The Athlete's Bookstore - Book Profile The Athlete's Bookstore - Book Profile A complete training manual for the beginning, intermediate, and advanced triathlete. The book was written in 1986, and you'll find the pictures of people on bicycles look outdated, but there's nothing outdated about the advice and training philophies Scott lays out.
The book contains excellent sections on technique in all three sports - swimming, cycling, and running. Scott, like many others, defines five levels of training, which he terms "Explosive Speed," "Speed Race," "VO2," "Anaerobic Threshold," and "Distance." Although many triathletes will want to use heart rate to judge their "zones" these days, Scott uses an equally easily measurable concept, based on paces determined by periodic time trials in the different sports, which are used to both measure your progress and to determine your training paces for the different levels. Scott uses these levels to lay out both short-term and long-term "cycles" of training. Also included is an extensive section, with many pictures, devoted to weight training and stretching.
Scott also discusses diet at length, explaining the traditional high-carb philosophy which served him so well, and also going into great detail on the importance (or lack thereof) of a huge number of vitamins and minerals.
All in all an excellent book, clearly written, easy to follow, and highly recommended.
Dave Scott, "the Man," defined the sport of triathlon. A six-time winner of the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1987), he was the first man to break 11 hours for the Ironman, the first to break 10 hours, the second to break 9, and the first to break 8:30. In 1994, at age 40, he finished second; in 1996 at age 42, he finished fifth in a time faster than any of his winning efforts.