Customer Reviews

Triathlons for Women: Training Plans, Equipment, Nutrition

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Mark Stalcup noted that this book is "geared toward women who are just beginning a fitness program, not serious athletes who are training for triathlons." I agree, though us intermediate level athletes can still get some good info out of Sally Edward's advice. Mainly, we need to remember our workouts should be tailored toward training and improving performance, rather than just for exercise (hence the HRM requirment). I also agree that her recommended work out plan (as is) is not best for those of us past the beginner stage- but everything is modifiable, and she presents a base to build upon and adapt. All in all, the book kind of is a mixed bag; though the book is full of useful messages and reminders for women athletes at all levels- i.e., work toward a goal and keep improving, be safe while training (something we all tend to let slide when we have to get that workout in), etc.- the actual plan and advice she presents for doing this is really at the beginner/first-timer level. I haven't checked out Friel's book, but plan to.

Sally Edward's book, Triathlon for Women, recognizes that as athletes, women are different. It is refreshing to read a book about my sport (I've competed for almost 18 years) that focuses on some of the ways training and racing are different for women. All triathletes can benefit from this book, but women, and particularly women just starting to train for triathlons, will greatly benefit from these words of wisdom.

I found this book really helpful in preparing for my first tri. The stories about Sally Edwards' experiences in the triathlon world made it a lot more fun to read, too. I read this book, her Heart Zone Training book, and used the Triathlon Log book, and did a lot better at my first sprint triathlon than I expected to. Recommended for people (esp. women, of course) who are coming to triathlon from either no sports background or from a different sport. And it really helps if you're planning to do the Danskin!

Triathlons for women for me was easy to read and moved quickly. I have met Sally Edwards at one of the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series races and she's more than an excellent writer and coach, she understands that it's sometimes confusing and difficult to train for three sports all at the same time. She's been training and racing triathlons from sprint distance to Ironmans for over 20 years and she's an expert on the subject. This book is a must read if you ask me for anyone who wants to do their first triathlon or wants to improve their finish times. Thanks Sally for your commitment to the sport and to teaching us.

This book gave me the confidence to know that I can complete my first triathlon. It gave me inspiration and some tips about interval training which increased my speed and transition tips and brick trainging which I know will greatly assist me. As for the critique, I agree that she mentioned Danskin too much but since this is a beginning book that was her point of reference. And, for those of us who are athletic but work a grueling schedule, I was happy to hear that if I focused or trained before work, during lunch and after work that I could adequately prepare my body. The result of knowing that I could train a short periord of time is that I increased my training to 6 days a week and doubled the time I was training. I've read and re-read the chapter on swimming and combined that with practice, I've seen a vast improvement in both my strokes and endurance. I know that I will complete my triathlon and for me, this book inspired me to commit to the training and improvement.

Sally Edwards is an impressive athlete, that's why I bought her book. I was looking for tips from a former Ironwoman. What I got was a book geared toward women who are just beginning a fitness program, not serious athletes who are training for triathlons. This book is chock-full of really bad advice ("If you don't have a HRM, put down this book and go buy the best one you can afford") and completely inadequate training schedules (for endurance training, she recommends 45 minutes to 1.75 hours of training per WEEK!), this book was a major disapointment. Edwards should have given her book a more realistic title and marketed it to the weight-loss crowd, not serious female athletes looking for good advice. Joe Friel's "Triathlete's Training Bible" is a MUCH better choice for serious athletes. If you want to look better in a bathing suit and have impressive stories for your friends at work, this book is fine.

Get excited, get inspired and get ignited! Those are the three chapters of the book that will move you from generic exerciser to training for a goal: Triathlon. You may be reading the book because you want to stay in shape or because one of your friends is doing it or you just love new challenges but for any reason you'll enjoy the writing and approach of this book. My favorite quip: "Short of giving birth or cutting off your head there is no way to lose ten pounds in a week..." It's full of technical details about gear too so your dollars don't get slim while you do!

I noticed that many reviewers commented that this book was too geared towards beginners however, as a beginner myself, I found the book lacking. There is a lot of useful information and advice in general, but I was not able to read the book and start a practical training program. Most of the training advice is very generalized, and after reading it I still had no clue where to start. I was recently at a beginner women's triathlon clinic and I found that several participants agreed with me, and they recommended the book Slow Fat Triathlete which I have yet to read. I have referred to Edwards' chapters on techniques in all three sports and race day preparation, but beginners will need more than just this book to get started. I have recommended Eric Harr's Triathlon Training In Four Hours a Week to my friends and I am anxiously awaiting the publication of Joe Friel's Your First Triathlon. So overall, not a bad book, but just not enough information to really jumpstart your triathlon training.

Even as a beginner, I found it too simple for what it claims to be, and not well written enough to hold it high on a virtue other than information given.

Potential readers should know that this book is a COMPLETE guide to women and triathlon. As a coach, this is often the first book that I steer my training groups to when they ask for additional reading material. Firsttimers as well as seasoned athletes can always glean some additonal useful information from this book, whether their goal is to simply finish a triathlon or reach a certain time goal. This book is VERY comprehensive, with information about drills, techniques, bikes, transistions, triathlon attire, safety (do YOU know why women should never run outdoors with headphones?), getting fast, and reaching a woman's full potential. This book was written by women, FOR WOMEN. Buy it!