2014 1st trialthon anyone else.

bump as I have the same goal and want to hear what others have to say....

i've done 5 triathlons- 4 sprint and 1 olympic distance- in the last two years. i have two more oly's planned this year.

check out beginnertriathlete.com for some free training plans.

for most triathlons you just have to hit the pool once a week, the bike 2-3 times, and run twice a week.

you are all free to message me if you'd like some more specific advice.

This is my next goal as well! I use the stationary bike at the gym all the time, but know it isn't the same as riding on pavement. In the next couple of weeks, i will be getting myself a real bike as a late Christmas gift to me! I have been running for years now so that part won't be a problem.

Thanks to Capt Apollo for the advice. I should be able to get myself to the pool once a week without a problem.

I guess my next hurdle is to find one that is local and just sign up!

Check out beginnertriathlete.com - lots of good info.

My advice - include bricks (bike-run, or swim-bike) in your training on a regular basis. Trying to run when you first get off the bike, is very different than running itself. It will take some time before your legs will feel "normal." However, with training you can get the legs trained to make that transition a little easier. Even if you just start with a 5 minute run after your bike training, and work up from there, it will help immensely.
It's good to train the swim to bike transition as well, though that one isn't as difficult.

Good luck!!!

I train my running as a brick - I go for a cycle (at least 6kms) then get off my bike, tie it down and attempt running.....by far the hardest workout I do throughout my week

Not my first, but 2014 is my return after 2 years off. I have 4 planned, culminating with the Steelhead 70.3 in August.

I will try to keep an eye on this thread (I am a PT and Triathlon Coach) for advice and to answer any questions. You can also friend request me to ask privately.

They are fun, and addictive. I learned how to swim in my early 40's and overcome a fear of water simply so I could race and compete!

You can do it on a very limited budget, or go all out - that's the nice thing about Triathlon.

Thanks for the tips. I went and watched one last year. Looks like some take a lot of time switching between swimming and biking. Any tips on making it faster. The problem is the swim is in a lake and when you come out you have to run across a sandy beach to your bike. Then you got was your feet and lace up.

understand that your first race will be a HUGE learning experience. you'll mess things up, especially in the transition. no big deal. just remember, it's a sprint and you don't need tons and tons of gear. don't be that guy setting up a transition area so big that it infringes on other peoples area.

are you rent a wetsuit? if it's cold and you're not a great swimmer, i'd go with a wetsuit. it gives you some free speed by helping you be more buoyant. as you come out of the water, pull your wetsuit off down to your waste, and then take off your cap and goggles. some people say to run from the water to the transition area, but in the first steps out of the water i walk so that i can pull my wetsuit down.

since you pretty much dry off on the bike, i get to my transition and plop down and dry my feet. if you wear socks in training, you should wear them on race day. then just grab your bike, walk-run it out of the transition, and head out. make sure you rack your bike in some low gear, and spin high for the first few minutes, and grab some water. then shift up and get going!!

as you are finishing on the bike, start high spinning on the bike again, to start getting your legs ready for the run.

it's a short race, so you probably don't need too much water or any mid-race nutrition. it can bog you down. i know it did for me on my first Olympic.

Have a plan, and practice your transitions. Sure, if you're really serious there's all kinds of time saving things you could do, like going without socks and having your bike shoes already clipped in to your bike. But really, for your first, I would just focus on getting through it as quickly and painlessly as possible. Then use this first race as your barometer, figure out what you need to improve, and try to improve your time on the next one.

I wanted to add one more thing- nutrition and hydration. I realized the day before my first tri that I had no idea what to eat the morning of the event. I went on the Internet, of course, and found out. I start off with toast with peanut butter and a banana. I also have coffee- not recommended at all but at 5:30 AM I need it to get started!

My first tri, I had a really bad cramp in the groin area after getting off my bike that made running downright painful. I walked most of the 3K distance. After doing some research I concluded it was just lactic acid build-up in that area. Now I'm more careful to stay hydrated and to keep the blood flowing by getting up off my bicycle seat while I'm riding once in awhile. During the race I consume a few GU packets (little foil pouches of glucose laced with caffeine- I highly recommend the chocolate fudge version) and a pack of jellybeans with similar ingredients. No idea if they help but they make me feel like a real jock.

Every tri I've done has had volunteers along the walking/running route handing out paper cups of water or Gator-Ade (your choice), but make sure you have plenty of water for the bike ride.

Experiment with your nutrition during your training. Practice with what you think you will eat race morning so that you know what works for you, and what doesn't. Generally speaking quick digesting carbs, 2-3 hours pre-race. Some Gatorade or a gu during T2, depending on how long you are out on the course; think about 100 calories of quick carbs for every 90 minutes of work.

Also, the same goes for your clothing and gear. Train in what you plan to wear.

As a general rule - nothing new on race day. You don't want any unpleasant surprises.

are you renting a wetsuit? if it's cold and you're not a great swimmer, i'd go with a wetsuit. it gives you some free speed by helping you be more buoyant. as you come out of the water, pull your wetsuit off down to your waist, and then take off your cap and goggles.

Check the event rules. I'll be in one in May where wet suits are permitted and will happily use mine. Another that I do in June allows them only if the water is below a certain temperature and it usually isn't.

Bonus: I had joked that there would be no pictures of me in a wet suit and then I found that they're actually pretty flattering: the standard color is your basic slimming black, and they smash down your bulges a little!

Hey, in here because, I´ve the same goal for this year!

Love to have tipps and tricks.

Also, feel free to add me.