Need help from those who have done a sprint triathlon...

feelin_gr_8

What's the heaviest weight you were at when you participated in one? I've been planning since last July to do my first sprint tri this August...and I just found out that the options this year are only May or July Less time to lose weight and train! Feeling rather deflated and nervous. My goal is just to survive it...now I'm worried...

5'7" currently 259...

bethvandenberg

215. Just do it. I am telling you it's the best! Read. "Slow fat triathlete". It's hysterical

Springfield1970

Well done! When I started triathlon last year I was amazed at how kick *kitten* the bigger ladies were, particularly in swimming. I'm biased, but it the best sport because of the variety of movement and the way each discipline compliments the other. Plus you get to lift!
Watch out though, training will make you super hungry. Make sure you have a heart rate monitor so you can put your weight and other stats in and get your true burns. Then eat those exercise cals back. Try not to be on too much of a deficit either.
It's the most fun I've had in years! Like a big adventure.

NJL13500

232 pounds. I was not fast, but I finished and that was my goal. Everyone was especially supportive to me along the race course. I would say do it!

glreim21

I was 232 lbs. I finished it and that sense of accomplishment was an feeling I will never forget. You CAN do this!

feelin_gr_8

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! I'm hoping to be down closer to some of those weights by then...I have absolutely no form in swimming and can't afford all the fancy nice stuff like a legit bike (mine is a yard sale find....men's mountain bike" but I'll try my best...

_MG_

I'm with you feelin_gr_8. I've set a goal for myself to do a sprint triathlon in August.

Let's do it!

gnalani

I did an Olympic with very similar stats as you. It was REALLY hard but not necessarily because of my weight. I didn't train at all.

One great thing about triathlons is that everyone is very encouraging. Maybe 5% of the people are there to win and might have kind of an elite, snooty, attitude about an overweight person being there. But 95% of people are extremely encouraging! During my first triathlon (Worlds Toughest in Auburn, CA), a woman ran backwards up a hill so she could face me and give me encouragement as I dragged myself upwards.

You've made a great decision to get involved in triathlon -- you will feel AWESOME after you cross that finish line!

DangerJim71

What's the heaviest weight you were at when you participated in one? I've been planning since last July to do my first sprint tri this August...and I just found out that the options this year are only May or July Less time to lose weight and train! Feeling rather deflated and nervous. My goal is just to survive it...now I'm worried...

5'7" currently 259...

I would agree that triathlon is a great sport and the training will get you fit. Whether you can survive a sprint in May or July depends on where you are right now? What is your current fitness level and what are you doing to train?

GenoPrice

I agree that maybe 5% of the people at triathlons are not that encouraging but I find they are too focused on there own race to care what you are doing.

A mountain bike is fine. I have been in many races with people doing the tri on mountain bikes, even saw one lady on a bike with a shopping basket on the front.

Make sure on the swim at the start you stay at the back because people will literally swim over you if you are in the way.

You have not specified what training you are doing but you should be swimming at least once a week and run and cycle twice a week. Maybe add a brick session; cycle then run straight after; a wierd feeling, legs like jelly.

feelin_gr_8

Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement guys! My brother swears that the sprint tri we're going to do is in August and there just aren't details online yet...I hope he's right. I'll admit that I haven't been doing any biking or jogging with the cold weather and having a nasty cold/flu for over a month. I think I might get out there and do some soon if the weather is above freezing. I can't get myself to seriously bike or jog at the gym...(not to mention I totally have a fat comfy seat on my bike and the cycles at the gym...yeah...I don't like the bruised crotch feeling...)

I started swimming last week. The problem is I never really properly learned to swim as a child. I have been having neck and head aches since last week because I know I'm not swimming properly. I was rather deflated at the pool today because of some rudeness of an employee and my own anxiety. But I came home and looked up some videos on techniques to help me get more comfortable Hopefully a visit to the chiropractor tomorrow will help set me right and I'll keep coming back for more!

michellemybelll

sprint tri's are really fun. you have plenty of time still to train, even if yours ends up being in july rather than august. That's still minimally 6 months away. a lot of time, and no doubt your weight will be down and fitness level up.

good luck!

EALongbottom

There's a brilliant book by a lady called Meredith Attwood called Swim Bike Mom. She has a blog and website too. Definitely worth a look and was a great help to me before my first triathlon last year http://www.swimbikemom.com/

feelin_gr_8

Looks like a nice blog bertiones, I'll definitely have to read more of those articles, just read one

And GenoPrice-thanks for the reminder to hang back. That definitely won't be a problem for me, I'd rather not get mowed down! My goal: survive, secondary goal: not be last!

jetlag

beginnertriathlete.com Best site ever.

No one will care what you look like. Triathletes are supportive and kind. At my first tri, I was a lady doing her tri on a bike with a basket on the front, so equipment doesn't matter either.

My biggest issue (I weighed about 225 lbs) was finding a wet suit that fit. I live in the UK so outdoor tris almost always require wetsuits. I have a man's shape in that I have short legs and a long body, but I also have an hour glass figure. I'm tall AND overweight so a woman's wetsuit was never going to fit me (um, newsflash sports equipment makers, big girls work out too!) so I ended up with a man's xl suit which I cut the legs down to fit my calves. It was ridiculously tight in the hips/bust and saggy in the waist, but at least it didn't cut me in half in the crotch.

My advice:

1. transitions are just as important as each leg. Learn the rules of transition so you don't get disqualified, especially the swim-bike transition. Put your helmet on before you touch the bike and DO NOT mount the bike until you're at the exit.

2. If you must wear a wetsuit (outdoor swim) then practice swimming in it at the pool or in a lake before your first event. It's a weird sensation and I had panic attack despite being a strong swimmer. I set off first, was in the lead then panicked and ended up last out of the water with a little flotilla of rowboats all around me. Funny now, annoying and scaring then.

3. Some races have a half-sprint distance length. Perfect for a first event if you're not in the best shape.

4. Have fun. It's the best sport.

Triathlon is my sport of choice. Sadly, I'm broken and not sure when I will ever be able to run properly again, but I keep hoping.


Edit: the finish line award for my first tri was a t-shirt. I wore it for a week and still have it. One item of clothing I will keep forever.

carlaandres

I agree on the beginnertriathlete.com site and on the Atwood book (and blog) It is a very informative and hilarious read. I am also training for my first sprint (49 yrs), and am currently learning from the book, Slow, Fat Triathlete. The concept is not to put this off until you are in good enough shape to train, start now. My biggest challenge is swimming, but I have found that if you stick with it progress is slow but steady. You Tube videos and swimming drills are very helpful. Final thoughts, as a woman, I chose an Iron Girl race because they are all women and I thought that would be less intimidating. There is a website for all of their events. Good luck!

feelin_gr_8

Love all the pointers, thanks so much! I would probably consider an all-woman race if it wasn't for the fact that my brother is my huge motivator. Without him, I never would have started this journey to lose the weight and start training! I'll have to check out those other sites! I stayed up late last night reviewing a bunch of videos on technique, mostly on breathing with water. I'm not the most coordinated person...like I can dance with my upper body but I can't move both my legs and my arms lol. So coordinating breaths with arms and legs moving AND trying to not let water get in my eyes, ears, and nose is so fun......

cdnmummy

While I didn't do a sprint, I did a try-a-tri (mainly because I LOATHE running, so the fact that it was shorter was a bonus!). It was 350M swim, 20K bike, and 3K run. I was 215lbs at the time.
I had a blast. Really, no one cares what you look like, or your fitness level. My goal was to finish without being cut off time wise. I was happily surprised to finish no where near the back. People were very friendly and encouraging. I also found that there was a huge difference between everyone's abilities. There was an older woman that had a knee brace, and she completed it at her own pace and everyone was cheering her on.

The one piece of advice I'd gotten, but really ignored last year, was to do brick workouts. That's where you do a good amount of one sport, then transition to another right after. Swim to bike was fine, but Bike to run? My toes were numb, my legs felt strange, and I couldn't force myself to actually get running. I jogged a bit, but in the end, walked a lot of the 3K that I had to do.
This year my goal is to run that 3K, and not walk any of it. Then I will move up to sprints. I've started training, and do 2 days circuit training, 1 day bike, 1 day run, 1 day swim. Closer to my event, I will do the bricks of bike to run.
Good Luck! Add me if you want. I am still very much a newbie on the tri scene, but my husband is not! lol! He and my friend convinced me to do this, and I've caught the bug!

feelin_gr_8

Thanks for those tips I've been hearing that-to practice transitions. I just finally got myself out of the house and gym yesterday to do some outside jogging in the freezing weather. Obviously aside from the cold, it felt great Now to get out the bike and do both! I can't stand the idea of treadmills...I feel like a hamster, so I think I'll enjoy the realism of the practice and outdoors

dbmata

What's the heaviest weight you were at when you participated in one? I've been planning since last July to do my first sprint tri this August...and I just found out that the options this year are only May or July Less time to lose weight and train! Feeling rather deflated and nervous. My goal is just to survive it...now I'm worried...

5'7" currently 259...

237. On the run portion I jogged for a bit with a woman who was 240. She was trucking along and kicking *kitten*. There is a small factor of conditioning, of course. If the tri is in August, start now. I started my training back up in Dec.

dbmata

Geno's quote here:

Make sure on the swim at the start you stay at the back because people will literally swim over you if you are in the way.

Truth. I got roadkilled once, punched once, I kicked someone at least once. It happens. What was the most brutal is that I started at the back of my pack... the wave that started AFTER me washed over me.

My advice:

1. transitions are just as important as each leg. Learn the rules of transition so you don't get disqualified, especially the swim-bike transition. Put your helmet on before you touch the bike and DO NOT mount the bike until you're at the exit.

2. If you must wear a wetsuit (outdoor swim) then practice swimming in it at the pool or in a lake before your first event. It's a weird sensation and I had panic attack despite being a strong swimmer. I set off first, was in the lead then panicked and ended up last out of the water with a little flotilla of rowboats all around me. Funny now, annoying and scaring then.

Both these are good. Get used to the wetsuit. I did that with one pool swim and two open water swims, then I was good to go. In fact, practice your open water swimming. The first time you see a diver underneath you, you'll **** yourself. I promise, unless you're prepared for it. (Personal experience.)

Something important to remember with transition. Mentally do your swim bike a couple times, that seems to have the most crazy stuff going on. Be greased up so coming out of that wetsuit is easy, have everything laid out properly. With my bike racked, I put my helmet on the handlebars, and my sunglasses on top, and my jersey on top of that. So even when effort drunk and not thinking clearly, I know it's shirt, glasses, helmet, THEN BIKE. Also, don't sit down during transition. I did, had a REAL hard time getting up.

SillyC2

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! I'm hoping to be down closer to some of those weights by then...I have absolutely no form in swimming and can't afford all the fancy nice stuff like a legit bike (mine is a yard sale find....men's mountain bike" but I'll try my best...

I wish a mountain bike was fine.... it should be.... but.... I spent a summer doing triathlon, and I left because I was teased non-stop about the quality of my gear.

cdnmummy

I have seen a few people do them in Mountain bikes, and while they work, you will be working harder than those on a road bike. I thought I could do mine on my cruiser bike (it's all I had at the time), and went to do a practice 20K. I managed, but I was working really hard. So, I decided that I would look for a cheap road bike. I found one for under $200 new, so I got it. I did see used road bikes for under $100, but thought investing in a new one would encourage me to do more than one triathlon. After I got my road bike, I went back out on the same course and found it much easier, and I shaved 10 mins off my time. It might be something to consider.
I haven't needed a wet suit. It's been warm enough by race day that it wasn't required. But if you do need one, I agree, go practice in one.
I swam in my training swimsuit, then at the first transition, I just pulled shorts over that, socks, shoes, sunglasses, helmet and off I went. Second transition, lose the bike and helmet and away you go.
For sure work on your freestyle. You wont want to be kicking outwards, or doing breast stroke, as people are all around you. I too held back, but still managed to bump into a person or two.

feelin_gr_8

I had a nightmare about this upcoming sprint triathlon last night! The electronic tracker they give you that usually goes around your ankle had been replaced with a large, awkward, bottle-like thing you had to carry. It was nearly impossible to swim at all or bike while holding it! To add to it all, there were multiple transitions (not just swim to bike, bike to run) and you had to figure out clues to move forward, like a scavenger hunt. It was horrible! I can just imagine having many more nightmares before the big day lol.

Lisah8969

OMG! First, the nightmare you just described...NOOOOOOOOO!

I signed up for a duathlon in June...1 mile run/10 mile bike/ 3 mile run. I haven't swum or ridden a bike in decades, so I figured I would tackle only one at a time. I bought a bike last month and have put at least 40 miles on it every weekend so far at a leisurely 11 mph pace. I have a 10k and Half Marathon in 10 days that I need to concentrate on right now. After that I will work on getting a little faster on the bike, but for right now, I am enjoying bike riding more than I thought possible. Next year I will add swimming and sign up for a Tri.

The one thing that sort of bothered me was signing up where it asked what group I wanted to be judged in. I could be judged by age group (which is what I am used to as a runner/walker) or by weight. That just seemed odd to me and maybe a little offensive. Or, most likely, I was just taking it wrong. Either way, i don't plan on getting an award no matter what category I am in...I just want to finish.

To the OP, you have plenty of time to get ready for this! I have no doubts at all that in July (or August) we will see another post from you telling us how much you loved it...and possibly that you got kicked in the face a little by another swimmer. :laugh:

feelin_gr_8

You know, I've never heard of a duathlon, but that sounds like fun-a lot less hassle cutting out the swimming! I haven't been training at all the last couple weeks...I've been in a bit of a slump I just want spring! You won't be able to stop me training once the weather gets nice! I'm just glad this week is forecasted to be above freezing most of the time, so hopefully the snow and ice will melt enough for me to jog without slipping and cracking my head open!

SonicDeathMonkey80

The people who look fast often aren't and the ones who don't look fast usually are. Tris are the one place where I've seen people of all shapes and sizes compete and compete rather well. Don't sweat it.

feelin_gr_8

I still can't find information on the sprint tri I'm supposed to be doing...not knowing and planning out exact details gets me nervous! I had to stop swimming the last couple weeks due to neck/head pains. But I took my bike on a 4.25 mile ride yesterday-first one of (pre) spring and it felt great!!! Do they usually try to make the biking paths fairly flat? There are a couple hills locally that I must look pretty funny on-I'm chugging slowly up and then have to stop half way up and walk it up the rest of the way...that might be embarrassing in an actual race scenario!