Oh shit first triathlon tomorrow

[BuggersMuddle]

I am doing my first triathlon tomorrow morning (sprint). It's one of the last of the season as I'm primarily a cyclist and semi-regular parkrunner, so after a few glasses of prosecco, signing up seemed like a good idea at the time...

I am bricking it. Not in a useful way though, since my brick sessions have been er, not entirely as long or as frequent as they should have been. I am quite fit, if more tortoise than hare.

Any last minute newbie tips for transitions / etiquette etc.? Or reassure me it'll all go fine and I won't go haring out the transition wearing the wrong gear. Alternatively, amusing stories about first triathlon also welcome....

Even my DP (also competing) has said my swimming is 'pretty poor in terms of pace', so I have accepted that last place could well be the outcome (but that's okay, isn't it? It's the taking part? Argh!).

[BuggersMuddle]

It went fairly well I think.

Swim is my weakest discipline and I got roughly the time I expected. I'm strongest on the bike and my time was reasonable, but in hindsight I could have pushed myself a bit harder. Bonked on the run though - if I do another, I'd probably try to take in some gels or something in transition. Will also definitely have to work on transitions!

Overall though, I really enjoyed it and everyone was very friendly. I will definitely sleep well tonight!

[CMOTDibbler]

How did it go?

I did my first duathlon today (10/25/5) which was interesting. The bike course had some lovely farm tracks, and watching the leaders coming back towards me on their deep section wheels/tt bikes with tadpole aero helmets bricking it about their bike on gravelly tracks with cattle grids was entertaining. Then I fell over in the second run and had to be rescued by some skateboarding teen boys as I just couldn't get up. I finished though

[BuggersMuddle]

Thanks CMOT - good reminder on the drafting. I'm a roadie, so I best keep that front and centre as I would ordinarily hang off any convenient wheel!

[CMOTDibbler]

You'll be fine - lay your stuff out in transition in the order you'll put it on, and don't feel rushed.
Remember not to touch your bike till your helmet is on and done up, and don't draft (easy ways to get dq)

Most women in tri are weaker in the cycle leg which is the majority of the time, so a poor swim isn't the end of the world by any means.

And as for stories - my second tri, my first open water and first event as a disabled competitor. I rock up, and everyone else in the para area is wearing a GB skinsuit. You can imagine how I felt!