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Unsure . . .

TriClaudia

I completed my first sprint successfully about 4 years ago. I participated in one later that same season, not so successfully. (The ocean swim and wetsuit issues foiled that one.) This year as I lost weight (35 lbs now) I decided to go back to triathlon. Now I'm signed up for a sprint in September. I haven't trained nearly as much as before. Procrastination. I can do the distances on their own, and I've done some bricks; so I can also do the bike/run transition. This is a bay swim with no wetsuit; so I'm hoping not to have a repeat of the ocean attempt. I'm getting cold feet and not feeling confident about tackling this right now. Have you ever done one when you didn't feel ready? Should I dive in anyway? Any advice?

Replies

scott091501

What's the worst that can happen? A DNF? FWIW I feel that way before most races.

penelepurr

I would definitely go for it. I did tri's every summer since 2004, stopping at 2010 (and my first half-IM) for grad school. Literally, for the next two years, did zilch. No workouts, not even a crunch until I finished my thesis and graduated this May. So I am getting back in also. DO THE SPRINT! You said you can do each distance plus bricks- I would be confident that you can do the race. Like Scott said, how bad can it be? The brick is the main thing for me (I'm a swimmer), and, what? Maybe you'll get a slow time? So what! Consider that your new baseline for your new self and tri season

DO IT!!!

And I agree with Scott- I must have close to a dozen tri's under my belt, and every time- I get there early, set up, and then resort to pacing in Transition, waiting for them to start the darn thing! Same with waiting in the water. Gets me every time lol.

TriClaudia

THANKS!! I think I needed some inspiration. Penelepurr -- great idea about making it my new baseline. Hadn't thought of it that way. ONWARD! I'll post after 9/16.

trijoe

I've been racing triathlon since 2007 and I'd be hard pressed to remember a race I've felt ready for. I have a basic philosophy (by no means a heart felt belief) that if I'm ready come race day? I'm either over trained, under racing, or just plain ignorant of the damage I'm about to inflict upon myself.

Outside of an injury, which can happen no matter how well you train, there are few downsides to racing while "undertrained" (sometimes I think people just think they are, when they're really not). There are so many upsides to race day that it becomes hard to count them all.

Now, please understand I'm no triathlon stud. Oh God, no. I've yet to finish in the top half of any race I've entered. I've come in Dead F-ing Last (DFL) twice. But I keep coming back, just because of how much fun and excitement race day brings me.

My vote is: Go out there, work up a sweat, enjoy the heck out of yourself, your race, your day, smile, laugh, breathe heavy, maybe get a little sunburnt, and just have a downright great time.

I hope this helps.
TriJoe.

TriClaudia

Wow! Those are words to live by! Thanks so much!

bstamps12

What Trijoe said. LOL but really--if you're sure you won't injure yourself (which sounds unlikely since you have done all of the distances individually before!), what do you have to lose? I'm doing my 5th sprint triathlon tomorrow and I don't feel ready despite having fully trained for an Olympic distance (which got cancelled 2 weeks ago) and this being by far the flattest and easiest course I've ever competed on. Such is the nature of racing--embrace it! Don't put yourself down and don't get in the mindset of "I can't do this." JUST DO IT