Well I completed my first (sprint) tri Saturday morning, so now i'm officially hooked! What a blast! Overall I think I did OK for my first event. I went in hoping to finish at 1:30 or better, and I came in at 1:30:05.
A horrible swim, and a couple of real stupid mistakes cost me several minutes.

First the swim (600meter). I had consistently been doing 600m swims in 12 minutes, but that was in a pool with few people around me. Everything I read said to ease my way into the water and gradually build up speed, but not to overdo it and kill myself for the bike. Knowing that, I still foolishly rushed into the water in a mad sprint when the gun went off, and lead my group for maybe the first 100 yds. I quickly burned myself out (swimming is my least experienced event), and once the swimmers began catching up and passing, I lost my composure. That was the first time I ever had to swim with arms and legs swinging and kicking me. I got to a point where I just couldn't catch my breath so I ended up using the breast, side, and back stroke for a large portion of the swim. (the friend I did the tri with was 6 laps behind me the last time we swam a mile together in a pool, and even he beat me out of the water in our first tri) .Like I said, I just blew it mentally here.

So now it's off to my first transition. I guess I used my legs more than usual in the swim, because they felt like noodles running to the T1 area. I got in, cleaned my feet, and slipped in to my socks,bike shoes,
shirt, helmet and glasses pretty smoothly. No problems here.

Off to the bike (15 mile)! This is definitely my strong area, but as I first started pedaling I soon realized I forgot to stuff my gel pack into my shirt pocket (note to self, tape it to the top tube next time). I had intended on taking the gel half-way thru the bike, but since that wasn't possible now, I decided to take in some of my liquid electrolyte mix. I got a good drink in, but somehow manage to mishandle the bottle while putting it back into the holder (still upset about the swim). It tumbles to the road and is rolling towards me. I slow down and unclip hoping to grab it, but the bottle hits a bump and heads into the ditch. I almost left it behind, but figured I really needed that liquid, so I got off my bike and walked into the ditch to get it. My friend had been appx 4 bikes ahead of me prior to that, but by the time I got back to pedaling he was just barely in sight.

SIDE NOTE: The time I planned to use for filling water bottles, organizing, etc was used up helping repair
the bike rack I was stationed at. It had collapsed leaving numerous bikes on the ground
before the stert of the race! My second water bottle was already half gone from the morning
warm-up, so my elctrolyte bottle was my only full one.

Once I got back on the road, I gathered myself and got busy spinning! I decided to focus on catching up to my friend, but I was afraid to push too hard and kill myself for the run. My strength is climbing, so I really hit it hard on the hills. I ended up passing a lot of riders and catching my friend just before the half-way point of the ride. After that, I just maintained that pace, and my friend pretty much stayed within a few bikes of me the rest of the way. I had some minor cramping in my right calf throughout the bike, but nothing serious.

Transition #2, this one didn't go as well. I was sitting, changing into my running shoes and in my hurried state, fumbling to tie my shoes seemed to take an eternity (I think i'll try speed-laces next time). My friend came in a few bikes behind me, but since he used his running shoes for the bike, he just dropped the bike off, and headed out. I left T2 appx 30-60 seconds behind him (he's a marathon runner, so I knew I wouldn't catch him from this point)

Off and running (3.1 miles)! About 100 yds into the run, both of my calfs started cramping badly enough that I stopped to stretch them out a bit. Even though that probably cost me appx 30-45 seconds, it was worth it, as I never cramped again during the run. Part of the run was thru the woods with hills, so again I used the hills to my advantage and did a good bit of passing while on the inclines. I maintained a consistent pace during the rest of the run, and waited for the last little bit to kick it in to a sprint (during my training I always finished my runs with a sprint for the last city block). During the last mile I focused on an individual appx 50 yds in front of me with the goal of passing her. It was somewhere around the last 1/8th mile that I finally did, and I got a few others during my final kick. The best news was my ITB knee problem barely reared it's ugly head, and I only had minor pain during the last mile of the run. As I crossed the finish line my friend was on the other side just tapping into some ice-cold water. He finished with a 1:28:59, while I crossed at 1:30:05, leaving us 0:01:06 apart. We both had a great time and look forward to a return to next years event, and hopefully some Olympic and maybe 1/2 IM's down the road! Anything beyond that will require a HUGE improvement in my swimming ability!

Sorry for rambling on, but it was just such a positive experience, that I wanted to pass it along for anyone still thinking of trying one. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the many of you that have taken the time to answer a lot of the newbie questions i've posted, your help is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

Kevin

That DOES sound a lot like mine

If your training was anything like mine methinks we both need to train in bricks more often to learn how to better negate cramping, and get out for open water swims.

Amen to that .... you hit the nail on the head!

I'm taking the next couple weeks off to give my ITB issue a chance to go away, then after a vacation I intend to start up a "new & improved" training routine ..... hopefully sometime in August I can do another sprint tri, then next year i'll try to progress to an olympic, and if that goes REAL well, maybe a 1/2 IM?

Good luck in your next venture!

Got the official times tonight:

600m swim
15:06

15 mile bike
48:13

3.1 mile run
23:10

T1
2:24

T2
1:12

I'd like to improve my total time by at least 5 minutes in my next sprint tri.

I did my first tri yesterday - 500m swim, 21 mile bike, 5 mile run. I focused on pacing myself, learning, and enjoying. Overall, I was pleased with my results and know that I can do a lot better and a have a number of things to work on. I placed 23rd out of 63 in my age group (35-39) and 99 out of 253 males.

Times: Swim 9:28 - It was a serpentine swim in the pool with swimmers starting every 20 seconds. This was a pretty slow 500 time for me due to swimmers ahead of me getting bunched up at the walls - it was fun to pass though - I passed 12 people.

Bike: 1:04:40 - Averaged 19.5 mph - my goal was to average at least 19. I need to get aero bars (maybe buy a tri bike next year). The course was mostly flat and I got passed by some people on tri bikes that I caught and passed when there was a pretty big, long hill. I think having aero bars or a tri bike will improve my times.

Run: 37:13. I was ok with this. My goal was to finish in 37:00.

t1: 2:55
t2: 2:28

Obviously my transition times suck. My t2 transition was hurt by me running to the wrong place to start the run. I will practice transitions a lot before my next tri (july 17).

My first tri was great fun. I am totally hooked.

Congrats first-timers! Welcome to the dark side.

If your next tri is a open water swim, make sure you get plenty of open water training in! I didn't, and it really hurt me.

I also noticed almost all of the bikes passing me were tri bikes .... i'd sure like to try one just to see how they compare?

I'm not real happy with my transitions either. Several improvements are needed, but I think I will try speed-laces next time .... anyone here use them?

I wouldnt know what to do without speed laces. My last race(past saturday, sprint) I had ok transision times(T1-0:56, T2-0:35)

Little hints, for the cramps in the run, for about the last 2-3km, you should be spinning at atleast 100rpm(cadence). You should maintain the same speed, but spin your legs faster, this will flush alot of the lactic acid that builds up in your legs from the bike, out for the run.

If you get so inclined(i assume you have bike shoes, learn to keep them clipped in for the mount and dismount of the bike. This will greatly improve your transition times, but, practice it alot before racing, it is dangerous(i have crased before during the dismount trying this in a race without practicing on new pedals).
Find someone that is local to you that does this and ask them to show you how it is done.

Here is a link about it
https://www.lwcoaching.com/library/cy...ntdismount.htm
-The only difference that I do, is i dont swing my foot around the back of the seat, I swing it over the top tube.

With the gel, for a sprint, you should only have one bottle with you(it is not long enough to warrent more then that), you are just carrying more weight. With the gel, i usually put mine in my tri top back pocket before the race(its with me during th eswim) that way i dont forget it, my dad does the tape thing, both work, its all personal preference.

With the leg problems after the swim, that happens, it is the fast change in your body it messes with you. The only way to make it better, is everytime you swim open water, finish it like a race, run up out of the water, undo the top of your suit, take off your goggles and cap, then run for a few hundred meters.


EDIT- I assume you have a road bike, buy a pair of clip on areo bars, you will be way faster in them, but I HIGHLEY recomend a tri bike specific fit for that, it changes the whole way your bike should be set up.

I've never used them, but I will definitely give them a shot. Do use them year round in your running shoes?



I thought I did do this, but it may have been a conditioning issue as well.


Seems like the way to go, do you have tri-specific shoes? I'll try practicing when training resumes.


Sounds like a good idea. I only had one open water swim in all of my training. That will definitely change for my next tri. I don't have a wet suit, amnd being in the northern midwest, open water is pretty chilly for most of the spring. I guess i'll just have to tough it out next spring!


Something I will definitely look into. As far as tri-bike fit, does that mainly involve seat and stem adjustments???

Thanks for the tips!

I always use speed laces in my shoes, when my shoes die, I actually buy new laces for my new shoes, so my dead running shoes keep the same laces in them.

I do use Tri specific shoes(Louis Garneau Tri Air), I find it alot easier then road shoes that have usually 2-3 straps.

Wetsuit(especially a tri specific one, Xterra, Orca, Ironman, Nineteen, ect) Make you faster in the water, you have to kick less to keep bouyent. As well as you are alot more slippery in the water. Plus as you say, the water tends to be colder, so you are more comfortable in a wetsuit.

With a tri bike fit. It is just making sure that you are comfortable when you drop down into the areobars. On a normal road bike fit it is uncomfortable to be bent down so much, so maby having a forward seat post would help, but that would be determained by having a good fit.

Just finished my first tri as well.

I have done a few marathons, decided to try something new. Swimming was definitely my weakest sport... but I took the whole thing very conservatively, not knowing how I'd feel at the end. my time was 1:40, which I was happy with for my first time. My Transitions were terrible cause I don't know what I'm doing yet. I think I probably spent a total of 5 mins in transition.

I really need to beef up my swimming , hoping to do that over the next several months.

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2005 Felt F55 - Mostly Dura Ace

Congrads on the first time finish! Hopefully many more to come.

I too need transition improvement, but most of all, my open-water swimming needs major improvement before I move up to olympic.