Triathlon - So...My First Tri is Coming Up

I am really stoked and getting excited....my first TRI is April 11
1/2 Mile Swim
10 Mile Bike
4 Mile Run

Only one problem...........

I havent started training for swimming.....

Am I screwed? :cry:

The bike and run isnt an issue for me...and I did some swimming when I was a kid (that was some 25 yrs ago)

ALSO... any nutrition tips leading up to my big day? Right now I weigh 202lbs (down from 225lbs.) I want to get somewhere around 180-190. Just bought a HR monitor and am going to start training with it this week.

Thanks alot all!

For the swim just start at the back and side of your wave. And make sure you try out your wetsuit at least once if you have one and if not still get some practice in open water. Your heartrate can get up pretty quickly in your first (and second and third...) race so just find your pace and don't worry about everyone else. Tri's can be pretty aggressive so be ready to give yourself room. Oh and bring an extra pair of goggles. That'll make it pretty unlikely that you'll break the strap on the one you're going to wear.

For the swim just start at the back and side of your wave. And make sure you try out your wetsuit at least once if you have one and if not still get some practice in open water. Your heartrate can get up pretty quickly in your first (and second and third...) race so just find your pace and don't worry about everyone else. Tri's can be pretty aggressive so be ready to give yourself room. Oh and bring an extra pair of goggles. That'll make it pretty unlikely that you'll break the strap on the one you're going to wear.

It'll be in April...so I wont be wearing a wetsuit. Thanks for the positioning tip!

April where? Most people wear wetsuits if the water is below 75 degrees or so. I think the USAT limit is 78 degrees. Depending on your temp and location, you might want to look into a wetsuit, you can even rent them, from www.wetsuitrental.com (http://www.wetsuitrental.com)

I do suggest doing some swimmng before you do the tri, and between now and April is plenty of time to get into swimming shape. 0.5 miles is an easy swim, but if you haven't been in the water since you were a kid, you will be hurting, and possibly get hurt.

Oh, as a suggestion, check out www.beginnertriathlete.com and www.slowtwitch.com (http://www.slowtwitch.com) for more triathlon specific tips. BF is good for bike stuff, but not so much from triathlon stuff

April where? Most people wear wetsuits if the water is below 75 degrees or so. I think the USAT limit is 78 degrees. Depending on your temp and location, you might want to look into a wetsuit, you can even rent them, from www.wetsuitrental.com (http://www.wetsuitrental.com)

I do suggest doing some swimmng before you do the tri, and between now and April is plenty of time to get into swimming shape. 0.5 miles is an easy swim, but if you haven't been in the water since you were a kid, you will be hurting, and possibly get hurt.

St. Pete Florida.

I guess the good thing is that there is a pool near the area where all the bike riders meet on saturday mornings. I think after my rides I'll just head over to the pool and get some laps in. You, come to think of it....for as long as I've been riding down there I am an absolute moron for not using it............

Oh, as a suggestion, check out www.begginertriathlete.com and www.slowtwitch.com for more triathlon specific tips. BF is good for bike stuff, but not so much from triathlon stuff

been on begginertriathalete.com

good site, got some programs on it....


will try slowtwitch.com

thanks!

here's the correct link http://beginnertriathlete.com/ the site listed above has a typo and takes you to a search engine of sorts.

here's the correct link http://beginnertriathlete.com/ the site listed above has a typo and takes you to a search engine of sorts.

Sorry about that, I suppose I should check my spelling. Anyways, i fixed it.

Sorry about that, I suppose I should check my spelling. Anyways, i fixed it.

I knew which one you were talking about :thumb:
Slowtwitch is pretty cool...alot of articles from races, seems like almost alot more information about what's going on, rather than helping training...although I do like their training log.

I am really stoked and getting excited....my first TRI is April 11
1/2 Mile Swim
10 Mile Bike
4 Mile Run

Only one problem...........

I havent started training for swimming.....

Am I screwed? :cry:

The bike and run isnt an issue for me...and I did some swimming when I was a kid (that was some 25 yrs ago)

ALSO... any nutrition tips leading up to my big day? Right now I weigh 202lbs (down from 225lbs.) I want to get somewhere around 180-190. Just bought a HR monitor and am going to start training with it this week.

Thanks alot all!

That would be the Escape From Ft. DeSoto, right? It's a great race to start out with but you should also try to get in a couple of open water swims before the race if you can. Have fun and enjoy the steps on the fort :eek:

That would be the Escape From Ft. DeSoto, right? It's a great race to start out with but you should also try to get in a couple of open water swims before the race if you can. Have fun and enjoy the steps on the fort :eek:

yes...it is....

This may sound like a real noob question, but "open water swims".
basically you mean just get out and swim in the gulf or bay?
if so, I'm a little nervous with sharks..

yes...it is....

This may sound like a real noob question, but "open water swims".
basically you mean just get out and swim in the gulf or bay?
if so, I'm a little nervous with sharks..

That's correct, if you can get out and swim in the gulf. As for sharks there is really nothing to worry about you stand a better chance of getting hit by a car on the way to the beach than being bitten by a shark. But you also should not swim alone at dawn or dusk that's when they typically feed. If you go to a public beach the life guard is always on the look out for fins and will clear the water if one is spotted. Or swim with a buddy you can't out swim the shark just make sure you can out swim your buddy :eek:

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Thanks...
I am going to head to northshore pool after my ride tomorrow and get some time and laps in.
Just hope my back loosens up... underneath my ride shoulder blade, whatever that muscle is, is so tight and sore... tweaked my back lifting my bike back up to its hangers.

It's not the sharks you should worry about - it's the jellyfish.

Here's a wicked summary for what to expect on your first race from the series I enjoy it has lots of great info:

http://www.trisportcanada.com/beginguide.php

DEFINITELY try out your wetsuit first. I made the huge rookie move of not pulling up the shoulders of my full-sleeved wetsuit on race day, and even though it felt ok in the warmup, when I swam about 50 yards out, I immediately noticed that my arms were rapidly fatiguing because the suit was pulling them down. Ended up swimming 2x slower than my regular pace.

Also, practice sighting a few times in the pool if you can't get any OWS practice beforehand. You'll likely be ALL OVER the course if you don't - I swim straight as an arrow in the pool, even with eyes closed, but OWS is a different animal.

I'd say be prepared to accept a disastrous swim, but definitely feel great if it works out ok! That way, you won't be so demoralized in the 1st leg that you drop out early. I almost DNF'd on my horrendous swim since I knew I was so much slower than I had ever imagined, but fortunately, I stuck with it and had a great, fun bike and run.

And FYI, I swam almost 3:00min/100m on race day, coming in near dead last on my swim, despite a lot of pool practice. (I routinely swam 1:50-1:55/100m x 60 mins in the pool nonstop.) You could backfloat faster than that, and I still ended up with a fun day an a respectable top 20% finish after the bike and run. Get out there and have a blast!

I did a triathlon of that distance a few years ago, but did sidestroke and breaststroke for the swim. I'm going to do one this August, and decided to get good at doing the crawl for long distances.

Here are the links that have made an incredible difference for me after only a few swim training sessions:

Great video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4&eurl=http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/08/13/total-immersion-how-i-learned-to-swim-effortlessly-in-10-days-and-you-can-too/&feature=player_embedded)

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/08/13/total-immersion-how-i-learned-to-swim-effortlessly-in-10-days-and-you-can-too/

http://www.totalimmersion.net/images/pdfs/easy-freestyle-manual.pdf

I cant thank you all enough for the tremendous advice.

I am not so much worried about my time, as I am with accomplishing one of my goals this year... doing one. Once I get this one under my belt, my next planned one is in August.

So...from this week I have 12wks until my first...then after that, it'll be 16wks until my next (august).
I'll shoot for a better finish in August.