Sprint Triathlon

[Greydiamond]

I recently completed my first sprint triathlon (only 400m swim as indoor pool) and thought I would start a thread as I personally found forums like this so helpful when I was preparing.

For context, I was absolutely not the kind of person you'd imagine to do a sprint triathlon. A Mum of two (6 and 2), work full time in education and blooming love food.

I find swimming enjoyable, spent my teenage years and childhood cycling but have an absolute hate-hate relationship with running.

Even the 5k seemed absolutely impossible ti begin with.

Hoping this thread will be used by people like myself who had never done one but want to know more, to people who have done a few now and have the bug.

🏊‍♀️🚲🏃‍♀️

That sounds fun- was it all indoors?

The swim was indoors but the bike and run were outside. Think that's a good way around, I don't enjoy running on the treadmill as much any more.

Are you tempted? Do it! 😊

I really wish the swim section of triathlons (of all distances) was longer, it always seems to be so short in comparison to the other sections. Even in Ironman triathlons.

I did look it up- very manageable distances! Maybe I will if swimming indoors

I’m really tempted - I’m a decent swimmer (just scarfing down a bowl of pasta after tonight’s mile) and a cycle - to work, and then longer 50 milers at the weekends, and have just started C25K as I’m not a runner and that would be my weakest discipline. How do your legs feel during the transitions?

Ooh @Greydiamond thank you for starting this thread. A sprint triathlon is on my to-do list for next year, so I will hop on here and look forward to tips from other more experienced triathletes!

In response to the transition question, moving from the swim to the bike was fine. Just a bit out of puff but had listened to podcasts etc who gave great tips. E.g. have your socks pre rolled so they're easier to just slip onto feet.

Bike to run I had practiced to some extent in my training. My legs were weak but I knew from advice to start the run slow. It was a 3 lap 5k with each lap starting with a 0.5mile incline (not fun).

I only managed to do 5k two weeks before it and was onlt 1 minute slower than my 'pb'.

@PauliesWalnuts I have to be honest, I sacked off c25k. I just went with gut instinct and followed my legs. If I went out and got tired running, I walked. I found my base fitness for swimming and cycling must've helped me achieve a 5k much quicker than the c25k programme would but also, time really wasn't on my side with regards to training. I left it too late!

Thanks @Greydiamond that’s really useful. Coincidentally I went for a run first thing and did 4 miles 😁 Felt ok so just carried on.

I like the idea of doing one.

DS has done junior triathlons and his time gets hammered by transitions, not helped with his dyslexia, but only doing occasionally means it's not worth investing in gear to streamline it when he'll grow out of it after very limited use.

I used to be on an old tri thread pre covid as I did a few Go-Tris and a sprint. The GoTris were great as 2.5k run and shorter swim / cycle. My legs were super wobbly going from cycle to run and it was weird I felt really slow but my pace was faster than expected on my garmin. So I’d recommend doing “brick” training cycle to running to get used to how it feels. For kit to speed up transitions I put elastic laces, talc in shoes after standing on a towel with no socks. Got used to swimming in sports bra under tri suit so just threw T-shirt or wind jacket over the top. Hope you have fun training & doing them. My oldest DD used to do the kids Tri on the same day which was good fun.

That's amazing! How did it feel?

@BogRollBOGOF I've seen a few bits and bobs on vinted. Maybe worth looking for things like elastic laces?

Out of curiosity, what barriers or challenges does your son find with his dyslexia? I work in education and so I am always keen to broaden my understanding of such things.

More generally though, until recently I never realised young adults and teenagers did them too. Quite naive of me really but I think it is an incredible sport for young people to enjoy.

Absolutely agree on the brick training. Is it something you're still involved in?

I didn't bother with a tri suit this time. Had sports bra under my costume then shoved on a pair of shorts over the top.

Couldn't for the life of me get my foot in one of my shoes it was driving me bonkers. My T1 was over 4 mins but T2 was about 1 minute.

Thing slowing me down in T2 was racking my back. Was so scared of knocking off everyone else's expensive bikes that I was just being so careful.

Certainly learnt an awful lot and excited to do another. Anyone done the stratford one? Thought that looked okay!

We had a pratice at home doing transitions me and my then 9-12yr old DD. We ran out into the garden got wet feet and laughed practicing it was fun and did help working out how to lay things out next to the bike & took a photo to remember on the day, used a bright colour towel on the floor so you could see it when laid up in the racks. Also Rack your bike by saddle backwards so it just lifts off frontwards ready to go. Helmet on the seat so you can’t leave without it. Walk the route to the exit before the race starts so you know exactly where to exit / enter etc. I sewed a loop of elastic which we stepped into after swim that had our numbers attached so could just pull it up to waist & twisted it round between bike to run. I’ve not done a Tri now since Covid cancelled the last one I’d signed up to a sea swim one. Lost my fitness and confidence age 47-50 thanks to menopause . But now a couple years later I’m still swimming, running upto 10k and cycling just not all at once. I’d never say never but don’t plan to do another again at the moment. DD is still competing nationally in her sport but not at Triathlon.

Remembering where his bike was parked, wrestling socks on and then the shoes.

A tri suit would cut the faffing with t-shirts and belts, but he's just done the local one, and it's not really worth investing for a one-off event per year when he grows in between.

There may be more than dyslexia in the mix, but the transitions definitely use a lot of executive function which he struggles with. He enjoys them though, and that's the important bit.

Not sure if it was just a fluke but felt great! Off for a swim tonight, then the usual cycle commute tomorrow so will try and work out some kind of plan soon, including brick stuff…