Seeking advice for a first time Iron Girl Triathlon

Super_Mama

Hello fellow MFPers!
I am very excited (and somewhat terrified!) that I am training for my first triathlon! The race is a half mile swim, 16 mile bike, 5k run. I am interested in any advice any of you have for a first timer, including what a "decent time" for each leg is, training secrets, wardrobe/gear advice, etc. I am traditionally a runner, and am getting back into biking through spinning, and have just started to swim (my weakest sport).

I am 5'2" and cw 189, gw 130 sw 207, if it helps provide any perspective.
Thanks!

BrianSharpe

For your first tri don't worry about time, just focus on finishing with a smile on your face.

My tri club's head coach has a favourite word......specificity. Simply put, to swim better you have to swim, to bike better you have to bike and to run better......well, you get the picture. The biggest training secret is that there are no training secrets........but here are a few ideas that may make the process more enjoyable.

Buy yourself a pair of tri shorts. They're similar to biking shorts but have a much lighter chamois so you can swim, bike and run with them. I use my bike jersey rather than a tri top but that's more a matter of convenience, I can carry a couple of gels and re-fuel on the bike ride.

If you have access to a coach, even if it's just for a couple of sessions, you can make real improvements in your swimming (I'm still a terrible swimmer too, but not as terrible as I used to be) swimming is all in the stroke mechanics - develop an efficient stroke and life becomes that much easier.

Bricks........practice brick workouts (run immediately after riding) to get your legs accustomed to the transition and, speaking of biking, get riding outdoors as soon as you can. Spinning is great exercise but there's no substitute for riding on the road and developing confidence in your ability to maneuver your bike (just like running on your treadmill is no substitute for running outside).

Transitions......there are some great videos on youtube about transitions and how to get your kit organized. Rehearse transitions, developing a routine means one less thing to think about on race day.

Do you have a tri club where you live? If you do, consider joining - at my club we have a huge range of athletic abilities (from people who have done Ironman distances down to duffers like me) and my experience has been that the experienced / gifted athletes are almost invariably happy to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the sport.

Have fun!

Super_Mama

Thanks so much! This is VERY helpful! there are a group of us women (about 9 of us) who are doing this in the fall, we run the gammet of levels. I hadnt given transitions much thought so that is an excellent point. A lot of times I am trapped on my dreadmill or taking a spin class as I have 4 kids and work full time, but I need to make more time to build in bike rides. Not as worried about the running and biking as I am about the swimming.

Thank you SO much!

20072013

I agree with the previous poster. I always tried to reserve Saturday mornings for a brick workout and would practice transitions at least 1x a week. At this distance you don't HAVE to fuel but may want to. Personally, I would eat a banana on the go between bike/ run. If you are thinking about trying GOO, then practice with that before hand and find a flavor you like and can tolerate. Some kinds can cause tummy troubles.
If you are concerned about the swim you may consider renting or borrowing a wetsuit, they tend to make you much more bouyant so swimming is a bit easier especially if you are swimming in a lake.
Don't worry about your times at this point just have fun, they are addicting! You may suprise yourself.

JenRunTriHappyGirl

I am going to do my first triathlon in the fall too! Luckily for me, my mom is an amazing traithlete. She is competing in the World Championships (for the 2nd time) in London this fall! I have spent many mornings watching her race and lots of time hanging around triathletes and listening to them. I plan on using that experience to help me.

These are the tips my mom has given me:

1. Train for the swim. People do not worry about it as much because it is the shortest part of the race, but you should.

2. For transitions, the less the better. Swim in something that you feel comfortable wearing through the whole race so you save time by not changing clothes. Do the run without socks (practice this first, though to make sure you are okay with it).

3. Practice the transitions! Practice putting on your running shoes with wet feet. Practice running while pushing your bike (you can't be on your bike in the transition area and sometimes you have a ways to travel with your bike).

4. If you are swimming in a lake or ocean, you will have to run barefoot through the sand... have a bottle of water or a foot bath waiting for you.... nothing worse than biking and running with sand all over your feet.

I am sure there is more... my best advice, go watch one and see what people do. It will help you I promise!

Good luck!




3.

dbmata

Ben had great advice.
Another poster here that may or may not see this is CaptApollo, he has had great advice for me.

Best of luck to you, I'm doing the same. Going a sprint distance like you on August 10th.

Some things I'm learning from my first go at a tri:
1. Swim coach. Get one. Swimming isn't natural, and good swimming is anything but. You need someone who can watch you and tell you where you're all *kitten* and elbows.
2. Bike training, get in some long rides and some short high intensity rides as well. The spinning is good and fun, but you really need to pound a high output in the spinning class in order to increase max fitness. Don't expect riding gains to come from that class.
3. Learn how you react to gels and stingers. I don't know about other folks, but I have come to find out that I finish better if I have a gel in me, especially for the run. I've already devised a plan where I hit a gel at the start of the bike, drink a bottle of eplenish or cytomax while on the bike, then if I need it, have a gu waiting at the start of the run, and that's that.
4. Get some tri shorts. Their cool. I plan to wear the tri shorts, no wetsuit, and then use a cycling shirt for the ride and the run.
5. Figure out asap if you want to use socks or not. I have some "tri" bike shoes that I think I can wear without socks, but my super awesome super new brooks shoes are tearing my feet up something fierce, so probably going to be running and riding with socks.
6. Do bricks. A fun one I did was 8 mile ride at a good pace, and then a 1.5 mile run. When I get to the run after the quickest transition I could mustard I experienced an intense need to puke, and muscle cramps all up and down my legs. You need to prepare for that transition.


All that said, it looks to be pretty easy to finish, something else if you want to take your AG. That's not for your first tri though, I think.

Super_Mama

Thank you all so much! I am a gu fan, I use them for distance running, but hadnt thought about them for this! I am working on enlisting a swimming coach. I am a blister person so unfortunately I will need socks, however, in case this is useful to any of you for the sand issue....I have learned (through 4 kids at beachtime!) that if you bring baby powder and dump some on your feet, sand will literally fall/brush right off, and leave no grains left. It sounds strange but I assure you this totally works!

I am currently researching a tri suit that I can wear throughout all three. I currently have a pair of biking shoes with clips and separately running shoes, do you suggest otherwise?

I am not really worried about my times, however I also do NOT want to come in LAST!

Thanks again everyone!

LaurenAOK

Congrats on signing up! You're going to have a blast. I did my first triathlon recently and loved it (it was a super sprint though, so the distances were much shorter than yours!)

I wrote a post on my blog with all the details of my triathlon and some tips I learned along the way. Here's the link if you want to read it! http://thehealthjourney.tumblr.com/post/52926507685/all-about-my-first-triathlon

addean1

Have fun!! Others have given you some great advice- I've den 3 sprint tris, only I'm chicken of the open water, and mine have all been pool swims.

Super_Mama

Congrats on signing up! You're going to have a blast. I did my first triathlon recently and loved it (it was a super sprint though, so the distances were much shorter than yours!)

I wrote a post on my blog with all the details of my triathlon and some tips I learned along the way. Here's the link if you want to read it! http://thehealthjourney.tumblr.com/post/52926507685/all-about-my-first-triathlon

THis is awesome! I am so glad you shared your story! Great insight into it for another first timer! Thanks!

SonicDeathMonkey80

Look for the Triathletes/Duathletes group - lots of awesome, knowledgeable people there.