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Just signed up for sprint triathlon- anyone else?

454 replies

Somanyillustrations · 24/06/2017 13:31

In a post night shift fit of silliness, I have just signed up for a fun sprint triathlon in 12 weeks...
I'm 33, 5'6 and 10st. Am currently fairly unfit but working on it, and am on week 3 of c25k. Swimming is my strong point, but will be aiming to finish it rather than get a decent time.
Am I going to die?!
Is anyone else doing one this year?

OP posts:
Igottastartthinkingbee · 19/06/2018 12:09

really you will be fine. Get in the water as soon as you’re allowed to. Just float around, put your face in and try to relax before the race starts. And if you panic just stop, give yourself a moment and breaststroke for a bit. Front crawl again when you’re ready. I guarantee you won’t be the only person feeling nervous. I agree with ski, reciting a mantra is a good idea, I sometimes count my strokes so I remember to breath every third stroke.

You can always think of me getting totally left for dead at the swim start the other week! I was so slow!!!

It’s Leeds castle you’re doing isn’t it? I still haven’t got anything booked in, I feel a bit sad that my big race is all over!

SkiGirl007 · 19/06/2018 09:31

Making it to start line is 90% of the battle sleep I was a nervous wreck doing my 2nd Go-Tri but once I got going I was ok. Would reciting a simple mantra in your head help with the swim breathing? I struggle occasionally in a pool and repeating simple stuff like either bubble bubble breathe or relax breathe relax breathe over and over calms my mind and breath. Good luck go smash it!

reallyneedmoresleep · 18/06/2018 20:48

Oh god, I'm staring to panic. First sprint triathlon (my previous one was a starter-tri) is this Saturday and I feel a bit sick every time I think about it.
I went for a lake swim this evening and it was awful - really couldn't get my breathing right and couldn't do more than 12/14 strokes of crawl at a time. I felt like I had a band around my chest. My cycling training is going well but I'm worried about transitioning in cleats and my running is slloooowww!
I keep imagining myself staggering over the finish line ages after everyone else to sympathetic, slightly patronising clapping....

SkiGirl007 · 16/06/2018 17:56

Lots of options there bee hope you can find something to inspire you. I sat in my camping chair last week and declared I would start marathon training from Oct Grin but first I need to lose some weight to reduce injury on my middle aged joints. However whilst running this morning I realised I needed to hit HM again by Oct to be in with a chance of sensibily building up the distance again arrhhh hope my body can do it.

Had a really good 5k yesterday and a 10k run this morning was so nice to be only 12c and abit drizzly so I didn’t overheat too much this time!

Igottastartthinkingbee · 13/06/2018 13:40

Probably a bit of heatstroke ski! Hope you’re feeling more human now.

I haven’t done anything since Sunday’s race. Shoulder is pretty sore so I’ll wait for that to settle before swimming again. Might head out for a run or bike tonight. I’m a bit lost as to my next target. There’s a few races over the summer that I’d like to do that are either too soon or on weekends that we’re already busy. There’s a standard tri in August that I might do but I’m not feeling very inspired by it! It’s at a lovely lake, in nice flat countryside but I’m not sure what’s putting me off. Doing my first standard at a World Series event may have set the bar a little high!!!

I like the look of London Triathlon but I may have to save that for next year.

SkiGirl007 · 12/06/2018 12:21

Think I wore myself out yesterday super hot 10k in the morning then a 40min Swim last night. I’m bushwhacked today trying to focus at work...

SkiGirl007 · 11/06/2018 17:01

Super well done bee that’s brill hope you have time to recover now and plan your next one Grin

Igottastartthinkingbee · 11/06/2018 10:44

I did it!!!!!!!!!! Dreadful swim but I loved the rest of it! And did it 10 mins faster than I thought I would. What a feeling!!

SkiGirl007 · 09/06/2018 21:00

Hope it all goes well bee good luck

Igottastartthinkingbee · 09/06/2018 17:37

Well bike is all racked and registration is done. Feels very strange leaving my bike behind. All go in the morning!!!!!! I’ll be relieved to get out of the water in one piece and in anything around 50mins, I’ll be relieved to get through the bike section with no punctures and the run, well I just want to be able to keep going!!!!

SkiGirl007 · 07/06/2018 20:17

Good luck bee for the wend. I’ve been away so not done muchSmile did a 6k run last night but it was really hot and I struggled. No serious swimming for a week just a few laps at the campsite pool. I need to get back to it.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 05/06/2018 20:30

Lots of nervous chat on Facebook about this weekend! I can’t wait!!!!!!! Did a final brick session today. Swim tomorrow and that’s me done till Sunday (save for a familiarisation dip in the lake on Saturday after registration).

How’s everyone else doing??

Igottastartthinkingbee · 01/06/2018 10:32

I’ve just got some Tailwind. Haven’t tried it yet (will try it on tues when I’m doing a big bike/run). It’s been recommended by lots of people so fingers crossed! Other than that I use clif bloks. Mountain berry is just like eating sweets!

reallyneedmoresleep · 01/06/2018 09:12

Igotta, I just read your post sort of subconsciously thinking four hours chuh! I’ll never be doing anything that long, but then I’ve just thought that my sprint triathlon that’s coming up v soon won’t be very much shorter. Forty minutes for the swim (I’m slow and it’s in a castle moat), Eighty minutes for the bike ride and then probably forty more minutes for me to stagger around the run. Two and a half hours. I’d better start seeing which energy gels I can use without side effects. Any recommendations?

Igottastartthinkingbee · 31/05/2018 22:09

You live and learn life so annoying to get your pacing wrong though. It’s so hard on race day with the adrenaline pumping not to go off too fast. You won’t do it again though!

I’m in the ‘doesn’t really matter what training I do now’ phase. Whilst also feeling like I’ve still got a few key sessions to do in the next few days. Tapering doesn’t seem to exist in triathlons quite the same way as it does it running. If I was doing a running race expecting to complete in around 4 hours (as I’m hoping to do the triathlon in), I’d have been tapering for nearly three weeks by now!

Lifeisabeach · 31/05/2018 21:53

Thanks really, yes you’re right, I am glad I at least finished it. There were points where I was considering quitting and working out how I could walk home (it was in my home town). Will do it again next year and start slower!

I’ve finally joined the local tri club and went to an interval run session last night, which was great. I’m not too sure how many other sessions I’ll make because of kids’ activities, but I can now swim in the lake which is 2 mins down the road, so I can start open water practice!

I had planned a bike ride tonight and decided to go, despite the rain. Well it then got worse, really pouring down, and made going round bends a bit scary, I had major white knuckles!

reallyneedmoresleep · 31/05/2018 15:09

Life, you have completed a half marathon! Be proud of that and remember you can always try again if you think you can get better times.
Was planning lake swimming this afternoon but am a bit worried about lightning!

Lifeisabeach · 29/05/2018 11:04

Hi all, sounds like everyone’s doing really well with training and races. My half marathon a few weeks ago didn’t go too well, I was really disappointed with my time and general performance. It was warm and sunny but not too hot, so I can’t really blame the heat, although I know I’d have done better on a cold, rainy day! Looking st my splits, I started way too fast, my first mile was stupidly quick (for me) and I paid the price! So annoying as I put in the training and thought I’d do much better Sad

I’ve got a couple of duathlons booked next month but nothing else. Still haven’t entered the Olympic distance tri but I think I’ll bite the bullet and do it, as it’ll give me a focus for the rest of the summer.

Think I’ll need to join the tri club too so I can use the lake to practice open water swimming. You have to be a member to use it.

SkiGirl007 · 28/05/2018 09:08

Well done on your cycle/run brick bee it’s been very humid which is super tiring I find. Planned a 10k this morning hadn’t planned 5am child wake up! We have mostly passed that stage but she did re-settle so I drifted in/out before getting up at 6.30am to go get the run done. It was really hot and slow but can tick it off for today Smile now it’s family day but we may go do a coastal walk & beach splash as it’s beaut day.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 27/05/2018 20:23

Not sure who’s out competing this weekend but it’s a beaut!

Today I did a 40k bike ride and then straight out on a 6k run. It was so hard!! Very windy on the bike and very warm on the run. Plus we’ve been away for a couple of days with too much alcohol and not enough sleep so that didn’t help. I wouldn’t have done it today but I had a short window of opportunity to get it done so I had to suck it up!! I’m hoping I won’t struggle so much in the race. Rooted to the sofa now!

SkiGirl007 · 26/05/2018 16:11

Who was doing something this wend? Good luck hope it’s not too humid for you.

Thisismyhappyface · 22/05/2018 22:26

Thanks! Was expecting to be at bottom of the board, so really pleased. Am doing a sprint tri in July, so that is the next goal. Need to work on the run and a bit more open water practice...
Totally got the bug though Grin

SkiGirl007 · 22/05/2018 21:15

Well done happyface that’s brill!

Igottastartthinkingbee · 22/05/2018 20:04

Yay well done thisismy!

I don’t own any triathlon/exercise gadgets (yet!) so I can’t help I’m afraid.

Thisismyhappyface · 22/05/2018 14:19

I did my first super sprint on Sunday! 17th out of 70! Loved the swim and bike, utterly despised the run... Took 15.30 to do 2.5k, with lots od walk stops, so need to learn to pace myself.
Any recommendations for a tri suitable watch? Smallish budget, but may be able to get an early birthday present...