Friel Joe - Going Long: Training for Triathlons Ultimate Challenge (Ultrafit Multisport Training Series)

Gordo and Joe have a unique way of helping the long-distance athlete recognize whats important in fitting these events into ones life. In our age of information overload they give the self-coached athletes all the tools they need to succeed.

Scott Molina, coach and former professional triathlete

Twenty-five years of active multisport coaching has proven that Joe Friel has an unprecedented understanding of endurance sports. As a multiple triathlon world champion, I would consider Joe as one of the leading figures in triathlon coaching today. Joes professional approach and practical understanding of sports physiology have helped many endurance athletes of all abilities reach their full athletic potential.

Simon Lessing, five-time triathlon world champion

Whether youre a beginning triathlete or a seasoned pro, Joe Friel is the leading authority on triathlon training.

Ryan Bolton, member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic triathlon team

In Going Long, Gordo Byrn and Joe Friel have combined their talents to provide a meaningful training resource for Ironman-distance racing.

George M. Dallam, PhD, former USA Triathlon national teams coach and coauthor ofChampionship Triathlon Training

Joe Friels wealth of knowledge in triathlon is astounding, and he has a wonderful way of sharing that knowledge with all athletes from beginners to elite professionals.

Siri Lindley, triathlon world champion

Joes practical experience and wealth of scientific knowledge about triathlon are the perfect combination.

Barb Lindquist, member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic triathlon team

In his usual upbeat, reader-friendly style, Joe brings to bear a further understanding of the art and science of triathlon.

Steven Jonas, MD, author ofTriathloning for Ordinary Mortalsand coauthor ofChampionship Triathlon Training

Going Long is the most straightforward road to your Ironman finish! It combines the coaching wisdom of Joe Friel with the racing experience of Gordo Byrna powerful combination!

Petr Vabrousek, professional triathlete

Going Long is an invaluable tool for every triathlete looking to improve.

Clas Bjorling, professional triathlete

Joe Friel has spent most of his life in devotion to the understanding and teaching of sport. Joe has managed to focus on the key components to athletic success while weeding out the noise. This book will play a substantial role in helping you take the next step as a triathlete.

Justin Daerr, professional triathlete

Joe Friel is constantly enhancing his education in the sport. In his books, Joe uses the information of the athletes he personally trains, the coaches who confide in him, and the large amounts of research he digests from triathlon and other endurance sports.

Wes Hobson, former USA Triathlon national team member and U.S. sprint triathlon champion

Going Long is a valuable read for any triathlete, not just those aiming for an Ironman. This is a great resource for a large audience.

Triathlon Magazine Canada

Going Long: Training for Triathlons Ultimate Challenge, 2nd Edition

Copyright 2009 by Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn

All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America by VeloPress, a division of Competitor Group, Inc.

3002 Sterling Circle, Suite 100

Boulder, Colorado 80301-2338 USA

(303) 440-0601; Fax: (303) 444-6788; E-mail:

Distributed in the United States and Canada by Ingram Publisher Services

The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

Friel, Joe.

Going long: training for triathlons ultimate challenge / Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn. 2nd ed.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-934030-06-6 (pbk.: alk. paper); ISBN 978-1-937716-42-4 (e-book)

1. Ironman triathlons. 2. TriathlonTraining. I. Byrn, Gordon. II. Title.

GV1060.73.F735 2008

796.4257dc22

2008041521

For information on purchasing VeloPress books, please call (800) 811-4210 ext. 2138 or visit us at www.velopress.com.

Cover photo by Delly Carr

Cover design by Andrew Brozyna

Interior design and composition by Erin Johnson Design

Illustrations by Todd Telander

Version 3.1

A note to readers: Move the cursor over the art and click on it to enlarge.

Ive considered myself a good student of this sport for over twenty years. For me, the first step to achieving excellence in triathlon has always been to seek out the best sources of information in order to make informed decisions about my training. I remember poring over all the old issues of Runners World, Track and Field News, VeloNews, and Swimming World magazines in the library for months and months instead of studying for my exams in college.

There have been more than a few books written on the various aspects of triathlon since then, many of them very good. Most of the physiological principles of training weve learned from other sports have certainly stood the test of time. But triathlon is still a relatively new sport, and there is still a lot of progress to be made. This is one of the things that keeps me interested in the sport, along with the physical challenge of trying to get ready for events.

I respect Gordo and his opinions because he takes a similar, if not a more extreme, approach to his triathlon education. Hes humble enough to recognize that his knowledge base, like his training base, can always be increased. To say hes consumed by the journey of finding out how to do this sport better would be an understatement. He lives triathlon 24/7, and this book is the end result of that affliction to date.

I met Gordo in 2000 when a mutual friend introduced us on a training ride. Over the last few years, Ive watched his development as a coach and an athlete. Although there is a broad range of strategies that can be employed to achieve athletic success, this book will provide you with a safe and effective strategy for approaching the challenges of Ironman-distance racing.

Whether you are training for your first or your fortieth Ironman-distance race, I would encourage you to remember the following key points that I have learned from my years of racing.

It aint brain surgery. My longtime confidant Kenny Souza used to say this to me regularly over the years to remind me to try not to overanalyze things. Dont stray to anything too exotic. You can think a lot, but there still has to be some regular, basic training done to improve your body.

Little and often fills the purse. Training principles follow the basic laws of physics and human behavior. A regular dose of exercise every day isnt a new paradigm, but it will get you there as surely as saving a bit in the bank every month.

Train hard; eternal youth doesnt come cheap. Take a good look around at the average guy today. Its not a pretty sight, is it? This sport is demanding, and if you want to achieve, its going to take discipline and work.

In this book Gordo gives you a reference to come back to time and time again to keep you on track. Hes done the research and put himself through every technique to put together a very concise guide to save you hundreds of hours poring over hundreds of magazines and years of frustrating experiences. Im sure reading this book will be a very valuable investment of your time.

Scott Molina