Signed up for an Olympic -- What did I just do?
126
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1275 days
rob6118 posted 2 years ago.
An Olympic is doable esp. if your goal is simply to finsih. 5 months of solid base work should help alot, you just need to get some sport specific training in their. Try to switch your cardio to an even mix of running and biking, try to get some road time on the bike you will be racing on, and try to get some brick training in.
Also make sure you are comfortable with the swim. I always thought I was a great swimmer, but my first sprint tri was quite a surprise getting hit in the face etc by other swimmers.
A Sprint Tri is doable by pretty much anyone in decent shape as long as they just want to finish. In order for an olympic to be doable, you simply need to be in slightly above average shape, which working out 6 days a week for 5 months should put you in that category. Right now you just need to get some solid sport specific, and tri specific (different sports following each other) training in to make sure the actual race doesn't kick you too hard.
Also don't forget your taper! If you've done a solid 5 months of training, your cardio base should be there. Now you are simply looking for technique, and don't be afraid to take the last 1-2 or two for rest w/ minimal training.
Best of luck.
Rob
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874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
rob6118 wrote:
Also don't forget your taper! If you've done a solid 5 months of training, your cardio base should be there. Now you are simply looking for technique, and don't be afraid to take the last 1-2 or two for rest w/ minimal training.Best of luck.
Rob
Thanks Rob for the words of encouragement and advice.
My bike is being repaired now. I am doing a spinning class this morning and I have a two hour ChiRunning training on Monday.
What do you mean take the last 1-2 or two for rest with minimal training? Or you talking about the days prior to the triathlon?
Cheers
2935
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1357 days
Anton posted 2 years ago.
Hopefully,Golf is what you drive,and not what you do when not training for your first TRi! ;)
Going for a finish,10 weeks is enough,IF you trust your coach and follow what they tell you.
Rob is talking about 1-2 WEEKS prior! Your coach will lay all this out for you...talk to your coach about it now.Go to "search" here at trifuel and type in "taper."
USE this website...tons of great folks here and plebty of advice and ribbing... Best of luck,and let us know how it goes.
Oh, if you do play golf,and depending on how much your clubs cost, you may already have the cost of your first tri-bike sitting in the garage!
"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" - Vincent Van Gogh
My Blog: http://agingsuperhero.blogspot.com
126
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1275 days
rob6118 posted 2 years ago.
Yeah, sorry I didn't do the post preview. 1-2 weeks for your taper. Realistically though, at 10 weeks out, most of your training is going to be effectively a taper anyways. Your emphasis now should be sport and technique specific, not just mashing away for improved fitness. Normally most people go until 3 weeks out with normal workouts, but that also gives them 3-6 months of interspersed technique workouts along with the cardio. You happened to do cardio first, and now need to make up all those technique issues you normally would have addressed at the same time.
The triathlon is partially fitness, and it fools a lot of people because each event in itself is normally not that hard, but taken cummulatively it is much more challenging.
I would argue though that the majority of the challenge is mental, technique, and race specific. Its the stuff like getting kicked in the face while swimming, maintaining sights of the bouys so you don't do a HIM instead of an oly, pacing the bike, and not blowing up on the run, that determines just how well you are going to place and how much fun it'll be.
Translate that as it doesn't matter how fit you are, if you drown in the first 50 yrds, you won't continue to be with us on the boards *grin*.
Search the site for technique workouts for each sport, and hit them 6 days a week, but emphasis technique, so you are always fresh for the next workout. Best wishes.
Rob
22
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874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
Anton wrote:
Hopefully,Golf is what you drive,and not what you do when not training for your first TRi! ;)
Going for a finish,10 weeks is enough,IF you trust your coach and follow what they tell you.
Rob is talking about 1-2 WEEKS prior! Your coach will lay all this out for you...talk to your coach about it now.Go to "search" here at trifuel and type in "taper."
USE this website...tons of great folks here and plebty of advice and ribbing... Best of luck,and let us know how it goes.
Oh, if you do play golf,and depending on how much your clubs cost, you may already have the cost of your first tri-bike sitting in the garage!
Lol. I have been playing golf competitively my whole life! Unfortunately, it provides very little fitness. Not even sure it is a sport per se, but more of a skill. The guy in my golf group yesterday was smoking a cigar WHILE hitting his shot.
I trust my coach 100%!!!
Thanks!
22
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874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
rob6118 wrote:
Yeah, sorry I didn't do the post preview. 1-2 weeks for your taper. Realistically though, at 10 weeks out, most of your training is going to be effectively a taper anyways. Your emphasis now should be sport and technique specific, not just mashing away for improved fitness. Normally most people go until 3 weeks out with normal workouts, but that also gives them 3-6 months of interspersed technique workouts along with the cardio. You happened to do cardio first, and now need to make up all those technique issues you normally would have addressed at the same time.The triathlon is partially fitness, and it fools a lot of people because each event in itself is normally not that hard, but taken cummulatively it is much more challenging.
I would argue though that the majority of the challenge is mental, technique, and race specific. Its the stuff like getting kicked in the face while swimming, maintaining sights of the bouys so you don't do a HIM instead of an oly, pacing the bike, and not blowing up on the run, that determines just how well you are going to place and how much fun it'll be.
Translate that as it doesn't matter how fit you are, if you drown in the first 50 yrds, you won't continue to be with us on the boards *grin*.
Search the site for technique workouts for each sport, and hit them 6 days a week, but emphasis technique, so you are always fresh for the next workout. Best wishes.
Rob
Good words of advice. I will taper it down at the end. I think I can do all of it individually (at least finish) but no way in aggregate. Also, haven't done an open water swim. I am sure Venice Beach will be a zoo during the LA Tri.
Will keep you posted. Appreciate the reply.
83
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930 days
bouli posted 2 years ago.
haha, i just did the same thing (signed up for my first oly), and i'm terrified! i'm so excited though also.
I've just over 11 weeks myself, but i've been cycling to work and college everyday for years and i've been running for years (although not consistently). I'm confident that i'll be ready for it, although the swim REALLY has me worried.
Good luck with the trainging man. Everyone here is so helpful, so use the website. Hope we both achieve our goals!
Bouli.
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
-- T.S. Eliot
108
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1026 days
MAggie posted 2 years ago.
I just did an oly today, also did one on memorial day. I've only done two tri's in my whole life and both were oly's.
I trained for about 16 weeks for my first one. It was a killer especially with all of the other participants- 2600 People. The bike was the most fun, the run was a killer (then again, texas heat is just nasty) and the swim I hated with a passion.
Practice a couple of open water swims before you do yours. I didn't have any practice open water swims, major issues with swimming. Even my tri today the swimming was better, but as we were approaching the dock to get out of the water, the water was only about 5 ft deep and there was all kinds of algea growing on it and that had grown up and I could feel it, it also look very very weird. It scared the ever living crap out of me and I had to do backstroke the rest of the way in.
Make sure to try out supplements before hand as well and find out what you like. I personally like the Clif Bar Shots and the jelly beans, I had those today for the first time and they were wondeful!
Also, in the transition areas you don't have a lot of space, but make sure that all of your stuff is laid out so that it is easy to find. I went from wasting about 10 minutes in my first tri to only having it take me maybe 3-4 minutes total for this second one.
Keep training hard but also remember to give your self a few days here or there just to relax and not burn out, otherwise when you get close to your tri you will end up hating it and not enjoying the experience.
To quote my buddy the BlueAssed Biker: "Don't think about it, just do it." - PrinceofClydes
22
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874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
bouli wrote:
haha, i just did the same thing (signed up for my first oly), and i'm terrified! i'm so excited though also.I've just over 11 weeks myself, but i've been cycling to work and college everyday for years and i've been running for years (although not consistently). I'm confident that i'll be ready for it, although the swim REALLY has me worried.
Good luck with the trainging man. Everyone here is so helpful, so use the website. Hope we both achieve our goals!
Bouli.
Sounds like you have a lot of experience running and swimming and therefore you can concentrate on only one piece. For me, all three events will be relatively new for me. All done in the gym, not in real life!
Good luck as well. I will be checking this board religiously.
Cheers
22
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874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
MAggie wrote:
I just did an oly today, also did one on memorial day. I've only done two tri's in my whole life and both were oly's.I trained for about 16 weeks for my first one. It was a killer especially with all of the other participants- 2600 People. The bike was the most fun, the run was a killer (then again, texas heat is just nasty) and the swim I hated with a passion.
Practice a couple of open water swims before you do yours. I didn't have any practice open water swims, major issues with swimming. Even my tri today the swimming was better, but as we were approaching the dock to get out of the water, the water was only about 5 ft deep and there was all kinds of algea growing on it and that had grown up and I could feel it, it also look very very weird. It scared the ever living crap out of me and I had to do backstroke the rest of the way in.
Make sure to try out supplements before hand as well and find out what you like. I personally like the Clif Bar Shots and the jelly beans, I had those today for the first time and they were wondeful!
Also, in the transition areas you don't have a lot of space, but make sure that all of your stuff is laid out so that it is easy to find. I went from wasting about 10 minutes in my first tri to only having it take me maybe 3-4 minutes total for this second one.
Keep training hard but also remember to give your self a few days here or there just to relax and not burn out, otherwise when you get close to your tri you will end up hating it and not enjoying the experience.
Good advice on the swim Maggie. My tri trainer said that we will do an open water swim in a month. Said I wasn't ready and will need to get it down in the pool. So, I will do that. I think there is an open water swim at Zuma every Sunday.
Did you use a wetsuit? I don't know if I will need one for Venice Beach.
Cheers
108
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1026 days
MAggie posted 2 years ago.
GolfMark- I did not use a wetsuit because the water temp was something like 78 or 80, very warm. The oly tri that I did earlier in Austin, TX the water temp was around 72, still wasn't too bad. I wouldn't mind having a wetsuit but it's just a lot of money and I figure if I can do okay without one then that's good enough for me.
To quote my buddy the BlueAssed Biker: "Don't think about it, just do it." - PrinceofClydes
22
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874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
GolfMark;48023 wrote:
I read the article in Men's Health Mag about doing a triathlon. I was in no shape 5 months ago. Since the beginning of the year, I have worked out 6 days a week on a combo of cardio and weights and watched what I ate.Still, I have done this all in gym.
I haven't swam or biked since I was a kid and rarely run. My cardio work-out is usually elliptical, stairmaster, or bike.
It is only 10 weeks to the triathlon. Got myself a coach immediately since I need to learn technique. I spent $600 yesterday on various running, biking (had a decent bike from my wife -- just need to get it working) and swimming gear.
Is an Olympic doable? I already signed up and paid for it.
All I want to do is finish. Could care less about the time. I had my first lesson with my triathlon coach Monday and he said I can do it if I want to do it. Up to me.
Thanks
I am replying to my first post 10+ weeks later! It is funny reading what I wrote back then now that I am so much more experienced :)
Did the LA Olympic Triathlon in 2:56 this past Saturday. My goal was to beat 3:30. Adrenaline was going high I guess.
Took the advice and focused like a laser.
Thanks to all
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930 days
bouli posted 2 years ago.
Congrats man. My first one's on saturday! say a prayer for me eh!? If I get anything close to 2:56 i will be a happy chap!
Well done.
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
-- T.S. Eliot
22
Member
874 days
GolfMark posted 2 years ago.
bouli;52225 wrote:
Congrats man. My first one's on saturday! say a prayer for me eh!? If I get anything close to 2:56 i will be a happy chap!Well done.
Good luck!!!!
Prayer sent in across the pond. You should get it in plenty of time for your race.
I read the article in Men's Health Mag about doing a triathlon. I was in no shape 5 months ago. Since the beginning of the year, I have worked out 6 days a week on a combo of cardio and weights and watched what I ate.
Still, I have done this all in gym.
I haven't swam or biked since I was a kid and rarely run. My cardio work-out is usually elliptical, stairmaster, or bike.
It is only 10 weeks to the triathlon. Got myself a coach immediately since I need to learn technique. I spent $600 yesterday on various running, biking (had a decent bike from my wife -- just need to get it working) and swimming gear.
Is an Olympic doable? I already signed up and paid for it.
All I want to do is finish. Could care less about the time. I had my first lesson with my triathlon coach Monday and he said I can do it if I want to do it. Up to me.
Thanks