Joel Friel, The Triathlete's Training Bible

The Triathletes Training Bible: Joe Friel

When I first bought this book I had only been in the sport of triathlon for a couple of months. During those months I had been swimming twice a week, cycling twice a week, running twice a week and weight training twice a week. My sessions were just endurance based spending say an hour swimming or running or cycling for a couple of hours with the club.

The first thing this book taught me was to make my sessions specific, why I needed speed and endurance sessions and how to tailor them to my goals and needs. I don't do a lot of club training and so being able to turn up at the pool during a public swim session, get in the fast lane and have a challenging and rewarding swim was essential. Before tailoring these sessions training could become boring and monotonous. The inclusion of specific drills and workouts for each sport made a welcome change and my style, especially my stroke in swimming has advanced noticeably.

I always trained with a training plan or diary but I never really knew how to create one properly. The step by step guide in this book has helped me no end and even now I still refer to it at the end of each season to plan the next! Templates are given so the correct format can be obtained for tracking weekly hours, different phases in training, events etc.

Periodization was something I had never employed with my training and again Friel has provided step by step instruction from base to race periods going into detail for each phase as to what workouts should be performed and for how long. Appropriate testing techniques are included to ensure you are always working to your peak potential.

Another section that I found rewarding was that of supplementation and nutrition. Vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, protein supplements etc are all discussed in detail explaining why you need them and what they do, not just 'You need them!'. The periodisation of a triathletes diet is also discussed detailing fat, carbohydrate and protein intake throughout the season.

Of course there is no equivalent to one on one coaching from a qualified professional. However this book ensures that you understand your sport and why a coach preaches what he/she does. Understanding how to train and prepare yourself to race is essential if you wish to succeed in multisport. The Training Bible will ensure you reach your race at optimum performance. A book I will never throw away!