What It Takes to Win a Sprint Triathlon

OA asked Kurt Perham of Brunswick what it takes to win a sprint triathlon like Iron Bear. Kurt should know - he placed first in the Men’s 35-39 class, and he took fourth overall with a time of 55:14.

“If you look at those of us who placed in the top 5 positions, we all train for half or full Ironman® triathlons. You would not consider any of us ‘short-course specialists.’”

To Kurt, this implies that those who put in more time training their aerobic systems and building a solid base have the upper hand when it comes to short course events like Iron Bear. By training at a greater volume, longer distance triathletes have the aerobic conditioning necessary to win short distance events. At race time, they simply turn it up a notch.

According to Kurt, a professional coach and owner of Personal Best Multisport, the more volume you can sustain without becoming injured or overtrained, the stronger you become. “The biggest mistake people make when training for triathlons is not enough frequency. People tend to go too fast and log too few miles. For example, I might run a 5:50 pace for the 5K portion of a sprint, but I mostly train near a 7:45 pace for my base.”

As he prepares for the Wisconsin Ironman this fall, Kurt’s weekly program consists of 12,000 to 15,000 yards in the pool, 150-400 miles on the bike and 40-60 miles of running. “People ask me why I run so much, and the answer is simple: Runners win triathlons. Personally, I am stronger on the bike, but if I could be anything as a triathlete I would be a great runner.”

Ultimately, it comes down to efficiency and economy of movement. The triathlete with the strongest aerobic base is able to up the pace for short distance events and come out on top. By slowing it down and increasing the volume, aspiring triathletes can improve their performance at sprint triathlons like Iron Bear.