I have completed 38 marathons, over 160 triathlons and duathlons and biked over 110,000 miles during the last few decades. I have found much good advice during that time in the running, biking and swimming literature. (See for example, http://www.runnersworld.com and http://www.triathletemag.com  What would have helped me even more, and hopefully will help others is a brief summary of the key information everyone should know to do well and continue to do well in these three sports, especially when they are combined into a triathlon or duathlon. 

Triathlons are a lot more fun than any of the three sports separately. You have to figure out the best way to combine the sports when training and competing, and during competition you get to move from one to another, using different muscles and often encountering very different conditions. Cross-training is built into the sport, and you necessarily get at least a minimal level of fitness for health, even when training for a sprint. You can continue to compete at least into your 70s, and find you are welcome at a burgeoning number of races at almost any age.

Training in three sports takes time, but keep in mind that you do not have to be very fit to complete a short triathlon. Beyond the minimum, you can tailor your training regime to the length of your planned races and how well you want to do in those races. I commuted to work (28 miles a day) year round for 23 years, whence came most of my bike training. I have on occasion run to work as well. Its especially satisfying if you can work out at least part of the time with friends and family.

A commitment to a lifetime of exercise is essential for healthy cardiovascular, skeletal and muscular systems. It is also a must to keep your weight under control when we are surrounded with food all the time.

Being a triathlete is one way to enjoy fulfilling this commitment.

Please note that I am providing tips based on extensive experience and reading, not on formal training in any relevant discipline. Please keep this in mind when you consider the appropriateness of my ideas and exercise your own judgment on what will work for you.

I prepared these tips for triathletes to provide in one place brief advice based on extensive experience that can save time, prevent injury, help recover from injury and improve performance. I would very much appreciate feedback. I also would be happy to answer any questions. mikecook10@verizon.net 

Mike Cook

A good resource for finding triathlons of all kinds and lengths is http://www.trifind.net 

Follow a good stretching and weight lifting regime for major muscles, especially the core back and stomach muscles

You inevitably lose muscle mass if you train without lifting weights. In addition to core muscles, work on arms, shoulders, and legs. I highly recommend that you get professional advice on how to use weights and weight machines.  One or two sessions with a fitness expert, with an occasional refresher, can help you strengthen and balance muscles appropriately for running, biking and swimming.

Two exercises that I highly recommend: First, stand on the edge of a raised platform, rise to your tiptoes, hold and then lower to a point where your heel is below the edge of the platform. Repeated several times, this strengthens the calf, achilles and other tendons in the ankle.

The other exercise I especially recommend stretches the back and strengthens the core muscles. Lie on your back and, keeping your legs straight, raise them over your head and touch the floor behind you. Hold for four seconds, then return, holding your legs in front of you several inches above the floor for another four seconds. Repeat several times

Use waterproof, sweat proof sunblock all year round to avoid skin damage and cancer

Triathletes spend a lot of time outdoors. Exposure means skin damage, and a lot of exposure means more damage. A good sun screen protects the skin and nowadays keeps your skin from drying out. Pre-cancerous lesions in the form of small sores or raised, rough bumps on the skin should be removed by a dermatologist.

Wear sunglasses (and tinted goggles in the swim)

In the long run, sun will damage your eyes. In addition, glasses protect eyes from flying bugs and spray from a bike in front of you. I recommend glasses that are tight to your face; a bee stung me when it got between my eye and sunglasses . The sun in your eyes makes it hard to see on early morning swims without tinted goggles.

Sustain a low fat, high carb diet

Scientific studies have shown this diet is best for athletes and for prevention of a variety of diseases. The most difficult component is to keep your relative fat intake low, especially for animal fat. Recognize foods that are high in fat and avoid them. Eat low fat or fat-free dairy products and avoid off the shelf prepared foods as much as possible. Fresh fruit and vegetables, simple low fat meat and fish, and whole grain carbohydrates should be the focus for most , if not all your diet.

Save time by starting practice runs and bikes from the house

Towel off rather than shower if you expect to continue training later in the day; it saves time and is better for the muscles than a warm water shower

Train as much as possible with your significant other or children

Follow Tri-Fed rules during a race; Tri-Fed officials can be very inflexible

Tri Fed sets the rules for triathlons, and many of the more competitive races have Tri-Fed sanctioned personnel officiating. I have seen officials assessing penalties for riding a few inches over the dismount line. I was penalized for urinating near the bike course even though I was delayed almost an hour by flat tires.

Fully warming up your cardiovascular system takes longer with age: 20-30 minutes when young, 40-45 minutes when over 60

Doing a high speed workout before you are completely warmed up risks injury. so it takes us old folks a long time during a workout before we can go at what we may view as high speed. Aging also slows recovery so that you cannot put hard workouts back to back without risking injury

Adapt a training schedule to your own needs, lifestyle, injuries, objectives and progress.

Books and magazines are replete with detailed day-by-day training schedules for triathletes to get ready for races. These contain good advice, but are almost impossible to follow for the average person that has other commitments and activities in their life. The first few weeks are fine and then you have a business trip, or a minor injury, a crisis in the family, or some other disruption. If you can't keep up with one of these schedules, adjust it to fit your own needs, or make up your own. Just remember a few basic ideas for each sport: Start slow with short distances and build distance and speed until you begin to taper off training shortly before the race. Include a speed session and a long distance session in your workouts in each sport each week.

I try to fit long workouts in on weekends and short workouts on weekdays. Weekdays I run or swim after commuting home on my bike. Running right after I bike home allows me to practice the transition from bike to run (called a "brick", presumably because of how your legs feel when you start running).

Rest at least one day a week.  Cut back on your total training as you get older. 

I find two rest days a week are essential now that I am over 65 years old.

Wear layered clothing appropriate to the temperature expected during a ride or run. If I expect to be in the rain, I wear clothing appropriate for a temperature 10-15 degrees colder than the thermometer temperature.

For dry weather, switch to long sleeves and full length tights when temperatures are below 50 degrees. If you expect to be wet, go with these warmer clothes at 65 degrees or less.

I have gotten both hypo and hyperthermia on my bike. If it is very hot, try to bike in the shade as much as possible and stay hydrated. Splash water on yourself as frequently as possible.

Dress appropriately for cold conditions, especially those that will leave you wet from the rain or snow. Control of your bike is very difficult when you are very cold. I was lucky enough to be able to stop at a recreation center once when I got hypothermia. I spent half an hour warming up in the sauna and never broke a sweat. My teeth chattered so much that I bit the sides and end of my tongue and spoke with a lisp for the next several days.

In the winter, I always had difficulty keeping my hands and feet warm. I solved the problem with warm skiing gloves (where the fingers keep each other warm), and a new type of bicycling shoes made especially for biking in sub-freezing weather.

Protect from chafing anywhere your clothing or wet suit creates a problem by applying Powerglide or equivalent to potentially affected area

Areas that could be affected include around the crotch , nipples (for a man wearing a t-shirt), and neck (for a wet suit). You may wish to look for a different type of running or biking shorts if you have a chronic problem, though over long distances, some chafing is inevitable.

Wash clothing often to avoid jock itch and saddle sores

Treat jock itch with the same medicine as for athlete's foot (which can be avoided by wearing sandals at all times around a swimming pool). I treat sores with antibiotic ointment. Sometimes I've failed to catch the problem early and developed large boil-like abscesses. One burst while I was changing planes in Chicago and caused me to do some fast clean-up.