My first ever triathlon :)

susuenglish

On 14th April I did a Sprint Triathlon. Why? Because I always wanted to do a full triathlon but never actually got round to doing it, then a husband, a couple of house renovations and a couple of babies got in the way. Now my girls are a bit older, (4 and 2) and the discovery that there are such things as mini triathlons - I decided to go for it. I've not swam properly for about 5 years (I swim regularly with the girls but that's not really swimming - that's being a climbing frame/lifeguard/boat/float) and I've not been on a bike for 8 years so swimming and biking were my biggest challenges. I run regularly so that is the only one I was comfortable with! I have lost 2 stone since last June and have kept it off by eating pretty much what I want, although I have been making better choices, but mainly I have been exercising loads to keep it off.

So on the day...It was HARD! The weather was not kind to me at all.

I got there in plenty of time and had to carry my bike from the car park to the venue up about 50 steps! Felt like I'd done a workout before I even started. And I had all my kit to carry too so that was a challenge. I registered and my number was written on the back of my hand and was given all the bits and bobs you need, numbers, chip etc. I then went over to put my bike in the transition area and was kind of copying what everyone else was doing in terms of setting the bike up on the stand, arranging my gear etc. It was so windy so it was a challenge to keep hold of everything. I saw my friend coming in to the transition area after her bike ride (Her start time was 2 hours before mine) and I ran over to her to cheer her on. She told me the bike ride was tough, which made me nervous as biking is my weakest discipline and her strongest. By this time the weather was dry and windy and quite sunny. I returned to where my bike was and realised the envelope with my numbers and chip in had blown away - cue me running round the transition field trying to find it! Eventually I did but blimey did I panic!

My swim went really well, in a pool, 16 lengths and I was sharing a lane with 2 other ladies who were slightly faster than me and it was all very polite in them passing me etc (I was a bit worried about getting in peoples way if I wasn't as fast) I ran out of the exit and had put my running shoes by the door outside for me to put on to run to the transition area - IN THE RAIN! It was around a 400m run to the transition area - in my cozzie, in the - did I mention - RAIN! So I put on my cycling shorts, top and jacket on (which is really quite difficult when you are already wet and trying to dry yourself off with your now soggy towel and putting on your dry clothes that are wet within a second of getting out of the bag!) I went to push my bike up to the top of the field where you were allowed to get on. Again this was a challenge as it was very muddy by this point. So on my bike I go and start the ride on the road. It was TOUGH! My skin was raw with the rain coming down almost horizontally. I nearly got blown off my bike on more than one occasion. I was getting overtaken by a lot of people, they all had fancy road bikes and there I am on my 10 yr old mountain bike. It did me proud though! Also we were on main roads, there was no traffic control at all so I was getting passed by a car towing a caravan every 3 mins and dirty great big lorries. The ride was very hilly and just so exposed to the elements. I could hardly see where I was going due to the rain on my glasses. I had no idea how long it was going to take me and didn't want to look at my watch as I knew it was taking a long time due to the amount of people overtaking me. So when I eventually made it back to the transition area again, pushed my bike down to the even muddier field and then dumped my bike and set off on the 5 k run. I love running but I was struggling as I had major jelly legs and I knew I was running much slower than my comfortable pace. Anyway I completed it, total time 2 hrs 18 mins. I would have like to have done it in under 2 hrs but the bike ride was so hard there was no way I could have. I was happy with my swim time of 11mins 30 and my run time of 30 mins. the bike ride took me an hour and a half but to be honest I'm just grateful I was able to finish it without getting blown off my bike!

So I don't think I'd do another one as I can't see me falling in love with cycling but I enjoyed it overall. Although I have since learned that doing it on a mountain bike would have added at least 20% more time rather than doing it on a road bike, Naively I thought it would be ok but now I know different!

tbrain1989

Well done, thats a fantastic acheivement and the pride and enjoyment spills through. You may not want to do another Triathalon but dont disregard Duathalons. that way you can do 2 runs and one swim, which as you say you enjoy more.

well done again though and i hope you find another endeavour to conquer

minihaak

Well done!! That bike ride certainly sounded hard!! Crossing my fingers for no rain this weekend because I'm off to do my first triathlon this weekend. Swimming is probably my strongest discipline, however this is an ocean swim not a pool swim so I am feeling a little apprehensive. I'm hoping that all the time my family spent at the beach when I was younger will come in handy! Thanks for sharing you story

paulbuxton

Fantastic achievement! Well done.

I have been considering trying a triathlon, but I think I need to improve my swimming first :-)

One thing you might want to try as fun alternative to a triathlon is an adventure race.
http://www.questars.co.uk/
It is a combination of running, cycling and (sometimes) canoeing. With some orienteering thrown in as well. The cycling will be mostly off road, or on fairly quiet roads (in fact it is up to you what roads you take and how much cyclying you do). I did one with some friends many years ago and it was fantastic fun! As well as very tiring.

crux

Awesomely well done!

I'm pretty sure I did the same triathlon as you and it was tough conditions, so allow yourself an extra amount of pride! I hope you caught the Tri bug!

lottieb84

Well done! Thats is a great achievement! I have swopped my mountain bike for a road bike and I LOVE it! So much easier!

I am also planning to do my first traithlon in a few months time, can you tell me what you need to wear? Dont fancy running in my swimming costume?!

Thank you and congratulations again

TheKeithEllis

Fantastic achievement, well done! I am doing my first in July, and 2nd in September, so reading your story made me whince a little! LOL :O) You needed a road bike for the cycle or at least a hybrid, a MTB is always going to hold you back on tarmac, in particular if the tires are of the knobbly variety which being a MTB they usually are. Don't let it discourage you from doing another one though, hire a road bike from somewhere or even test ride one at your local cycle shop - guarantee you will notice a MASSIVE difference. Trust me, I did a coast to coast cycle (240 miles) on a cheap MTB and suffered badly as a result!!

Interesting to hear the disciplines people fear the most, for me it is the running portion, although I'm improving the stamina I just find it an utterly soulless experience, whereas cycling I absolutely love and swimming too. I will be sure to upload my experiences too.

susuenglish

Awesomely well done!

I'm pretty sure I did the same triathlon as you and it was tough conditions, so allow yourself an extra amount of pride! I hope you caught the Tri bug!

Oh really? Mine was an 11.36 start which I think meant we caught the worst of the weather - it seemed fine before then and fine afterwards...how did you do in it?

jemimasmum

Awesome - well done! I'm doing my first one this summer. Reading this has cheered me on.

susuenglish

Fantastic achievement, well done! I am doing my first in July, and 2nd in September, so reading your story made me whince a little! LOL :O) You needed a road bike for the cycle or at least a hybrid, a MTB is always going to hold you back on tarmac, in particular if the tires are of the knobbly variety which being a MTB they usually are. Don't let it discourage you from doing another one though, hire a road bike from somewhere or even test ride one at your local cycle shop - guarantee you will notice a MASSIVE difference. Trust me, I did a coast to coast cycle (240 miles) on a cheap MTB and suffered badly as a result!!

Interesting to hear the disciplines people fear the most, for me it is the running portion, although I'm improving the stamina I just find it an utterly soulless experience, whereas cycling I absolutely love and swimming too. I will be sure to upload my experiences too.

Hi - yes I am sure it would have been easier without my big fat knobbly tires Good luck with yours I'll look forward to hearing about it!

crux

Awesomely well done!

I'm pretty sure I did the same triathlon as you and it was tough conditions, so allow yourself an extra amount of pride! I hope you caught the Tri bug!

Oh really? Mine was an 11.36 start which I think meant we caught the worst of the weather - it seemed fine before then and fine afterwards...how did you do in it?

I started at 13:00, got round in an hour and 25 mins, which was ok for me especially as I have not swum or biked in a couple of months. But the wind made the bike much tougher than normal so not only would you be faster on a road bike but also faster on a normal weather day. Keep that In mind if you get the itch to try another

susuenglish

You can get Tri suits which are like all in one lyrca things with bike padding on. As it was my first (and potentially only) tri, I thought I'd just wear what I had. So I wore my sports bra under my normal costume, I had a too small towel to wrap around my middle as I was running to the Transition area, I think IF I did another one I would do the same but get a slightly larger towel to hide my wobbly bits while I was running Once I was at my bike I put my cycling shorts over my cozzie and my top and jacket, and kept them on to run

susuenglish

Awesomely well done!

I'm pretty sure I did the same triathlon as you and it was tough conditions, so allow yourself an extra amount of pride! I hope you caught the Tri bug!

Oh really? Mine was an 11.36 start which I think meant we caught the worst of the weather - it seemed fine before then and fine afterwards...how did you do in it?

I started at 13:00, got round in an hour and 25 mins, which was ok for me especially as I have not swum or biked in a couple of months. But the wind made the bike much tougher than normal so not only would you be faster on a road bike but also faster on a normal weather day. Keep that In mind if you get the itch to try another

So you most have missed all that lovely rain then you lucky thing! Well done on your time that's brilliant!

GiddyNZ

Well Done!! You know all the Triathlon addicts say they will never do it again immediately after finishing their first one!!

crux

Awesomely well done!

I'm pretty sure I did the same triathlon as you and it was tough conditions, so allow yourself an extra amount of pride! I hope you caught the Tri bug!

Oh really? Mine was an 11.36 start which I think meant we caught the worst of the weather - it seemed fine before then and fine afterwards...how did you do in it?

I started at 13:00, got round in an hour and 25 mins, which was ok for me especially as I have not swum or biked in a couple of months. But the wind made the bike much tougher than normal so not only would you be faster on a road bike but also faster on a normal weather day. Keep that In mind if you get the itch to try another

So you most have missed all that lovely rain then you lucky thing! Well done on your time that's brilliant!

Yes, a bit of drizzle on my ride but mainly I was getting wet during set up. You did great to deal with it so well.