Posts on Lavelo Triathlon Training

Understanding Training Zones: From Z1 Recovery to Z5 VO2max

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Walk into any triathlon training discussion, and you’ll hear athletes throwing around terms like “Zone 2,” “threshold,” and “VO2max intervals.” But what do these zones actually mean? And more importantly, how do you use them to train smarter and race faster?

Let’s break down the five training zones, what happens in your body during each, and how to use them strategically in your training.

Why Training Zones Matter

Training zones exist because different exercise intensities create different physiological adaptations. Train too hard all the time, and you’ll overtrain and underperform. Train too easy all the time, and you won’t develop the specific fitness needed for racing.

70.3 vs Full Ironman: Which Distance Should You Target First?

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

You’ve completed a few Olympic distance triathlons. You’re hooked. Now you’re eyeing the bigger distances, and the question looms: should you jump straight to a full Ironman, or build up through 70.3 first?

It’s a decision that will shape the next 6-12 months of your training and racing, so let’s break down what you need to know.

The Case for Starting with 70.3

Training Volume Is Manageable

A 70.3 requires roughly 8-12 hours of training per week at peak, compared to 12-18+ hours for a full Ironman. If you work full-time and have family commitments, fitting in 10 hours of training is challenging but doable. Fitting in 15-18 hours requires either significant sacrifices or an extremely understanding support system.

Base Phase Training: Building Your Aerobic Foundation

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The base phase is where champions are made, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. While other athletes are posting impressive interval sessions on Strava, you’re grinding through long, steady miles at what feels like a frustratingly easy pace. But here’s the truth: skip or shortcut your base phase, and you’ll pay for it later when it matters most.

What Is Base Phase Training?

Base phase is the foundation period of your training cycle, typically lasting 8-12 weeks. During this time, you’re primarily working in Zone 1 and Zone 2—that conversational pace where you could hold a discussion without gasping for air. For many athletes, especially those coming from running backgrounds, this feels painfully slow. That’s exactly the point.