TechKnowGN

Gang, I could use a little help. I'm in a contest for a prize pack from USA Triathlon. It's their quarterly photo caption contest. I didnt realize it went live on may 25th, so my voting push is behind. Im in second place, 50ish votes down. it only takes 2 seconds to vote, no signup required.

go to www.usatriathlon.org/poll

My caption starts with "Yeah, matty reed thinks he dropped me...."


(Sorry for using the post for personal gain but I could really stand to win this, could use the new gear)

daffonce

tech you ready for the minuteman this saturday? I just bought myself a new bike, cracked my old ones frame. it is actually a downgrade but so far I like it although we shall see on my fitness ride tomorrow evening. I see a saddle swap in my near future, and possibly a stem at the fitting next week.

TechKnowGN

daffonce - I am ready. I have a cold so thats the only thing making me nervous but hopefully I'll feel better by Saturday. Are you doing the race as well? I need a seat post/saddle attachment mechanism change, and possibly a new saddle when I can swing it. Its the weak spot on my new bike, which is a downgrade from almost anything else on the market before I upgraded most of the components. We're going riding tonight to get some last minute hill work in (Rach hasn't ridden much since the week before last due to a vacation), and then tomorrow a short run and then Im done until the race.

daffonce

Tech,
I am doing the minuteman this weekend. I am looking forward to my first tri. I am doing 25 miles on the bike tonight, maybe a mile run afterward. Tomorrow night I am thinking of getting into the open water one last time then I am done as well. What size is your seatpost? I am stripping down my old raleigh (well maybe not really old it is an 06 frame), it cracked in several spots while I climbed great blue hill. So I will have a seatpost that seems pretty good, and one saddle possibly the bontrager off my new bike. i am not sure how i like it I will know more tonight.

TechKnowGN

I dunno what size the seatpost is, I'll have to look.

Im glad I'll get to meet you Saturday. We're riding something like 15 tonight to get in a taper ride and short short run tomorrow. need to pick up wifes wetsuit tonight. I think Im doing without.

daffonce

Cool yeah I am wearing the wetsuit just for buoyancy purposes, and it is how i have swam in open water. let me know on the seatpost, I could have what you are looking for. enjoy the ride and try to stay dry. im planning on getting soaked again this week, it wasn't bad last week though.

TechKnowGN

Just bought the wife a wetsuit. Mines a diving suit as the tri suits dont come in my size. wont be long though, probably 10 more pounds. But i'll have the diving suit with me and i'll try the water before hand to see if I should put it on or not. we'll have to meet up before our wave starts

I'll measure the seatpost before the race. this bike is substandard on everything so I doubt it'll match but its worth trying.

daffonce

tech check out ebay. i got an orca sonar size 11 for 129, it was a new 07 suit, never worn or sold. it fit me at 295, but i needed the wife to zipper it up. u could try it on see if it fits, i know i was nervous ordering it. i still need the wife to zipper it as i have a broad chest it will be 52" all the way down to 240. we will have to meet up beforehand, want to swap numbers?

TechKnowGN

I may have to take a look. The 2XU team suits are only a bit too small so I know im getting close on fitting those for sure. I tried it on at Fast Splits and it was less than 10 pounds from fitting

daffonce

I completed my first triathlon yesterday. The minuteman sprint in e. freetown ma. There were 212 people starting. I had registered as an age group contestant not a Clydesdale. I find the class to be a little silly as a truly hardcore triathlete at 6'2+ very lean would be 200+ (I bet that was the case for the clyde winner who was about the 10th overall finisher). Never the less here are my results. Swim was 0.25 miles, the bike was 14 miles, and the swim was 4 miles.

Swim rank: 104 swim time: 8:54 Transition 1 Time: 3:14 Bike Rank: 32 Bike Time: 41:22 Transition 2 time: 1:53
Run rank: 171 Run Time: 43:12

My overall thoughts was that the triathlon was a very good time. I enjoyed myself, I met Ben (techknowgn) and his wife Rachel
at the beginning of the race. The night before I had a mini panic attack when I saw the swim course. the following day I
felt about the same. I was all f'd up breathing to start the race. for the first 100 yds I was struggling thinking damn I am
about to dnf in my first tri. after the first 100 i came around and got to breathing properly. then i started to get into the
groove. overall my bike time would have been best in the clyde group. however I learned while running that just bc you can average
20+ MPH and be the 32nd finisher on the bike doesn't mean it is a good idea to do so, especially for posting a good run time.

TechKnowGN

Dear BF C/A Tri team members:

It's official. Daffonce broke his Tri cherry on Saturday in a big way. He killed it, especially for a first timer. He handily beat me in all 3 disciplines, and raced like a vet. Darn nice guy too. Would have loved to have hung out more, but it was our first time out by the Cape, so we had to head out there for some fun in the sun.

My times weren't as good as Derek's (11:59, 53:35, 58:50) but I was really happy with everything other than the run. The bike was a huge improvement over my last race, as was the swim. The run just needs a lot of work still, but I'll keep making progress.

RyanML

I posted this elsewhere before I knew there was a Clyde tri thread, and I'm too forum ignorant to figure out how to move it...please don't hate!

So, I've been biking for a couple years. I'm 6'0, weigh about 300# (down from 328# and still dropping), and I'd like to get into some small or entry level triathlons, sprint, etc. The main problem is the running, which I really don't want to do until I drop some more weight. I routinely bike 40-50 miles at a time a couple times a week, and commute quite a bit. I'm quite a strong rider, and fairly fast. This is a goal probably at least a year away.

My concern is this: I carry equal amounts of fat and muscle, I'm overweight but I can bike long distances, and I have been lifting again lately, typically doing bench press reps at 175#-200# maxing at like 275#. As I lose the weight, is there a preferred method? Let's say I lose the weight, but when get in shape I am packing a lot of muscle weight...would a triathlon type event be more difficult than if I lost weight a different way? Should I take lifting lightly?

What weight would be good to start running? I also have a bum left knee (pulled ACL/MCL/PCL 7 or 8 years ago) but biking has strengthened it back up and doesn't give me any biking problems.

Thanks for any input.

Bone Head

Welcome!

I did my 1st tri @ 250#. It was a sprint and I had to walk the entire "run" due to back spasms. I finished DFL.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, go for it! Do what you can, train regularly without causing an injury and you'll only improve your fitness and ability. I'm not an expert, nor am I a Doctor or trainer so I'll leave the "when can I run?" up to you and your health care professional. Generally speaking, endurance athletes (triatheletes) place more emphasis on cardio fitness -- They don't want bulky physiques and tend to weight train with low weight and high reps. Swimming is great cardio and easy on the joints.
I recommend checking with your physician before starting any training program.

Check out https://www.beginnertriathlete.com/ An informative and supportive site. You'll find posters with ability levels from Newbies to Kona finishers.
Most folks in the Tri community (and on BT) are very supportive.

As they say "DFL>DNF>DNS" Translated: "Dead Freakin Last is better than Did Not Finish is better than Did Not Start."

Hope that helped. Best of luck training and we're looking forward to seeing your race reports!

Bone Head

Congrats and well done!!

TechKnowGN

Ryan -

For your first race, if you're concerned about running... just walk. No but you cares where you finish as long as you finish. Walking will ensure it. if you feel capable of running, do it a little, but definitely train for running if you plan to run. There are several couch to 5k running plans free on the web that can help you get started running.

daffonce

Ryan
I am much the same build as you. I am currently 6'3 and 276, I was 318 at my highest. I got into shape running when I met my current wife 4 years ago, she got me into it. I went a bit crazy. In the end I have run and trained for a half marathon at about 300, is it the best for the joints? Probably not, but it does lead to weight loss. My rule of thumb is I do not run on consecutive days, it leads to injuries. I have ended up with shin splints and plantar fasciatis from running consecutive days. In the end learn your body. Running will make you a better biker, biking will make you a better runner. Swimming gives the body a rest. It all works out pretty well. Advice to start running, stretch before and after, no consecutive days, increase mileage slowly (like max weekly increase weekly of a mile or two until you are double digits), go to a running store to get good shoes they will analyze your walk to give you appropriate support, I like super feet green insoles for more soles. That is what worked for me training for a half marathon at your weight.

I gave up lifting because I pack too much muscle mass as it is, I easily did what you said for weights and then some, I was military pressing close to 200 standing (the legit type you clean it then do your military presses), however lifting was irritating my shoulders and I can't stop myself from trying to increase my weight lifting intensity, so it is left out. but if you enjoy it do it. you won't be your average triathlete anytime soon.

Hill-Pumper

All right, I think that I am in on this too. First my into.

Name: Jeff
Age:45
Clyde/Athena: Former Clyde
# of Triathlons completed:1

I have been considering doing one of these for a while now, and decided to just go ahead and do it. I found a local sprint tri that is for a good cause and even if I don't finish, the money will be well spent. Anyway, I tried running this week and did a 4.4 mile jog, I felt good enough that I could have gone for a bike ride with no problems. My concern has been with the swimming. I have not been in a pool in years and was not a swimmer at that. I visited a local tri shop and looked at gear and asked a few questions. As luck would have it, a local swim coach was in the shop and the owner introduced me to her. She gave my her number and said that she could teach me to swim so that I would not burn up a lot of energy. Also, she said most people only need a lesson or two to get what they need from her. So, from what I have heard from others, it is money well spent. I did buy a set of goggles and am going to make an appointment to get my first lesson.

daffonce

congrats hill. swimming isnt that bad if you just do it a bit. lessons i bet do help

TechKnowGN

Second that, hill. nice work.

It appears we're all either deep in training or everyone is on vacation. My wife and I just returned from the honeymoon in London and Paris... to our first Olympic triathlon this weekend. Gonna be brutal but we'll get through it, and I'm shooting for 3:45 or so as a time frame. Im a terribly slow running, so anything under that time will be considered a win.

abqtj

So I did it! I finished the Santa Fe Tri yesterday. No records were ever in danger, but I completed it.




My total time was 1hr 48m 8sec and here's my splits:
Run = 38m11s
T1 = 3m10s
Bike = 49m12s
T2 = 5m30s
Swim = 12m3s

This was a reverse sprint, thus the swim was last. My transition times were SLOW, but I had some trouble on the run (felt like puking at the 2 mile mark and walked about .25 mile) and then the last mile or so of the bike, my left calf cramped bad and wouldn't release, so I had to hobble out the far end of transition and then back a hundred yards or so, then down a long hill to get to the pool. Took me about 3 of those minutes in transition.

I'm very pleased with my swim, though. I had been struggling a LOT in training with my endurance. But yesterday I got in the pool and just chugged along, swimming the entire distance without stopping (something I hadn't accomplished in my training).

I managed to pass about a dozen or so on the bike, with no one passing me. And I passed a handful in the pool, with only one passing me. So I feel pretty good with my results.

I was 5th out of 5 on the board for Clydes (oddly, 7 signed up, and 3-4 of those listed in the results weren't in the division online, but it doesn't matter).

The last few entries on my garmin site are from the race: https://connect.garmin.com/explore?owner=abqtj if you want to check it out.

And here's what the definition of TIRED looks like:

TechKnowGN

awesome work you totally kicked butt! Way to go!

I on the other hand DNFed my Olympic race this past weekend. Gonna have to dig down deep to get ready for our 70.3 next month

Hill-Pumper

abqtj nice going TechKnowGN sorry to hear about the DNF. I seem to be on on a decent pace for conditioning. I have done a couple of different transitions and all went well with those. Today I did a 7 mile bike ride to the pool, swam 500 meters straight, did another 100 meters and then rode back 7 miles. My legs are a bit tired, but I did go mountain bike riding last night and did a 5k training run the day before.

TechKnowGN

Keep it up Hill, sounds like the training is going great!

We did 45 miles on the newly bought replacement bikes. To say my rear hurts is beyond the truth. I need to replace the saddle and pedals ASAP!

abqtj

Thanks! And keep your chin up about the DNF, it happens to all at some point it seems.

Thanks Hill-Pumper....that looks like a really good work out yesterday! I've got a pool I swim at that I plan on doing some biking to/from this next go round myself. Just not looking forward to the return trip as it's 100% uphill to get back home (about a 500 foot elevation difference). I'll need to make some bike-only runs first to make sure I can get home on my own I think.

daffonce

Tech,
Sorry to hear about the DNF that sucks, but crap does happen. You train and train for something and sometimes your body just gives up on you. Keep hitting it hard and you will be fine.

On a side note I did my second tri yesterday in the next city from where I grew up. It was a 1/4 uh more like a 1/3 mile swim with a quarter mile run to transition then a 11.4 mile ride, and then a 3.1-3.5 mile run. My times are as follows, next up is an olympic distance in august.

overall: 1:26:06
swim: 13:39
T1: 3:37
bike: 33:02
T2: 1:42
Run: 34:08

I really need to get better on the run portion of these things. My running had been improving until travel picked up again, now I should be done traveling for work for a while.