Just signed up for sprint triathlon- anyone else?

[Somanyillustrations]

In a post night shift fit of silliness, I have just signed up for a fun sprint triathlon in 12 weeks...
I'm 33, 5'6 and 10st. Am currently fairly unfit but working on it, and am on week 3 of c25k. Swimming is my strong point, but will be aiming to finish it rather than get a decent time.
Am I going to die?!
Is anyone else doing one this year?

Oh no really! Hope you’re alright. I’ve been looking at switching to cleats but I’m not sure if I should just wait till after my triathlon. Shock Absorber is too far away for me I’m afraid.

How was the duathlon life? Having the whole family involved sounds good, I’m starting to feel a little guilty at how much I keep abandoning mine

Tri club swim last night was hard as usual. A couple of drills were really hard but I was quite pleased at how I kept up with all the speed drills. 1500m in total

Oh no really, glad not too much harm was done. I've done the same and you do feel a bit of a wally.

My duathlon was good - first run was as quick as I've ever run (it was only 1.2 miles though!) and I loved the bike - it was so much fun riding on a track with lots of other people. The second run was a struggle as usual but as it was only 600m the pain didn't last too long! The kids enjoyed their race and OH did really well, so all good. I've entered the next one in July - it's a series of 3.

I'm having half-maranoia, panicking that I haven't done enough preparation, as I haven't done a lot of running since my 12 miler the weekend before last. I'd hoped to beat my half marathon PB but I think I need to focus on just getting round!

needsleep hope you are ok I’ve been too chicken to clip back in after falling off a couple of times and knocking my back out of alignment.

beach well done on the dualathlon and good luck for the half. Hopefully the weather will be kind and not too warm.

bee sounds like you did brill at your swimming welldone.

I did a mini brick sess Thursday took out the road bike for the first time since sept! I was scared all the way, I just can’t pull the brakes easily and struggled trying to balance and arm signal at the roundabouts Arrh! My DH is fab and is going to fit some brake interceptors on the top bar this wend I did jump off the bike and run ...doh left my helmet on so ran back left it under front wheel of our car and then did a 15min run around the block. I then had a swim session that evening so felt like I’d had a Tri day. Only a week to go..

Just a quick appeal for help!!!! Can someone explain to me what I need to buy for cleats???? Road shoes? Tri shoes?? And what bloomin pedals?? I’m looking online and haven’t a clue what I’m doing! Can you tell? tia

I’ve got Shimano SPD WM64 shoes, and Shimano PD A530 pedals. They have cleats on one side and are flat on the other so I can wear them with trainers if I want to.

Sorry, I meant I can use the pedals with trainers as well as the bike shoes!

Thanks life are yours mtb shoes? Accidentally ordered some expensive shoes on amazon last night, that buy with one click thing caught me out!!!

Cleats one side and normal the other sounds useful.

Had to cancel this mornings open water swim as DD has been throwing up hopefully I’ll get out on my bike in a bit.

I too have the pedals flat one side with a cleat the other side they have been useful so I can ride with the kids without being clipped in. I’ve been to chicken to be clipped in for a year after falling out badly.

Had a real buzz today getting sub 30min at parkrun my 1st time running it with no kids id cycled there so I tried to reccie the Tri bike route but got curtailed by a load of cows on the road it was a good excuse to turn around and free wheel downhill.

Hope the throwing up isn’t catching bee and your DD feels better soon.

ski great training! Hope the cycling gets easier. What distance tri are you doing this time?

Got my head round the whole bike shoes, pedals and cleats thing. I’ve ordered some Louie Garneau shoes and Shimano pedals, hopefully will get to try them out on Monday.

I found it useful to get my cleats fitted at my local bike shop - they were great at advising me and adjusting my bike. My saddle is a little further than it was (further to fall . ...

DH was a star and fitted brake interceptors on the racing bike and I love them. Just took bike out for short 9m ride but with hilly up/down so didn’t feel scared on the down hill yah! Then did a 2.5k run straight after it was warm and legs were heavy. Needed more fuel! Hoping to go swimming tonight.
Just been listening to the SimonWard SWAT Tri-coach podcast on diet/carb loading pre-race interesting not necessarily needed pre-race if you reduce activity a few days before and still eat the same. Focus on replacing after event, rather than carb-loading pre-event was a key message.

ski I have that podcast waiting to be listened to! Thanks for the reminder. Simon Ward seems to talk a lot of sense.

Got all my proper cycling kit today. Looking ever so slightly less amateur with my lovely new shoes! Had a practice with the cleats tonight, I didn’t fall off so I’m going to brave it and do my 40km training route again tomorrow. Tagging a run on afterwards but not sure how far to run. Is a couple of miles enough?

I just got back from the pool had a good session with a lane to myself it was really quiet tonight in public part?! (Half pool is club so that was really wavy/busy). Got in a bit late but still managed 45L mostly F.C. tried working on my underwater arm pull as I’ve got a lot of the technique but want to get faster and I’m not being as efficient underneath the water as I should be. Was googling swim tips on you tube last night then I forget it when I get in the pool. I ended up stroke counting instead which makes feel calm I only do 17-18 which I was told is good so I’ve got the glide I just need power under the water! So managed a full”Tri” day of training today will sleep well tonight!

Well done on shoes clipped in bee I’m impressed you stayed on it’s all the fliping car drivers doing random stuff that I don’t like when clipped in. I panic too much,I’ve got old fashion cage pedals on the racer at the moment which is my compromise but I do need to be brave and get clipped in properly again!

Thanks! I felt like such a Muppet hanging onto my fence just trying to get them clipped in!!! And then I couldn’t clip out!! So I’m amazed i got the hang of it while actually moving!!

I think it’s a lot easier to Clip in and out once moving- I was so scared of leaving my garage because it was tricky clipping in and out whilst leaning against the wall.
Struggling to fit in all my training with work, kids etc but then I think ah well, ages until my first tri this year. But June 23rd ISN’T ages away anymore!

Brilliant ride today! Cannot believe the difference cleats make, I was whizzing up hills that I staggered up last week. Those cyclists might be onto something now to find a magic bullet for my running.......

and swimming..... although the wetsuit at least stops me drowning

Ahh really fitting in training is an issue for most I think. No 23rd June isn’t far away! What event are you doing?

Squeezed a 5krun in between school drop off and work and had a lovely quiet swim tonight with my fab 11yr DD giving me coaching tips she spotted a couple things on my F.C. which helped. Need to lift my head up abit and get my lazy left arm in a better position.

Hope your managed to squeeze some fun in really the 23rd June isn’t far away .

How’s the clipped in riding going bee?

Am doing the “sprint” triathlon at Leeds Castle. Which isn’t in Leeds, it’s in Kent. Feeling nervous as the swim is 750m round the moat and the run is described as “undulating”. Well, if I come last, I come last. Feeling determined to finish it at least.

Ooh swimming in a moat! Is it a constant turn then? I always imagine moats as being circular. What’s the bike route like? Survive the run tends to be my technique. I doubt you’ll be last really, you’ve been out on your bike a lot haven’t you?

I’m becoming more concerned about the run now. Took me just over an hour to do 10k last night. On fresh legs, which are pretty sore today. Did a brick session last week and my run was absolutely cack!

Another lake swim in the morning, haven’t swam for 10 days so hope that doesn’t make too much of a difference. I’d like to swim the full tri distance if possible, three weeks to go...

ski clipped in biking is going well! I have my preferred clipping out pedal fairly loose so it’s as easy as possible to get out if I need. Might tighten it a little for my next ride, it’s supposed to make it more efficient the tighter it is.

I did it!! The Go-Tri this morning my goal was under an hour and I came in 55mins the run was really hard and the bike ride challenging because had to keep slowing for flipping cars! I started shouting at them in the end I really struggle with anxiety getting to the start line, I like the training goal but I’m not sure I like the “competing” bit!