#7038265 - 04/27/13 03:40 PM
Tips for first triathlon? **Update - Finished**
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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I'm doing my first tri next weekend. I'm pretty pumped except for the fact that i'm feeling a bit sick this weekend. Hopefully it passes soon. In any case, what tips would you guys have for a first timer? Anything special I should put in my transition bag?
Edited by Monkeydias (05/06/13 08:41 AM)
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#7038371 - 04/27/13 05:47 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: slackereg6]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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International
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#7038835 - 04/28/13 12:34 AM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: MonkeyStillAlive]
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bt0
Post Master Sr
Registered: 02/22/10
Posts: 7284
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Second the stay calm in the water sentiment.
If it were further off than next weekend, I'd say focus on your weakest leg the most in training
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#7038959 - 04/28/13 07:56 AM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: bt0]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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Swimming will definitely be my weakest link. I only started training for the swim about a month and a half ago and only in a pool. I'm comfortable with the distance now but swimming open water will definitely be a challenge I think. Being that it's salt water might help though. As far as the transition bag just shoes, towel, socks etc? I'm going to have some gels with me also.
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#7039163 - 04/28/13 12:38 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: lessthanmike]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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Nice. Thanks for the tips. Did you have the water bottle for the ride or run?
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#7039216 - 04/28/13 02:04 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: MonkeyStillAlive]
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bt0
Post Master Sr
Registered: 02/22/10
Posts: 7284
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Swimming strength is far more technique & form based than fitness based. You can be a beast, but if you're inefficient it's all blown.
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#7039272 - 04/28/13 02:49 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: bt0]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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Swimming strength is far more technique & form based than fitness based. You can be a beast, but if your inefficient it's all blown. That's one thing I've been working on. When I first started swimming, I could barely do three laps in a row free style. One day at the pool I was talking with a guy in the lane next to me and he gave me some great tips which have helped tremendously. Now I can swim the entire mile free style non-stop. Granted i'm not fast, but my goal is to finish, not win.
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#7040163 - 04/29/13 08:09 AM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: bt0]
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Euphoricuck
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 11/05/03
Posts: 92703
Loc: Canadistan
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Swimming strength is far more technique & form based than fitness based. heh you need both in order to be good. You are right in that all the fitness and strength doesnt do you any good if you technique sucks but the same can be said for just about anything.
If op's goal is to finish... just dont get kicked in the face.
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#7052336 - 05/06/13 08:21 AM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: Euphoricuck]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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Well I survived! My goal was to finish in four hours and I finished in 3 hours and 56 minutes. The swim was a lot more difficult that I thought it would be. I had trouble staying on course. Swimming in the pool got me used to following the line to keep straight, where as in the river it was just brown. I found myself looking up a lot to see where I was going and being off course quite a bit. Even so, I finished the swim in 37 minutes and I was shooting for 40.
The bike ride was great for the first 17 miles except for the road being bumpy. I was able to average 21.9 mph for the first 17 miles. Right at mile 18 we hit the sea shore and the wind started howling right in our faces. My speed went down dramatically from there pretty much the whole way back. My avg speed ended up being 16 mph.
The run ended up being the hardest part for me. I got a stomach cramp right at the beginning that wouldn't go away. I stopped and pooped and hoped that would help but the pain continued for the rest of the race. I ended up having to walk quite a bit. I'm not sure where the pain came from as I've never experienced it during my training. I'm thinking it was probably something I ate the night before or maybe my breakfast.
Overall I had a great time. The course was really nice minus the bumpiness of the bike ride. But seeing the vehicle assembly building and the launch towers on cape canaveral were really cool. I hope that they'll be able to do this race again next year and it not be just a one time thing. Either way, I'll definitely be doing another tri. I have some friends doing Ironman Augusta which I think will be my next race. Thanks for all your tips before the race.
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#7052811 - 05/06/13 12:20 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: Sir Ironpool]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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Nice job man....sounds like a solid performance for your first Tri under less than ideal conditions. I remember I used to get side stitches off the bike in my first few races. I think it's just an overall lack of fitness. Even doing bricks in training, it's a new experience for your body. Just keep at it and it will get easier and easier.
What does doing bricks mean?
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#7052893 - 05/06/13 12:44 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: Sir Ironpool]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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I see. I'm definitely learning this stuff. I've only done those a few times prior to the race. Do you think that was what cause the cramping/pain and want to poop/throw up at the same time? haha. I was farting practically the whole run too.
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#7052957 - 05/06/13 01:11 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: Sir Ironpool]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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Lol, farting is totally normal. I've never had to crap during a race, but my body is pretty well trained to go before the race. You may have swallowed a bunch of water on the swim too. I did swallow some. I would have thought it would have hit me on the bike ride though. I took a nice crap before the race so I thought I would be good, guess not!
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#7053168 - 05/06/13 02:37 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: slackereg6]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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It was a salt water swim.
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#7053434 - 05/06/13 04:49 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: MonkeyStillAlive]
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gamby
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 11/01/99
Posts: 40865
Loc: RI
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Congrats.
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___________________________________ gamby still have an EM1--go figure
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#7054330 - 05/07/13 08:03 AM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: Euphoricuck]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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congrats. looking up in open water is normal part of the swim I can understand that. It was hard because the only swim training I did was in the pool where I could follow the line on the bottom to stay straight. During the race, I kept finding myself a good 20 or 30 feet to the right of all the other swimmers. I had to have added a good 10th or more to my distance just because of all the back and forth I did trying to stay on course.
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#7054831 - 05/07/13 11:52 AM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: Euphoricuck]
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gamby
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 11/01/99
Posts: 40865
Loc: RI
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congrats. looking up in open water is normal part of the swim
this
Having grown up swimming in the ocean, you lose course VERY quickly.
Pics of bike?
_________________________
___________________________________ gamby still have an EM1--go figure
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#7054969 - 05/07/13 12:45 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: gamby]
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MonkeyStillAlive
Post Master Sr
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 6018
Loc: Sunny FL
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It's nothing fancy, just a bike I bought off a friend. Bone stock Trek Alpha 1.1 or 1.2. Can't remember which model off the top of my head.
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#7055200 - 05/07/13 02:06 PM
Re: Tips for first triathlon?
[Re: MonkeyStillAlive]
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gamby
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 11/01/99
Posts: 40865
Loc: RI
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It's nothing fancy, just a bike I bought off a friend. Bone stock Trek Alpha 1.1 or 1.2. Can't remember which model off the top of my head.
Hey--it did the job for now. Beware the aero bug...
_________________________
___________________________________ gamby still have an EM1--go figure
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