SingingSabre 

Recently I decided that it's time I do a triathlon, despite the fact I haven't swam competitively in 16 years and I detest running. Luckily, there's a (relatively) short tri in October called the Tinfoil Man. 12 mile ride (easy), 3 mile run (easy), 825 yard swim (oh dear lord help me).

Tuesday morning I got up early (6:15AM) and rode to the pool to try my hand at swimming. I did 500 yards (20 laps) and had to rest after every other lap. Sucked. A lot. The last lap, I could barely get my head out of the water to breathe. The fun part was I then rode home for some recovery time and to get ready for work. Rode to work (13.6 miles) with a delicious headwind and amazingly tired legs.

Today, I'm doing it again, but with less recovery time at home after the swim. Ah, the desires of the cyclocommuting triathlete to be!

The biggest pain about it all? I need to build up a vintage frame I have to compete. My Xtra, the only bike I have, isn't race-legal. Boo!

I-Like-To-Bike

Given your facts, the only question is: WHY do a triathlon?

SingingSabre 

Honestly, I have no idea. It popped into my head one day and it won't go until I've done it. The training is going to whip me into crazy-awesome shape and I really want to be able to say that I've done one.

tjspiel

The swimming will come in time. Some people people use only a minimal kick to save their legs for the bike and the run. Doesn't really work for me. It messes up my stroke but I'm not a strong kicker anyway. Make sure you break up your training so that you're not killing your legs every day.

Over the course of your training you'll want schedule several of your runs for immediately following a bike ride. Running after a long bike ride is not an easy transition to make. It does get better after the first mile or so of running. If nothing else practicing it will help you to remember that it does get better

This won't be your last tri, I can almost guarantee it. They're addictive. I do feel as though I'm in the best shape of my life. The biggest problem is trying to get enough training time in all three disciplines without it taking away from other things I'd like to do with my time. Commuting helps a lot because I can get some good mileage in by just extending my ride home.

The triathlon forum on BF doesn't get that much activity but it's worth checking out. There's another one called slowtwitch that you might find more valuable.

Good luck and have fun !

Oh, and one last thing. If the swim leg is in open water make sure you get some practice swimming in open water so that you're comfortable with it. Distance swimming in open water is different than in a pool.

DX Rider

Good luck. I'd like to try a triatholon, but I swim like a brick.