Step 1 - Join Tri4Him

TLETS is offered exclusively to Tri4Him members, so if you haven't already done so, select a membership option and join us. After you've joined, you'll be prompted to register in the Tri4Him Community. Once your profile in the community is confirmed (usually a day or less), you'll have access to the TLETS on-demand resources. If you're a Performance Member, be sure to join the Performance Member group in the Tri4Him Community after your profile is confirmed.

Step 2 - Review TLETS Overview and Basics

Inside the Tri4Him Community, you'll find a tab titled TLETS. This is where the on-demand resources reside. This area is continually being updated and improved. In contrast to the static info in a book or DVD that quickly becomes out-dated, the materials found here are dynamic and in a state of constant improvement. If you're new to TLETS, begin by reading the short articles in the Overview and Basics categories. It's also a good idea to review these once a year or so to ensure you've got the basics covered and to see the new additional. A few of the articles you'll find include:

• TriLife Metaphor
• TLETS Key Principles - This article explains a few of the key principles that the TLETS is based on.
• Transformational Stages (overview and 1-3) - This article outlines the three transformational stages, explains the objectives and importance of each, and shows you when you should anticipate moving from one stage to the next.
• Three Disciplines, One Race - This article overviews the TLETS triathlon training and racing strategies and discusses how to achieve your optimal race.

Step 3 - Conduct Assessments

If you're a Performance Member, you'll need your swim, bike, and run assessment results when you order your customized plan (step 5). If you're a Community Member, you may be curious to see what your TriDot is for your swim, bike, and run. Your TriDots will show you your relative ability in each discipline and are useful for determining race-distance progression thresholds, communicating training intensities, determining race pacing, and much more. For more information on TriDots and conducting your assessments, review the two articles listed below that are found under the TLETS tab of the Tri4Him Community. Specific instructions for each of the assessments are found in the Swim, Bike, and Run categories under the same tab.

• Assessing Your Performance
• TriDot Overview

Step 4 - Choose Your Next Training Phase

If you're a Performance Member, you have access to unlimited customized training plans. After conducting your assessments (step 3), review the two articles listed below that are found under the TLETS tab of the Tri4Him Community. They'll guide you through the simple process of evaluating your assessments (current performance level) and your triathlon goal and determining what how many and what types of training phases should go in between. Generally, your annual training plan will be 2 to 4 training phases. Each phase typically ends with an A-priority race and is followed by a transition phase (from one week to a month or more). B- and C-priority races will just be worked into your training for your A races.

• Race-Distance Progressions - This article and the associated chart show you how, based on your TriDots, you can know when you're ready to progress to training for the next longer race distance. It'll also explain several significant considerations to keep in mind when you're trying to determine if/when to increase your race distance.
• Season Planning: Training Phases - This article discusses training phases including their primary objectives and sequencing. The TLETS uses four general objective-based phase categories: Race Prep (prepares you for a specific race), Get Faster (at a race distance you can already complete, used in off season or preceding Race Prep phase), Go Further (than the race distance you can already complete, used in off season or preceding Race Prep phase), Transition (unstructured training, physical and mental recovery).

Step 5 - Order Your Customized Plan

After reviewing the TLETS materials, conducted your assessments, and selected your next 12- or 16-week training phase, you're ready to order your customized training plan for that phase!

Step 6 - Implement Your Training Plan

It can take up to a week (usually 3-5 days) for us to build your plan. When it's ready, we'll email it to you as an Excel 2007 workbook along with some supplemental documentation providing additional guidance. As you begin to implement your plan, you'll also receive training tips and other plan-specific guidance by email.
 
If you're implementing a half- or full-iron race prep plan, you'll receive the current race pace guide (shown left) that will use your assessments and key training data to determine your optimal race pacing.

Step 7 - Run Your Race

With your training behind you and a solid race plan based on your trianing data and race rehearsals, you'll be ready to finish strong on race day! (Be sure to send us an email with your results and a photo or two.)

Step 8 - Repeat (go back to step 4 or 5)

After racing or re-assessing at the end of your current plan, your ready to move to your next training phase. If you've already planned this phase, just go back to step 5 and order another custom plan to guide you through the next leg of your triathlon journey.