any triathletes?

2

Replies

  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    I'm about ready to commit to one in August! It's a 1/2 mile swim, 11 mile bike and a 5k. I've already started training for the swimming, I hear that is the hardest part. I'm a strong swimmer and was on the swim team in high school, but definitely need to get back into it. I think it will be a lot of fun!

    It's not that imperative at this distance but in longer swims it is worth adopting a swim style that allows you to use as little of your legs as possible. When you see triathletes swim it often looks like their legs just trail along for balance but there isn't much energy expended on kicking. This matters as you're trying to save your legs for the bike (and subsequent run). When I see club swimmers, they tend to kick a lot harder than triathletes.

    I'm not sure about the swim being the hardest part of a tri per se, but it can in some ways make or break your race.
    I always think the hardest part is just what I'm weakest at. :laugh:
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    I'm not sure about the swim being the hardest part of a tri per se, but it can in some ways make or break your race.
    I always think the hardest part is just what I'm weakest at. :laugh:

    thats why its a triathlon and why its so daunting cause being good at all three sports isn't easy. And its rare to find someone that excels at all three!
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    I'm not sure about the swim being the hardest part of a tri per se, but it can in some ways make or break your race.
    I always think the hardest part is just what I'm weakest at. :laugh:

    thats why its a triathlon and why its so daunting cause being good at all three sports isn't easy. And its rare to find someone that excels at all three!

    I'm pretty rubbish at all three but i's still great fun. :drinker:
  • stockers78
    stockers78 Posts: 22 Member
    I'm pretty rubbish at all three as well - but still doing way more than I ever thought I was capable of! When I started three years I couldn't do front crawl, never ridden clipped in and couldn't run more than 5 k - it's amazing how your perceptions change! Most worried about the bike at the moment, I am rubbish at hills and my Half Ironman has a notorious 'ripple' in the bike course :-s
  • HawkeyeGuy
    HawkeyeGuy Posts: 183
    I tri, but am focusing on some adventure races here in the Midwest this year. In fact...I'd like to put together a team of 4 people (at least one female) for these races and / or a tri team. My forte is on the bike, running second, and floating last. If anyone on this list wants to talk about doing adventure racing / tri's in a team (or solo) atomosphere, let's get a group going.

    Add me as a friend, and I will pull together a list for us.

    SG
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    Great to see so many triathletes here! I'm already signed up for a sprint tri in June, then will more than likely do an Oly in July, and a Half IronMan again in either August or September. Love love love the tri's!!!
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    I tri, but am focusing on some adventure races here in the Midwest this year. In fact...I'd like to put together a team of 4 people (at least one female) for these races and / or a tri team. My forte is on the bike, running second, and floating last. If anyone on this list wants to talk about doing adventure racing / tri's in a team (or solo) atomosphere, let's get a group going.

    Add me as a friend, and I will pull together a list for us.

    SG

    Sounds like great fun and if I were anywhere near you I'd sure sign up. :smile:
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    I'm pretty rubbish at all three as well - but still doing way more than I ever thought I was capable of! When I started three years I couldn't do front crawl, never ridden clipped in and couldn't run more than 5 k - it's amazing how your perceptions change! Most worried about the bike at the moment, I am rubbish at hills and my Half Ironman has a notorious 'ripple' in the bike course :-s

    Hey good luck with that. Have you got some hills of similar length and incline near you you could practice on? :drinker:
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    Great to see so many triathletes here! I'm already signed up for a sprint tri in June, then will more than likely do an Oly in July, and a Half IronMan again in either August or September. Love love love the tri's!!!

    Hey that's a lot for one year!! Go You!!!!! :drinker:

    Full IM on the cards next year then? :wink:
  • reemg
    reemg Posts: 7
    I'm 18 and I did my first sprint triathlon last summer with my best friend the week before we left for college. It was AMAZING!!!! i HIGHLY recommend at least trying one! yes, there is a lot of training but I found out that I was more prepared than i thought i was. When your adrenaline starts going you feel invincible!!!! I'm doing another one this summer. It is a great goal to work up to and is SO rewarding in the end!
  • stockers78
    stockers78 Posts: 22 Member
    I'm pretty rubbish at all three as well - but still doing way more than I ever thought I was capable of! When I started three years I couldn't do front crawl, never ridden clipped in and couldn't run more than 5 k - it's amazing how your perceptions change! Most worried about the bike at the moment, I am rubbish at hills and my Half Ironman has a notorious 'ripple' in the bike course :-s

    Hey good luck with that. Have you got some hills of similar length and incline near you you could practice on? :drinker:

    There's a steep hill in the nearby park which I could go up and down a lot, but otherwise it's pretty flat around here!! Will need to get on the train to somewhere a bit more hilly!
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    boinged for some interested parties. :bigsmile:
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    Signed up for my first sprint tri a couple of weeks ago: it's not until September. My hubby and I have been talking about doing it for awhile. Since we knew we would eventually do it, we volunteered to work it last year. Talk about an invaluable experience!! We got some great tips and I even took pictures of some "set-ups" so that we would remember everything.

    Ours will be a half mile ocean swim w/the current, 7.2 mile bike ride, and 3.5 mile run. The course is a bit off from a traditional sprint distance due bike restrictions on a nearby bridge. All the first timers I talked to said getting out past the breaking waves was the hardest part of the swim.

    I'm ridiculously excited about it...even though it's still over 7 months away. Would eventually love to work up to at least Olympic distance, and maybe half iron man. But gotta get my first "baby step" out of the way first.
  • Ambeerleigh
    Ambeerleigh Posts: 5 Member
    Im a cyclist :D I have always wanted to do triathlons, but the running part holds me back.( Not sure if having flat feet have anything to do with it.) Right now, Im about a 12 min mile and after that im in so much pain I usually quit. It makes no sense, I can bike 50 miles but can't run 2 lol. Any suggestions?
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    Hi there Amberleigh :flowerforyou:

    Firstly 2 miles at 12m/m isn't the worst place in the world to start. And it is hard going at first for everyone!!! Running is a high impact sport. When I came back from 9 months of not running after injury, I thought I could just pop out for 10k at 9m/m cruising speed and boy was I wrong!! My first thoughts were 'jikes I've forgotten this is actually hard work'... LOL

    In terms of your feet... if you're very flat footed it's quite likely that you pronate. If you heel strike heavy and possibly over-stride on top of that, then basically your body weight comes down on your heel, your femur and knee collapses in, your ankle runs inwards, before you then toe-off again.

    There are basically two things you can try to control the pronation... more support or a different running style.

    More support: You can either see a sports podiatrist and discuss whether you may need orthotic inserts, which can replace the inlays in a generic running shoe, or you can try to purchase a more stable running shoe with more severe motion control features (a good running shopp staff member should be able to advise you). The advantage of orthotics over shoes is that orthotics can be individualised, i.e. cater to the different needs of your left and right foot as many are not identical in gait.

    Change running style: If you are a heavy heel striker, it may be advantageous to consider to learn to adopt a more effictive running stule which allows you to land more on your mid-to-forefoot. This in itself controls pronation much better and absorbs shock much more than landing on your heel. For a more detailed explanation google "pose running". There are also clips on You Tube on pose running. :smile:
  • irontara
    irontara Posts: 4 Member
    Hi!

    I've completed a number of smaller tris, a handful of half Ironmans and three full Ironmans. This year my goal is the centurian bike race up in Collingwood, Canada, although I am doing the Double Mussel (a sprint tri on one day, a half the next) in the Finger Lakes (New York state). I love the challenge and variety of a tri. You are going to love it!
  • izobel
    izobel Posts: 116 Member
    Hi everyone - great to see such motivated people. Alas I am in need of motivation. I can run (and cycle) long distances non-stop but I am slow. I really want to try and increase my running speed and it seems interval training is the best way. Anybody up for two sessions a week? I have joined a running and cycling (both distance) challenge in the past and found it really good for getting me out there.
    I just posted Interval Training Challenge if anyone is interested.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    Hi everyone - great to see such motivated people. Alas I am in need of motivation. I can run (and cycle) long distances non-stop but I am slow. I really want to try and increase my running speed and it seems interval training is the best way. Anybody up for two sessions a week? I have joined a running and cycling (both distance) challenge in the past and found it really good for getting me out there.
    I just posted Interval Training Challenge if anyone is interested.

    What a fab idea.

    I would love to play, but in my heart I know my hip isn't ready for interval runs yet. I've just come back after 9 months off with a hip injury. At the moment most of my training is non-impact (a lot of cycling) with only tiny 5k runs at a steady pace and a lot of remedial strength training.

    But I'm sure lots of other people will come to play. :smile:
  • izobel
    izobel Posts: 116 Member
    I would love to play, but in my heart I know my hip isn't ready for interval runs yet. I've just come back after 9 months off with a hip injury.

    ...yikes sorry to hear that. A useful joint for running. Hope you are up and racing soon.
  • sewsinthesouth
    sewsinthesouth Posts: 23
    I am doing my first sprint of the season on March 13. It is short, but still considered a sprint race. 300 yds in the pool, 10 mile bike and 5k run.

    I signed up for 3 more sprints, an international and a Half IM in September. I got addicted 2 years ago to the sport. Everyone is so friendly and helpful! The serious competitors are nice too. They don't even look down their noses at us slow pokes!

    This will be my first Half, so I am nervous and excited. Thankfully, I have plenty of time to train!
  • 130livenlean
    130livenlean Posts: 5 Member
    Iam so happy to have found this thread. I am a fellow triathlete who recently took a year off. I am looking at geting back into racing both triathlons and running this year. :)
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    *waves* :flowerforyou:

    I had a bit of time out too. How are you finding it, getting back into it all? :smile:
  • 130livenlean
    130livenlean Posts: 5 Member
    Well, running has always been my base as I kept that going. Just added weights again this past few weeks and I am sore. Really sore!!! But I I am okay with it!! I compteted for years in swimming so that is not a concern. For the bike,there will be a few growing pains once I add it into the mix. Probably in a few weeks.:happy: Right now my focus is to take off the added weight I put on from my "extended vacation" and sign up for a few races. I am motivated more when there is accountability. I have done numerous sprints over the past 10 years. A handful of marathons and 2 half ironmans. I would love to do Ironman Canada one day, but not at this weight. Thus the process begins!! :drinker:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    I haven't checked in here for a while!! I'm sooooo ready for tri season! This winter I've joined the local masters swimming group and took a few private lessons w/ an amazing swim coach. I'm feeling soooo much stronger in the pool (that was always my weak link!). I've even conquered the flip turns. :bigsmile: Now I can't wait for warmer weather to hit the outdoor rides. I've been using my bike trainer and going to spin class, but it's not the same. I'm feeling very strong on the running, training for a half marathon in April first, then tri season starts in June. :drinker:

    Good luck, triathletes!!!
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
    I am so fired up for my tri to get here in April!! Since this is my first one, I'm really excited and more than a little nervous but training is going great and I feel like I'm making great progress. I can't do flip turns in the pool yet but I can swim a hell of a lot further than I could when I first started out. I think my new goal is to do 3-4 sprints this season and possibly move up to Olympic in 2012.
  • novatri
    novatri Posts: 262 Member
    It's a long term goal of mine. Hopefully I can start with a sprint later this year, and progress as I get more fit. Swimming is the big hurdle for me.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    I never bother with flip turns because most my races were open water and it kind of adds nothing to o/w swimming. I just tap and turn. Plus you don't get the artificial extra few metres at each turn from a hard push-off which you wouldn't get in o/w.

    I did two weekend Total Immersion workshops which was really helpful.
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    I never bother with flip turns because most my races were open water and it kind of adds nothing to o/w swimming. I just tap and turn. Plus you don't get the artificial extra few metres at each turn from a hard push-off which you wouldn't get in o/w.

    I did two weekend Total Immersion workshops which was really helpful.

    I know that flip turns don't help in open water, but I do a LOT of pool swimming so it helps me and I like it. :bigsmile: Anything that adds enjoyment to the long laps in the pool is beneficial to me.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    If you have a nice big pool, like 50m, then it's great cos it is fun and you don't lose that many strokes overall.

    I have the choice of a big 50m public pool or a 20m gym pool. If I tumble turn and push off hard in the 20m pool I'd probably only do 10 strokes each lap. LOL
  • vegantriathlete
    vegantriathlete Posts: 32 Member
    Hi all,

    I have done a lot of Olympic distance tris, a few half IMs, and started two IMs (finished one) and am signed up for my third IM this August. I'm slow as heck, but I love the sport. Training is the best part, but I find winter training to be very difficult. On days like today, when it's -34C outside it is hard to get out of bed and go to work let alone sit on the trainer or go to the gym for a run or a swim. I'm looking forward to spring, that's for sure! That being said, I have spent more time training this winter than any other winter. I haven't had any injury problems (knock-on-wood!) and am following my training plan pretty closely (I'm using the Be IronFit book 30-week IM plan). I'm so glad for this site, though! It is awesome to meet other people who are focused on being fit, maintaining healthy lifestyles, and being a healthy weight.

    Crystal
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