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!

Oh TriJo, that's lovely news, congratulations!

5 days until my try a tri. Getting excited. I started my half marathon training plan this morning - 4 miles (with a wee bit tagged on to the end) and then I went to the pool for a swim afterwards. Really looking forward to Sunday :)

For those of us in need of some inspiration ...
Kate Bevilaqua becomes the first woman to win an Ultra-distance triathlon
The native of Perth posted a time of 24 hours, 16 minutes and 27 seconds to finish ahead of men’s champion Juan Bautista Castilla Arroyo, who clocked a 24:42:02
History made at Ultra520K Canada race
Way to go Kate!

24 hours. Good grief!

Congratulations TriJo!

After a lovely day on Saturday doing the London FreeCycle with ds and dh, then having breakfast watching people swimming in Victoria dock before going to cheer dh on as he finished the Ride London 100, I'm on the countdown to my tri on Sunday. I have a bargainacious new wetsuit off ebay, and a terribly respectable wave time of 10.30. Can't wait!

Hello TriJo! Thanks for that. I really know nothing about this, just feel like doing something new! I think the super sprint distance is more realistic for me. Not sure I'd be ready by September but I like the look of the Shock Absorber one, I have registered to get info and I think I'll sign up once it's open :)

Is swimming in the Hampstead pond good for practicing? The water temperature of the swimming is my biggest worry. I am a bit of a wuss when it comes to cold swimming pools...

Congrats on the BFP!!!!

I swim in the ladies pond at this time of year without a wetsuit, the water is around 20c and it's quite comfortable. Takes a little getting used to if you haven't tried it before, but it is a wonderfully peaceful place to swim even if you pootle along with the chatting head-up breaststroke ladies.

It or the organised sessions at the West Reservoir Centre at Stoke Newington are probably the best places around north London to introduce yourself to open water swimming. Parliament Hill Lido is a good compromise too if you're unsure about going straight to open water - 60m x 28m and unheated.

Congratulations, TriJo! Are you still going to do London this weekend?

fromhere - I am a complete wuss in cold water. But a wetsuit makes a huge difference. I did the Shock Absorber one last year and by the date it was in July the water was warm enough for wetsuits to be optional (although not for me….I was still definitely in a wetsuit!). It wasn't cold at all though.

For those of you looking for London-based races, Crystal Palace Tri in May is a good one to ease yourself in as swim is pool-based, and I'd really recommend the Bridge Triathlon (and the midweek aquathlons, for a bit of practice) in Dartford. Both low-key but well organised.

Good luck on Sunday, TriJo if you're doing it, backwardpossum, and CMOT!

My GP said that it should not be a full race effort if I do choose to do it (ie. hang back in the swim, hold a comfortable 25 km/h on the bike, easy 6-6:20/km on the run so basically a relatively long training day, I would have been hoping for a 32-33 minute swim, 1:25 bike and 50 minute run going at full whack), but he'd prefer if I didn't do it. I'm still trying to make a decision tbh - my husband is all for it because it could be 2017 before I do a tri again, I'm a bit more undecided.

Will be cycling with hubby later and we'll have another chat after that. I'm already up a full cup size so I'm already struggling with my favourite sports bras...

I'm assuming from what you've said already that you're fairly fit and, pregnancy aside, have trained adequately for the tri. If so, I think your GP's suggestions are sensible. I'd hang back on the swim as much as anything to avoid being kicked. Have you done London before? FWIW from my experience last year it is short - about 36km on the bike and 9km on the run. I know that's not loads but it does make a difference.

I'd add to your GP's suggestion to ensure that you're really well hydrated (drink plenty before, drink all of your bottle on the bike, walk the drink areas drinking properly on the run) and be especially careful if it's hot.

I did it last year, finished in 3:06. I had the bike and run clocked short last year too - I was running 55 minutes in an open 10k at that stage, and got that as my run split after I knew I had overbiked and felt like the legs didn't want to move.

I'm considering holding a wide line for the swim - I'm very mid-pack in the water so it will be crowded, so if I stay off the main line and swim a little extra it won't affect me as much as it would affect someone with a hard time goal.

It's forecast to be quite hot on Sunday - 26c in the afternoon! Now officially thankful I've got an early morning wave (8:30am).

Nutrition may be an issue though - I have seemingly lost my sweet tooth entirely and am really struggling with eating anything particularly sweet. I'm considering carrying a mini pork pie in my bento on the bike, savoury, compact and decent salt and calories :)

Mmmm mini pork pie...!

Nerves starting to kick in for tomorrow. Am furiously googling "what to do in transition" etc. Have checked the route for the cycle and it's relatively flat - the third mile is quite a sharp uphill, but the rest is either downhill or flat, which is great. Trying to get all off my equipment together and I'm going to pump up my tyres - I think I might need to replace the inner tube on my front tyre (the valve looks a bit squint from the last time I pumped it up). Excited but extremely nervous!

Jo - it's not short this year…..or at least, this afternoon's course wasn't. I can't remember if they change the course for the Sunday morning and go further into town.

They'd changed it all to 2 lap swim, 4 lap bike, 4 lap run (last year 1 lap swim, 2 lap bike, 3 lap run).

Whilst I am pretty sure I'm not quite as fit as last year I did 2.31 last year and 2.57 this year…I suspect the majority of the difference is course length. I'd say the run is more than 10k as my garmin got lost under the canopy and indoor bit and still says 9.7km

Had a great race, delighted with how I did. Finished 8th in my category, 11th female, 30th overall. Not sure how many entered as there was a problem with the first heat of swimmers and they were all disqualified (and presumably will be given their money back) due to the marshalls sending them the wrong way in the cycle, effectively cutting the distance in half! I'd estimate there being about 40 females, 25 say in my category... a bit peeved about the results being out, but I'm chuffed with how I did

Well done BackwardPossom!

Results aren't up for mine yet (it was undifferentiated para, so you can't have winners when some do the run phase in racing chairs and some have CP), but I was super pleased with my swim, coming in ahead of the only other 1 arm swimmer in the 750/20/5 race, and was shocked to come back into transition having overtaken a lot of people on the bike to only see a couple of bikes!
Lovely day there, and a great atmosphere. Saw David Weir who was doing a relay later in the day as well

Sounds great Dibbler, well done! Now furiously googling other triathlons in the area before the season finishes!

Well, I managed to finish today - took things very slow and comfortable, what I'd normally consider not getting out of 2nd gear! 3:36 overall, which I'd be a bit embarrassed about if I wasn't duffed. 38 min swim taking a very wide line to avoid the main pack rough and tumble, 1:44 bike which had a few hairy moments when the bloody pelotons of sub-2:30 men were out on my second lap, 57 minute run where I almost blocked Helen Jenkins from her drink by accident on my last lap!

The 2 hour afternoon nap afterwards was delightful too :)

Looks like Backwardpossum has the Tri Bug!

Well done everyone this weekend!

It'll make a great story to tell in the future TriJo

I thought you might like this shot of the perfect help in T1 - a cameraman close up to me while I was getting my wetsuit off, splints etc on. I was a bit

Chuffed to bits with my times
00:20:24 00:41:41 00:27:18 overall: 01:34:00

I came 6th, which I was pretty pleased with in an undifferentiated field.

Very well done CMOT - you must be delighted :)

Well done, CMOT :)

Fantastic CMOT!

Is this the current Tri thread?

Training for my first full triathlon on the 20th.

Did the swim, then half the cycle, then the run this morning. With a hangover. Chuffed.

I think so blossom :)

Well done you, how are you feeling about it with only 2 weeks to go?

I couldn't find any more tris in the area for the rest of this year, so I'm concentrating on running again. I have a 10k on Sunday, another at the end of the month and then a half marathon in mid-October. Been running well recently so hoping to PB in both distances.