Did my first Triathlon yesterday!!!

[SerendipityAlways]

I posted here some weeks ago about triathlon training and am proud to report that I completed my first tri yesterday, and managed to come 10th in my age category!! Really pleased and would encourage triathlon for those looking for variety and a challenge!! Overall a very enjoyable experience.

Well done, that's a good result.

well done!

Thanks! After the high of last weekend, I have just signed up for my next tri in 2 weeks time!!

It's a bug isn't it?

DD competed for the first time in five years yesterday and has now approached a local tri club and signed up for another one at the end of Sept. I'd only asked her the other week if we could eBay her bike, I guess the answer to that is 'No'.

Ooh, I'm tempted to give it a go. What distance did you do Serendipity? Did you swim in open water? That's the bit that scares me . Was it weird cycling in soggy swimming stuff ?

I might add a tri as something to do before I'm 40

Oops hit post before congratulating you on your 10th, brilliant result!

Hi Ilovelemoncurd (great name!!) - To be honest with you the open water river swim was the hardest part of the day for me. Due to the very wet weather we've had here I had very little chance of some open water experience before the triathlon. I swam in a river, and did panic initially due to a combination of the coldness and general murkiness of the water and the feeling of swimming in a group, which does take some getting used to. I breast-stroked for the first 2 minutes, just to calm myself down and to get into a rhythm, and then just put my head down for the rest. The current in the river does help you a lot tho and i was finished before I knew it. Speaking to experienced triathlethes, I've been told this is something you do get used to eventually! The next triathlon I'm doing is a sea swim - cleaner water at least!!

Re clothing - I wore a light gym type top with an inner bra and a pair of triathlon shorts for the event under my wet suit and the combination worked out really well. I did not feel confident enough to wear a tri suit (which are very unforgiving!)and the tri shorts were perfect as they had less padding in the bum area than a conventional pair of cycling shorts, and they also dried out really well (Saying that the heavens opened on the last 2k of the run and I ended up being soaking wet anyway at the end!). I will definitely wear this gear for the next one! Hope this helps! I'm in my early 40s and would definitely recommed triathlon to anyone who can swim, and looking for a challenge! Best of Luck!

PS Lemoncurd - I also meant to say I did the sprint triathlon, ie the distances were a half mile swim (750m), a 24k cycle and a 5.3K run!

I should have checked this board before I posted my post!! You have answered all my questions I was asking! Really glad you have enjoyed it and well done on your result! I have been inspired by the Olympics!

Me too,thanks Serendipity. Good luck for the next one! I'll look for one when I've shaken off an annoying niggle, grrr!

Good luck Goodlifemummy!

Well done Serendipity, that's a massive achievemet, nice one. I am a regular half marathon-er and have been wondering about doing a triathlon for a while, but the problem is that my front crawll is awful and I'd much rather do the swim in backstroke. Is that possible? Apologies for the thread hijack by the way :)

Congratulations! That is a fab result. I am tempted to give Tri a go. My strongest element at the moment would be cycling, and I used to be a strong swimmer, so it is the run I would have to work at most.

How did you find an event to enter? Were there lots of people who were there to give it a go, or did they all seems super fit?

Hi! Pairofclaws - There were people doing crawl, breast stroke and backstroke at both triathlons I've done so far. The front crawl and breast stroke are the better strokes to do I would think as in both a river and sea swim you need to be constantly checking your position in the water and ensuring that you' re swimming on the right course, going around buoys the right way etc.!! I've found from my limited experience so far that the swim can be the discipline which most people find the toughest as its so technical! Have you thought of doing a duathlon, which is a run-cycle-run combination? Or of getting in an experienced swimmer as part of a relay team where you could do the bike and run part yourself? Duathlons typcially start off in the earlier part of the season March onwards(when the water is still way too cold for swimming). This event would really work to your strengths as an experienced long distance runner.

Thistledew - Like you, the cycle and the swim are my stronger elements - and its the run I have had to work at the most. If you're in the UK, you can search for upcoming events on www.britishtriathlon.org. I've done 2 triathlons so far and the great thing about them is that there's such a mix of ages and abilities taking part. So I wouldn't be at all worried about taking part once you've done adequate training and preparation in advance. There is also a super sprint triathlon which is typically a 250m swim, 18K cycle and 3.5K run, which is a good mix to start off on. My way of looking at triathlon is that you are essentially competing against yourself and for me, that means trying to improve on my last time each time I compete. I ignore all the super fit people who are competing for podium places and run my own race! Best of luck and please come back and let me know if you decide to do one!!!

Well done, you wont ever catch me doing one though, I know my limits! :-)

Ah thanks Serendipity you seem quite clued up on all this. There is a slight issue with backstroke meaning you can't see where you're going so I might see if I can up my breaststroke abilities instead, and I will definitely look at a duathlon. Are you going to do another one then? Have you caught the bug?

Hi Pairofclaws - Yes, I did my 2nd triathlon 2 weeks ago!! This was a very different one to my first one, in that it involved a sea swim, and a very hilly bike and run course. I was literally terrified looking out at the sea in advance of the swim, as despite it being a sunny day, it was very windy and the sea was extremely choppy. They had to reduce the swim slightly to take account of the high waves!! But I braved it (you do take courage when swimming in a large group!) and I have to say I loved it! It was much nicer than the river swim, the water was clearer and cleaner and swimming in the waves was fun! The run was a bit gruelling in the heat, and part of the course involved running along the cliff tops and ended uphill, so I was exhausted afterwards. But thats another great thing about triathlon, every race is different, whether its a sea/river/ or lake swim, or a hilly or flat bike/run course so there is great variety. I'm now finished them for the year, and hope to work on my weaknesses over the Winter months and build up core strength etc. Next year, God willing, I hope to do 3 triathlons, nicely spaced out over the Summer months!!!

Wow, that's so impressive. Three next year as well, that's pretty hardcore in my book. Interesting what you said about sea swims versus freshwater swims, I will have to figure out which one I want to go for for my first one, if I take the plunge. I really need to get down the pool and work on my swimming.