I'm gonna run in a sprint triatlon. Ca I keep my strength?

[Toqui]

I'm 5'9, about 180 lbs. I think I'm pretty strong for my size. Not a world class powerlifter but still pretty strong.
As a former fatass that has flat feet and a severe asthma, I decided I want to participate and fuck it, I want to have chances, in a sprint triatlon. My cardio is kind of good. I'm able to run outside in Miami's humidity for 30 minutes, but I want more.
A sprint triatlon is a fast triatlon of usually 1/4 mile of swimming, 20K of bike, 5K run. Winners usually end between 53 and 55 minutes. So it may not be an ironman, but is still a pretty hard thing to do. 1 hour of intense cardio.
It takes a lot of preparation and a lot of cardio. The thing is, I don't wanna lose my power. It's cool to deadlift or squat twice your bodyweight. It's cool to be strong.
I know that preparing for this thing seriously will make me a cardio machine, but I don't wanna lose my strength. Specially knowing that the day I'm ready, I'll be 10 lbs less at the very least.
Any tips on keeping the power when there's a lot of conditioning and weight loss?

 

[grrthetree]

curls. supersetted.

 

[Calvo]

The actual sprint triathlon wont make you weaker. What kind of training are you doing for it?

 

[Ascendant]

Don't train as much and be satisfied with a mediocre time. You'll be able to keep most of your strength, but what does go away should return quickly as you get back in to heavy lifting.

Don't neglect the heavy lifting while training for it, either.

 

[Toqui]

The actual sprint triathlon wont make you weaker. What kind of training are you doing for it?

I'm starting to work on the transitions of doing something after the other thing. I had never been on a bike to start running so I'm already swiming in the pool, go to the bike, and then run. But Still not even close to the 1 hour, and barely getting to that "Race mode". But is still something, to get used to getting tired and doing something really fast.
I'm also running a lot, slow, but for more than 60 minutes. Regular running for like 30 minutes. I'm slowly noticing that my 60 min run is going faster. That helps with the heart rate. Soon or later heavier exercize won't take my heart rate up so much, and I'll be able to keep it up for longer and longer.
So far no loss in strengh, but everything is hard as fuck. Feet hurt like hell and the other day I felt the asthma sensation again after yrs of being ok. The one where you are tired, heart rate is up, and you breath, but you don't get all the air.

 

[Toqui]

Don't train as much and be satisfied with a mediocre time. You'll be able to keep most of your strength, but what does go away should return quickly as you get back in to heavy lifting.

Don't neglect the heavy lifting while training for it, either.

Nah, I don't want a crappy time.
Fuck no I won't quit lifting. You know, actually runners of shorter distances (5K and 10K) recommend weight trainnig, since the faster race require power too.

 

[SocraticMethod]

I started training for a sprint triathlon right around the same time I found the S&P and completely changed how I lift. I did the two-day split in the FAQ, lifting on Sunday and Wednesday, and did tri-specific training the rest of the week (along with MMA). I obviously was starting at a much lower level than where you seem to be, but after 6 weeks of that training program I was stronger than I'd been in years, even with all the cardio/endurance training I was doing. So if I, even at a much lower level in my strength-training progress, can improve my strength that much, I'm sure you'll be able to maintain at least most of your current strength.

 

[SMillard]

There are some good groups that you can train with and get tips for triathlons in the Miami area. There is at least one triathlon specialty store in Coral Gables that could get you in touch with one of these groups or in one of the triathlon magazines. I see them at my gym all the time. During season there are events all up and down the state for about a four month period

 

[vince89]

Fuck the lifting, if you wanna do the triathlon - do it and do it hard. You cant do everything at the same time, it just doesnt work that way. This race thing sounds hard especially if you want to achieve a competitive time so youre gonna need to put the lifting aside unfortunately, or at most do 1 session a week. Thats my opinion anyway.

 

[Dirty Holt]

i have trained for sprints and halfs, and never stopped lifting, and never lost strength. its a 1/4 swim, and 5k. if you think you are going to lose strength for that short of a distance, you wont. also, there are some pretty intense motherfuckers that enter those things that are usually pros. you wont have to worry about sacrificing strength to win the thing; most likely you wont win or even come close if its your first one. i am a couple time all american, and i consider myself an elite athlete, and there were some dudes who crushed me.

 

[pandaman]

I'm starting to work on the transitions of doing something after the other thing

I wish I'd done this before my first tri - you're a smarter man than me! Good luck, have fun!

If you don't want to lose your strength, you could try gradually reducing your training in the weeks leading up to the triathlon. For example, from 3 x a week strength training to 2 x a week strength training 6 weeks out, then 2 x a week to 1 x a week 4 weeks out, then no strength training in your taper (assuming your taper is 2 weeks, it could be 1 for a sprint). You shouldn't lose too much. Then after the triathlon, strength training can be the thing you get back into first, at the expense of actual event training.

Keep us updated mate!