Product Description

This is a training guidebook for newcomers to triathlons. One of the foremost coaches in triathlon presents the essential guidebook for aspiring triathletes. Every year thousands of people decide to take on a sprint triathlon for the first time. Now the author of the best-selling book, "The Triathlete's Training Bible", provides the essential guidebook to finishing that first triathlon. The same principles and training methodology that the pros and committed triathletes rely on is presented here in language that a beginner can easily understand. Friel maps a course to prepare for a sprint-distance triathlon in 12 weeks, with 5 hours of training each day, plenty of rest, and the beginnings of a lifestyle marked by a commitment to health, fitness, and personal growth. "Your First Triathlon" provides the training plans, workouts, checklists, and instruction that first-timers are clamoring to know. Joe Friel is known for his thorough approach and, with his help, what began as a challenge to complete a sprint triathlon will grow into a love for this demanding yet rewarding sport.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8375 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Customer Reviews

Nothing to Novice in 12 weeks!
Having completed my first 2 sprints this year - I can vouch for the fact that this stuff really works! Don't be put off by the mistake in the synopsis above - you don't need to train 5 hours a day to do a sprint. 5 hours a week is plenty plenty! Happy Training.

Great for absolute novices
Joe's book has some excellent passages to motivate the reader and dispells many of the myths and fears surrounding this growing sport. The tips of each aspect of triathlon are useful and his section on nutrition is superb. I would recommend this book to anyone just starting out in endurance training, or looking for inspirational cues to spur them on. If you already have a experience of distance running, cycling or swimming, then perhaps it's not for you.

One stop shop for Tri starters
Having spent a fair bit of time recently researching for my upcoming first Triathlon, if I were to be very hard it would be true to say that there is nothing in Joe's book that isn't already available on the web for free, somewhere. Triathlon for beginners stuff does abound, kit suggestions and explanations are plentiful, and there are more training plans than you could shake a pointy stick at out there too... and all for free. If you are also somebody - as previously suggested - that has a background in general fitness maybe the training plans aren't quite for you as they concentrate (fairly enough given the remit of this book) at those that have little to start with. It will really benefit those that don't have any great fitness base to start with (better than couch potato maybe, but certainly not anyone that is already running 5Ks or peel off 1K in the pool on the way home from the office etc).

However, this isn't to suggest that Joe's book is worthless - far from it. It provides a comprehensive one stop shop on where to start, quickly debunks many triathlon myths (e.g. triathlons are all ironman distances or require budgets of 1000s) and is full of motivational snippets that do leave the reader with the feeling that they WILL complete their first triathlon. The nutrition chapter is worth the book alone for beginners, as also previously stated.

If you are considering your first triathlon, aren't already on any endurance based exercise program and need somewhere to start your research you can't go wrong.