

200 free, 4 x 50 stroke count, 30 seconds rest, 200 free with no kick (pushing chest and head in the water). 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50 do on the 1:10/50m cycle (will require some mental calculations) ie. 300 on 7mins. 200 kick and side kick. 8 x 50 drills but done at speed, 30 seconds rest. 150 easy. [2400]

200 free, 200 pull, 200 free, 200 drill, 200 free, 200 kick. 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50 (50 secs/lap cycle. e.g. 400 on 6:40). 100 easy. 8 x 100 pull buoy and paddles (1:45). 100 easy. [4000]

4 x 150 (100 free / 50 drill or kick). 3 x [1 x 400, 6 x 100] do the 400s on 6:30 and try and get faster with each one. The 100s do 2 on 1:45, 2 on 1:40, 2 on 1:35. 5 x 200 with pull buoy, evens build, odds 50 fast/50 slow, 20 seconds rest. 200 easy. [4800]

800 (150 swim, 50 kick). 3 x 600, 1 min rest. 400 kick with fins easy. 12 x 50 (25 fast/25 easy). 400 easy.

600 choice. 3 x 100 (50 swim/50 kick), 3 x 100 (50 swim/ 50 one arm), 3 x 100 (1:40) descend 1-3. 3 x 200 (3:30) (3:10) (3), 3 x 150 (2:30) (2:20) (2:15), 3 x 100 (1:45) (1:35) (1:30), 3 x 50 (1:00) (50) (45). 300 easy (4 x 50 swim/25 kick) [3300]

600 choice. 2 x (100 swim, 75 kick, 50 fist drill, 25 swim (breathing every 7th)). 3 x 150 (2:25), extra 20 secs rest, 5 x 150 (2:20), extra 20 secs rest, 3 x 150 (2:25). 250 swim easy. 6x50 kick, 20 secs rest, descend 1-3, 4-6. 300 easy. [3600]

200 swim, 200 drill, 200 kick (include side kicking), 200 pull. 3 x (8 x 100) (1:30), 2 mins rest between sets. 400 (50 kick, 25 back, 25 breastroke). 400 (75 pull / 25 scull). [4000]

600 choice. 6 x 50 (25 kick no board/25swim), 6 x 50 (25 drill/25 swim) all on 10 seconds rest. 2 x 300 build (4:45), 3 x 200 Swim (3:10) (descend 1-3), 6 x 100 Swim (1:35) (descend 1-3, 4-6), 30 seconds. 200 easy. [3200]

200 swim, 200 kick, 200 back/breast, 4 x 100 (25 Right arm, 25 left arm, 50 free). 15 x 100 (1:35). 200 easy kick. 8 x 50 (25 fast/25 easy). 400 pull (75 free, 25 sculling), 400 Z2 with pull and paddles. 100 easy. [4000]

200 swim, 200 drill, 200 kick (include side kicking), 200 pull. 6 x 200 Z4 (3). 100 easy. 6 x 100 pull (25 fast / 50 easy / 25 fast). 100 back/100 breast/100 easy. [3000]

200 swim, 200 drill, 200 kick (include side kicking), 200 pull. 8 x 50 (25 fast 1 or 2 breaths/25 easy. 6 x 300 Z3 (4:45). 4 x 100 kick (25 fast / 50 easy / 25 fast). 6 x 100 pull and paddles Z3 (1:40). 100 back/100 breast/100 easy. [4300]

800 wu (150 free, 50 non free). 200 Z2, 1 x 100 Z3, 200 Z2, 2 x 100 Z3, 200 Z2, 3 x 100 Z3, 200 Z2, 4 x 100 Z3, 200 Z2. Do 200s on 3:10 and 100s on 1:40. Will seem like a lot of rest for 100s but take it all. Use 200s as recovery. 16 x 50 ( 1 swim, 2 kick, 3 swim, 4 kick, 3 swim, 2 kick, 1 swim), 10 secs rest. 400 choice cool down. B - 1hr warm up. 6 x 4 mins Z4, 1 min Z1 recovery. 10 mins Z1. 6 x 30 second stand up sprints, 4.5 mins recovery. 20 mins Z1 [4000]

600wu mixed strokes. 4 x 100 (50 maximum distance per stroke / 50 single arm drill). 4 x 200 (3:15), (3:10), (3:05). Start slow and get progressively faster with each 200. Rest 1 minute. 1 x 100 Z5. Rest 30 secs. 1000 free at Z2/Z3. 6 x 50 kick, 10 secs rest. 4 x 25 sprint, 15 seconds rest. 200 easy. [3500]

900 (3 x 200 mixed strokes/50 kick/50 drill), 6 x 50 pull (50), 100 pull, 200 pull, 300 pull. All on 1:40 cycle. 100 easy. 300, 200, 100 free. All on 1:30 cycle. 100 easy. 100 pull (1:40), 2 x 100 pull (1:35), 3 x 100 pull (1:30). 8 x 75 (1:30) (25 free/25 non-free/25 free). 200 cool down. [3800]

200 free, 200 pull, 200 drill, 200 free, 200 kick. 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50 (45 secs/lap cycle. e.g. 400 on 6:00, 350 on 5:15...). 200 easy. [3000]

4 x 150 (100 stroke/ 50 drill or kick choice). 4 x 200 1. 4 x (25 streamline kick/ 25 breathing every 3rd) 2. 4 x (25 catch-up drill/ 25 distance per stroke) 3. build by 50's 4. moderate pace, hold low stroke count each 50. 3 x [1 x 400, 6 x 100] descend 400's 1 -> 3 on cruise +30
100's are 2 @ cruise +10, 2 @ cruise +5, 2 @ cruise [4400]

600 warm up, 2 x 400 with paddles, pull buoy and band, 2 x 400 with pull buoy and band, 30 secs between each. 3 x (100 + 2 x 50, 10 secs rest), 200 cool down [3000]

The Hotel Pool Workout

Ever stuck with no option to train but the small hotel pool? Here's a session to keep your feel of the water up when constrained by a less-than-25 yard pool.

Hotel Pool Workout

16 laps* one arm freestyle:

4  right arm/ 4 left arm / 4 right arm (other by side) / 4 laps left arm (other by side)

20 laps kick:

2 x (4 front arms stretched in front / 2 left side / 2 right side / 2 back)

16 laps sprint kick

8 x 2 laps sprint kick (can be underwater). 10 secs rest between each 2 laps.

16 laps sculling

Continuous Sculling. Can vary where the hands are placed and arms are positioned (out in front, at 90 degrees, towards the thighs)

12 laps breastroke arms with fly or freestyle kick

8 laps freestyle with underwater arm recovery (doggie paddle essentially)

6 x 2 laps Sprint Butterfly, 10 seconds rest

8 laps long exaggerated slow motion freestyle concentrating on point of entry and pull phase.

Total 108 laps (if pool length = 15 yds ~ 1500m workout)

* A lap is one length across the pool

Sprint/Olympic Triathlon Race Equipment Checklist - A minimalist approach

Some of the essentials

• trisuit
• wetsuit
• goggles
• lubricant for wetsuit
• bike with spare tubes, pump and bottle
• helmet
• bike bottle (filled with water or sports drink for +2 hrs)
• bike shoes
• race belt
• towel
• running shoes (with elastic laces)
• baby powder (for inside of shoes)
• sunglasses (optional)
• visor (optional)
• watch or GPS (optional)
• floor bike pump (or you can usually borrow one)

I could probably make a list three times as long with the unnecessary crap people bring to races, and even race with, but I will stand my ground that these are the essentials and nothing extra will make you any faster.

Swimming with a broken collarbone

An athlete I know broke her collarbone a few weeks ago, 9 weeks before an Ironman. She educated me on some of the things you can do in the water without a fully functioning clavicle.

To be honest these drills won't have a great impact in getting you much faster before the race but it must be psychologically satisfying to get in the water and do some laps.

Front Sculling and Underwater Recovery:

Both techniques I give to my athletes to improve the catch phase of the freestyle stroke:

One Arm Freestyle (with the injured arm by the side):

Kick and Body Position Drills:

While the gains in fitness might be limited you can definitely, with a bit of persistence, maintain and even improve your feel of the water with these drills.

Let me know your experience if you've ever had a broken collar bone.

How To Transition in Triathlon (T1)

If you're doing any more than this you are wasting time in T1.

Key Points:

• Have your wetsuit to your waist or half way down your thigh before you get to your bike.
• Stomp on it once you've pulled it below your knees and use that time to put your helmet on. Smear Bodyglide on your calves before the race to slip it off more easily.
• Have your bike shoes attached to the bike. It's a skill that saves time but it requires practice at first. Just like everything else in triathlon. Here's a good series on that: 
• If you have a choice on where to rack your bike, go for the closest possible rack to the bike exit. The less time you spend wheeling your bike the faster you'll be in both T1 and T2.

Common mistakes:

• Socks. Buy some baby Johnson's Baby Powder and sprinkle in your shoes.
• Sitting down.
• Drying off your feet (you'll notice Matthews barely steps on his towel).
• Putting your race number on. You don't have to wear it on the bike and you can attach it during the run without losing time.
• Putting your aero helmet on backwards (Yes, I've seen this).

How to Pace A Half Marathon Using Only Your Thoughts and Feelings

Run the first 7 miles (12km) like it’s nothing. Of course, you’ll be keeping a good pace and not jogging along but it should not ‘hurt’. Don’t race people, run with a group if you like, but let them go if they’re stretching you. All the thoughts in your head should be about conserving energy. Ask yourself questions. How’s my breathing? Are my shoulders relaxed? Is my stride the right length to conserve energy? Am I running the tightest line around the course? Is running behind this bloke going to break the wind for me?

If you’re doing this half in preparation for a longer triathlon or marathon take a gel at about 6 miles (10k). It’s probably not really going to do much but it’s good practice and something to look forward to doing half way through the race. Don’t wear a FuelBelt or I’ll disown you. Carry the gel in a pocket and wash it down with water. Stop and walk a couple of steps if you have to get enough water (not sports drink) into you to dilute and digest the gel properly.

O.K. You’re at 7 miles, now what? You’ve had your gel and it should’ve kicked in by now and you should be feeling pretty good pretty chirpy. Now is time to start thinking about that PR, your goal time and place, digging deep and dropping that pack of try hards you’ve been running with.

You can now start to count down the miles 6,5,4,3. Each mile you tick off ask yourself “Can I run another 5 at this same pace?” “Can I run another 4 at this pace?” If the answer is a “No!” then dial it back a little. If the answer is a “Maybe” increase your pace a smiggen.

Keep hammering, keep focusing on who’s in front, keep reeling them in, stay tough, keep hurting, keep counting down the miles and keep telling yourself you’re almost there. Skip the aid stations unless you’re thirsty or have a dry throat or something because no calories are really going to help you at this point.

Then, eventually, you’ll be done. I promise. If you've done it properly you'll have nothing left. Hopefully it worked out OK but if it didn’t you’ll have a ton of knowledge and experience to get it right next time.

How does a half marathon play out in your head?