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Original poster

Sprint triathlon- any tips?

12 replies

DebiTheScot · 21/03/2011 22:37

I'm doing a sprint triathlon in 6 weeks and was wondering if any of you out there have any tips. It'll be my fist one (have previously done a few 10k races and that's it) and I'm getting nervous about it.

It's a 400m swim in a pool, 20k cycle, 5k run.

OP posts:

MoshiMoshi · 22/03/2011 09:48

Enjoy! Pool based ones hopefully take all the fear away as you will be used to the swimming, cycling and running (albeit in isolation) so it is a case of just relaxing when doing them all together. Visualisation is useful to take you through the steps so you don't end up forgetting to put your helmet on when you whizz off on your bike or run off with it still on. I spent ages worrying about what to wear for my first one much more than the event itself !

MoshiMoshi · 22/03/2011 09:48

Have you done any brick sessions to get your legs used to running off the bike?

Original poster

DebiTheScot · 22/03/2011 14:21

I don't know what to wear either!

No haven't done any running straight from the bike yet. Actually haven't done much cycling at all. My swimming and running are ok and I can do times I'm happy with (on their own) but need to pick up the pace on the cycle.

OP posts:

backwardpossom · 23/03/2011 11:09

Hi Debi - I was reading up on sprint triathlons earlier and really really really fancy doing one. Where is the event and how did you find out about it? Sorry I can't help with the training as I'm in the same position as you (have done a few 10k races, currently training for Edinburgh Half Marathon) but will be reading this thread with interest! :)

nocake · 23/03/2011 22:30

The most important rule for tri clothing is.... don't get naked in transition

The best option is a tri suit (one or two piece). This will dry very quickly when you get out of the pool and will be comfortable to cycle and run in. Second best is a pair of tri shorts with a sports bra/crop top for swimming. Then pull on a top in T1. Or swim in your swimsuit and pull on shorts and a shirt in T1. The only problem is that it's hard to get clothes on when you're wet.

It's very useful to practise transitions in the garden. During the race your adrenaline will be pumping so it's easy to get confused and forget something. I've seen more than one person heading out on the run with their bike helmet still on.

Clure · 24/03/2011 18:22

I;ve done quite a few sprints and this year did my first olympic distance, am totally hooked!
Do some bricks - don't underestimate how the legs will wobble from bike to run! you use different muscles and its good to train legs to get used to this, they will feel like wobbly led to begin with but push through it and they;ll get used to running again

After the swim take it easy coming out of the pool, as you've been horizontal for a while you can be a bit dizzy coming out.

Wear a tri-suit or 2 piece

bright towel so you can sight your bike in transition, dry your feet well! I'd invest in some elastic lock laces so you can just shove your feet straight into trainers without fiddling with lace tying

always remember have helmet on before touching bike! In transition 2 dump your bike before removing helmet.

make sure you keep hydrated. I always put an energy gel tied with a piece of elastic around cross bar of bike and take it half way thorugh the bike to give me a boost Good luck!

Original poster

DebiTheScot · 26/03/2011 11:09

backwardpossom the one I'm doing is on 2nd May. I've got a couple of friends who've done it before & 1 of them just copied the entry form for me as she got sent it automatically. This 1 fills up very fast so you need to know about it before entry opens. I guess runners world website or the triathlon magazines websites will have details. (my name is slightly misleading and I'm not in Scotland by the way)

Thanks for the other tips, I don't want to buy a trisuit as I'm guessing they're not cheap & can't see me becoming a pro . So think I might go for shorts and crop top then put tshirt on at T1. The energy gel on the bike sounds good too.

Yesterday I went for a cycle and run with the friend that's also doing it. We did a 7 mile cycle then a 2 mile run (was meant to be further but our route wasn't as long as we thought). The start of the run was hard but ok. After 1/2 mile ish my legs and body just felt like they would if I was say 4 miles into a run.
Then I went for a swim in the eve too

OP posts:

JJ · 26/03/2011 11:23

Drink a sports drink during the bike ride so you don't run out of umpf (technical term) during the run. This might just be for me, but I only drank a bit of water on the bike during my first one and had nothing left for the run. For the second, I drank a 50/50 mix of some sports drink and water and it kept me going.

Not sure if that was just me or everyone. I wore this bra. It kept me covered up enough in transitions.

I'm doing two this year - one in June and one in July and am spectacularly unfit at the moment. They're good fun. Good luck!

vicbar · 26/03/2011 17:34

I wore a tri suit and it was def the best idea. I saw them in sports soccer for £15 this week.
Mine was an open water swim which I found really hard to train for ( no open water other than the sea near here and salt water is too buoyant) I cycled a lot and ran when i could but for a sprint distance with the distance you can already run you'll be fine.

Enjoy it, it was great fun - and I only entered as my DH and mates said I wouldnt be able to do it.

Original poster

DebiTheScot · 27/03/2011 22:37

did another bike to run today by accident! Went for a cycle and 4 miles and 20 mins in I got a puncture! Luckily I was only actually 2.5 miles from home so I just ran back pushing the bike! Have a big bruise and scrape on my calf from hitting it off the pedal severl times but was ok apart from that!

Will look in Sports Soccer for a trisuit.

OP posts:

ivykaty44 · 30/03/2011 13:09

practice the transition and make sure you have talc for your shoes, a band for your number to be pinned to as this makes transition from swim to bike quicker

legspinner · 06/04/2011 10:48

Just found this thread, wanted to wish you luck. Have done two tris now (400m sea / 12km ride / 4 or 5 km run) and really wish I'd practised more bike / run transitions, as the run following a ride was the hardest part, but it sounds as if you have that well under control.

This year I was taken aback by how hard the swim-ride transition was as I pushed myself much harder in the swim (read: flat sea, rather than lots of waves and chop). Would recommend practising the swim - ride transitions too.

Don't have a trisuit, but wore sports bra, swimsuit on top plus bike shorts in the swim and threw on a quick-drying top for the bike and the run (the top had my number pinned to it beforehand). Also had a water bottle to squirt sand off feet but you won't be needing that

Good luck..hope you don't have too many punctures! let us know how you get on.

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