Have registered for the Liverpool tri and am really nervous!

[glitterfairy]

Is there anyone here who is also doing it and who has done tri's?

[Twink]

Not doing Liverpool but have done others. They're great fun, ime people are very encouraging and supportive. What are the distances?

[glitterfairy]

Swim in open water, 400 metres, cycle 10k and then run 2.5k so all easy for me but perhaps not open water and the race will intimidate me a bit as well.

I did a sort of practice in the gym yesterday and did 1000 row and then the others on cycle and treadmill and managed in 55 minutes remembering to wipe each machine down (which was a little tiny bit like transition).

I am doing a proper practice a week on Saturday out on the road.

If I like it I am going to do a longer one in September at Tatton park. Again it will be open water so am going to have to find somewhere to rent a wet suit from.

[Twink]

There are loads of wetsuit hire places like this. A friend of mine uses Tri UK and has always had good service.

I'm still building myself up to have a go at open water, the mass start thing scares me. I know I can swim the distance, and the open water per se is fine, if I was on my own or in a group of about 10!

A couple of things I was told which have helped me are:

• talc/baby powder in shoes & socks (if using)
• a distinctive spare towel to stand on during transition & to help you find your bike
• Balance cycle things on bike in the order you put them on so you don't try to put a top on after your helmet...

There are loads more bits which I'll post if they'd be helpful but I don't want to teach my grandmother to suck eggs...

[glitterfairy]

Teach me please no eggs to suck! Thanks twink

I am reading a your first tri book which is also helpful. I spoke to my swimming pool manager this morning and he says there is an Aqua class on a thursday who might lend me a second hand wet suit and I can swim in my local pool with it on sometimes to try out the feeling as I have never worn one.

Distinctive towel is a really good idea. Talc in shoes check (doesnt it get claggy with wet feet?). It is not until June but it is the open water which scares me. I think once I have done one I will be fine a little like my first road race.

[MoshiMoshi]

Congratulations! Triathlons are a lot of fun and the distance you are doing will have lots of complete novices, some of whom will only just have learnt to swim I bet! It sounds as if you need to gain open water confidence so go onto somewhere like TriTalk and ask the friendly people there about where to go for open water tuition and experience (the site also has lots of useful tips). Once you have done it a few times, if you are like me, you will find pool-based swimming boring. There is nothing nicer than swimming with ducks! You can hire wet suits from lots of places and they often offer the choice to buy at the end of the season if you are hooked so you end up with a bargain. They can get some getting used to though so go and try a variety on and, even better, swim in them. Down here in London I drive out to Datchet to a place called Liquid Leisure where you can borrow 2XU's for free and then buy if you like them (KA-CHING!)

Very envious as I am having to miss the season this year due to imminent arrival of a baby!

[glitterfairy]

Thanks Moshi. I am excited about it as I never in a million zillion years thought I could do it. I will look at the site you mentioned. There is a great north swim of 1 mile at Lake windermere in September so it looks like I could go there to swim although a trek the kids could watch and then we could do something in the Lakes.

[glitterfairy]

I have found an open water swimming session now at Salford Quays where I can practice doing the whole wet suit thing and getting in and out with other swimmers which will set my mind at rest!

I have done a couple of dry runs of the distances and times in the gym and am feeling more confident although worried about breaking rules, drafting, touching bike without helmet etc etc.

Having said that I expect I will be lapped several times on everything but the swim which is my strong point!

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just wondering if you did it and how it went?