Triathlon - Sights set on Olympic distance

I'd like to finish an Olympic distance triathlon. I did several sprints last year and I loved it. I don't care to place...just finish. My question is this. Is it even worth it to train/compete in an Oly if I can't run? Now when I say I can't run...I pretty much mean I do a walk/run. I've never gone further then a 5k, and my best time (she says with a blush) was just shy of 39 minutes. I'm not really a great cyclist either...and chances are I'd be pulling up the rear! But I'd really like to tri ;)

What do you think?

Don't worry about your running speed (or lack thereof), go for it! Good luck!

Princess,

Heck, try it! 5k in 39 is not really truckin' so I'd guess there is a lot of potential ground to be made up in this area. A bit of extra work on the run would yield substantial improvement in a time period as short as two months.

I face the same dilema in that my run sucks, too. I'm working on it now and have recently made my regulary weekend run an easy 10K. It's easier all the time. BTW, I'm 55, 6' and weigh 209.

Tyson

You could, for example, walk / run a 6K, then a 7K, etc. up to a 10K. Then having satisfied yourself that you can do the distance somehow, up the percentage of running vs. walking for further improvement. Or you could walk the uphills and trot everything else, as another approach. Plenty of ways to skin this cat...

Princess. Check out my race report from last April. If I could pull that one off, I know you can.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=101554&highlight=desert

Your best 5k time is 39 min because you've only run 5k at a time. Run more and you'll get faster. Either way, do the olympic distance for fun.