IRON GIRL - TrainingPeaks

IRON GIRL
Training
Plan
Description Document
By Krista A. Schultz, MEd, CSCS
™
Waiver of Liability
What you are about to undertake is a fitness program. Injuries may occur in any exercise program, as
with this specific program written by Krista Schultz and ENDURANCEWORKS, LLC. By using this
program, you are waiving any liability to Krista Schultz or ENDURANCEWORKS, LLC. This is a
recommended program that has worked for many others. It may not be right for you. It is recommended that you consult a physician before undertaking any new fitness regiment.
© 2011 ENDURANCEWORKS, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without written permission from the author. Any unauthorized transmission electronic or printed is prohibited.
ENDURANCEWORKS, LLC
Website: enduranceworks.net
e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
Congratulations for taking on the challenge of an Iron Girl triathlon — a swim, bike and run odyssey!
You need to have the fitness to cover the distance, but just being fit will not be enough to get you to
the finish line. As much as it is a physical test, the race is also a mental challenge as you experience
potential discomfort, obstacles and even disappointment. Racing a triathlon is your personal challenge.
No matter if your goal is the win or just to finish, training for a triathlon takes motivation, discipline,
and the proper training plan to give you the ability and confidence to succeed.
I vividly remember my first triathlon. I was nervous and anxious as I lined up with the other girls in my
age group at start of the 750 meter swim — and I had never swam in open water for even close to
that distance. After the horn signaled the start, my heart jumped, but then time seemed to fly by. I
exited the water and then quickly found myself having fun on the heavy, borrowed bike I was using.
I saw a friend go by me and I screamed, “Great job girl!” When I ran through the finish that day I
felt tired and hungry, but I also felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
Since then, I have successfully completed dozens of triathlons of all distances and coach others to their
own triathlon success.
I now share my knowledge and experience
with the athletes I coach, and now in my training plan and training guide, I’ll share what I
know with you.
All you need to supply is the motivation and
the desire!
The ability to conquer oneself
is no doubt the most precious of
all things sports bestows on us.
— Olga Korbut, Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast
Good luck and happy training,
Krista A. Schultz, MEd, CSCS
Triathlete and Coach
Attitudes influence outcomes.
Positive attitudes drive positive
outcomes.
— David Glover
It’s not the will to win but the
will to prepare to win that
makes the difference.
— Paul William “Bear” Bryant
Pick your goals based on your
own performance, not the
Plan Objective
The objective of this training plan is to provide the NOVICE and INTERMEDIATE triathlete with a
structured and periodized plan to prepare for an Iron Girl sprint distance triathlon.
Plan Overview
The training plan progresses from 3 to 5 hours (max) of training per week prior to tapering and breaks
down the training schedule into the following periods:
A “typical” week during a Base Period looks like:
WEEKS
PERIOD
MAX WEEK HOURS
1-4
5-7
8-10
11-13
14-16
Preparation
Base 1
Base 2
Build
Peak / Race
3.5
4
4.5
5 5
Within your plan, I adjust the frequency, intensity and duration of the workouts each week in order
DAY
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
WORKOUT
Off day
Swim
Bike
Run
Swim
Bike / BRICK
Run
to meet the desired objectives for that training period. Level of intensity is given in order to stimulate
desired training adaptations and maximize training time while minimizing risk of overtraining, burnout
and injury. Training intensity can be measured by a variety of methods including rate of perceived effort
(RPE) — i.e. how you “feel” — and a heart rate monitor. I recommend using a heart rate monitor in
combination with RPE. You will be given field tests in your plan to determine your individual intensity
training zones for swimming, biking and running.
Your plan also includes a downloadable comprehensive 40+ page training guide with detailed
instructions on how to use your plan as well as guidelines for making schedule adjustments, race
week planning, nutrition and hydration.
Athlete Requirements
You should be able to complete the following workouts prior to beginning the plan:
• Swim: 100 meters or yards continuously
• Bike: 40 minutes
• Run / Walk: 20 minutes
About the Author
Krista A. Schultz, MEd, CSCS
As an elite-level amateur triathlete, Krista has qualified and
competed in the Ironman Hawaii World Championship and
represented the state of Maryland for the Best of the U.S.
Championship from 2006–2008 while achieving USA Triathlon
All-American status four times. She also competed in the
Duathlon World Championship in 2006.
Krista has her BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of
New Orleans and MEd in Athletic Administration from Goucher
College. She is certified by USA Triathlon, USA Cycling,
National Strength and Conditioning Association (both CSCS
and CPT) and USA Weightlifting.
As a coach and exercise physiologist specializing in endurance sports testing including blood lactate, VO2max and resting metabolic rate (RMR), Krista interacts with hun- dreds of
athletes each year. She regularly speaks at camps and seminars and is a founder of the She Does Tri Triathlon Camps for
Women (shedoestri.com).
For more information about Krista’s coaching services and other
training programs, please visit: enduranceworks.net.