Triathlon people where are you?

Hello triathletes!
I did a couple of sprint triathlons for the first time last year. I am slow, but enjoyed them so much - felt great with all the training too.
I have entered several more sprints this year and am thinking a little bit about doing an Olympic one...maybe.
I had my first swimming lesson in ages tonight. Need to think about spearing my fingers downwards more at the catch on my front crawl. I find swimming a bit like learning to drive - like there's sooooo many new things to think about.
DH and 15 year old DS are doing a couple of the triathlons with me this year. First up is Blenheim Palace - anyone done that one?

I run with one of these and I LOVE it. It works out a bit pricey though as the vest itself doesn't include the bladder, but does come with bottles. I would think the bottles would be enough to get you through a half distance.
It's so comfy and doesn't rub/bounce/chafe, and you'll start to find it amazing on training runs for taking a extra layer or a waterproof. Saves having to shove your clothes in a hedge and go back for them later (I realise this might just be me.... )
www.wiggle.co.uk/salomon-adv-skin-5-1/

I've heard a lot of good things about the decathlon ultra vest type things too though, which are cheaper.

My DH nicked my running camelback which I’d got free with a running world subscription (the reason I took out the subscription ) He hates carrying anything usually but Marathon training he’s had to carry fuel & water and he’s found it ok. He had to do a few adjustments to start with to get it fitting correctly but then did a 21m run no problem with it.

Well done for signing up triskirun - I'm sure you will do really well.

Annoying about the dead ends TametheDragon

I'm worrying about how I'll fit the long runs and rides in that will be needed closer to Staffs 70.3. Realistically I can only do Sunday, so I'm thinking I might have to alternate - long run one week and long ride the next? And try and do some mid-distance runs and rides in the week if I can squeeze them in. I'm planning to do a half marathon in May so I need to make sure I get the long runs in to prepare for that.

So I'm thinking I should start the 16 week Fink plan a bit early to make sure I have enough time to build the distance in running and riding.

Does anyone run with a camelback backpack type thing for hydration? I'm wondering whether to plan to use one for the run in the half ironman, as I know I'll struggle with it, so at least if I've got water and energy drinks with me, I'll be able to sip at them constantly. I didn't fuel properly in the olympic distance last year and really felt it during the run.

triskirun99 congrats on signing up, you’ll do just fine! Sounds like you’re the kind of lady that loves to have a goal to work towards too.

Bit of a flop of a weekend for me training wise, decided to freestyle a trail run, only for it to end unceremoniously in not one but two dead ends. My own fault for winging it without an OS map, but I was just itching to get out the door. Could have found a loop round but didn’t really have the time to take the gamble, so headed back the way I came. Frustrating!
Was keen for a juicy cycle today but OH went out last night and his hangover had other ideas, so we cut it short. Nevermind, tomorrow is another day

I’ve signed up for a Sprint! Arrhh I’ve done a couple of Go-Tris and wanted to do one last year but injuries stopped me. My goal is one to finish, two to not be last and three to be happy with one and two . Based on last years times I will be in the bottom 10% so will be a challenge on time for me but I’ve done a couple of half marathons so I know my body can keep moving for 2.5hrs if fueled correctly. Got 4.5mths to lose 20lbs would also help me a lot!! Yes I’ve named changed in honour of my next challenge
thanks bee I’m still coughing but on the mend now, just DH and eldest DD have the bug now

“Brick session” aka jelly legs as that’s what it feels like when you get off the bike and attemp to run. If I didn’t have my watch on I’d think I was walking it feels SO slow no easy way to get used to it than doing it...I fear?
I’ve sat on the sofa for nearly 3days now with this lovely virus that I’ve nicknamed mini flu (thanks DD who had it all over Xmas now back at school & given it to me). I was suppose to be running a HM as part of my winter training this weekend hmmm don’t think that’s happening now or shifting any Xmas lbs just gaining more.

There's a terrific book called "Triathlon for Beginners" which I used. I'm also following a Training Peaks plan (I'm an expat in the US and TP is probably the best known online training thing.)

Kudos to everyone doing iron and half-iron 🙇‍♀️ I can't imagine that kind of time investment! I have three kids under 10 though, so maybe when they get older 🤔

Brick session - that's what it's called.

Any tips on how best to train? I am completely new to it.

Dogs Do it! Do it! Do it! There will be quite a group of us at Stafford. There are still places left. The run is flat and the cycling not too bad -720m of climbing in total.

Ooh am placemarking for later as I’m debating a half Ironman this year
Never done a tri but I run a lot, cycle pretty regularly and can swim. Don’t fancy a shorter one and would love to do an IM one day but the cycling distance terrifies me!

Wondering if I should sign up and just go for it
Is Stafford still open? Think it’s a hilly one tho is that right?

There's a good group of us now. We can do this! I have just bought the Fink 70.3 book and I really like the look of the plans in there (much less volume and intensity than the beginner plan that I had downloaded online) so I am going to follow the 'Just Finish' plan and I'm aiming for under 7 hours which is slow but will be an achievement for me. This plan is only 16 weeks so I can relax until Feb half term!
The book also says 90% of training should be low intensity zone 2 so That's great to hear too as I think I always push a bit to hard.
Beautiful sunny day here in Dorset, so I did a mini brick session- 30mins on the Wattbike and then a 15min very slow run. Felt great- long may this feeling last!
Anyone else need to lose weight? I need to lose about 7kg. Would love to hear how everyone else is doing?

I am a newbie. Runner really, but started swimming a few years ago and am now proficient at that. Just got a bike, so now apparently I have to enter a tri.

I'm really only fit enough (swim and bike wise) to do a sprint and I've only ever done one transition in my life (from a swim to a run) and that just about killed me, so this should be interesting.

I'm on the Cambridge/Essex/Suffolk border and there are few round here. Exciting!

Hi olympic! I also did my first Olympic distance tri last year. Good to hear your training is going well.

TametheDragon it sounds like the training will be a good focus if your DH is away for long periods.

I'm worrying about the bike at the moment, which has always been my favourite part. It's totally different training for a sprint where the bike will be under an hour, to this where it's probably going to take me 3.5 hours. I've been doing an hour on the turbo a couple of times a week but I can't bring myself to stay on it any longer than that, even with TV to watch or music on. Hopefully once I start cycling outside again it'll feel more doable.

Tri club run training tonight. I find it so much easier when I've got a scheduled session to go to.

Hope everyone else is doing well :)

I'm racing to raise money for Save the Children so I'm hoping that will be an extra motivator!

Can I join you? I turned 40 a couple of years ago and decided to do a local women-only sprint triathlon and had such a good time that I did it again last year. This year, in a wave of enthusiasm after a bottle of wine I signed up to do an Olympic Tri (gulp) in July. I am fat and 42 and really am hoping to shift a couple of stone beforehand. I signed up to Training Peaks and am
following a 28-week program.

So far the training is going well, I'm in the "prep" stage which is basically about consistency. Regular but short workouts. Swimming is my Achilles heel though - following TI techniques to improve my freestyle, but I'm terrible at it. But my goal is to swim the entire thing without switching to breaststroke, so I need to stick at it.

I'm loving this thread, so good to have triathlon chatter with ladies that are goal focused but realistic about time constraints/real life.

Lifeisabeach I've kept everything ticking over up until now, not doing loads of anything or with any particular gusto, but just keeping my hand in. I'm going to follow the Don Fink 'Be Iron Fit' plan which officially should start in a month but I think I'm going to start this week to give myself some flex, and add some extra cycling into the plan as it goes along. I'm not looking to be competitive, just want to get round and enjoy my day. My husband is forces and will be deployed for the most part between Feb and September, so training will give me a focus, and his being away will let me be selfish with my time at the weekends. Every cloud and all that.

No, it didn't seem doable to me in January either! But, you know you want it, and you're going to work for it, and it will happen! The best motivation for me was doing it for charity (not everyone's cup of tea) but people were incredibly generous, and I raised over 5k. Makes getting off your butt on a wet Feb night much easier to commit to. It's completely true when people call it a journey.