How to get started with a Sprint Triathalon?

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  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member

    no think just do :)

    my first one was on a drunken dare - i hadn't swum in about 5 years; had just bought a bike and hadn't run a 5k faster than about 45 min

    12 years later - i've done 2 ironman, multiple half ironmen and love it

    That is amazing! I can’t even fathom the distances at this point. I have dreams of doing thing like that, but still question how capable my body is of doing them...

    you will be amazed at what your body is capable of!

    http://trifind.com/ is a great website for finding races - you can search by states, months of events, distance etc
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Deannalfisher - time cut off explanation makes total sense to me! Still not sure how possible it is for me :lol:

    I will check for more races in the area - when I do a search for 5ks it is pretty plentiful, but tris either aren’t as consolidated with their listings or few and far between (given the proximity to DC I am thinking I just haven’t figured out the best place to look). It would be good to volunteer sooner rather than later!

    here are a couple in the DC/VA/MD area that i like:
    Rumpus in Bumpass - https://kineticmultisports.com/races/rumpus/ - and it has a cool medal - down in Lake Anna, Fredericksburg
    Quantico Sprint Tri - https://www.marinemarathon.com/events/quantico-triathlon - on Marine Corps Base Quantico - run by the marines

    Richmond Tri Club - used to have a sprint tri that was a pool swim but i can't find any reference to it for 2020
  • Steff46
    Steff46 Posts: 516 Member
    Lots of good advice here. Do start small and build up to longer distance races. Oh, and you will get addicted:)
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Steff46 wrote: »
    Lots of good advice here. Do start small and build up to longer distance races. Oh, and you will get addicted:)

    triathlons are like pringles - you can't do just one ;)
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    There is one somewhere in WV that has 2 miles of kayaking for the first leg! But our internet went out before I could look up where it was... that would be fun!

    I found an old listing (2011 I believe) for a sprint just 20 minutes from the house... I can’t imagine swimming in the pond they used! My family fishes it and it is so full of grass and ducks... blech! But maybe it wasn’t quite so slimy 8 years ago...
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Steff46 wrote: »
    Lots of good advice here. Do start small and build up to longer distance races. Oh, and you will get addicted:)

    triathlons are like pringles - you can't do just one ;)

    Ha!

    Rumpus in Bumpass looks fun! It’s a couple hours from the house, but my fisherman husband and the rest of the family wouldn’t complain if they just HAD to trek to Lake Anna.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Steff46 wrote: »
    Lots of good advice here. Do start small and build up to longer distance races. Oh, and you will get addicted:)

    triathlons are like pringles - you can't do just one ;)

    Ha!

    Rumpus in Bumpass looks fun! It’s a couple hours from the house, but my fisherman husband and the rest of the family wouldn’t complain if they just HAD to trek to Lake Anna.

    its a total fun race - i'll likely be there next year doing it - the medal looks like one of the beasts from where the wild things are

    there are xterra like triathlons that have kayaking etc
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Re: wetsuits, be sure to get one made for Tri. A surfing wetsuit will not work because it is too bulky to swim comfortably and if memory serves me correctly, is too thick for Tri rules.

    Our training lake water is 65-75 degrees from May to Sept so I wear one all the time, but not everyone does. Mine is sleeveless. You can often find used ones at a lower price than new, or rent one.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    edited October 2019
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Re: wetsuits, be sure to get one made for Tri. A surfing wetsuit will not work because it is too bulky to swim comfortably and if memory serves me correctly, is too thick for Tri rules.

    Our training lake water is 65-75 degrees from May to Sept so I wear one all the time, but not everyone does. Mine is sleeveless. You can often find used ones at a lower price than new, or rent one.

    I was just looking online for a used one... need to research sizing. Sleeveless is decent enough? I have sensory issues with tight clothing, especially upper body, so the sleeveless is definitely what I would prefer.

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Re: wetsuits, be sure to get one made for Tri. A surfing wetsuit will not work because it is too bulky to swim comfortably and if memory serves me correctly, is too thick for Tri rules.

    Our training lake water is 65-75 degrees from May to Sept so I wear one all the time, but not everyone does. Mine is sleeveless. You can often find used ones at a lower price than new, or rent one.

    I was just looking online for a used one... need to research sizing. Sleeveless is decent enough? I have sensory issues with tight clothing, especially upper body, so the sleeveless is definitely what I would prefer.

    sleeveless is totally fine and to be honest - i only wear one when the water temp gets to 68 and below because of similar issues
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Re: wetsuits, be sure to get one made for Tri. A surfing wetsuit will not work because it is too bulky to swim comfortably and if memory serves me correctly, is too thick for Tri rules.

    Our training lake water is 65-75 degrees from May to Sept so I wear one all the time, but not everyone does. Mine is sleeveless. You can often find used ones at a lower price than new, or rent one.

    I was just looking online for a used one... need to research sizing. Sleeveless is decent enough? I have sensory issues with tight clothing, especially upper body, so the sleeveless is definitely what I would prefer.

    Each manufacturer has slightly different sizing. Check their websites for sizing guidance.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    BrianSharpe - I had contemplated a pedal change, I think more of a strap system though. The clipless make me nervous. I know with practice it would get easier but I have seen people fall over because they didn’t or couldn’t unclip!

    LOL everyone who has made the change over to clipless has fallen over at least once, in my case it was in front of hundreds of witnesses. I was in a charity ride and dropped my water bottle, when I stopped to grab it I forgot to unclip and did the slow motion fall. Fortunately it was only my pride that was injured.

    I rode rat traps for years and they're certainly more efficient that nothing at all and still let you ride in your running shoes saving some time in T2.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Went on our first family bike ride in a LONG time tonight (outside of a neighborhood ride occasionally). We did 6.3 miles on a paved path with rolling hills. I didn’t walk my bike, so that feels like an accomplishment. It makes the 12 miles in a sprint tri feel totally doable because those 6 weren’t bad at all! My 4 children made it with minimal grumbling as well...

    And a previous poster mentioned the different muscle groups used between biking and running, which makes sense but not something I thought much about. I ran a 5k yesterday and my right calf is in a very sore knot (it was a hilly course), but I didn’t feel any of the soreness while biking.

    Everyone enjoyed the ride so I am looking forward to going out more now that our kayak season is coming to a close...
  • PruneJuice2point0
    PruneJuice2point0 Posts: 305 Member
    There is one somewhere in WV that has 2 miles of kayaking for the first leg! But our internet went out before I could look up where it was... that would be fun!

    I found an old listing (2011 I believe) for a sprint just 20 minutes from the house... I can’t imagine swimming in the pond they used! My family fishes it and it is so full of grass and ducks... blech! But maybe it wasn’t quite so slimy 8 years ago...

    @moonangel12 are you talking about the one in Marlinton? The Great Greenbrier River Race
  • sarko15
    sarko15 Posts: 330 Member
    I did one sprint triathlon. Like you, it was three of my favorite exercises in one. Everyone told me the bike to run transition was the worst. I was cocky and didn't believe it, and boy I paid :D they also threw in a steep mountain climb halfway through the 5k during which my body was deeply unhappy. But I'm glad I did it and made it through!

    I would practice with a swim to bike day and a bike to run day, with days focusing on the individual events in between. I was on the fence about buying a tri suit and opted not to, which was totally fine. I chose one with the swim portion in an indoor pool and I really preferred it because I live in a very cold area and it was easy to train for.

    I definitely don't consider myself a triathlete, just someone who did one and didn't die, but if I could give any advice I wouldn't stress about rushing the transitions, especially out of the pool. I slipped a sports bra on over my swimsuit after the pool and pulled the swim top down so the girls could have some support, and I think I would have hated it more if I hadn't taken the time to do so. It's easy to get rushed and harried in the heat of the moment, but easing into each event was really important for me.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    There is one somewhere in WV that has 2 miles of kayaking for the first leg! But our internet went out before I could look up where it was... that would be fun!

    I found an old listing (2011 I believe) for a sprint just 20 minutes from the house... I can’t imagine swimming in the pond they used! My family fishes it and it is so full of grass and ducks... blech! But maybe it wasn’t quite so slimy 8 years ago...

    @moonangel12 are you talking about the one in Marlinton? The Great Greenbrier River Race

    For the kayaking or slimy water?

    I want to say the kayak one was something like Glenn WV, the slimy water was Poor House Farm Park.

  • PruneJuice2point0
    PruneJuice2point0 Posts: 305 Member
    There is one somewhere in WV that has 2 miles of kayaking for the first leg! But our internet went out before I could look up where it was... that would be fun!

    I found an old listing (2011 I believe) for a sprint just 20 minutes from the house... I can’t imagine swimming in the pond they used! My family fishes it and it is so full of grass and ducks... blech! But maybe it wasn’t quite so slimy 8 years ago...

    @moonangel12 are you talking about the one in Marlinton? The Great Greenbrier River Race

    For the kayaking or slimy water?

    I want to say the kayak one was something like Glenn WV, the slimy water was Poor House Farm Park.

    We must be talking about different ones. I've dont the mini triathlon at Marlinton and it includes 4 miles of kayaking.