Mini-triathalon advice for friend

[L Sass]

Hi all. I have a friend who is competing in her first mini-triathalon next week. It's like a 1/2 mile swim, a 10-mile bike, and a 4-mile run. She only started running about a year ago and I think it is SO AWESOME that she is doing this.

She's a little nervous about some of the non-fitness issues and I am NO help to her, never having done something like this, so I told her I'd ask here. For transitions from one event to the next, do you just go, or do you change your apparel? Do you bike and run in your bathing suit, or do you bring a change of clothes and if so, what do you do with your "stuff"? I'd appreciate any tips that those of you who have done something like this might share so I can pass them on to her. TIA


Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass

 

[L Sass]

just a quick bump. Anyone?

Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass

 

[RunninTeach]

Maybe Jess (Jess_Jugs) will see this. I know she just completed a sprint tri not long ago.

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee296/runninteach/exercise/SnowBunny_tns-1.jpg
http://img16.glitterfy.com/53/glitterfy084824T933D37.gif

"Do you want to feel my spatula?" Run, Fat Boy, Run

 

[dreamyjeanie]

I just did a search on triathlon what to wear and found this link. It looks like it has some helpful info.

www.houstonracing.com/faq.html

 

[mrsmel]

Hi, Lorrie, I've done 3 mini triathlons, but some several years ago.

Please tell your friend that I was nervous, too! But, just relax and enjoy it and don't sweat the small stuff. Easier said than done, I know. In any case, what I did was take a small pan with me. I filled that up with water and left it near my bike. I had a towel with me and I spread that out under the pan of water. That way, after the swim I was able to quickly rinse off my feet and dry them before I put on socks and my running shoes.

Then, I put bike shorts on over my wet bathing suit and pulled a t-shirt on. I had my race number already pinned to the t-shirt.

When I finished the bike, I just put my bike up on the rack, took off my helmet and started running.

Now, you have to understand that I'm very, very slow and was actually the very last person to finish the first race I ever did. So, my techniques are not going to get your friend in the top 3 finishing spots. I don't use aero bars or clipless peddles on my bike or any of that stuff. I'm just a fitness enthusiast who was trying to take my fitness to the next level by training for something I'd never done before.

Again, please tell your friend good luck and have fun! Triathlons really are fun. Hmmmmmm....maybe I should look around for one in the fall to train for!

anne

 

[mspina]

I've done a number of them now, so I can help. I have tri specific gear that I use, so I don't need to deal with anything other than my shoes. I personally can't imagine trying to pull on shorts/shirt over a wet suit/body, nor can I imagine running with a swim suit on, but I know plenty of people do it! If your friend doesn't want to invest in tri specific clothing, she can simply do what was suggested already (shirt/shorts over suit), or she can simply do the entire race in her swim suit - for the short races, that's not a terribly absurd idea.

I use a drink bottle filled with water to clean off my feet after the swim, before putting on my bike shoes (I often don't bother with socks). Then I'm off (after helmet, of course!).

Your "stuff," which includes your bike, is left in your transition area. She should bring a towel that she can fold up to mark her space, and place all the stuff she'll need during transition on the towel.

Everyone stresses about transition (I certainly did before my first!), but it's actually quite trivial. You know what needs doing and you simply do it.

I'm sure she'll have a ball!!!

m.

 

[L Sass]

THANK YOU ALL!!!! I've e-mailed her the link to this thread so she can see your comments. Knew my fellow Catheites would have some experience!

Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass

 

[Jess_jugs]

Hey Lorrie! I was out of town and just saw this post. I did my first sprint tri last month (that actually ended up being a run/bike/run due to weather) and am doing my 2nd one next weekend!

I was worried about the transitions myself. I bought a good supportive Nike swimsuit and wore a sports bra under it (you couldn't see it) I wore a pair of bike shorts over the swimsuit and that way I didn't have to pull them on w/ wet legs. She might also want a dry-wick running tank to layer over the swimsuit.

When I racked my bike, I had everything ready to go right there. It ended up raining out the swim, but I had my bike helmet ready to put on, water bottle already on the bike, etc. Tell her to lay everything out on a hand towel that she will need out of the water- another towel, water bottle, shoes, sunglasses, energy gel or fuel of choice, etc. And to practice before hand the transitions, that's what I did so I wouldn't forget anything and my time would be faster.

Good luck to her!!