The Triathlete's Training Bible

He gives excellent instruction for all three sports including how to devise a training plan customized for your goals, the special skills required for each sport, and nutrition. It is a very comprehensive book and will take at least a couple of weeks to finish, but the education is priceless. I never raced a triathlon before this book and after reading it, I felt like I had more information in my head on the subject than most seasoned veterans.

The only negative about this book is that there needs to be more on swimming and to truly become a better swimmer you will need another resource; I believe he suggests Total Immersion by Terry Laughlin. Joe Friel's web site is http://www.ultrafit.com/ and you can go there for more tips or to inquire about personal coaching services. I sent him an e-mail questioning something in the book that I didn't understand and he responded the same day. I constantly quote the book to my friends. Maybe that's why it's called the "Bible".


informative   August 29, 1999
68 out of 69 found this review helpful

Not being of the multisport athlete ranks myself (I'm a runner)I endeavoured to branch out this year and try a triathlon using the advice given in this book. I found that not only was this book incredibly useful for the novice triathlete, it was also the best book on running I have ever picked up. Advice on training cycles, nutrition, strength training, and racing was invaluable even for runners alone. I would highly recommend this book for any endurance athlete.


This book is essential for any self-coached triathlete.   December 14, 1998
dpredzin@erols.com (Virginia)
42 out of 43 found this review helpful

This book is as comprehensive as it gets on training for and competing in triathlons. The author outlines training programs for triathlons of all distances - sprint races to Ironman. He takes you through a self-evaluation that assists you in determining your strengths and weaknesses. This is a tremendous help in guiding you towards improving your performance, at whatever level you are competing.

The information in this book is very current and will help any triathlete avoid the many pitfalls of the over-ambitious nature of triathlon training.


The title says it all...   November 20, 2001
46 out of 48 found this review helpful

The title sums up what this book is about and who it is for better than any other training book on the market. It is a complete program for competitive athletes. If you are currently doing triathlons just to stay in shape and enjoy yourself without worrying about your finishing time, stay away from this book. Stick to your swim a little, bike a little, run a little and see what happens training program. But the second you find yourself saying, "I want to beat my previous time" or "I want to see how fast I can go", this is the book for you.

It is one of the only books out there that teaches you the information necessary to develop a customized training program that is perfect for only one person - YOU!

Beware of all the books written by the stars of their respective sports that show you what they did to win, then tell you to adjust their program accordingly. Granted, many of these books are interesting reading and have some insightful hints, but they don't teach you the skills to think up your own program that fits your lifestyle.

This book offers facts. It lets you decide how to incorporate all these facts into your own training, whether you are a first timer or elite competitor. The instant you decide that your last triathlon was not your best effort and you get competitive with yourself, buy this book.