First Tri, need advise!
75
Member
658 days
hateloveschool posted 21 weeks ago.
I have a Felt S32, it's an '06. I think it is a great intro-tri bike. I've enjoyed having it a lot. I've had relatively few problems with it, and it seems to be holding up very well.
One suggestion I would give is Bricks. They're so important to tri training. Bricks are workouts where you incorporate two different areas of a triathlon. For instance you can do a brick where you swim 1/2 mi. and then go bike 30 mi. You're trying to simulate what it would be like to transition from the swim to bike or bike to run. They've helped me tremendously in my transition times as well as my overall times.
One point to make when you're starting out is that you shouldn't push yourself too hard. You don't want to have a burn out. You can injury yourself and you won't have as much fun when you're burned out. lol For myself, if I start to crave sugars, like candy, then I'm starting to have a burnout. I then usually take a couple days off. If you start out with too much, all of your hard work will go down the drain because your body won't have been able to rebuild itself. Also, I don't workout unless I have at least 7 hours of sleep. Even though I'm in college, I try to get my sleep, otherwise, all the training in the world won't do anything because I didn't get enough rest, which sleep is a huge part of. Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope it helps. Good luck with your races.
93
Member
403 days
max ping posted 21 weeks ago.
tyler,
i caught the tri bug last year (october) kinda by accident. welcome aboard!
i have similar goals. i plan to do a 70.3 next year also. long range i want to complete an ironman.
this fall/winter i intend to do a marathon( never was into running... or swimming, but i am now.
there are many sources to get training advice/ plans and i'm not knowledgeable enough nor good enough a typer to put it all down here.
i can say that with this much time before your event it will probably help you immensely to put a couple sprints in your schedule to get a feel for it. i went into my 1st expecting to be in the top three. i probably had the fitness but my poor swimming and short preparation left me with the idea that i was going to blow the bike portion away. i did, but spanking the 13 swimmers that left me out there in the lake left me little energy to run with. in fact, i was so cramped up that far more of those swimmers passed me in the run than i passed in the bike.
i also underestimated the importance in the transition, and so never practiced it... mistake!
so, experience is good.
1
Member
173 days
BlueRidge posted 21 weeks ago.
Welcome! I think a training plan is very, very important. If you do not already have a plan I recommend "Training Plans for Multisport Athletes" by Gale Bernhardt (about $20). There are a wide variety of plans from Sprint distance to full Ironman races in the book. I personally have seen significant improvement in my performance this year by following her olympic distance plan. I know there are plenty of other sources for plans but I do think a plan is important. It is easy for me to not workout if I am just doing whatever I feel like - a plan implies a commitment.
In regards to a bike, I have heard good things about the Felt but I own a Cervelo Dual which I love. I would recommend a tri bike especially if you plan on really getting into triathlons exclusively (vs bike racing).
I would also recommend getting warmed up with some sprint distance races (or even Olympic distance) that include open water swims (vs pool) this Summer or Fall just so you know what to expect for New Orleans.
Good Luck.
34
Member
1264 days
throughthewall posted 21 weeks ago.
Hey Tyler! Welcome aboard, it's going to be a fun ride :)
Regarding bikes, a few things to consider: Road bikes are best if you're planning to do a lot of hill riding. Tri-bikes are really built for aerodynamic positioning before anything else, and you'll get the most bang for your buck on flats. Road bikes, because of their geometry, won't preserve your hamstrings as much as a tri-bike will (which force you to rely on your quad muscles more), which means your legs might be a bit more fatigued on the run than they might be if you rode a tri-bike. Tri-bikes aren't typically as comfortable as a road bike at first though overall, so that's also something to consider.
I started out with a road bike and some clip on aerobars, this was kind of the best of both worlds, as I didn't have to commit to a tri-bike until I felt comfortable "going aero". This might be a good option for you to consider as you start out. Check out some Trifuel forum threads here and here for more info on choosing between a road and tri-bike, as well as for thoughts on putting clip-on aeros on a road bike.
Regarding training plans, check out these free training plans from the Trifuel archives as well.
Most important advice I can give... have fun every step of the way :)
3
Member
149 days
kerryanncan posted 21 weeks ago.
Hello, I turned 30 years old last year and challenged myself to run a marathon. Somehow I got talked into running three.
This winter the owner of the gym I attend got me some swimming lessons so I could do my first tri this summer (we live on an island I think he may have just been bored...wanting a project=))
I have set my goal to an olympic and am nervous yet mildly confident. I still have no bike, have heard conflicting things about what to wear and if it is necessary to get a wet suit (the tri will be in washington state in august, the swim is in a lake)
any advice will we greatly appreciated.
Kerry
217
Member
179 days
iamtb13 posted 21 weeks ago.
Keryanncan - What you need versus what want is very different.
You will need a bike. Really no way around that one. :)
You don't need a wetsuit. They do make swimming easier especially in cold water but you should be ok in August in a lake. If you get hooked on this sport - you will end up buying one - but you don't "need" one. Bathing suit is fine.
You need to have something on during the run (nudity is not allowed in most races). Other than that there are lots of different thoughts.
The less clothes you have to put on and off in transitions the easier (and faster) all will be.
One thing that might help you, is if you can go watch a race before your race in August. Hang out by the transition area and see what works for people and where they get stuck.
Mostly just enjoy your first race and you'll be fine.
Hello all! I just moved to Texas and out of the Air Force and found myself interested in completing the triathlon I was never able to do because I broke my ankle twice. I have always been intrigued by the Ironman, so I decided to thrown down the gauntlet and challenged my friends to compete with me at a New Orleans 70.3 in April of 2009 and then a few months later, I want to do a full. I'm not looking to win, just finish before the cutoff. I have been shopping for a bike, and have started to train by building some endurance running (still have a long ways to go). The local bike shop recommended a FELT S32 bike, and am planning on buying one to train on (unless you recommend against). I need as many recommendations about the triathlon as possible!!! I am looking to see where I might be making mistakes early on. If anyone has a good recommendation for a training plan, type of bike (road vs. tri), or any general comments, I would really appreciate it! Time to cut weight, build distance, and finish the race! Thanks in advance.
Tyler
http://tylerironmanjourney.blogspot.com