 An
enlightened new approach to the challenge of triathlon training
in hectic modern life, by Brad
Kearns.
Book
Reviews
 Breakthrough Triathlon Training was great. I opened it up one morning and was immediately hooked. It’s the first triathlon type book that I’ve read completely. The book reiterated some of the Chinese Tao philosophy that I like to keep in mind for daily life. Thanks Brad Kearns for writing this book!
Tim DeBoom - 2x Hawaii Ironman World Triathlon Champion, Lyons, CO
**
"Breakthrough
Triathlon Training has been a joy to read. In my sometimes
not so humble opinion, this is the most insightful and informative
book written to to date, including Friel's "bible".
Your latest work is the most clear, cogent and concise that I
have seen. It offers and welcomes the opportunity to individualize
a very - as you call it - Type A sport. Breakthrough Triathlon
Training is a book to be reviewed many times over."
Tim Allin - Rocklin, CA
**
Brad Kearns's approach to training has totally changed the way I train. No
more hammer sessions on the bike, no more hard "masters" swims, all runs are
at an easy to med. pace. I did have my doubts as did my training partners
who thought I was a little crazy preaching this new way for me to train.
They thought I lost my edge, letting people pass me on the road and not
chasing them down and making them suffer. I just let them go and told my
bro's "it's only February they will be toast by May...remember last year, that happened to us."
So, with NOT ONE day of speed on the bike and with two weeks off of running
because of my calf injury, and the swim has been about 50% drills and
only 500 total yards of fast swimming the past 3 months. I went into a
sprint triathlon...what was I thinking? No speed work, hell yea I was
nervous for the first time in years.
For the first time ever I led the swim and exited the water first in the
30-39 male swim wave. Then on the bike put about 2 min. on the nearest
30-39 year old. With about a half mile to go a 30-34 year old was 20 seconds down on me, so I picked it up hard to
the finish and beat him by one second. Last year he beat me by an average of
2-4 min. depending on the race. I took 8th OA, and first in age group by
over 3 minutes.
I see all the forums of people saying "to race fast,
you have to train fast". Actually, training sensibly, balancing stress and rest and aerobic with anaerobic, as Brad Kearns describes in Breakthrough Triathlon Training, is the true answer to peak performance.
Louis Bednar - Orange County, CA
**
Breakthrough
Triathlon Training was fantastic, filled with exciting anecdotes
of Kearns’s victories, defeats and lessons he learned along
the way. Kearns's re-telling of his back-to-back victories over
Scott Molina at the Desert Princess Run-Bike-Run is an adrenaline
rush.
The
book will make you want to get up off the couch, go out for a
run, and start scheduling your next race. Though I have been running
my entire life, I learned a great deal from this book regarding
the importance of base building, heart rate monitoring, aerobic
v. anaerobic exercise and more. It was easy to read, very motivational
and very informative. I would recommend (and I have recommended)
the book to everyone from novice athletes to weekend warriors
to ironman triathletes.
Robert Benun - Santa Monica, CA
**
Thoroughly enjoyed Breakthrough Triathlon Training. Having returned to Tri after a ten year break having kids, etc. it makes a lot of sense and may well help me keep a better balance than before. The typical obsessive behaviour you note was certainly one of my previous traits and none too popular with my then girlfriend, now wife!
Dominic Brooks - Surrey, England
**
Brad
Kearns has written a great book for busy, working real life people.
Lots of people are going to come around and discover a reason,
and a rationalization, to get them to follow this incredibly pure
message: listen to your body, balance stress and rest and remove
that stress of 'dam I missed the workout'. I believe that this
is the key to more enjoyment and success of the sport.
Tim Cahill - El Dorado Hills, CA
**
Count,
measure, gizmos- somewhere along the way, many of us feel the
adventure of traithlon has been lost. Kearns' book brings it back,
he describes some truly magical and memorable racing and training
experiences and also moments when everything went completely awry.
My favorite part was the list of crazy-assed but insanely fun
workout suggestions, including; bike from sun-up to sun-down then
call someone to come and pick you up. I agree with the author,
triathlon is not supposed to be about workouts and racing, it's
about having fun in life, finding yourself and living the adventure
to its fullest.
Paul Charteris - Davis, CA
**
I bought Breakthrough Triathlon Training at a Borders bookshop in Bournemouth, England. It is about the best I have read on the subject. I nearly didn't buy it because I thought, oh just another book on triathlon. I particularly liked your focus on pure motivation and the section on aerobic heart-rate training. I found out the hard way that the misuse of anaerobic training can lead to demoralization and burn-out.
I have been involved in triathlon for just over two years. At age 43, some might say that I should have taken up something a little less strenuous but I love this sport. I look forward to taking some of Kearns’s life-affirming beliefs shared in the book and incorporating them into my training.
Adam Dickson - Dorset, England
**
Brad
Kearns has clearly struggled with the major issue facing all endurance
athletes: balance. Here he relates how to set goals, train for
races big and small, and do it all without sacrificing family,
work, or perspective. In fact, he actually makes triathlon sound
like an adventure in personal growth rather than a daily grind
of swim, bike, and run. Highly recommended for anyone who loves
the sport and plans to compete for years to come."
Martin Dugard - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (Author of Chasing
Lance - the 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's Ride
of a Lifetime, The
Last Voyage of Columbus, Surviving
The Toughest Race on Earth and others. Visit MartinDugard.com for an entertaining blog on endurance sports, global travel and random adventure.
**
Breakthrough
Triathlon Training completely changed the way that I am training
for races. The holistic approach to training and competing that
Brad Kearns spells out really spoke to me, and I have felt much
less stressed about training and feel more effective
when I listen to my body while training and resting.
Dudley Hancox - Bergen County, NJ
**
I
met Brad Kearns toward the end of his triathlon career and was
interested in knowing how he was able to stay competitive for
so long. Now that he's articulated his balanced, holistic approach
in this book, I've come away with a strong sense of not only how
he did it, but also how I will be able to incorporate the same
attitude and "pure motivation" into my triathlon career.
A
must-read for anyone who considers themselves a triathlete and
is looking to develop a corresponding healthy lifestyle. I just
wish he had published the book sooner!
Mike Llerandi - Ridgewood, NJ (Hawaii Ironman
World Championship top-3 age group finisher)
**
Breakthrough
Triathlon Training is about way more than just triathlon training.
Brad’s emphasis and clear discussion about keeping things
in balance and paying attention to the body often glossed over
in many books and magazines. Today, there is so much information
thrown at us that it can become paralyzing – ‘do this
in off season’, ‘do this if you’re over 50’,
‘do this to get stronger in the hills’, etc.
I like to
remind myself, ‘Hey I’m not going to the Olympics,
so I need to keep everything in balance.’. It’s fun
to have a new bike and new equipment - that makes for a better
experience. However, the typical person who is motivated enough
to do the sport and stay fit needs to stay focused on the big
picture. Brad’s book puts it all into perspective. It’s
easy to say you want balance, but more difficult to dice up your
life to make everything work. One tiny thing can throw you out
of balance – whether it’s work, or family issues compromising
your training. Or, qualifying for Hawaii and sending the rest
of your life out of balance. Breakthrough Triathlon Training serves
as a guide to make everything work and get the most out of your
triathlon – both in enjoyment and in performance.
Diane
Malven-Pang
Olympic Valley, CA (Ironman
Canada Finisher)
**
Breakthrough
Triathlon Training is one of the most insightful books
I have read about training and life. It has really changed the
way look at just about everything I do..not just triathlon. This
book came at a great time for me. I was burned out, tired all
the time and had to struggle through just about every workout.
Needless to say running a business, maintaining a second full
time job, family obligations and 3 marathons in 3 months took
its toll on me. But yet I did not slow down. Go figure! I now
understand that "tri" athlon is not just swimming-biking-running.....it's
physical-mental-emotional.
Jim
Murry - Plano, TX
Instead
of the normal "on Tuesday run 5 miles at a set pace",
this book allows real people to adapt their training and race
goals to the rigors of everyday living of family, work and exercising.
Brad Kearns' focus on key workouts that matter instead of filling
a log book with empty miles is the way to train for busy athletes.
Kevin Pedrotti - Fair Oaks, CA
**
I loved Breakthrough Triathlon Training!. A fast, fun and informative read. I highly recommend this book to our team!
Tim Sheeper - Triathlon Legend, Founder/Head Coach of Team Sheeper Multisport, world's top professional triathlete over 40, Menlo Park, CA
**
About 8 months ago I stumbled upon
Breakthrough Triathlon Training. At that time I was a confused 25 year old
that enjoyed triathlons, but really had no reason for doing the races. I decided to commit myself to Brad's
training principles and mental approach to the sport. I also bought Power Month and made some key changes in my lifestyle. Previous to reading this
book my best 1/2 ironman time was 5:15 and a 156th place finish. After
about three months of following Brad's advice, I turned in a 4:45 in the same race -
78th place finish. Then two months after that, a 4:30 half for 7th place
finish. Two months after that I raced in my first ironman distance race and
finished 4th overall at The Great Floridian!
Not only did I improve in triathlon I gained a much greater
respect for the people around me and life in general which I have learned is
more important than any result. I am writing this letter not to brag about
myself or toot my horn but to let everyone know that Brad's books influence peoples lives and can really make a difference, and for that I am
thankful from the bottom of my heart.
Mark Weghorst - Carmel, IN
**
"I
love this book! I had my head so wrapped around numbers and feeling
disappointed with my races. Now I feel completely chilled out.
I'm good with the idea of doing triathlon for years and having
my base get better and better along the
way. OK I don't want to bore you by going on and on about how
great you and your book are. You must get that all the time ;-)"
Rebecca Whitaker - Oakland, CA
**
"Breakthough
Triathlon Training conveys Brad Kearns' healthy balanced
approach very well. I learned that its OK to take days completely
off, or a week of little to no training. I feel that any athlete
of any level or sport can learn a great deal from this book."
Matt Winstead - Huntsville, Alabama, USAT Nationally
Ranked Triathlete (20-24)
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