Triathlon - Old school or just stupid?

So I have my first tri at the end of the month. Its a 400m swim, 16k bike, and a 5k run. I used to be a track athlete for 10 years, swam 2 years of high school and commute on my bike year round. I am almost 22 and in moderately good shape- doing P90X and swimming, running, biking quite a bit.

I don't have a ton of cash to drop on the event so I just wanted to run this by some other people.

I have a single speed Schwinn Traveler that is my pride and joy and I am planning on riding him for the race. It should be mostly flat as it is out in the corn fields. Anyone else tried this?

Also, I don't have tri-shorts and am thinking I will just use my speedo for the whole race. Any one ran into chaffing issues or know some remedies/prevention for chaffing?

Lastly- wet suit or not? I defiantly don't have the money for this guy. Could I rent one or borrow a friends? Does any old wet suit work?

Not sure if I will be "old school" or just be dumb.

Thanks

Your first tri is all about survival. That and you have a small budget.

That bike will work, it will suck, but it will work. You will see all manner of bikes, heck I saw a woman do it on a single speed beach bike with a big basket on the front.

Tri-shorts? I'd get them because I prefer protecting my twig and berries with the padding, but thats up to you. You can often find them for around $30 on sale. DEFINITELY get some body glide either way and slather your man parts and insides of your legs.

Wetsuit. Well heres the thing. You're in michigan which means the water is as cold as it is here... which means in June its COLD. That said you probaby will be ok, my buddy whos the same age did one mid June last year and survived. HOWEVER I'm doing one May 31 that is wetsuit required due to the water temp. You can rent one for around $40 and I would reccomend it if you can. And no any old wetsuit does not work, you need a triathlon wetsuit, other types are harder to remove, are thicker making it harder to swim, and are not slick. If anything they would slow you down.

In the end will you survive doing it in your speedo? Yeah most likely, but the tri-shorts and the wetsuit will make it a hell of a lot less grueling.

I just finished my first tri of similiar lenght. 400yard swim, 12 mile bike, and 5k run. I hadnt swum in 4 years but wasnt to worried as I swam through college. I just wore an old jammer from college. By the end of the bike I was a bit sore but it was also only the second time I rode this year. The other big thing that got me was going from the bike to the run. My mind was telling my legs what to do but darn if I could if they were really doing it. I finished in 1:13:??. If you have any decent speed in the swimming go out in front i was second out of the water i was surprised at how bad some people are at swimming although they did fly past me 3-4 miles into the bike. I am hooked and am looking to do another hopefully in June and July and maybe an olympic this fall if I actually start to train.

Fancy equipment might shave seconds or minutes, but survival and perseverance can't be bought. If it's your first event and you don't have the fancy stuff, don't sweat it. Go out there with what you have because it's not like you're vying for the podium or anything.

I would recommend renting or borrowing a wetsuit, though. I'm guessing the water in Michigan at the end of May ain't exactly warm, and you don't want to be fighting hypothermia and stuff.

Thanks so much guys- making me feel a lot better about it.

I was thinking I would look into getting a wetsuit as it will be super cold in the water. Any ideas on where I could rent a suit from? I saw some places online, but wondered if anyone had any experience with it.

I think that I will wear my speedo for the swim, get out, toss on my running shoes and maybe a pair of short track shorts and just a tight white teeshirt and just wear that.

Bodyglyde was mentioned- would Vaseline or something similar work?

I don't have tri-shorts and am thinking I will just use my speedo for the whole race. Any one ran into chaffing issues or know some remedies/prevention for chaffing?

Lastly- wet suit or not? I defiantly don't have the money for this guy. Could I rent one or borrow a friends? Does any old wet suit work?
Thanks

Bike is fine. Single speeds or fixed gears are used by some people, so no problem there other than being possibly under or overgeared for the race.

Can't believe the replies suggesting tri shorts are a neccessity. Kids today :rolleyes:

Back in the day - late 90's for me when I started out speedos (aka budgie smugglers) was what we raced in for short course events! In regards to chaffing, some vaseline down below before you start plus some vaseline on the chaffing points on the saddle is a good idea. As a backup, put another blob of vaseline under the nose of the saddle. It's out of the way but there just in case things get nasty during the ride. Also handy on nipples before you start running especially if your top is wet...

Don't forget you will probably need a top for the ride and run as you need your upper torso covered (maybe different rules for you - read the race instructions to confirm)

Swimming designed wetsuits are good on two fronts. Increases boyancy and keeps you warmer. 400m swim is over pretty quick though so you should make it through okay if you go without. Not sure of the water temp out your way though. If cold an extra swim cap isn't a bad idea if you have one - yes wear two.

Best advise if you haven't already been doing some are bricks (training ride then run within a minute or two on getting off your bike). You don't have to run far, maybe only a km or two, but helps prepare you for running off the bike in your race.

Enjoy the day! :thumb:

Fancy equipment might shave seconds or minutes, but survival and perseverance can't be bought.

+1. I love all the fancy toys and carbon wheels and pull buoys and wetsuits and such, but they're overall a very small part of the sport. Grit can't be bought. And you can generally rent a wetsuit if the weather's too cold. Worst I've done without a wetsuit is low 70s.

I once did an Olympic-length Tri without a wetsuit (loaned mine to my wife). The water was about 65 and I was definitely cold at the end of 1.5K but it wasn't too bad...I ended up with the fastest T1 time in the entire event :)

If the water is above 58 or so, I suspect you will be just fine for 400m. Of course, everyone is different.

Haven't ridden a SS, but if it's your pride & joy, and you're comfy on it, definitely rock out on it in your first tri. You will definitely be passing a lot of mtn bikes and other bikes.

Obviously , if you find that you're maxing the cadence, your next go around can be on a geared bike.

I suspect you should be on a geared bike with your youth and endurance sports background, but I also believe in racing what you train with, and I generally am not for last-minute gear changes because of theoretical benefits.

Good luck out there!

I have found that having my P2C motivates me to keep going hard so I'm not that guy that people talk about passing on their hybrids. :)

So I have my first tri at the end of the month. Its a 400m swim, 16k bike, and a 5k run. I used to be a track athlete for 10 years, swam 2 years of high school and commute on my bike year round. I am almost 22 and in moderately good shape- doing P90X and swimming, running, biking quite a bit.

I don't have a ton of cash to drop on the event so I just wanted to run this by some other people.

I have a single speed Schwinn Traveler that is my pride and joy and I am planning on riding him for the race. It should be mostly flat as it is out in the corn fields. Anyone else tried this?
Do you have drop bars? If so, then ride the hell out of that thing and don't worry about what other people are on. You won't be the fastest rider out there, but I doubt you'll be the slowest.


Also, I don't have tri-shorts and am thinking I will just use my speedo for the whole race. Any one ran into chaffing issues or know some remedies/prevention for chaffing?
You don't really need tri-shorts for a race this short. You'll only be on the bike for like 25-30 minutes, so chafing shouldn't be an issue. Having said that, I can't imagine riding a bike for any length of time in a speedo.


Lastly- wet suit or not? I defiantly don't have the money for this guy. Could I rent one or borrow a friends? Does any old wet suit work?

Not sure if I will be "old school" or just be dumb.

Thanks
Unless the water is ridiculously cold, a wetsuit is overkill. You will swim a bit faster with it, but probably not fast enough to make up for the slower transition time. Given that this is just a 400m swim (and you're a swimmer already which means you'll probably be in the water for all of 10 minutes) I'd skip the wetsuit and just tough it out.

Good luck!

Welcome to tri's.
Seeing you are in GR you can rent a wetsuit from here.http://www.gazellesports.com/viewProgramDetails.aspx?id=JE9Ap2DIYH66S0q597z9G6y39n51UHl2
It's like $20-30 + a $100 deposit that you will get back when you return it. They will also put your rental fee to the price of buying on in the next 30 days of renting it.

Are you doing the #D race in Kzoo on the 31st?
I was thinking of doing that one.

Old school, yes.

Check out the ride for my last tri: My '86 Gazelle Champion Mondial set up as a fixed gear time trialer.



You'll be fine.

400m is really short. You don't need a wetsuit - just swim faster!!! :D

Thanks a lot everyone! Yesterday my roomate and I did a trail run. We swam in open water for about 8-9 mins (I think that should put me pretty close to 400m as I can do 400m in the pool at around 6:45). Then we transistioned onto our bike and rode 10 miles averaging 19mph. Then we ran for 30 mins as we didn't know how far we were running.

I felt great the whole time. I was just as fast if not faster than my friend on his geared bike and the speedo worked out perfectly.

I think everything is going to work out fine- Doubt I will win- but I think I should be pretty competetive.

Again. Thank you everyone.

Any tips on getting more aero on my bike? I have drop bars and just keep my hands low the hole time, but should I adjust my seat up and my bars down? Any advice on that?

I wouldnt make aero changes so close to a race. It sound like you're going to be just fine, and that you'll do pretty well. In my last race (a small sprint about the same length as youre doing), you would have been competitive for 3rd place in age group. You never know what your age group will look like when you get out there, but it's your first tri. You should have 2 goals: Finish, and don't finish last. Everything else is gravy.

Any tips on getting more aero on my bike? I have drop bars and just keep my hands low the hole time, but should I adjust my seat up and my bars down? Any advice on that?

Don't adjust the bike.

When you are in the drops, make sure you bend your elbows so that your torso & head are closer to the bars/top tube. You can make it as drastic & uncomfortable as you like, but even bending your elbows a bit will make a difference.

Do you have drop bars? If so, then ride the hell out of that thing and don't worry about what other people are on. You won't be the fastest rider out there, but I doubt you'll be the slowest.


You don't really need tri-shorts for a race this short. You'll only be on the bike for like 25-30 minutes, so chafing shouldn't be an issue. Having said that, I can't imagine riding a bike for any length of time in a speedo.


Unless the water is ridiculously cold, a wetsuit is overkill. You will swim a bit faster with it, but probably not fast enough to make up for the slower transition time. Given that this is just a 400m swim (and you're a swimmer already which means you'll probably be in the water for all of 10 minutes) I'd skip the wetsuit and just tough it out.

Good luck!

Back in the day, many of us raced in speedos. And I have to say that was the most comfortable racing attire I have ever had. I find tri shorts uncomfortable. I use a tri suit now. But I never got chafing in a speedo. I think it's an issue for some men with large legs. Look at old videos of races from the 80's. Many ironmen wore speedos--Scott Tinley, Dave Scott, etc... They rode 112 miles in them.

Just an old school suggestion.

If you can get to the water part first try swimming the 400 meters in it. That way you know how cold the water is and how it effects YOU (the only one who matters). If you are going to ride in speedos try doing it before the race. Trying before hte race you can bail out and buy what is needed. Of course don;t do this the day before.

Old School, train as you will race.

Race went very well with my SS and speedo! check out the picture (the medal is for "finisher") I placed 45th out of 700 and 7th in my age group 20-14 (I'm 21). I was 6th out of the water in my heat and 3rd out in my age group. I got smoked on the bike just because I hadn't trained riding that fast and was taking my time saving myself for the run. I did the 16k in 30 mins and the 5k run in 21:30 (2nd fastest personal best time!)

I LOVE TRIATHLONS!

Congrats!!!

You didn't have to wear a shirt?? Here the rules state that you can't have a bare torso.

It was not required, but I actually did wear a shirt and small green track and field shorts from my high school.

I was almost to the car when we took this picture- almost forgot about it! So I am not in my actual race gear

Awesome result! Congrats.

Congrats. Sounds like you had fun!

Maybe I missed it, but where was the race?

The race was at Hawk Island in Lansing MI. It was May 31st and awesome!

Congrats!!!

You didn't have to wear a shirt?? Here the rules state that you can't have a bare torso.

The sprint triathlons seem to be pretty relaxed in many of the rules. But they have to be in order to keep the newbies. I did my 1st traithlon with no shirt but wish I did because of all the sand gnats that were tearing me up (though they helped motivate me to run really fast) The 2nd one I threw on a tech-T I got from a 5k. I hate running in my mountain biking shirt.

My buddy did his 1st tri in some TYR jammers he got for $30 or so. It was a 600m swim, 13.4 bike and a 5k run. I think he said he didn't chaffe.

Just wear what feels comfortable to you. No one notices anything anyone is wearing except when the ladies in the jog bras and tiny shorts do their yoga stretches before the run. That is when you realize there is a god.

I did a 56 mile pre race run through yesterday on my bike, wearing a new tri suit that I got. I have to admit that my regular bike shorts are much more comfortable for such a ride. But I will put up with the butt pain so that I don't have to change.

great finish!



i'm a little late to the party on this, but great job! i finished that race in 1:10:49 -- it was my second attempt at a tri. still, that was good for 19th out of 54 in my age group (30-34) and 153rd overall. not bad for this:



and you don't have to embarrassed about your bike -- last year i did the race on a 1999 trek 820 with a front suspension and wide hybrid tires. awesome. this year was on a 1997 giant kronos GS that i bought from village bike shop for $200. it has grip shifts on it. also awesome.

i have never worn bike shorts, but i the only biking i've done was as cross-training for last fall's detroit marathon and then some early training for this race. my practical limit at this speed is about 25 miles.

i wore a wetsuit for this race, but it wasn't a swimming one. i'll probably forego it for next year.
anyone up for the grand haven olympic tri on july 12? i'll need one for that.

robb.