How are you supposed to know you can do it?
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TriOnLife posted 10 weeks ago.
WillbIM1Day wrote:
I am sure I can do the distance for all three events separately.
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Do you guys do a lot of bricks or biathlons as part of your training? When you did your first tri were you sure you could finish or was it just kind of a "I know I am in shape and we'll just see what happens during the race" sort of feeling?
You are off to a great start. I don't think anyone knows they can do it until they do it. I didn't. I just took it one section at a time and had as much fun as I could.
Practicing going from the bike to the run is really important. You should do a few brick workouts to go from having your legs be totally stunned by what you are asking of them to knowing what to expect.
I really admire people who go straight for a half.
- A 21st Century Mom who is tri-ing to get better instead of just getting older
www.breakingthetape.com/21stcenturymom
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TryScott posted 10 weeks ago.
My first tri was an olympic, and i just kept telling myself that I only needed to finish to PR.
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jsk85 posted 10 weeks ago.
yeah, there's a lot of nerves the first race...because you really can't know until you've done it. However, based on your background for distances, you can definately do it. Those who have done it can usually tell if others are doing what they need.
Good luck and keep up the good training.
My blog: http://jsktri.blogspot.com
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KevDaddy posted 10 weeks ago.
IMHO, if you can do a marathon and you have already "done the distance" for the other legs, I think you should be able to do it no problem.
I just did my first HIM and had only done the bike distance once and a half marathon twice. I would recommend plenty of bricks as TriOnLife did. You don't have to run far off the bike ride to get some benefit; just 10 minutes or so will give your body experience w/ the transition.
I would recommend some open water swimming if you haven't done any yet. You will probably get some in your oly event, but it is quite different from lap swimming in a pool.
Biathlon! I know what you are referring to (they call it duathlon- bike/run race). Biathlon is a winter olympic sport that meshes x-country skiing and rifle target shooting. I am sure it would be a fun sport- but biking and running would probably be better for your training.*
*Just having some fun with you. Best of luck!!!! I am targeting a marathon later this year and am pretty intimidated.
Kev
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gfd posted 10 weeks ago.
+1 on the open water swim beforehand. Get that under your belt and you are good to go. Take your time in the OLY. Observe, learn, and have fun. You can do the distances with your fitness level. Don't think about the whole. Stay in the present and take it one discipline at a time.
Read a bunch on this site and ask questions. The more knowledge you have will lessen the anxiety.
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309 days
max ping posted 10 weeks ago.
you can definitely do it. in my three sprint experience (drawing mostly on the first), stay within your limits. i came to this from cycling. i learned to swim a month out and knew i could swim enough to finish. i even thought i would place somewhere. so i came out of the water just ahead of this old dude that i "had" to beat to save any dignity at all( my group and the one behind me were already on shore! SO, i figured (in haste) to make up massive ground on the bike. i did. i was passing those fish people like they wee on tricycles. in the end i passed around twenty as they casually lumbered along (swimmers! now you'll see!!).
when i started the run...massive ab cramps. ran those off. then my calves cramped so bad i almost couldn't walk!
triathlons folks are great. the "swimmers" could have said something like "ought to pace yourself boy". but always...ALWAYS words of encouragement.
i made it, because i had to. but it would have been alot more pleasant had i paced myself in my first outing to get a feel for it. i recommend strongly that you do that.
GOOD LUCK! let us know how it went.
im doing olympic in July
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cayman posted 10 weeks ago.
To avoid anxiety, get an HIM training plan and follow it. There are no guarantees on race day, but a training plan should put you in the proper shape to finish the day and to begin it with a bit more confidence. That's not to say you won't be nervous race day, but you will be ready.
+1 on open water swims, very important.
john
I don't need to get faster, I just need to get older!
379
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359 days
stewarba posted 10 weeks ago.
cayman wrote:
+1 on open water swims, very important.
Especially if that open water is the ocean
Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines – Brian Tracy
2008 Sprint Tri A race goals
S: 500m in 10:00 – FS Stroke only
B: 22mph avg over course
R: 5K <= 25:00
Place top 50% for my age group
2280
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2280 days
Tribro posted 10 weeks ago.
All excellent advice from fellow Trifuelers. And honestly I still question if I can do it :) I have a half on June 1 and the weather and my lazyness will have me well under-prepared. The key is knowing you can do the distances, pacing yourself, and nutrition. Most importantly for me is pacing and nutrition on the longer events. Especially on your first you want to get to the other end in relatively good form. So plan out your race strategy and stick to the plan. If things go wrong during, then just relax and adapt. There will be plenty of races in the future to start tweaking things and adjusting for optimal performance, but my advice is always take the first one and just enjoy and soak in the experience. Post race, 10 to 1 you'll be hooked and start planning the next and crunching numbers and your significant other will join the widows thread.
On specifics... You should be cool with the run having done the marathons, maybe up you bike mileage so you get in some 70 mile rides in your training. And then do those short bricks after some of your rides. You have plenty of time for the August race so no worries mate ;)
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NotAsFast posted 10 weeks ago.
+2 on the OWS. Most important. If you can follow up with a bike ride after the OWS, it gives you a perception of how it is to ride after the swim.
I changed my training plan this year to do my long swims on Friday morning @ 6am and then my longs rides after lunch. (Thank you to an understanding boss). So I get the double effect almost.
Every second week instead of a long long ride I do a brick in place of my long ride and have gradually increased it every two week, with my recovery week being a little shorter. The beast is tomorrow. 2.5hour ride with a 1h15min run. Long runs are always on Saturday.
I found in my first triathlon this year I knew which was was up and down after the swim and it took no time at all to hit the sweet spot on the ride and the run.
WillbIM1Day, you will finish. The only person you have to beat up is yourself. Us A types tend to do that when we dont make a certain goal in a race. Trust in your training and race day will take care of itself.
My 10 cents worth.
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TriSooner posted 10 weeks ago.
WillbIM1Day wrote:
If you've done marathons before, you'll do fine. I specifically did marathons before my first IM just to get the distance in. Since you are doing a half, the marathon was good mental training too. See how you feel after bricks. A few long bikes (50miles) followed by short runs (5k), and short bikes (:30) followed by long runs (10miles) will give you a good idea. Also, keep the guns and skiis at home.
Do you guys do a lot of bricks or biathlons as part of your training?
Ironman Germany (July 6, 2008)
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kona_expat posted 10 weeks ago.
How to know you can do a half? Do a half IM race rehearsal weekend, or day, if you like.
Swim the distance, race pace.
Bike 56 miles, race pace.
Run 6 miles, race pace, brick run.
You can do this 2 weeks out from your race, and in fact, should. Wear the clothes you will wear on race day, do the nutrition, everything, including night before meal, too. Dress rehearsal! There is absolutely no reason NOT to do this as part of your training.
It's most important to do the bike/run thing. You can swim day before and do a short run, or you could swim/bike/run all in one day.
Take the day off after doing this.
Or be like me and just do a half IM in training (not recommended for newbies)!
YMMV, IMHO
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Socket posted 10 weeks ago.
How do you know if you can do it? By doing it. I'll let you know Monday if I can do it :-)
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I'm doing the Timberman 70.3 in Aug. My first tri will be the Philly Olympic in June. I am really excited already, but incredibly nervous.
I am sure I can do the distance for all three events separately (I have already run two marathons, swam 3000 yds, biked 55 miles), but how am I supposed to gauge whether I can do the whole thing together? Doing all three consecutively is like a totally different animal than doing a long swim on Friday, a long run on Saturday, and a long bike ride on Sunday.
Do you guys do a lot of bricks or biathlons as part of your training? When you did your first tri were you sure you could finish or was it just kind of a "I know I am in shape and we'll just see what happens during the race" sort of feeling?