Triathlon 101

by John Mora

Triathlon 101 helped thousands of athletes take the guesswork out of multisport training and racing. Now, this best-seller returns, updated with more top-notch information and solidifying its status as the essential guide for multisport success.In this new edition, you'll learn these techniques and the best equipment for your goals, terrain, and budget.Create your own triathlon program for various distances and events.Know how, when, and what to eat and drink when training or competing.Prevent overtraining and recover from common injuries.Swim and navigate in open water.Smoothly and quickly transition from one leg of the race to the next.Taper your training for peak performance on race day. Sample training programs, the latest recommendations on equipment, correct technique, and expert advice from pros and coaches Terry Laughlin, Lauren Jensen, and Troy Jacobson will help you improve your skills and times in every event. Spare yourself the trial-and-error experiences that can lead to injury or discouraging results. Be a smart triathlete from the start. For developing multisport athletes, the best course available is Triathlon 101.

Genres: Fitness, Nonfiction, Sports

200 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1999

Reviews

[Akhilesh]

This is an interesting book I picked up from the library to see if I needed to know anything in specific. The book goes over the basic and advanced techniques (bike/run/swim) that could be used in triathlon. It seemed simple enough to go over and was a quick read.

[Edward]

Am training for my 3rd (sprint) “tri”, but this is the first book I have read on the subject.

Appreciated (& needed!) the section on swimming, in particular: trying to reduce strokes, interval vs. set distance/time vs. drills for training. Being aware of overtraining so that you don’t “destroy health for the sake of fitness”. Most time is spent biking but most injuries occur running. Run types: long slow, tempo (20-30 min.), “fartlek”, or hills….

These are a few gems from a solid book!

[Mikhail]

A decent intro into triathlon if you have never read anything about it before.

[Kelly]

This is a helpful primer for someone just who is just about to enter their first or second triathlon. After registering for my first Olympic distance event, I bought the book and quickly read it straight through; it gave me a good foundation with which to approach gear retailers, my own training schedule, diet, and realistic expectations for race day. In some ways it reads like a series of "tips-for-beginners" articles that you might read in a Tri magazine. Even though I didn't realize it fully when as I was reading, there are many bits of useful information that I simply did not know beforehand (e.g., the importance of aerobars, the utility of carbohydrate gels, the centrality of skill and form in swimming, etc.). I fully expect a that my training from this point forward will be much more effective for having read this book; if for no other reason than that I will seek out competent coaches rather than go it alone!

[Monica]

This book is excellent! I did my first triathlon in the summer of 2010 and thanks to this book, I was prepared and successful. This book had all the answers for a first time triathlete. From training plans, to proper equipment, to transition issues, to what to eat, nutrition during training,and for me most importantly, how to approach the swim. This book outlined approaches to each component of the triathlon both mentally and physically. Plus, a few motivational stories to help reinforce the points. A really worthwhile book.

[Ryan]

This was recommended to me by an experienced triathlete, and it's a really good overview of your first triathlon. Quick and to the point. For a more detailed training guide, check out The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel.

[Randi]

Fantastic book for first time triathletes, or second-timers who are "actually going to train this time." You can find information on the logistics of triathlon, different kinds of triathlons, nutrition and beginner training information. It really helped me prepare for my triathlons. Throughout the process of training I continually looked back through the book for information.

[Jill]

I've checked this out from the library 3 times now (twice the last time I trained for a triathlon, now that I'm gearing up to do a tri again). I really should probably just buy this book. It is written for the beginner, but Inever seem to graduate beyond beginner status when it comes to triathlons. Will let you know how it helps my progress.

[Jessica]

This is a good book for the basics. I liked it, and would recommend it to someone starting out. I was looking for a little more help with the running and biking, and this didn't give me all I hoped. But, it was still good.

[Bethany]

Okay, not that any of you are going to run out and get this one, but I have been reading it in preparation for a race this summer. Good solid advice on each race segment. No training schedules though.

[Jonathan]

A good all around primer on triathlon topics. Not too detailed or technical. You could most of this information from the internet, but it would take a considerable amount of time to pull it together.

[Mike]

This woman on the cover is seriously intent on running through whatever obstacle blocks her path, whether it be water, road or molten lava. But seriously, this book is good for everyone, from experienced Ironman triathletes to people who just dabble in a little bit of triathleticism.

[Dana]

has some good advice on what to expect

[Amber Toro]

This book was a great introduction to triathlon. It is a great place to start for any one just getting into the sport.

[Ben]

A good primer for a first-timer in the sport. It's got a little bit of advice about each part of the sport, without getting bogged down in details that might confuse a newcomer to triathlon.

[Marc]

If you're about to train or run your first Triathlon, buy this book. You'll find lots of the small tricks and tips the other books don't tell you.

[Janey2197]

If you want to TRIATHLON, this is a decent book

[Kristin R]

This was a great book for learning the basics of triathlon. It includes training and gear and some on diet. It is a good resource for anyone who knows virtually nothing about the competition.

[Karen]

I definitely want to do a triathlon in a couple years! This book provided a great overview of the sport beginners and was very motivating :)

[Loredana]

Great book for beginners, motivating!

[Ellen]

Better than the other triathlon book by far, but still not terribly great. Gave me a better understanding of what to expect (although there weren't really any surprises).

[Gerry]

This is a good, basic book for anyone new to the multisport scene.

[Amber]

Perfect primer for anyone jumping in to the world of multi-sport.

[Jenn]

Better basic book about triathlons than the first I tried reading.