TTNE FAQs

You’ve got questions?  We’ve got answers.

What is Team Training New England?
Team Training New England is a triathlon training group FOR ALL, women and men!  We train people who “never in a million years” thought they would or could do a triathlon.  We train our athletes to do a sprint distance triathlon in an encouraging, safe, fun group setting.

Why should I train with Team Training New England versus another training program or private coach?
Not only is Team Training New England  comprised of USA Triathlon certified coaches, we have numerous Workout Leaders at all of our group sessions.  These Workout Leaders are usually past participants who were so moved by the experience that they volunteer their time by providing feedback, encouragement and safety.  No one is ever alone at any given time.

Who are the Team Training New England coaches?
We are  just like you.  We have families. We have busy lives. We are NOT elite athletes. We DO, however, put ourselves near the TOP of our TO-DO lists. Because we do that, we have more energy to get through every day, week, month and year.

What is a sprint distance triathlon?
A sprint distance triathlon consists of a 1/2 mile swim in open water (usually), 10-12 mile bike ride, and 5k (3.1 miles) run.  We strongly believe this is a manageable, achievable distance that anyone who WANTS to accomplish it, CAN!

What are the other triathlon distances?
Just for your own edification, we will answer this question.  The other common triathlon distances are:
Olympic Distance Triathlon: .9 mile swim, 20k (~25 miles) bike, 10k (6.2 miles) run
Half Ironman Distance Triathlon: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run (1/2 marathon)
Ironman Distance Triathlon: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run (marathon)

When does the 2012 training begin?
Our kick off meeting is on Wednesday, April 11th.  Location: TBD  This will not be a workout, but a chance to get everyone together to meet each other and go over the multi-week program in detail.

Starting the week of April 16th, we  meet every Wednesday (6:30-8:00 p.m.) and Saturday (7:00-9:00 a.m.) until race weekend. 

What are the 2012 team races?
Our team goal race is the Amica 19.7 Ocean Beach on Sunday, July 15th.
It consists of a .5 mile ocean swim, 16.1 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile flat run that ends on the boardwalk.

We will also be doing the Litchfield Hills Olympic Triathlon on Sunday, June 24th
It consists of a .9 mile lake swim, 14.8 mile hilly bike ride and a 6.2 mile run.

What is the cost of the training?
The program offerings for 2012 are as follows:

Sprint Plus
Fee: $399 (does not include race fee)
13 weeks of total training = 10 week training program + 3 week build up
Training dates: April 18-Race day
Goal Race: Amica 19.7 Ocean Beach, July 15, 2012

Sprint
Fee: $299 (does not include race fee)
10 week training program
Training dates: May 9-Race day
Goal Race: Amica 19.7 Ocean Beach, July 15, 2012

Olympic
Fee: $399 (does not include race fee)
12 week training program, 10 weeks of group workouts
Training dates: April 18-Race day
Participants will receive a 12 week training program and access to 10 weeks of group training that will finish with race day on June 24th.
Goal Race: Litchfield Hills Olympic Triathlon, June 24, 2012

Drop-In Sessions
There will be 25 available drop-in sessions during the training program from April 18-July 11.
Fee: $25 per session, $100 for 5 sessions, $180 for 10 sessions

What if I cannot make every workout?
It is rare that one athlete makes it to every single workout.  Given our busy lives, you do the best you can.  If you purchase the Sprint Plus, Sprint or Olympic training programs, you will receive an online training program to follow. So, if you miss a workout, you’ll get to see what you missed and hopefully you can do it on your own.  Clearly there are things you will miss by not being with the group, but it’s not the end of the world.

Can I just sign up for one or more workout(s)?
Yes. We have Drop-In Sessions.  We have 25 different workouts that you can sign up for individually. Each session costs $25.  If you buy 5 or more workouts there is a discount.

Do I need to purchase a new bike?
No. We do not recommend that you purchase a new bike for this training program. If you have a hybrid bike or an older road bike, that will suffice.  We do, however, recommend that you make sure the bike fits you properly.  You should never be in pain while biking or after a bike ride.  If you plan on borrowing someone’s bike, make sure you bring it to a bike shop and get a proper bike fit.  If you need a recommendation on a bike shop near you, please contact us.

Do I need to know how to swim?
Yes. Our training program is not a “learn to swim” program.  You must be able to swim in a pool.  We will teach you how to swim in “open water.”  If you need some swim coaching recommendations, please contact us.

What if I don’t like to run?
Not a problem.  Many of our past participants have come into the program who dislike running. You can walk the run portion of the triathlon, it’s not a problem.  However, we do want to mention that many women who have trained with us end up running more than they thought they would and hate running a bit less than when they started.

If there are any questions we have not answered, please email us and we’ll answer you directly and as well as posting it here.