daughter (12) is to try a triathlon - help with training pls

johnbirkby46213

Daughter has (thru a friend of the family) entered a triathlon down south (the Chiltern Junior triathlon). She's a fair swimmer so that side is sort of taken care of. The distances for the ride and run are short (cycle 3km and run 1600m) but its all on grass -for safety reasons presumably.

So, how should I "structure" any training and at what sort of distances. Should I go for slightly longer distances run and ridden at full pelt, longer or exact distances on the road, etc etc. We have until the beginning of July to get it sorted.

Actually I'm really chuffed she wants to give it a go. Sadly the the nearest Triathlon clubs to us (Hinckley and Leicester) do not let kids in and are not interested (presumably due to child protection legal stuff).

Hopefully some of you on here are triathletes or just good at structuring training (hint B. Ruth!!)

Thanks in advance for any hints.

Ste_S

Should she really have any structured training at 12, apart from enjoying riding/swimming/running ?

Alex_Simmons/RST

Ste_S wrote:

Should she really have any structured training at 12, ...<snip> ?

No. The main element to focus on is developing her skills and making sure she has fun.

ut_och_cykla

I guess that practising the transition phases (if they even exist at that level!) would be fun and constructive and give her a bit of confidence without wearing her out. Then check she can actually do the 'dry' distances once or twice and perhaps a sort of 'dry run' - doing it all in one day? But no formal training unless she wants to and then only very little.

mackdaddy

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

Ste_S wrote:

Should she really have any structured training at 12, ...<snip> ?

No. The main element to focus on is developing her skills and making sure she has fun.

Alex, there are some sports that push the 'fun' more than the structured coaching and fitness, football for instance, but others that really focus their training from a young age. Swimming is a good example of this as is athletics. As these are two disciplines in the triathlon then doesn't this mean at 12, she ought to be doing some level of structured training?

My son is in the same position as John's daughter. I coach football and walk the middle line (structure/fun), but wife coaches swimming and has different view. He also goes to athletics club, so overall he will probably be okay, but if he decides he wants to take this up as a sport (which I suspect he will) then I'm interested in how we can help him as is the case with the OP

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

If she enjoys her first event - then why not make enquiries at your local tri club?

My club has a junior section with dedicated coaches who know how to coach kids, how far to push them (or not), and how to make sure they have fun!

Cheers, Andy

johnbirkby46213

andrewgturnbull wrote:

Hi there.

If she enjoys her first event - then why not make enquiries at your local tri club?

Cheers, Andy

I would were it not for, as mentioned in my post

"Sadly the the nearest Triathlon clubs to us (Hinckley and Leicester) do not let kids in and are not interested (presumably due to child protection legal stuff). "

anyways here's hoping she does enjoy it. Taking part inoutdoor stuff has got to be better than watching the goggle box!

jb

Cajun

This is not what you really are asking for, but it's a start...
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/c ... 119/6/1242

BeaconRuth

Couple of things:

Firstly, 'structured' doesn't mean 'not fun'. I think children often welcome structure to whatever they are doing. For instance a training session for children could include lots of well structured, fun skills games. I think the thing to be careful of is getting caught up in a lot of hard physical development training for children so young. That is, time pressing weights in a gym or doing hard hill reps or intervals on a bike would be very bad for a 12 year old.

Secondly, the extent to which you try to either encourage your daughter to have fun or build her up to taking it more 'seriously' will depend hugely on your daughter and her character. Think in advance about how she might feel if she turns out to be the slowest one there. Will she shrug it off and have forgotten it the next day or will she still be living with the embarrassment in 20 years time? Will she try harder if you are shouting her on at the sidelines or will she be giving it her all from her own competitiveness whether you're shouting or not? Some kids respond to being pushed a bit whereas others already have all the motivation they need and really need to have things down-played. Only you can judge where to draw the line for your daughter.

As to the specific point about cycle 'training' then the thing that most youngsters need to develop as cyclists are things like pedalling skills, bike handling and gear choice. They can develop fitness, power and strength later, but often the winners in youth category races are those that know how to ride a bike well. These are exactly the skills that they work on in Go-Ride sessions, which are run by cycling clubs who are designated as Go-Ride clubs. I'd strongly recommend you find some Go-Ride sessions for her and take her along. These could be weekly at a local club or there are often sessions run in school holidays if you keep your eye on the BC website: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... t_news.asp

Hope that helps a bit. Good luck to her and let us know how she gets on.

Ruth

BeaconRuth

ps. both the Leicester Road Club and Welland Valley CC are Go-Ride clubs according to the BC website. IIRC the Welland Valley are doing some great work with children and the Leicester Road Club has some good youngsters at present.

Ruth

richard_l

johnbirkby46213 wrote:

andrewgturnbull wrote:

Hi there.

If she enjoys her first event - then why not make enquiries at your local tri club?

Cheers, Andy

I would were it not for, as mentioned in my post

"Sadly the the nearest Triathlon clubs to us (Hinckley and Leicester) do not let kids in and are not interested (presumably due to child protection legal stuff). "

anyways here's hoping she does enjoy it. Taking part inoutdoor stuff has got to be better than watching the goggle box!

jb

There are several Tri clubs that have registered with British Cycling as GoRide clubs. The nearest to you may not be that far - Rugby

http://www.rugbytriathlon.co.uk/junior.htm

johnbirkby46213

Thanks for that Richard. I've just sent them a mail asking for further details. Its not the most helpful of websites but thats probably no reflection on the club.

richard_l

Happy to help - let me know if you can't get through on email link as I have a phone number somewhere I think as well.

Just remembered - Check out the two junior events here. Not triathlons, but variations on a theme. Not sure of a date for your daughters triathlon down south, but the Duathlon in May at the BRAT club may be a good rehearsal.

http://www.bratclub.co.uk/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=25

Swannie

Form form form.

Swimming technique, running technique, cycling/peddling technique.

Fitness, power, will come with age, and there are arguments against higher intensity training in growing children.

At 12, she will pick up technique easier, and almost certainly faster than older children and adults. Improved form will make the same effort go further, less likelyhood of injury, and I suspect a greater chance of sticking with it.

Fun things, like peddling with only one foot, running using the arms vs. hands stuck in pockets, breathing through the nose, playing with stride speed/distance and cadence.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Swannie wrote:

Form form form.

Swimming technique, running technique, cycling/peddling technique.

<snip>

Fun things, like peddling with only one foot, running using the arms vs. hands stuck in pockets, breathing through the nose, playing with stride speed/distance and cadence.

for cycling, pedalling will take care of itself with enough riding and appropriate gearing.

It is more important to focus on skills such as bike handling, cornering, manoeuvring and general awareness of the terrain she is riding on, learning and applying road nouse for safety.

varno

Please be really careful, i know a lot of young girlswho have embarked on thier cycling career and reached various levelsof success...

Rule of thumb for you.....dont train her, coach her...... Keeping the sessions fun and build the skills of pedalling tactics etc (i dont know a lot about triathlon). She will improve with skills and her fitness will come naturally without structure.

My own daughter did no structured work until she was 141/2 and she now competes at a very high level at17.......

Jim.

andrewgturnbull

varno wrote:

My own daughter did no structured work until she was 141/2 and she now competes at a very high level at17.......

Jim.

You're not kidding - I'll be watching in 2012!

johnbirkby46213

We attended the rugby Triathlon club today (thanks for the nod in their direction RichardL). They were so switched on. Loads of coaches, masses of enthusiasm and clearly working to a structure. they had sheets they constantly referred to (that was both on the field and in the pool). They had a fun swim session to finish off a tough swim/time trial session. About 20 or so youngsters of differing ages, body shapes and abilities. they were very encouraging.
Daughter really enjoyed it tho' I think in retrospect, I shouldn't have insisted in driving like a madman back to Hinckley to throw her into her swimming club session - especially as that turned out to be time trials as well....ooops :oops:
Today was run/swim day. They alternate cycle/swim weekly. great club.

JB