Summer 2015 triathletes….

[pootlebug]

Anyone else? We had a thread last summer so thought I'd start a new one. Please join in whether you're just contemplating your first one or a seasoned triathlete!

Did my first season last year - 2 sprints and 2 olympic. I am panicking as signed up for half ironman in June. Winter was plagued with injuries and now although I'm back to training I'm not nearly as fit as I was and it doesn't feel like long enough to get there. Will give it a good go though. Planning a Sprint in early May and an Olympic end of May as warm-up races.

Come and join me!

Its worth (no matter how much of a twit it makes you feel) doing a swim/bike brick session to get used to the weird feeling of cycling in a wet tri suit.

You'll also need some Bodyglide to stop chafing around the neck of your wetsuit, and where you would normally use chamois cream

CMOT, you mean getiing out of the shower in my tri suit and then going for a cycle? My wife will think I've finally lost it!

No I mean the even more embarrassing thing of taking your bike to the pool, churning up and down in your tri suit then dripping out to the bike. This is easier if someone will wait with your bike and kit

How is training going for everyone?

Of the last three weeks, I've travelled to the US for work for two, and had one week of holiday with ds, so things were a bit disrupted for me. However I did manage to haul myself out of bed early when away to run or cycle in the gym, and it was lovely to swim outside in the dark.

Can i join please? Decided to do a pool based swim sprint tri in August.

I haven't swum front crawl in years and gave myself PF after a run last year so haven't run since then.

17 weeks to sort myself out then!

My top tri tip. Don't leave your bike in the car. Like I did for a 6am start this morning for a sprint tri. Woke up to find it gone. My lovely specialized road bike has gone. I had to do a hilly cycle on a very much seen better days clunky mountain bike. Not fun! Sods law that it was the first time it wasn't in the house overnight.

I've entered a sprint tri that is very local to me for the first May bank holiday. A 6 mile cycle to the start is a good warm up.

I'm feeling good about the swim and cycle, but have picked up some sort of injury to my calf, which has meant that I have not been able to run for about 5 weeks now. I have been having Physio on it and have my fingers crossed that it will be good enough to do at least one short run before the event.

I'm looking forward to the swim at this event as I have been training in the pool over the winter and have swum the 425m that is set for the event in about a minute and a half quicker than I was swimming last year.

I may also have a new toy for the bike leg too- DH is very keen on his Time Trialling and has bought himself a new TT specific bike, which should be adjustable for me to ride as well!

Just a shame about my running then!

Oh no Pleaseputmyshoes on, that must have been a nasty shock this morning. Was your bike insured?

Hi Katie, have you downloaded one of the 16 week beginner plans?

Ooooh Thistle, a TT bike! You'll have to get an aero helmet to go with that of course!

I did a 27 mile event with ds this morning (while DH did the 50) which had some horrid hills in it. Ds was a total champ, fuelled by his new banana gels and the psychological effect of his first caffeine gel after he managed to get his chain off and was feeling sad for himself.

A small celebration for me this week when I managed to do 2km in under an hour in the pool on Friday. I haven't managed that far before, and have really improved both speed and sustained speed.

Oh no, Pleaseputmyshoeson, you must be gutted :(

Thistledew - exciting news on the bike front! Hopefully the injury holds up for the run leg.

CMOTD - that's really impressive for your DS - especially with horrid hills. Hills generally = whining for my older two. To be fair we do most of our riding on the Thames path as there's just too much traffic elsewhere - but the massive hill up through the park on the way home is never popular.
Sounds like your swimming is going really well too.

Hi Katie - I had PF over the winter and it sucked. Fingers crossed its gone now. I find fit flops all the time Im not running help.

So I'm feeling in really good shape for a mid-August half ironman. Unfortunately the one I've entered is mid-June. 8 weeks today. Crap. I am nowhere near. A reasonably good weekend of training though - the killer 100 minute Sufferfest training video yesterday, and today an 11km run and about 38km on the bike - albeit that 14 of that was with the kids so very leisurely. I have persuaded my lovely local outdoor 50m pool to open at 6.30am one day per week and they start tomorrow….so I shall be there to actually fit in a decent morning swim for once.

pootle, good luck with the Ironman. I couldn't even begin to imagine doing one of those. Serious respect is due!

My training has been on and off. No swimming (think I'm just going to have to wing it). I did however cycle 90% of the course followed immediatly by a 10k run and it was fairly hard but not aweful so that is a positive. To be honest, I'm currently more scared of the 1/2 mara I've got booked in for the 4th!

Hello you all sound very fit! I haven't done a triathlon for 10 years but want to get back into them again. I'm thinking of signing up for one in the autumn.

My swimming and biking are fine, my running needs a lot of work as I haven't run consistently for years due to injury.

rb32 - it's only a half ironman! Definitely not in any way up for a full one!
You'll be fine if you've done most of the course. TBH on the day the adrenaline gets you through even if you've not done the full distance, in my experience. Good luck on 4th!

My first warm-up race is a Sprint on 10th May…..2-and-a-bit weeks to go.

ah right mis-read that pootle. Still, don't play it down though! The swim and the bike....ok, but then a half mara straight after??!? Still very very impressive in my eyes! Did 12 mile run on saterday....could still feel it in my legs yesterday afternoon...

Can I join. I am a complete beginner. I did a bit of running before children (over 9 years ago). I've done a few bits here and there since. I have decided that now i'm not having anymore babies I need to look after me. Have been training off and on for last couple of months. Lots of pool swimming, some circuit training and recently cycling and jogging.

I have decided to enter my first tri at the end of June. 500m sea swim, 10 mile cycle, 5k run - sadly all quite hilly as Cornish coast!!

I can cover all the distances but my times are slow and haven't yet practiced transitions (and have only done pool training will be getting a wetsuit in the next couple of weeks.)

I alternate between excitement and motivation to despair, chocolate and wine. Argh.

4anddone - you sound like me

Pool swim for me tonight, followed by mug of tea and chocolate!

CMOT (or anyone else with triathlete DC!) - can I ask what sort of road bike your DS has? My DS wants to take part in a 100mile bike ride which school organise - next summer (when he will be 13 and probably about 5ft 9), so planning way ahead, but he only has a hybrid bike. I am prepared to get him a secondhand road bike, but what would be a realistic budget before I make a fool of myself in local bike shop (DS keeps showing me bikes on eBay, but I am reluctant to go that route when I don't know enough to be able to spot a lemon)

My ds is only 8, so has an Islabike Luath 26. At 5'9, your ds will need an adult bike of probably 54-56cm (i'm 5'9 and ride a 56 but am long bodied).

You'll need to look at around the £500 point for a bike - dh has a Felt from Wiggle which has done him really well and was £469ish, and then I'd really recommend you pay for your ds to have a proper bike fit. My local bike shop charge £60 for this and its worth every penny.

I don't know what your local bike shop is like, but mine is brilliant and will really try and find a bike which fits the person and budget, even down to finding trade ins.

Ouch. I wasn't thinking in that sort of budget. Hmm. I may start asking around those whose DC are doing it this year to see if we can borrow / buy one from them...

Stealth - he'll probably be ok on his hybrid, but yeh, go down to your local bike shop for advice and definatly have a look at secondhand!

School briefing was hybrids only if the suspension can be locked, and his can't. I was naively hoping I could get something serviceable for less that £200... tough is a lot more important than trendy at this point.

For £280, the B Twin gets very good reviews for the price.

I have a question of my own - any recommendations on neoprene swim hats? I am going to crack this open water swimming thing! First coaching session May 21st...

CMOTD - I am pretty nesh, but survived fine in a lake last May in a normal swim hat….and I am a lazy low-effort swimmer. Some people did 2 hats on top of each other for warmth.

OK, thanks Pootlebug. I think I am diverting nervousness into the 'if I have the right things it will all be OK' approach. That'll save me a few squid to spend on another session

I think I need to speed up my swim, I'm doing a pool based sprint so 16 lengths.

I used to be able to do crawl but now have fear of it. I have found my goggles so I'm going to give it a go this week or rope a friend into giving me pointers.

My first sprint of the season this weekend! The lake will be cold but my local lido is 12 degrees and I have been in twice this week - really cold on the face but tolerable for a short swim ! Can't wait until the weather warms up a bit.