crossfit with triathlon

[rubicon]

Anyone currently Crossfitting AND training triathlon? Curious as to the benefits/drawbacks of doing so. Would doing both actually work against each other and prevent any type of beneficial recovery period? Triathlon training volume not the amount required for Ironman distance-just some of the shorter distances. If so, how many days of each and where to place "off" days?
-not looking for specific triathlon plans-comfortable with what I have-just need feedback on implementing the crossfit into the plan. Good or bad idea?

Rubicon

[Hot Mess]

Kind of yes kind of no. When at home I do a CF workout and still run and ride my road bike. I haven't had time to train for a tri while I have been doing CF yet. But all that "rest" mumbo jumbo is just for the weak sometimes.

When you're tired just scale it back a tad I'd say. I always go to the gym when I am getting ready for tris, and while I am a novice, I still feel fine on race day.

[Budoka34]

Rubicon,

Check out CrossFit Endurance. Very effective training without waisting your time.

http://www.crossfitendurance.com/ (WFS)

[Ronin8002]

I'm not a triathlete, but I have incorporated crossfit into an endurance running program, so take the following for what it's worth.

If you are going to include Crossfit in your regimen, I would bias your programming more for strength than metcon. You're obviously getting plenty of metabolic training from your tri program, so that's why I would recommend strength workouts to help round things out.

This seemed to work for me. Try it for a few weeks and see if it works for you.

Edit: Suggest planning on 1 or 2 off days a week depending on how you're feeling. You can do crossfit on your shorter tri training days...2-3 days of crossfit a week worked well for me.

[Slim]

Rubicon,

Check out CrossFit Endurance. Very effective training without waisting your time.

http://www.crossfitendurance.com/ (WFS)

I second this.

Read the FAQs. Do some work outs. Read the FAQs again.

It is a simple concept, but for some reason people, including me, can have a hard time grasping it.

Last year I went with Crossfit 5-6 days a week, and threw CFE workouts (running and cycling) in as directed. I don't have a direct race to race comparison, but I took 1:24 off of my 5K time while leaning out and putting on 5lbs over about 10 months. I also ran the longest leg (12.5 mi) of a team relay with gas left in the tank at the end, whereas last year, in the same race, I had the shortest leg (8 mi) and was spent at the end.

I ran a tri too, but I didn't swim all year, and therefore was a brick in the water. My whole effort suffered badly for that.

[Patrick7]

Been doing both for the last two years. Used CF and CFE to run a 3:36 marathon which isnt great but I only ran over 10 miles a handful of times with a 12 mile run as my longest. On the other side of that coin I had a terrible 70.3 triathlon after having pretty good success with sprints/olympics. The lack of bike time bit me in the ass but I did have a decent run during that one. I am ramping back up now for a spring 70.3 and will mainly use CF type workouts on M, T, W, F, Sa with CFE M-F (2-3 swims, 2 bikes, 3 runs) and a brick on Sat and long bike on Sun. While that goes against the CFE guide it seems to work for me and others I train with. I take rest days when they come up, usually forced by work or other things.

Long reply but I have been playing with this a while and I think everyone needs to tweek training plans to fit their goals/interests.

[Moran 'doc']

Being older and broken i find it the only way to keep my performance up. I am not a Cross fitt but I perform maximum output in shorter duratins. My body is failing L4 5 ( 20 yrs army life) torn miniscus. Mt performance is great and my endurnce is definatly holding its own. Swimming with BDU's cut off pockets open, running with 50lbs logs, biking hils and hills turn around and do it again. As we get older it is the training that can put us out just as fast as a race. Short intervals of high intencity, has been a sef test for me and it is doing great with my Tri's.