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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:
reallyneedmoresleep · 27/04/2018 20:34

What do you do when you need a wee in bib shorts?

SkiGirl007 · 27/04/2018 17:37

Digging Hmm

SkiGirl007 · 27/04/2018 17:36

Ooh which bib shorts did you get? I’m not sure whether I would get on with them as my boobs are really big I can’t see how the straps going round them! My DH wears bib shorts so I like the idea of less waist elastic dogging inSmile

Lifeisabeach · 26/04/2018 19:24

Forgot to update this thread again! I’m still plodding along, my next event is a small duathlon in a couple of weeks and then a half marathon on 13th May, so I’ve been focusing on running recently. Still finding my knees get really sore after about 7 miles, not sure whether to get a knee support thing to wear. I’m keeping everything crossed for cold/wet weather for my half because I do not run well when it’s even slightly hot!

Bee, I know what you mean about the backstroke turn round the buoys, I remember learning that last year. I did an open water swim in the sea pool in Bude a couple of weeks ago, and it was freezing! So cold I didn’t think I’d be able to put my face in, but I did eventually manage it.

I still haven’t entered the Olympic distance tri I was thinking of doing this year. I’m scared to I think, mainly because of the run. I want to enjoy doing it, not dread the run and then hate every minute.

I’ve got some fancy new bib shorts to replace the cheap bike shorts I had before. Went out for a ride tonight and wow, what a difference! So much more comfy.

I will try and check back more often!

Igottastartthinkingbee · 26/04/2018 09:41

I had a busy day yesterday, 30k bike in the morning and I swam with the tri club last night. Very tired last night!!! The thought of having to do similar/longer distances and tag a run on the end in just over 6 weeks time is scary. Genuinely don’t know if I can do it! Tri club swim was hard but that’s what you go for. The last ten mins was swimming round bouys practice. So all the lanes were removed and it was all swimming en masses to get round the bouys! Chaos!!! But good to practice. They do a funny backstroke thing to turn round the bouy, not entirely sure I got the hang of it!

I was trying to remember the spread fingers thing amongst everything else!

reallyneedmoresleep · 25/04/2018 20:59

Out again on the cleats today and feeling good! Just one moment when I thought I wasn't going to be able to unclip but I was OK in the end. Hills seems lots easier already.
I don't know what to do about transitions though - if I wear these shoes to do my little triathlons, I'll have to run into transition in my cycling shoes (tricky) and then change into my trainers. Hmmn.
Am going lake swimming tomorrow evening - will experiment with spreading my fingers a bit!

SkiGirl007 · 24/04/2018 21:50

Well done on the cleats hope you didn’t have an wobbles. I’ve got pedals that are flat one side and clip in the other. Handy so I don’t have to wear cycle shoes if out with the kidsSmile but I’ve lost my nerve with the clip ins after falling over a couple of times last year and knocking my back out of alignment.

Went swimming mon night and put into practice a couple of tips from my coaching session. I could feel more power going through my arms and was puffing a lot more as I had to keep catching my breath at the end of the lane. Hoping I can embed the ideas and speed up the flow again. One tip was having fingers spread a bit on the FC catch, goes against what I thought but you can feel it pulling more power through the water! ?!

Igottastartthinkingbee · 23/04/2018 21:54

Well done really how were the cleats? I need to look into getting some. Just can’t face buying more stuff!! Is it just bike shoes and the fancy pedals?

reallyneedmoresleep · 23/04/2018 13:30

Ooh just went out for a little ride and am feeling very brave because I went on actual roads and up and down hills wearing my cleats! Ta dah!!!!

SkiGirl007 · 21/04/2018 18:58

I looked on YouTube at transitions to see what it would be like

SkiGirl007 · 21/04/2018 18:57

Yes swim on your sports bra underneath your costume. I’m large chested so it was actually really comfy I also swam with my Tri shorts on to. I only put on my tshirt after the swim in T1 with socks and trainers. It was a cool wind & I needed the tshirt layer. I didn’t wear clip in shoes on the bike so only needed to take off bike helmet & rack bike before running. That and shoving some jelly babies in my mouth too between bike & run.

celtiethree · 21/04/2018 16:27

Hi, hope people don’t mind me jumping in! knit a bra is ok for swimming in but it’s best to get one that is is quick drying. Trigirl website recommends Anita Active and that’s what I have. If it’s warm all you’ll need is the bra with the Tri suit over the top plus a race belt for your number. There isn’t really anywhere for you to get changed as you just run out of the swim into transition which is normally set up in rows. I would recommend some practice swims in your kit so you know how it feels.

Knitjob · 21/04/2018 16:10

Is your bra not really uncomfortable to swim in, and then to run in when it's wet?
Or am I just really over-thinking this and need to just get on with it?
Alternatively, will everyone laugh at me if I swim in my swimming costume then get dried and changed for the cycle and run?

Igottastartthinkingbee · 20/04/2018 21:52

knit I wore sports bra under my tri suit (no knickers) for the swim. Put tshirt on over the top in first transition (cause it was cold day but otherwise would just stay in tri suit) and put trainers on (with socks with a bit of talc in them, makes it much easier to put them on wet feet). And off you go! Jump off bike, transition 2 is just racking bike and taking off bike helmet. Does that help?

reallyneedmoresleep · 20/04/2018 21:31

Knitjob, I did a starter tri last year. I can’t run without my shock absorber.
I bought a cheap tri suit on amazon and wore that with a sports bra underneath.
Wetsuit on top for the swim.
I was going to pull a T-shirt over the top to run and cycle but didn’t in the end and just pulled my belt and gloves on to cycle.
Talc in the trainers was good; I didn’t wear socks.

Knitjob · 20/04/2018 21:04

SkiGirl that confuses me even more!

Tell me from the skin outwards what you wear. Sports bra and swimsuit to swim, then you add shorts and tshirt over the top? Keeping on your swimsuit?

My dad used to do triathlon but he wore his swimming trunks then came out and got himself all carefully dried with talcum powder between his toes before getting dressed in his cycling kit, then changing again into his running shorts for running. I won’t be asking him for advice, things seem to have moved on a bit!

SkiGirl007 · 20/04/2018 20:41

I wore my sports bra under my swim costume with Tri-shorts on and then pulled on quick dry t-shirt in transition.

Knitjob · 20/04/2018 20:34

Do you wear a bra while you swim? Or get dried and put it on after the swim?
Oh god I am such a novice.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 20/04/2018 17:57

Wear a sports bra knit! I wore one under my trisuit last weekend. Hope you enjoy your event!

Didntcomeheretofuckspiders · 20/04/2018 11:31

Jealous! I’m going to be massively pregnant through tri season this year so unlikely to get any done. I’m considering maybe doing a local one very casually but I’ll be midway through my third trimester so we’ll see 😂

Knitjob · 20/04/2018 11:25

I'm a tri newbie too, doing a Come and Tri event in a few weeks then a sprint in September.
I am majorly over-analysing what to wear. Any advice? What do you more experienced people wear? There's no way I can run without a sports bra.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 18/04/2018 22:07

Oh you’ll be grand then! Get swimming and do some brick sessions (bike then straight into a run). And be prepared to get sucked in. Considering it’s quite demanding it’s surprisingly addictive!!

Thisismyhappyface · 18/04/2018 22:01

I can cycle to work (10 miles) without dying, and do parkrun in about 34 minutes, but haven't swum for about 3 months! Planning to go tomorrow and time my 200m...

Igottastartthinkingbee · 18/04/2018 21:56

Hello reallyneed and thisismy!!!

really ‘sprint’ is an anomaly isn’t it! I’m another slow swimmer, you wont be alone in that I promise. I’m even slower at front crawl than I am at breaststroke Confused but I keep on trying!

No advice on cycling I’m afraid, I haven’t tried cleats yet. They’re supposed to be much more energy efficient aren’t they?

And with the running, just take it very slowly, speed wise and upping distances. I’m doing Leeds Olympic distance in June and feel massively under prepared!!! I’m aiming to complete and hopefully enjoy it! So just relax and do what training you can.

thisismy what’s your general fitness like?? Still time to get some useful training in!!!

Thisismyhappyface · 18/04/2018 21:25

I've signed up for a super sprint in 4 weeks and I havent done any training! Will I survive?