Times

[El_Scorchio]

I am entering several tri next yer with a veiw to doing a half iron man in june

I am training for them but have no idea what is an average time

i'm 36.

The tri distance is the first goal

400 meter swim
15 km bike
3 mile run

i think, what should i aim for so i dont look very stupid.

thanks

[C Law]

unless you are not having fun, there is no reason you will look stupid doing your first sprint race.

10 minute swim

30 minute bike

24 minute run

For your first 1/2 I would say 45/3/2 would be a good goal 5:45 or thereabouts.

[flip18436572]

What about the same thing for a clydesdale?

I have lost over 100 pounds with a smart eating program and exercise, but I know I can't run 3 miles at 8:00 per mile. I think I could be close with the swim and the bike, but the run is my downfall. I hate running, but I am working on it three days a week.

[edbikebabe]

I'm not so fast at the running either..... Just keep with it. As Curt said, as long as you are having fun - times don't really matter.

I did my first race just to finish, and then started comparing myself to that time. Seeing my times improve (by a lot) mattered more to me than where I finished compared to everyone else.

[StanSeven]

Running is the easiest leg to improve upon because all you have to do is focus on running itself and not worry about technique like swimming or cycling. The key thing is build up a base of slow and easy miles. For a three mile run, build up to running 5 miles at an easy and comfortable pace. After you get there, mix some speed in. You can do that by hill repeats, intervals (run faster for 200 meters with jogs in between), or just throw in some tempo work (pick up the pace for 2 or 3 minutes) in the middle of your long run. Also but back the distance when you do the speed but keep at laest one long and slower run.

[C Law]

I meant to post times to shoot for. It doesn't mean you are going to make the splits.

I just based it on my first races 5 years ago and what I ended up doing

I am in complete agreement with edbikebabe. I went into my first sprint race, 5 years ago, without any expectations on splits, etc. just some ideas really. I just wanted to go as hard as I could.

5 years later I predicted my splits in the 1/2 I did last weekend down to a couple of minutes based on previous races and my training level this year.

You will know deep down whether you gave it all you had on race day. to me thats all that really matters. There are too many variables sometimes to accurately predict times.

[edbikebabe]

There are too many variables sometimes to accurately predict times.

Yeah, like flat tires. Not that I'm bitter or anything.....

[Edonis13]

Yeah, like flat tires. Not that I'm bitter or anything.....

i sense bitterness in this post...

[flip18436572]

Running is the easiest leg to improve upon because all you have to do is focus on running itself and not worry about technique like swimming or cycling. The key thing is build up a base of slow and easy miles. For a three mile run, build up to running 5 miles at an easy and comfortable pace. After you get there, mix some speed in. You can do that by hill repeats, intervals (run faster for 200 meters with jogs in between), or just throw in some tempo work (pick up the pace for 2 or 3 minutes) in the middle of your long run. Also but back the distance when you do the speed but keep at laest one long and slower run.

I hate stealing someone else thread, but I want to ask some more about the run. I currently do a 50 minute program where I walk at 5 mph for 5 minutes to warm up, then I run for 3 minutes at 7.0 - 7.7 mph or until my heart rate hits 150, and then I back down for 2 minutes at the 5 mph walk, which drops my heart rate to around 100 and then I run again. Yes, I know this is interval training, but should I only be slowing it down to a jog instead of a walk. To me the 7.7 mph run for 3 minutes if just about my max at this time. I was getting to the 4 minute run and 1 minute walk, but was out of the state for 3 weeks, and didn't have the time or place for the gym access. I took my bike with me to one of the sites, and only road about 2 miles before about getting run over, so I turned around and called it quits. Taking the three weeks off really made me feel week with the running when I came back to it.

Should my interval training include walking at 5.0 mph, or should I never walk during an interval. I have been working closely with my heart rate monitor to make sure that I am not doing too much too long. I was very obese, and by the BMI chart, I am only in the over weight catagory. One of my goals to being a person in better health is the Des Moines Triathlon next year. I want to do a few sprints before then, but my goal is an olympic distance tri in 2008. I need to know what it is going to take for me to get there by spring of 2008. Yes I have read the books, I am asking people here who have done it as to what will work for them or has worked.

Sorry again for the thread stealing. You can PM me with answers if you would prefer.

[El_Scorchio]

well thanks for the info i now have solids time to aim for,

the run and bike i am doing now,

the swim, well

erm flippers anyone.

[edbikebabe]

Just remember, if you don't drown, you succeeded!!!

[jer2wcs]

I just finished my first tri a couple of weeks ago. It had similar distances - 400 yd swim, 8 mile bike, and 2 mile run. I am a Clyde (240) and I had been training for three months.

I didn't focus so much on my times as three goals:

1. Don't drown
2. Finish the race.
3. Don't come in last (either overall or division)

I am happy to say that I successfully completed all three goals. Unfortunately, I was so excited at the swim start that I forgot to start the timer on my heart rate monitor so I don't know what my split times were.

Overall time: 1:09:04 I would have liked to have come in under an hour, but it gives me a baseline for the next tri. If I would have to guess my splits:

swim: 20 mins (hey, I'm slow)
t1: 5 mins (had trouble getting the wetsuit off)
bike: 22 mins (I was passing people like crazy)
t2: 2 mins
run: 20 mins (hey, I'm slow)

Hope that helps.

[El_Scorchio]

IT DOES.

It just makes me think damn lot of work for an hours worth of effort.

But for me its worth the effort.

I still cant see how i'm going to get the swim times down but will keep going and take it from there

[edbikebabe]

For now just keep getting to the pool & working on it. It might take a while & at some point it might take some lessons/stroke improvement classes. If you can comfortably finish the distance, that is the important part - especially for your first race.

[bvfrompc]

For times, just about any tri will have last years results to gauge were you are going to end up. That said conditions change year to year, bike times alone were down over 5 minutes at the lats tri I did year over year becuase the weather was horrible last year.

My strategy:

The first tri, don't drown, don't end up last.
The first year, do my best and gauge were I ended up.
The next year, better my times for the same tri year over year.
Now, I try to improve my placing amongst my group (clydes)

Becuase every course is different, its really difficult to compare tri against tri for times. Also, the number and level of competitors is different depending on the tri.

Just have fun the first one, thats the great thing about tris.

[El_Scorchio]

Well i though i would time myself this morning swimming and swam the 400 in just over 14 minutes, so i have plenty of time to get that down, and still have not expended too much energy.

Thanks for all the help !!

[El_Scorchio]

Having looked a bit further i have found the results from a local tri in the uk.

Distances are 400m Swim, 15 mile cycle and 4 mile run

and the results are here

http://www.conceptsport.co.uk/resources/uploaded/web%20dorc.htm

http://www.conceptsport.co.uk/resources/uploaded/web%20dorc.htm


The first man in my age group came in at 06.19 for swim, 41.15 for bike and 23.04 for the run.

At least now i have some real results to aim for.

Deep breath, gulp !!! ( leave me to my dreams)