Central </= 6-8 hr / wk *Total* Sprint & Oli Tri Training Thread

Central place to discuss training strategies for people who do Sprint or Oli Tris, and only train 6 – 8 hrs / wk.

I hope this is helpful. I have some questions for others in the same situation, I am hoping we can all gather here and help each other by sharing info & experiences.

[You won’t be kicked out if you do 10 hrs / wk, but the focus is on optimizing Tri training in minimal time. We don’t do 2 hr Z2 rides 2 – 3 x / wk, 1.5 – 2 hr swim sessions with drills 2 – 4 x / wk, or 2 x sessions in one day (Swim AM, Bike PM). Not possible with our schedules. We’re all very aware that increasing volume would be the best way to get faster! :blush: This place is to discuss other strategies to get faster, for whom that isn’t possible.]

I’m currently doing TR LV on Mon, Wed & Fri, and trying to swim Tue & Thu. But this is often just Tue or Thu.

Swim: My 1 km in 25 m pool time has been stuck at 21 mins for 5+ yrs. OW 750 m recent event time: 18:45. I recently got the Total Immersion swim book, and am going to work on the form drills to try to increase efficiency. I was a competitive swimmer before HS, but clearly need work. Currently I do the same both days / every time: Swim 1 k continuous, and if I have energy, finish w 1 x 100 FAST, 1 x 50 SPRINT. Going to switch that to 1.5 k continuous + same finish.

Bike: TR FTP 210, up 20%, from 175, in Nov 2022. 20 k TT recent event time [on triple-loop course, 6 x turn arounds]: 38:45. Just finished Rolling Race Specialty, before my A Event on Sun Aug 20. I’ve decided to repeat a full cycle: SSBLV1 – SSBLV2 – Sust Pow Build – Specialty [Focus TBD]

Run: Saturdays. [Not currently running due injury, working on physio to return 2024.]

Questions:

1 – Swim: 1A - If you’re only swimming 1 - 2 d / wk, are you better to do what I’m doing? BC you’ll never really get faster, you’re just maintaining base, and will never get strong & fast enough at 2 x / wk to bother with drills? Just keep practicing continuous swimming? Or better to do one day 1.5 – 2 km continuous easy pace, and the other day do sets between 100 – 200s on hard to sprint pace? Or another plan entirely? 1B - Any other ideas to improve efficiency / form, in addition to / instead of TI book?

2 – Bike: Has anyone gone through a couple years and tried out returning to base for a full cycle vs just staying on something like Enthusiast Maintenace plan / your own designed plan, and noted increases / plateaus in FTP and/or TT times?

3 – If you have to drop one WO one week, I think better to drop a bike, right?

[Did a deep forum dive before posting this. Couldn’t find any other thread that addressed this specifically.]