Triathlon's

[wonderwoman]

I signed up for my first triathlon. OMG what was I thinking!!!!I'm excited and scared at the same time. It's in June 2012. It's a small one think 300 or 500 meter swim 3 mile bike and 1 mile run. My question is when should I start training and is cathe sufficent enough????
Thanks in Advance

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Wonderwoman! I know there are so many Cathletes that have done triathlons so I will leave the detail to them I just wanted to wish you good luck and I feel good knowing you have given yourself a nice window of time to learn the ropes, condition, prepare and improve your practice times.

I signed up for my first triathlon. OMG what was I thinking!!!!I'm excited and scared at the same time. It's in June 2012. It's a small one think 300 or 500 meter swim 3 mile bike and 1 mile run. My question is when should I start training and is cathe sufficent enough????
Thanks in Advance

 

[thebratee1]

That is exactly what I thought when I signed up for my first triathlon that I did in August. It was the Iron Girl - 0.62 mile swim, 17 mile bike ride and 3.4 mile run. I fretted about it all summer. I wasn't worried about the bike or the run but the swim terrified me. I practiced swimming from February until August but by the time I hit the water on the early morning of the triathlon, I forgot everything I learned. I totally panicked. Being in open water is so different than being in a pool with a bottom and sides to hold on to. I basically doggie paddled and did the back stroke. They had kayaks set up every couple hundred of feet so I would swim from kayak to kayak and rest. I had an hour to finish the swimming part and it took me about 50 minutes.

It's a great accomplishment when you come across the finish line. They just had registration open for next year's Iron Girl and I went as far as registering but couldn't it the send button - my fear of the water was just too great that I don't think I could do it again. Basically I feel that I am such a poor swimmer that if I can do it, anybody can.

As far as training goes, if you work out to Cathe, that puts you in pretty good shape already. Just try to get to a pool and practice swimming.

Good luck!!! You will be sooo glad you did it!!

Regina

 

[wonderwoman]

Thank you Cathe. Its means so much to read your response! and thank for the luck I'm sure I will need it

Regina-That is the most scariest part for me is swimming in open water. I start thinking about sharks and wales and all sorts of silly stuff. If your triathlon was in august when did you start preparing for it?

 

[thebratee1]

I started going to the pool at our community college in February. I would go about once a week, maybe once every 2 weeks. I kept hoping the more I went, the less fearful I would be - but that logic didn't work, at least for me. Is your swimming in a lake? Ours was and I kept thinking about critters and stuff in there but I think with all the activity that morning they all hid. Honestly, once I got in the water, what was in there was no longer a priority - it was staying afloat and not getting run over/kicked by the other people coming up behind me. I was very lucky, ours was all women, so everyone tended to be more supportive and encouraging, not so cut-throat. I was also lucky that mine was in August - the water was very warm so I also wasn't dealing with the shock of cold water - which I hate . Also, make sure you get good goggles - mine fogged up the whole time so I couldn't see anything. I actually wound up putting them on top of my head. I don't know if they make anti-fog goggles or something that you can put on them so they won't fog. Hopefully by June the water where you are will have warmed up somewhat.

As far as the running part, I already run so I didn't have to prepare for that. For the biking, I just started riding my bike in May and June to get used to that. You should also practice riding your bike and then immediately getting off and running. They call it "doing bricks" I think. Your legs will feel all funny and wobbly when you get off the bike and start running so you will want to try and prepare for that.

Do you get a medal when you finish? That totally makes this all worthwhile!

Feel free to contact me if you have other questions.

Regina

 

[CourtneyMCulligan]

Hi, wonderwoman! Congratulations on signing up for your first triathlon!!! That is super exciting! Regina has given you some fantastic tips and I am going to follow up on a couple of ideas for you. I have done sprint distance triathlons where the swim takes place in a pool and open water. They are very different. So, even the training dynamic will vary for you. Most of your training will probably take place in the pool where you will have the opportunity to stop at the end for rest and recovery. It's important to keep in mind as you increase your swim endurance and stamina that you need to train for longer swim distances without stopping because in the open water you don't have the ability to rest in the same way. However, be reassured that every open water swim event has safety kayaks, boats, lifeguards on site for help whenever needed. You are indeed allowed to hold onto the side of a kayak to rest if needed and you are not DQed unless you try to make forward progression while doing so. Another happy perk about open water is that unless the water is above 72-76 degrees F, you are allowed to wear a wetsuit which provides a great deal of buoyancy and makes it much easier to swim, stay afloat. Please practice swimming in the open water at least a couple of times before your race. It will help you feel better prepared and less anxious. Swimming is not my strongest sport....by a long shot! So, in the beginning, I kind of tried to avoid it because I was intimidated. However, I find that training with good swimmers is so beneficial and inspiring. I get great feedback on my stroke, breathing, general technique....all fantastic and important info to have. You can look into a Masters swim program in your area. There will be a coach and other swimmers there for practice who can help you feel more confident in the water. In fact, I am headed out to my Masters swim in about 30 minutes. The other important things that Regina mentioned is the brick workout. These are the workouts where you tie your sports together in the order you will race them in the triathlon. The transition from swim to cycle is fairly easy but transition 2 from cycle to run is more difficult because your legs are fatigued by the bike ride. So, it is important to train running from your bike to get used to the "wobbly" leg feeling and adjust your pace/stride accordingly. I am doing a half Ironman on July 8, 2012 and my official training schedule starts in February/early March. However, I am already training significant amounts to build my base....and I am cross training a lot with Cathe and Crossfit. You can go online and get some good sprint distance triathlon plans which will help you get ready for your race. Usually, the sprint distance requires about 12-16 weeks (depending on current fitness, experience, race goals, etc.) and this will include a general base building block in the beginning. So, starting after the New Year is ideal Hope this all helps!!! Good luck with training. Doing a triathlon is a HUGE accomplishment! Training in three sports simultaneously and bringing them all together on race day is an exciting challenge. You will be great and will love it! Let me know if you have any other questions!!

 

[wonderwoman]

Thank you Courtney for responding to my post. Yours and regina's are very helpful and insightful. My sister and I are doing it together so it's like the blind leading the blind! LOL
I'm really hoping that this will turn into something more like a hobby for me being that I love fitness so much. Thanks again for taking the time out and answering my questions. But I have one more for now....What type of meal should I eat the day of?

Thanks again!

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

That is exactly what I thought when I signed up for my first triathlon that I did in August. It was the Iron Girl - 0.62 mile swim, 17 mile bike ride and 3.4 mile run.
Regina

OMG Regina!! I did the same event! I asked you about which Iron girl you did on another post but you may not have seen it, I must correct one thing, the bike on the Irongirl is 18 miles not 17 and the run was a 5k .

As for my experience I also started working on the swim in Feb & in about June bumped up swimming to build confidence. I swam in the open water several times prior to race. That helped a lot. I also am not a good swimmer & have that irrational fear of sharks, gators etc even though I was in Syracuse in fresh water . So much is mental. I can say that once you get in the water with all those other people you forget all that. You have plenty of time to prepare which is great. I did STS 2 x's through prior to race & loosely followed a training plan our local fitness club put together; finding what worked for body. Don't forget to taper 2 weeks out from race & just have fun. I had a big smile the whole way through. It was awesome to cross that finish line!
I have signed up for next yrs race, sorry to hear you won't be there Regina.

I would love to be support to you throughout this process. If interested pm me & we can exchange emails.

Good luck & you'll do great!!!

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

.What type of meal should I eat the day of?

Thanks again!

Use your training time to find what works for you. I guess it all depends on the time of your race. For mine I was up at 4am, at event by 5am & my wave went out at 7:20 am. I stuck to what worked for me which was a cup of black tea, greek yogurt mixed with protein powder when I first woke. About 1/2 hr - 45 min prior to race I downed some gel shots & refueled with more before bike portion. I tried other options during my training & definitely found what DID NOT work. Plus keep in mind your distance. Shorter distances may not require the same fuel as a full out tri. I would say incorporate this into your training as well so you find what works for you.

The last 4 wks prior to race I really tightened up my eating. After the race (and a shower ) we went to Cracker Barrell & I had whatever I wanted!! no holding back. The best breakfast I ever ate!

 

[CourtneyMCulligan]

Hey, wonderwoman I agree that for a sprint distance Tri you will probably not need to eat much on the course during the actual race. My girlfriends and I got up at 4:30am the morning of Irongirl Boulder and all ate a carb/protein breakfast (light). I had a Chobani yoghurt with some granola mixed in. I also drank a cup of coffee.....to wake myself up and to get my system going...sorry TMI. But, really, it does help to get that all taken care of before the race. I also drank some Gatorade and half a Luna Bar as I got closer to race time. After the swim, once I was on my bike, I took 2-3 Powerbar chews to keep my energy level up and I hydrated. The bike is the best place to get your fuel as you can not do so while you're swimming (plus don't need it yet) and then you have it in your system by the time you get to the run....it's more difficult to eat on the run. But, make sure you do hydrate at the water/electrolyte stations which are located on the run portion. In Irongirl Boulder, they were located at mile 1 and mile 2. FYI, Irongirl Boulder was a 400m open water swim in the Boulder Reservoir, 17.4 miles on the bike and a 5K run. Hope this helps!! I've had a lot of fun searching on the Internet for information on triathlons. There is a wealth of info on everything from gear, to training plans, to finding a triathlon club in your area, to nutrition. I am in full agreement with Maynardsmom.......try out different products during your training and find what nutrition works best for you but don't change anything race day Stay the course...tried and true!

 

[thebratee1]

Hi Tami-

I'm sorry I never responded to your other post - I never saw it.

I did the Iron Girl in Columbia, MD - where was yours? Did you have any hills on your bike course? We had about 3 but only 1 I found to be very challenging but I made it all the way up without having to stop. I didn't have a "race bike". I actually just had an old hybrid bike from Target I had bought years ago that I to dust off from the shed. I was such a newb!. They just had registration for the one next year and they said it sold out in 2-1/2 hours!

Regina

 

[FitPerk]

You have inspired me!

Hi Regina, Courtney and Wonderwoman! I have been debating about taking my adventurous/somewhat obsessive nature to the next level and signing up for a tri over the last few months. You have officially pushed me "over the edge." I hadn't heard about the Iron Girl events and was happy to see one is near me in Atlanta next year. The distance for each segment is just enough to test me and give me a good idea of whether or not this sport is for me! I love running and spinning but haven't yet taken my spinning to the actual road, so we'll see how that transition goes. I also can swim enough to probably not drown but will need some serious training in that area too. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time! Thanks for your "push!"

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

Hi Tami-

I'm sorry I never responded to your other post - I never saw it.

I did the Iron Girl in Columbia, MD - where was yours? Did you have any hills on your bike course? We had about 3 but only 1 I found to be very challenging but I made it all the way up without having to stop. I didn't have a "race bike". I actually just had an old hybrid bike from Target I had bought years ago that I to dust off from the shed. I was such a newb!. They just had registration for the one next year and they said it sold out in 2-1/2 hours!

Regina

Hi Regina, Courtney and Wonderwoman! I have been debating about taking my adventurous/somewhat obsessive nature to the next level and signing up for a tri over the last few months. You have officially pushed me "over the edge." I hadn't heard about the Iron Girl events and was happy to see one is near me in Atlanta next year. The distance for each segment is just enough to test me and give me a good idea of whether or not this sport is for me! I love running and spinning but haven't yet taken my spinning to the actual road, so we'll see how that transition goes. I also can swim enough to probably not drown but will need some serious training in that area too. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time! Thanks for your "push!"

Wow Regina 2 1/2 hrs, that is amazing. Mine sold out in about 36 hrs I believe.

Fitperk, that is great that you have been inspired to sign up for one. Irongirl is an great venue. I can't tell you how much fun it was!! Good luck

 

[FitPerk]

Thanks Tami! I may be back to ask for advice!

 

[thebratee1]

Hi Regina, Courtney and Wonderwoman! I have been debating about taking my adventurous/somewhat obsessive nature to the next level and signing up for a tri over the last few months. You have officially pushed me "over the edge." I hadn't heard about the Iron Girl events and was happy to see one is near me in Atlanta next year. The distance for each segment is just enough to test me and give me a good idea of whether or not this sport is for me! I love running and spinning but haven't yet taken my spinning to the actual road, so we'll see how that transition goes. I also can swim enough to probably not drown but will need some serious training in that area too. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time! Thanks for your "push!"

Fitperk -

I'm so glad we could push you over the edge. My advice is if you are going to sign up, sign up the day it opens. They do tend to sell out fast. I am so excited for you!! Feel free to PM me for any advice, but I was truly a newb so I don't know if I would be of much help. I hope you have a great time and I hope you get in.

Regina

 

[CourtneyMCulligan]

Yeah, FitPerk!!! You will have a great time! Irongirl is a fantastic race series. We are all here to give you any feedback you might need! Looking forward to hearing more about your training in the months to come

 

[RetroFit]

Stacie!!! WooHoo - IronGirl ♥

Hi Regina, Courtney and Wonderwoman! I have been debating about taking my adventurous/somewhat obsessive nature to the next level and signing up for a tri over the last few months. You have officially pushed me "over the edge." I hadn't heard about the Iron Girl events and was happy to see one is near me in Atlanta next year. The distance for each segment is just enough to test me and give me a good idea of whether or not this sport is for me! I love running and spinning but haven't yet taken my spinning to the actual road, so we'll see how that transition goes. I also can swim enough to probably not drown but will need some serious training in that area too. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time! Thanks for your "push!"

I was having fun reading thru these posts b/c I've followed a couple of Cathletes during their Tri's. You will so rock this sport You need to let Jenn D know - she maybe thinking the same thing. Please keep me posted and I'll be cheering you on!

...and to those of you that have done or are planning to do this sport, You are Amazing and it's so great that you are so supportive of each other.

 

[wonderwoman]

Just wanted to say all you ladies ROCK !

 

[jdimascio]

I was having fun reading thru these posts b/c I've followed a couple of Cathletes during their Tri's. You will so rock this sport You need to let Jenn D know - she maybe thinking the same thing. Please keep me posted and I'll be cheering you on!

...and to those of you that have done or are planning to do this sport, You are Amazing and it's so great that you are so supportive of each other.

Cyndi, you are too funny...not sure if I am ready EVER for a tri. I find it hard enough to fit in super long runs for runner alone. I never say never, and honestly, I get pumped up when I hear about everyone talking about races and taking on new challenges....I could easily change my mind.

To everyone else (including my bud, Stacie) good luck, rock on!! You are Cathletes, you can do anything!! You are all amazing women!

Jenn D

 

[MAYNARDSMOM]

Thanks Tami! I may be back to ask for advice!

Absolutely, I think we all agree we are willing to offer any advice. I have found several people who are also triathletes ( my pastor is up to an olympic & my chiro is a 3x ironman) the energy that is around us just talking about it is amazing. We could go on & on.

Someone mentioned brickwork. I agree very important. The first time I went out from bike to run I thought my legs would fall off. After doing one a week for about 3 weeks it clicked.

One other tip is I wore earplugs as I seemed to get dizzy during my swims. This helped in T1 so my head was in the game. I had others tell me they had a hard time getting acclimated after coming out of water.

Believe it or not all this talk is helping me get through my dreaded rest week as I give my lower back time to heal from a muscle pull. Thanks ladies. We shoudl do a check in in spring as we all near our training.