triathlon novice

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Dave5N

Über Member
Ride a bike badly?
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
I have been doing them for two years, and now have my first half Ironman to train for next summer.

good websites are the forum at http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/ and articles at http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/index.asp?catid=60 . For transition tips this is useful http://www.tri247.com/article_1521.html - don't forget that the shorter the race the more the transition matters. 5 mins on a 15 hr Ironman doesn't matter, but on a one hour supersprint it does. Personally I do not bother with attaching shoes to pedals, but I do go sockless.

For clothing, special tri kit is a good idea. With a name like yours, then some research on sports bras etc during races will probably be worthwhile too.

Do practice laying out your kit and write a checklist of what to take and what order to do it in. I attach my checklist - some of the things may not be obvious, but do feel free to ask. They all have their use, but some are only for open water, or in cold weather (eg plastic petrol station gloves for cold races when I get on the bike - saves time and can be discarded once warmed up)

Final tip - join a club. They are very friendly and beginners genuinely welcome, and it will help with coaching, partic for the swim where most people need it
 
Location
Llandudno
Make sure you practice going round corners really slowly, with your foot unclipped if need be.

The tritalk forum above is really good, if a little hardcore at times. Make sure you wear a helmet!!
 

andygates

New Member
Socks are for wimps. ;)

When you get to around a month from the race, start training in "bricks" - combined workouts of swim-bike and bike-run (the bike-run ones are easier to organise, and matter more). That gets you used to doing different stuff all at once.
 
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Priscilla Parsley

Priscilla Parsley

New Member
Location
Manchester
how the hell do you change from a wet suit without being a bit nude? dont they give you a tent? gosh this is going to be tricky
 
Priscilla Parsley said:
how the hell do you change from a wet suit without being a bit nude? dont they give you a tent? gosh this is going to be tricky
I think you wear your bike/run kit under your wetsuit. Or you employ someone to hold a very big towel up. :thumbsup:

Might be trying to do one myself this year. Once I've managed to get the hang of the running bit...;)
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
how the hell do you change from a wet suit without being a bit nude? dont they give you a tent? gosh this is going to be tricky

you do indeed wear your trisuit underneath. I can easily get out the lake, into transition and out the other end on my bike in under 2m30.
 
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Priscilla Parsley

Priscilla Parsley

New Member
Location
Manchester
just googled womens tri suit, can this sport get any more expensive? and i have never seen anything more unflattering, ill have to swim in a sports bra too!?!!:cry: is that the only option? i mean i'm no elite athlete, maybe ill have to get on that turbo trainer before i go out, vanity is a great motivator, flip!
 

davidg

Well-Known Member
Location
London
does anyone have a recommendation for resources for triathlons?

I have just entered the London Olympic one!

gulp!
 

mr Mag00

rising member
Location
Deepest Dorset
Hi priscilla,
you can do triathlons at local sports centres where there is changing facilities. you do not have to own a tri suit, do a low key one first and enjoy it.
 
I'm training for (and entered already) Blenheim next year which will be my first season. I've taken improver swimming lessons at the local pool to help sort out the breathing on my front crawl so I'm not out of breath aftera couple of lengths. I've been looking at online resources and have read about half of the total immersion swimming book. From talking to people and reading up on the subject transition being the fourth discipline seems to be a universal opinion. I was hoping for a rest in transition :evil:. I've already bought some elastic shoe laces to see if I can get on with them running and I do a ten minute run straight after my Saturday morning ride as an initial brick session. I'll be doing at least one pool based local triathlon in either March or April too. Training smart seems to be something I need to look at more although winter base miles is a big personal aim at the moment. Training with a triathlon club would be advantageous but not something I can do at the moment. I've just started reading the triathletes training bible as a poor alternative to actual coaching.
 
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