A bigger budget does not necessarily mean a better race time writes Hornet Juice’s guest blogger Bill Scanlan.

One of the biggest downsides of triathlon is that it can be a very expensive sport. Personally, it worries me greatly that triathlon is increasingly becoming a sport for the well off. As someone with a passion for triathlon and a desire to see it grow and prosper, I often find myself thinking of ways to make triathlon training and racing more affordable so that the sport is open to all.

In my experience there are many ways in which you can train effectively and save money at the same time. Often, I find that money saving ideas can actually be those that help you to become a better athlete. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of creativity and a willingness to try new ways of doing things. Here are some ideas, all of which I use regularly, that will not only save you money but will also make you a faster and happier triathlete as well. Now that’s what I call win / win!

Don’t sink your dough in the swim

For the most part swim training gear is easy and cheap but the small costs such as daily pool entry and squad fees can quickly add up to a relatively big cost, especially if you swim all year round.

I like to incorporate a lot of open water swimming into my training. It is great race practice, saves on pool entry costs and can often take you to some beautiful waterside places. Open water swimming lets you go long and builds great endurance. But you can also mix things up. Fartlek swimming is a great workout – it works for running so why not swimming? Put some intervals of fast swimming of varied length and intensity into your long swim and you will reap good fitness and speed gains.

If you have a few friends to swim then you have a swim squad and together you can do a similar workout to that described above. Swim a series of long distance intervals while rotating the lead position every 100 metres or so. Push hard while on the front of the group and then peel off and get a little rest (while still swimming fast) on the toes of your friends before your turn at the front comes up again. This workout and is perfect for replicating the efforts required on race day.

Keep it simple on the bike

Product development and marketing in the world of bikes is a mega business and while this is generally good for the end user it can mean that there is a bewildering array of accessories all capable of making you a better biker, or so we are told. Before lashing out on the latest Power Meter, GPS device, or high-tech heart rate monitor be sure to ask yourself first whether you really have the time needed to use it properly. A Power Meter can be a great tool but unless you have the time and inclination to download the data from training sessions, analyse them properly and undertake regular power testing then you will not be extracting much value from your investment.

These days, the only piece of technology that I bring with me on most rides is a watch and I only do this so that I can get home in time for dinner! Riding free as I like to think of it is not only more enjoyable but it teaches you to listen to your body and understand it better. If you can rely more on your judgement and feelings then you will become a better and more confident athlete. And rather than spending precious time analysing power files you can focus more on recovering better and spending quality time with the important people in your life.

The two-in-one strength run

I am a big believer in strength work – the stronger you are the faster you will go and the less injury prone you will be. But gyms can be stuffy and stale places and membership costs are not cheap.

When the weather permits I do my strength work outdoors. Not only is this more enjoyable but it also saves me money and gives me a better workout than any gym session ever could. Find a run course that has some places along the way where you can stop and do pull ups, push ups, dips, squats and any of your other favourite exercises. Be creative: You can use park benches to do squat jumps or tree branches for pull ups. There is no need for rules in this session, just go with how you feel and have some fun.

My favourite workout of the week is a one hour run with strength work added in. I have circuit that takes me about 10-15 minutes to get around. At various points along the circuit are places where I stop and do my different strength exercises. After 4 to 5 laps of my circuit not only have I managed to get a nice bit of running into my schedule but I also benefit from some great and highly-functional strength work. And best of all it’s free and outdoors.

As an added bonus the combination of aerobic exercise (the running) with anaerobic exercise (the strength work) with little to no rest in between is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and lose weight – and ultimately this is going to make you a faster athlete.

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Bill Scanlan is an elite triathlete with over ten years of racing and training experience. Bill has raced extensively in Australia, Asia and Europe and has twice completed the Ironman World Triathlon Championships held in Hawaii. Through his travels and interactions with other athletes and coaches, Bill has gained a great deal of insight into what it takes to compete at an elite level while at the same time managing work, life and family commitments. Bill has recently turned professional and is now aiming to compete at the highest level within the sport. You can contact Bill at bill (at) breakyourlimits.com or follow his journey at www.breakyourlimits.com.