Other activities and marathon training?

there are a couple of good facebook groups for Triathlon (if you are on it)

females only - women for tri - dedicated to getting more women involved - you may find some folks nearby you
pathetics triathlon group - you need a fairly thick skin but a fun group
Athenas - for female triathletes over 165lbs (USAT designation)

OP, a couple thoughts regarding how to find information/support. When I started, I joined an online mentor group at the beginner triathlete site. Met others in my situation and learned a lot. Its sort of similar to MFP but geared to triathletes.

As far as some other resources, lots of good endurance writers and books around. One that comes to mind is "Your First Triathlon" (or some similar title) written by Joe Friel. Gives you an idea of how to plan your training for a first race. There is also a triathlon group on MFP. Its not a super active forum, but a place to get questions answered.

Finally, feel free to send a pm if you have a specific question that an over the hill, middle-of-the-pack endurance guy might be able to answer.

sstini55 wrote: »

The only other thing I ever wonder is.....it too late for me to even begin taking part in different things, for the marathon I figured it's now or never. (I am 45.) but I do work out a lot. Run, bike, yoga, p90x, weight lifting, jump rope. cross fit when I have time. Probably up to 11 hours a week of exercise. Of course now I am marathon training and will adjust as needed. At what age do I need to cut back?

LOL. You're still young. I set out to become a runner at age 55, ran my first half marathon at age 58, ran my first marathon at age 59, and ran my first Boston at age 60.

I don't think I'm too old to become a triathlete; my older sister does triathlons. I do think I'd have cognitive dissonance, because I'm competitive in my age group as a runner, I'm an indifferent cyclist, and I'd be in danger of missing a cutoff on the swim. I might be able to train up to be a middle of the pack cyclist and a swimmer who could consistently beat the cutoff, but still . . . I'm competitive as a pure runner already.

sstini55 wrote: »

Djproulx wrote: »

OP, a couple thoughts regarding how to find information/support. When I started, I joined an online mentor group at the beginner triathlete site. Met others in my situation and learned a lot. Its sort of similar to MFP but geared to triathletes.

As far as some other resources, lots of good endurance writers and books around. One that comes to mind is "Your First Triathlon" (or some similar title) written by Joe Friel. Gives you an idea of how to plan your training for a first race. There is also a triathlon group on MFP. Its not a super active forum, but a place to get questions answered.

Finally, feel free to send a pm if you have a specific question that an over the hill, middle-of-the-pack endurance guy might be able to answer.

Thank you so much! The only other thing I ever wonder is.....it too late for me to even begin taking part in different things, for the marathon I figured it's now or never. (I am 45.) but I do work out a lot. Run, bike, yoga, p90x, weight lifting, jump rope. cross fit when I have time. Probably up to 11 hours a week of exercise. Of course now I am marathon training and will adjust as needed. At what age do I need to cut back?

Ha,ha. As @MobyCarp says, you're young. And it sounds like you have a great fitness base.

As a point of reference, I started running again after a long layoff at 54yrs old. Did my first Sprint distance tri at 56, moving up in distance to complete the Ironman 70.3 Timberman race in each of the last two years. I also did my first marathon this past March. (I don't like marathon training as much as multisport training, so not planning to do another marathon at this point.)

This year, I'll do a couple half iron distance races, including the Ironman 70.3 at Lake Placid in September. So far, I've resisted the pressure from my coach and partners to train for and join them for the full Iron distance race in Fla this November, but who knows.

If you want some additional data points for motivation, go to the Ironman site, pick any race, then take a look at the finishers by age group. You'll see lots of men and women in their 50's, 60's and beyond who complete the race, including many who place near the front of the pack. Many of these folks did not move to multisport until later in life.

Finally, to put additional emphasis on the "age is just a number" point, at last year's Timberman race, I met TWO gentlemen on the run course who were in their 80s. That was very inspiring.

sstini55 wrote: »

Djproulx wrote: »

OP, a couple thoughts regarding how to find information/support. When I started, I joined an online mentor group at the beginner triathlete site. Met others in my situation and learned a lot. Its sort of similar to MFP but geared to triathletes.

As far as some other resources, lots of good endurance writers and books around. One that comes to mind is "Your First Triathlon" (or some similar title) written by Joe Friel. Gives you an idea of how to plan your training for a first race. There is also a triathlon group on MFP. Its not a super active forum, but a place to get questions answered.

Finally, feel free to send a pm if you have a specific question that an over the hill, middle-of-the-pack endurance guy might be able to answer.

Thank you so much! The only other thing I ever wonder is.....it too late for me to even begin taking part in different things, for the marathon I figured it's now or never. (I am 45.) but I do work out a lot. Run, bike, yoga, p90x, weight lifting, jump rope. cross fit when I have time. Probably up to 11 hours a week of exercise. Of course now I am marathon training and will adjust as needed. At what age do I need to cut back?

You don't have to cut back until you want to!

My mom didn't run her first half marathon until she was in her late fifties. She's now 61 and training for her first marathon. I was running with a group the other day and struck up a conversation with the woman next to me -- she didn't run her first marathon until she was 45. She is now in her sixties and has run over twenty marathons (!). I live in an area with lots of organized running activities and I see so many 40+ women rocking it. When I was in Tucson, I noticed even more. As I approach 40, I anticipate some of the best running years of my life. I have determination and ability to meet goals that I just didn't have in my 20s and even my early 30s.