Oh god, I seem to have entered a litle triathlon

[reallyneedmoresleep]

I don't know what came over me. I think I got a bit carried away by watching all the kids do their triathlon and I thought it might be a great way to make myself get fit. Or something.
Bloody hell. I can't swim very well (have signed up for 6 weeks of lessons), am recovering from a broken leg so haven't run for ages (not that I was ever more than ploddy) and I need to take the trailer attachment off my bike.
So, lots of training for me! Any advice? Anything any triathletes wish they'd known before their first event? Will I die? Help please!

fetcheveryone has a long thread to ask triathlon questions "for those who don't know"
when is the event & how long are the distances in each discipline?

Thanks, I'll have a look. It's not until September and the swim and run are pathetically short -200m swim in a lake and 2k run with a 13k bike ride in the middle

I'm so relieved you didn't say it was 2km swim, 60km cycle, etc!
You can do this. Try to do 2 sessions, say 40 minutes long each time, on each discipline per week. Try to find some friends to go with you for some sessions, and it's fine if they are mostly quite slow... you just need to get into the regime. Nearer the date you can adjust your programme for anything you feel weak on.

In September you'll be able to do that no problem. Just make sure you've swum in a lake before that.
I've done a few triathlons, and there are people of all speeds - so just have fun!

200m is probably in a pool.

Ooh sounds really good. I'd be really excited. Can I ask whereabouts please?

It's at Hever in Kent at the end of September. It's the beginner/ sprint triathlon section of the event - although they seem to do all sorts of different distances for all sorts of different ages. Its part of the Castle Triathlon series - similar events in Cheshire in June , Yorkshire in July also somewhere in Ireland and France.

Definitely a lake, lljkk! I have swum in lakes before, but usually a sedate, dry-hair breast-stroke.