The Triathlete's Training Bible

Rating:
Summary: Nothing to inspire you, quite boring.
Review: I bought this book because it was highly rated and expected it to be a "bible" of triathlon. Instead it mainly focuses on how to cycle your training years and how to manage your time according to your goals. The chapter on technique and equipment is only very brief and superficial, Friel merely points out that you should get some swimming lessons to learn to swim faster, and maybe buy fancier equipment to cycle faster. The psychological side is also quite thin, and there just isn`t anykind of personal touch in the book. I really don`t feel like opening it again. In endurance sports you must have that "inner-burning" to keep you going, and quite frankly, Friel gives the feeling of an arm-chair theoretician of himself in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Nothing to inspire you, quite boring.
Review: I bought this book because it was highly rated and expected it to be a "bible" of triathlon. Instead it mainly focuses on how to cycle your training years and how to manage your time according to your goals. The chapter on technique and equipment is only very brief and superficial, Friel merely points out that you should get some swimming lessons to learn to swim faster, and maybe buy fancier equipment to cycle faster. The psychological side is also quite thin, and there just isn`t anykind of personal touch in the book. I really don`t feel like opening it again. In endurance sports you must have that "inner-burning" to keep you going, and quite frankly, Friel gives the feeling of an arm-chair theoretician of himself in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not for the Beginner Triathlete
Review: I have been doing triathlons for three years and I feel this book is not for the Beginner Triathlete. This book reads like a College Text Book and is appropriate for the seasoned triathlete as it has invaluable technical data. I do not recommend this book for the beginner triathlete because I feel that it does Not address the mental and psychological aspects of doing a triathlon. Both of which I feel are extremely important hurdles for people to overcome when entering mutisports races. I recommend "Triathlon 101" by John Mora for beginning triathletes.

Rating:
Summary: complete from A-Z
Review: I love the way this book is set up. It's not the kind of book you sit down and read from cover to cover. Rather, it's a reference book, a useful tool. I am 25 and new to the sport. This book enabled me to learn the basics and some day I'll use the technical information. It's helpful for any age and any level. A must buy!

Rating:
Summary: The most comprehensive triathlon training book available..
Review: I loved this book. I read it straight through and keep going back to it for information as the season progresses. A must-buy for the serious self-trained triathlete.

Rating:
Summary: The best training book I have read
Review: I read this book last year and found it really useful. It explains everything you need to know to make set realistic goals and create your own training program to achieve them. I made my own plan and followed successfully. I highly recommend the book.

Rating:
Summary: Spectacular!
Review: I very rarely give any books a five-star rating but this book deserves 6! Most training books give you the "basics" about training, things you can find in almost any other book on the subject, and then included sample workout programs that may or may not work for you. Not this book, it covers the basics, yes, but goes into incredible, comprehensive detail about how to create your very own training program, one that will work for YOU! This is training from the ground up and can be adapted for almost any type of fitness activity, not just triathlon training. As they say, "Give a man a fish and feed him for the day, teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime." This book will keep you fed for a lifetime. Get it.

Rating:
Summary: REVIEW BY AN OLDER,RECREATIONAL ATHLETE
Review: I'm 57, and returned after a 15-year hiatus this spring to participate in multi-sport events. I think Friel's book would be great for the younger triathlete, or an older, dedicated triathlete with the time and energy to devote a aminimum of 20-25 hours a week to training. For the old geezer like me--- that is to say, a marginal athlete with a job, a family, other interests, and a maximum of twelve hours a week to train, this book is totally inappropriate. It's far too technical and clearly targets younger athletes already competing at or near the elite level. Something comparable to Galloway's 2nd edition book on running or his "Marathon---You Can Do It" would be far more useful to somebody at my level.

Rating:
Summary: REVIEW BY AN OLDER,RECREATIONAL ATHLETE
Review: I'm 57, and returned after a 15-year hiatus this spring to participate in multi-sport events. I think Friel's book would be great for the younger triathlete, or an older, dedicated triathlete with the time and energy to devote a aminimum of 20-25 hours a week to training. For the old geezer like me--- that is to say, a marginal athlete with a job, a family, other interests, and a maximum of twelve hours a week to train, this book is totally inappropriate. It's far too technical and clearly targets younger athletes already competing at or near the elite level. Something comparable to Galloway's 2nd edition book on running or his "Marathon---You Can Do It" would be far more useful to somebody at my level.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect for triathlete beginners
Review: I've practiced a lot of sports since I was very young but I've never tried to 'tri'. I thought I knew a lot about endurance training but I was wrong. Friel's training book has been very useful and covered almost everything: training basic principles, periodization, skill assessment, nutrition ...
Most of all, Friel's book gave me the 'ability' to prepare my own training annual plan and to schedule my workouts (with correct volume & intensity levels according to periodization) on a weekly basis. Definitely a "must have" for beginners and intermediate triathletes.