Triathlon Thread (Sprint, Half, Olympic, etc)

[synthsis]

any comments on one of these, they keep popping up on Chain Love for $42.

quoting myself, I bit the bullet and bought this suit. The price dropped to $37 and I was doing some research and it happened to pop up on Chainlove with 1 size Large in Blue left, thought it was meant to be mine. Hope I don't freeze my ass off in the water because I don't think I'm using a wetsuit.

[Hufeisen]

Cool thread, ideally looking to do one this summer was well... I know the topic of swimming has been touched, so if I repeat something, please forgive me. The suits definitely give you some buoyancy, so it is worth trying. Regarding the training, as you work on distances, do a lot of repeats of short distances on time. Then build up distances. It's more daunting to do 400 yard repeats compared to them broken down by 25/50/100s etc.

[synthsis]

Ok, so I think I'm tentatively putting a time goal for the Sprint: 1:30minutes.

here is my estimated breakdowns

400m swim: 15 minutes
12 mile bike: 45 minutes thinking if I ride on the conservative 15mph range
5K: 35 minutes

my math sucks but that should be an hour and a half, give or take 5 minutes.

[4-Dr-W-a-T]

Hmmm I feel inspired!

I have my first organized race June 2nd,..... Ive always been a runner, bet never did anything organized. Always loved bikes and you can't get me out of the pool...Maybe a sprint Triathlon could be fun!

Thanks synthsis!!!

[synthsis]

As long as the weather holds out I'm going to do my local bike shop "B group" ride which is 24 miles at about a 20mph pace. This should be a solid bike workout for me, then on Thursday I have an informal swim training session with an informal "coach" at the pool. I'm not 100% sure of his credentials, I think he's an assistant coach at the college or high school but he always has a small group running drills so I'm going to work with him on some stuff.

[synthsis]

Did my first B-group ride. Did pretty good for the first 19 miles then we came to a stop right in front of a hill. Well, everyone decided to attack right up the hill and my legs said no thanks. I got dropped then as I was trying to catchup my stomach also said no thanks. puked doing 15mph. I finished off the ride by myself but had a really good last 5 miles.

[moose82]

Nice job man. Make sure you're properly fueled and hydrated for hard rides where you're really pushing yourself.

what's the bike distance in a sprint? 13 or so? You should be able to breeze through that keeping a pretty high pace and not killing yourself, by the sounds of it.

I'm trying to talk my wife into letting me do a full iron in the fall of 2013. The deciding factor will be if she can be a single parent once the kid shows up this summer. If not, I might try and get a few halfs under my belt and try to do the full in 14. I definitely want to do a full sooner rather than later.

[synthsis]

My food was pretty good but I might have been a little down on fluids pre-ride. It's a 12 mile ride for the Tri, so that should be easy. This was the first time I was really pushing myself, especially trying to keep up going right up a hill from a stop.

Swim lessons tonight, hopefully I can learn something. I was riding with a guy yesterday who said I really need to spend some time in open water before the race because it is that much different than pool swimming. very short field of vision, people sloshing all around you.

[moose82]

My food was pretty good but I might have been a little down on fluids pre-ride. It's a 12 mile ride for the Tri, so that should be easy. This was the first time I was really pushing myself, especially trying to keep up going right up a hill from a stop.

Swim lessons tonight, hopefully I can learn something. I was riding with a guy yesterday who said I really need to spend some time in open water before the race because it is that much different than pool swimming. very short field of vision, people sloshing all around you.

I think having practice with open water swims is a good thing. I didn't have the opportunity and the first race was eye opening. The ones I have done have been in rivers, murky, dirty ass rivers. You can't see anything, there is obviously no lanes, people are crawling all over you. It's un=nerving. See if there are any tri training groups/teams in your area. They will probably organize some open water swim sessions that you could go to for a small price. Even if you only do 1 or two.

It sounds like you'll be fine. Your training seems to be more than enough for a sprint: you could do an Olympic and finish no problem by glancing through what you've been doing. When's the race?

[synthsis]

It sounds like you'll be fine. Your training seems to be more than enough for a sprint: you could do an Olympic and finish no problem by glancing through what you've been doing. When's the race?

Olympic?!?!? haha, that would be awesome. I'm 1 month out, June 16th is the race. I weighed in at my thinnest in memory at 182.6 this morning. Guess the ride yesterday really melted some cals off of me.

I'm starting to feel pretty good in my mindset that I'll actually be able to pull this thing off. I'm going to start doing more Bricks starting on Saturday, try to do 2 a week up until the week of the race.

[synthsis]

Thursday: hour + swim doing drills from my informal swimming coach.

Friday: Just got in from a 5K. unofficial 25 minutes.

Picking up Aerobars for the bike tomorrow then I'll put some miles down with them on to get used to the new position.

[4-Dr-W-a-T]

How is the training coming along?

[synthsis]

How is the training coming along?

Been meaning to update this thread.

It's going good. Been running a lot, been riding with the Local Bike Shop B-Group which has kicked my ass twice. I tweaked my shoulder rock climbing last Friday so I've had to take it easy with swimming, nursing it back to health.

My Tri-suit came and man, is that puppy snug, really makes you think twice about having dessert knowing I have to put that on in public.

[synthsis]

Ran in my Trisuit with a Tshirt on over it the other day to get an idea of what it's gonna be like to run in it. the pad is unobtrusive which now concerns my butt for the bike ride.

Going to the Dr at 2pm today to get a Cortisone shot in my shoulder. Tweaked it indoor climbing 2 weeks ago and figured I'd give it some time to heal on it's own. It has not so another shot is needed. My race is in 8 days

[moose82]

My race is in 8 days

You'll be fine man! It appears you have put in plenty of miles. Try not to get too anxious, especially for the swim.

And your butt will be fine on the bike. It's a pretty short distance: not enough time in the saddle to really cause any pain.

Good luck

[4-Dr-W-a-T]

Dont worry,.... you got this spanked!

Just don't forget to eat enough for the event!

[synthsis]

thanks guys! Shoulder is all Cortisoned up, gonna give it a little while before I stress it.

Since Saturday (6 days ago)
Sat-bike
Sun-5K 27min
Mon-gym, couple miles on the treadmill, light lifting, abs
Tues-12 mile bike 38 min
Weds-5K 26 min
Thurs-off

I'm going to do a mini-brick today. Some people who train regularly may know what I'm about to say but I feel like I "peaked" about 3 weeks ago. I found myself mentally saying "when can I train again, when can I train again". The shoulder was a setback and threw me off a bit.

[synthsis]

so I'm under the gun now and I'm prepping my day of transition kit, looking for opinions.

Rubbermaid bucket
2 towels: 1 for feet out of water, 1 for my face, etc
3 water bottles: 1 to wash feet, 1 to drink, 1 on bike
2 gels
Sunglasses
Helmet
2 Vita Coca's (1 for after the race, 1 for between bike/run??)

I also need to find out if I can run with music, as that is something I like to do, helps me keep pace.

[moose82]

so I'm under the gun now and I'm prepping my day of transition kit, looking for opinions.

Rubbermaid bucket
2 towels: 1 for feet out of water, 1 for my face, etc
3 water bottles: 1 to wash feet, 1 to drink, 1 on bike
2 gels
Sunglasses
Helmet
2 Vita Coca's (1 for after the race, 1 for between bike/run??)

I also need to find out if I can run with music, as that is something I like to do, helps me keep pace.

My opinion:

2 towels is a good idea.
3 water bottles may be overkill, but probably better to have more fluid. I'd have one on the bike and one to drink/wash your feet
2 gels is fine (for a sprint I'd probably eat one before the start and one at the tail end of the bike)
Don't know what Vita Coca's are. I think with the gels you'll have enough nutrition, but go with what you're comfortable with.
You probably won't be allowed music.

Don't forget a way to attach your number. I have one of those elastic bands the number clips into. Just snap the band on after the bike.

Also, chapstick, the anti-chafe stuff, maybe sunscreen if you are fair skinned or a visor. What I like to do is lay everything out the night before the race. I break it up between the 3 events to make sure I don't forget my helmet or socks

[synthsis]

snagged a second bottle for my spare bottle cage on my bike today, so I can ride with 2. 2 packs of gel bloks set aside for the race. put my seat-post bag back on with a spare tube, spoons, and I need to mount my pump for the race.

I looked at some transition setups and someone made the point that the space you will have is as wide as a set of handlebars, so I'll need to practice laying my stuff out in the square footage.

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

2 gels is fine (for a sprint I'd probably eat one before the start and one at the tail end of the bike)
Don't know what Vita Coca's are. I think with the gels you'll have enough nutrition, but go with what you're comfortable with.
You probably won't be allowed music.

I only drink liquids in a sprint, they are just so short that I've never felt the need to suck down a gel.

And good luck synthsis!

[moose82]

I only drink liquids in a sprint, they are just so short that I've never felt the need to suck down a gel.

And good luck synthsis!

Agreed. I've never done a sprint, but with a 1.5 hour race, a good breakfast combined with fluids during the race should be enough

[synthsis]

my other small issue is that I am NOT a morning person, so falling asleep early on Friday is going to be hard and getting up and being peppy for a race is going to be even harder. FML.

[moose82]

my other small issue is that I am NOT a morning person, so falling asleep early on Friday is going to be hard and getting up and being peppy for a race is going to be even harder. FML.

Neither am I. As long as you get up on time (you will....you'll be anxious), you'll be OK. Get some food and coffee into your system. Once you get to the transition area, the excitement will start to get to you and you'll be plenty awake. If that doesn't happen, once you get in the water, your body will have no choice.

One more thing to bring: if you check the bike in the day before, bring a tire pump/gauge. There will probably be some floating around but i'd rather have mine and KNOW I have one. If you check the bike in that day, remember to check them before you head out to the race

[synthsis]

I'm going to force myself to bed a half hour earlier each night until Friday night, see if that helps. I'm bringing my bike with me on Sat morning, so I'll have my pump in the car, I'm also strapping a pump to the frame just to be safe in case I flat on the road.

I swim with a guy who had done his first open water Tri a couple weeks ago and he had some good advice. Stay wide and go off late unless you are a REALLY strong swimmer, which I am not. Giving them a 15 second head start is not going to break my time, so that's the plan.

[moose82]

good luck this weekend!

[synthsis]

good luck this weekend!

thanks man! I literally just got an email that they are changing it to a Duathlon due to poor water quality. It's going to be a 2mile run instead of a swim. I don't know what to feel. Kinda disappointed since I wanted the real Triathlon experience but relieved since swimming is my weakest leg.

[4-Dr-W-a-T]

thanks man! I literally just got an email that they are changing it to a Duathlon due to poor water quality. It's going to be a 2mile run instead of a swim. I don't know what to feel. Kinda disappointed since I wanted the real Triathlon experience but relieved since swimming is my weakest leg.

Poor water quality? Are you going to get out and start growing a third arm?

I think you should run moving your arms like you're swimming

jk, good luck man! Looking forward to seeing the results

[moose82]

thanks man! I literally just got an email that they are changing it to a Duathlon due to poor water quality. It's going to be a 2mile run instead of a swim. I don't know what to feel. Kinda disappointed since I wanted the real Triathlon experience but relieved since swimming is my weakest leg.

That's a bummer. The good news is there are dozens of tris this time of year. have fun man.

[synthsis]

Just got home. 1:29.08 final time. I'll post my splits when I get them.

notes:

-really interested to see how my time would have differed if I swam because my legs would be fresher.

-the 2 mile run that was subbed for the swim was on the same path as the 5K run. they just moved the turnaround out further. here's the thing: I think they moved it WAY further. Based on this math: If the first leg was 2 miles, the turnaround was at 1 mile. for the 5K, the turnaround would be at 1.55miles. The distance between the first turn and the second turn was much longer than a half mile. several people stated that out loud during their runs.

-my knee is REALLY tweaked right now. I actually had to stop and walk for a minute to give it a chance to recover.

I'm going to take a couple weeks off, let my knee heal up, maybe get some ink work done then look for my second Tri, hopefully it will have the swim as well.

[synthsis]

Hope this makes sense to everyone:


Place Name Bib RUN 1 Pace T1Pl T1 BkPL Bike MPH T2PL T2 R2Pl Run 2 Pace Finish
123 JOE 72 15:48 7:54 134 1:27 114 40:42 17.7 169 2:13 135 28:59 9:21 1:29:08

I'm actually pretty happy with these numbers. my bike was good, but could have been better if there wasn't a strong headwind on the back leg of the loop. I'm also surprised my 5K time was as good as it was considering my knee was smashed, I walked twice, and I was also pretty winded at that point.

[moose82]

Hope this makes sense to everyone:


Place Name Bib RUN 1 Pace T1Pl T1 BkPL Bike MPH T2PL T2 R2Pl Run 2 Pace Finish
123 JOE 72 15:48 7:54 134 1:27 114 40:42 17.7 169 2:13 135 28:59 9:21 1:29:08

I'm actually pretty happy with these numbers. my bike was good, but could have been better if there wasn't a strong headwind on the back leg of the loop. I'm also surprised my 5K time was as good as it was considering my knee was smashed, I walked twice, and I was also pretty winded at that point.

Nice job man. It sounds like all things considered, you did a great job. What happened to your knee? hopefully that heals up quick for you and you can do a few more races this summer

[synthsis]

Nice job man. It sounds like all things considered, you did a great job. What happened to your knee? hopefully that heals up quick for you and you can do a few more races this summer

Thanks. not really sure what happened to my knee. I tweaked it running last Sunday, gave it a couple days off, then re-irritated it during the race. I would say I'm more happy with my 5K time. I was tired and hurt and still did it in under 30 minutes.

[synthsis]

got an MRI on my knee yesterday, just got word that there are no tears or damage. just have to rest and ice it down. should be ready for another Tri in mid-July.

[synthsis]

did my first open-water swim tonight. it was supposed to be a 1/4 mile loop but everyone said it was closer to 1/3rd of a mile. I got about 75% of the way around and completely freaked out. I had to have the guy in the canoe come rescue me. It didn't help that I was swimming with the local women's Tri-club and I was the only guy. talk about embarrassing.