I'm in a unique situation...
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vanjames posted 51 weeks ago.
Ride 10+ miles then run for 15-20mins right after a few times. See how that feels. Running after biking is a different animal. Don't stress the strategy too much just have fun and go with how you are feeling on that day - if that means you can podium awesome.
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RV posted 51 weeks ago.
Welcome to Trifuel! Man wish I started doing Tri's when in H.S.
Have you done an ocean swim before? Not the same as a pool swim. Make sure you've practiced it.
Also it is important to practice running off of the bike, so do your bike workout then immediately start running - You need to experience the feel in your legs after biking hard and then trying to run. Your legs can feel heavy - but it passes quickly.
You should also practice transitions (swim to bike) and (bike to run) - lots of time can be lost here if you are fumbling around. Catwood has some good posts on fast transitions - you could search the site for those.
There is not much that you can do to really alter your biking in 2 weeks, but I would suggest biking the course a few times so you know where the hills are etc - no surprises on race day.
Good luck - let us know how it goes.
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
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m2tall2 posted 51 weeks ago.
I'm in a similar situation as you except I stink at both running and biking but I figure, why not.
Someone else said you should jump into the ocean to do some swimming beforehand. I would hope you do it several times. I personally had the shock of my life getting into a lake for the first time to swim. I'd glad I've practiced it many times. The first time my time for the distance was so slow I almost cried. Now that I am used to it, I am right where I thought I would be.
I wouldn't be so concerned about being the first one out of the water. 0.3 Miles, what's that like 500 meters? You aren't going to gain much on that. If you went all out in a 500 meter race you might do what? between a 5:05-5:10? That means you can put it in cruise control instead and maybe do 6:00 or 6:30. Not only that but odds might go to a slightly less fast swimmer in a wetsuit who's used to ocean swimming. That minute to minute twenty seconds will not loose you much ground at all and you may be in much better shape on the bike. If you're not used to the bike, you'll need the extra energy for that. And you'll probably still be among the top swim finishers.
I would go in with no expectations except to finish and not go out so hard on the swim that you can't finish the bike.
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SummitSwimXC posted 51 weeks ago.
I've done a 500 yards in 5:16, i've never done a 5 in meters.
I still think I should get out during the swimming. Finishing in under 7 is the plan, I'm not sure how the ocean will effect my time, or the giant crowds. I definitely think i'm going to finish it, It's a question of whether I can win my age group, I don't think it's that competitive.
Oh and on a random note, IM stands for individual Medley meaning one person swims all four strokes, not ironman :D, I got really confused looking around these boards until i realized...
"why would everyone train to swim an IM and then bike and run, freestyle is so much easier..."
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christri25 posted 51 weeks ago.
block island is a great place.... i did some running there growing up when i was youger... they have a good road race.
Chris
``It's not as if I'm going to sit around and be a fat slob,''
Lance Armstrong 2005
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catwood posted 51 weeks ago.
Good for you! You sound like you come from a similar background to me, but you are WAY faster... I did my first tri the summer before my senior year of high school too (5 years ago now)...
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SummitSwimXC posted 51 weeks ago.
Oh my goodness. Thank you for letting me know about that whole running after biking ordeal! It's practically a whole other sport for crying out loud.
Biking seems like a different sort of tired, so when I got off my bike (I went out for a 10 miler), I felt like 5 miles would be no problem, I was sooooo wrong.
Will I get used to this transition after maybe four more bike-runs? (the race is August 6th)
Am I really running as slow as I think I am? I'm thinking maybe I was used to the biking speed, and running just seemed slower than normal because of the contrast.
I think the main problem I'm having is stretching my stride out. Am I right?
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RV posted 51 weeks ago.
It gets easier after a few times - your body adapts to it. And mentally you know that you push through it and you will find your pace.
If you bike at a higher cadence (90+) the transition to run is typically easier.
If you bike at a lower cadence - some find it helpful to go to a slightly easier gear and spin over the last couple minutes of the bike.
It loosens the legs up for the run.
Also to adapt to it you need not run more than 15 minutes or so after the bike to get benefit.
You are probably not really running slower - just feels that way, but time it and check.
RV
It takes a long time to get good. - Scott Molina
Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. - Rich Strauss
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catwood posted 51 weeks ago.
You'll be fine. I really wouldn't stress the times too much for your first tri. Its a whole different race than either swimming or xc. Its ok to have a time in your mind as an estimate, but its not like swimming where times are times...
I was a slower swimmer than you (a breaststroker, but my 500 was approx 5:50) and I generally swim 6:00-6:30 for open water ~1/4 mi lake swims (I don't trust that they are measured super accurately). I am not that fast any more in the pool because I haven't swum competitively for 4 years now (I could probably do a 6:30-45 if I did a flat out 500 now...). My open water 1/4 miles are actually faster now than they were 3 years ago when I was a faster swimmer but a less experienced triathlete. Now, after almost 30 of these, I can actually navigate ok and not get slowed down too much by the crowds.
As far as the running goes, for my first triathlon, at the time my 5k PR was 22 min. I ran 29 min for my tri split. The next year, my best 5k was high 19 min (4 years ago) and I still ran 25 min splits. Now I run low 21s as splits and I can't go much faster for an open 5k. Don't be too disappointed if your split is a lot slower than your flat 5k. As you get more experience with the sport of triathlon, your tri split will catch up...
With your background, its probably likely that you'll win your age group. In my first tri, I was A LOT slower than I am now and I won my age group by over 20 min... (that doesn't happen often any more now that I'm 20-24)
Listen to what RV says about running off the bike. He really knows what he's talking about...
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SummitSwimXC posted 49 weeks ago.
Hey guys, i did very well in the race, third in my age group (15-19) out of 16 people. Overall i got 39 out of ~400 people.
The run was terrible, we ran at high tide on a steep slope. My shoes were soaked 10 meters into the race, and I didn't take them off until about three miles in.
Thanks for all the help. Hopefully I'll do some more tri's around my area, the race was a lot of fun.
-Cassius
Hello all, this is my first post at trifuel and I'm hoping to get some help from you experienced triathletes.
I'm 16 years old, almost 17, and I will be a high school senior. I've been swimming competitively for a very long time and have swam varsity for my high school for three years. My main event is the 100m freestyle (59.7), but I also do well in a 50m (26.3).
I've also been running XC since 6th grade, this upcoming fall I will be the captain of the cross country team. My best 5k time is a 17:21, I'm hoping to go under 17 this season.
Last but not least, I know how to ride a bike...
A few weeks ago I entered myself into the block island triathalon (.3 mile ocean swim, 10 mile bike, 4 mile beach run, i think).
If you could tell me whether these sound like good plans I would really appreciate it, any other advice would be warmly welcomed as well.
-I plan on wearing a speedo and a cap for the ocean swim. I've run in a jammer before and that was uncomfortable, I'm hoping a speedo will be better.
-I want to be the first person out of the water, I know I'll lose some ground on the biking, but I hope to hold my ground and maybe gain some back on the running.
And as for training: I've been running and swimming all summer long, but not so much biking, I'm very comfortable on a bike, And i'll have decent endurance on it because running and swimming can be considered cross training, but maybe there's something I could do with two weeks left until the race that would help my biking?
Thanks in advance
Cassius