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Times to aim for

This is quite a hard question mate, as your goal times can only really come from you, as you know your ambitions and fitness level. It also all depends on your age and how good you are at each discipline.

For example, for a sprint I would be aiming for a sub 7 min 400m, or a sub 12min OW 750, as I am not a great swimmer. On the bike over 20k I would hope to be no slower than 35mins, as I am an ok cyclist. But on the run I would be expecting sub 16min 5k. Simply because i know I can run a sub 15min 5k normally.

So you've got to think about what your good at, what your ambitions are, how much you can train and set yourself realistic aims.

Comments

  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    I'm looking to do my first Tri next year and wondered what sort of time I should aiming to achieve?



    I'm training 5 days a week. Swimming every odd day at 1.5k a time. Running in between that at 5k each time and cycling 20k on both Sat and Sun.



    I'm using fartrek to boost my times but unless I know what to aim for then my goals will be pointless.



    Any help would be appreciated.



    Thanks



    Steven
  • [toPh][toPh] Posts: 244
    I was thinking about this recently for training for my first Tri next year.



    I looked at the results from this years event to gauge what I should roughly train for.

    The event I looked at gave a position for each leg along with the overall position which I found very usefull.
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    like [toPh] says, have a look at similar events to see where your times can place you in the field.



    On the training side; might I suggest some running off the bike, these brick sessions are the only way to prepare you for a tri.
  • WilkoWilko Posts: 23
    I am newbie to Tri too, my view was to train over winter with some good long base endurance training then suck it and see on a sprint tri early in the season next year. That can use that as a basis for my goals for rest of the season.



    I suppose what I am saying is don't get too hung up on your first result. If you set your goal too fast you may end up disappointed, but may not push yourself enough if you set a slow target. Ultimately, you want to better yourself and until you compete you really don't know how your body will react.



    I am doing a Duathlon in November, so hopefully that would give me an idea of the bike/run speed I could achieve, and incorporate this into to overwinter training.



    Best of luck with your first venture!
  • Times are really difficult to judge on any course. There is so much variation in terrain, weather, transition, timing, etc that times for the "same" distance will vary widely. My advice is to train and have a go at a few, then set yourself a target for the same thing next year.



    Advice to look at this years times are good enough for a gauge, and don't be put off by TommiTri's times. Most of us get nowhere near those times and still enjoy ourselves on the day.
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    Cheers for the advice, last week I decided to do the swim, run and then bike (I know wrong order but it was to mix it up a little) and it was certainly energy sapping.



    The difficult part is getting a decent training plan as I'm away from 7 till 7.30 at night so I try and pummel myself as hard as I can when I can but usually the training consists of running/ cycling/ swimming on their own. Thats why I asked about times so that I could have something to aim for generally.



    I've certainly caught the bug.... my lifestyle has changed. Eating better, physically more fitter etc
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    Sorry! I didn't mean to be off-putting with my times, i was just trying to demonstrate what I meant by setting goals based on what your good at! Its the way I do it anyhow!

    In response to what the others have said I do agree about it being really hard to set yourself times in training and racing. I think what your should be aiming for more is an improvement, be it time or distance. So keep a log of everything you do, also write down how you felt. Spend the winter focusing on technique in swimming in particular, miles on the bike and good relaxed running form.

    My best advice is join a tri club, if you haven't one close join a running club, they will take you on training sessions that will undoubtedly improve your times!
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    stp2
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    Hey,



    Thanks, swimming for me is not the problem. I've always been an accomplished swimmer and only recently done the 5k swimathon in 1hr 20 using a combo of breast and front.

    Been a 20 mile cycle run and it took me 1h 40 but I think this is where the prob lies.... I live in a rural area and it us very hilly, for example I biked it up a slope with a 18% grad and I was knackered after it. Running is my biggest problem but as I live in a very rural area then I am my only trainer so to speak. Hence why I asked for times so enable me to have decent goals.



    Tommitri - took on board what you said so thanks, I'm going to start doing that now.



    Need to get a turbo trainer for the winter tho!!! Happy Days
  • Get winter tyres and some wet weather gear. Much better training.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Don't think too much about target times until you have a decent Winter's training under your belt. However I would say think BIG give yourself a great big target and publically write it down and state it, as it will get you out to train on those cold wet, dark windy horrible winter (and summer) days
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    I really do think the turbo has its place and for me personally it is not a replacement for biking on the open road in the winter. I have found that I don't actually do much more turboing in the winter than I do in the summer. I found the turbo really helped to increase my ability to put out a constant effort, and so definitely allowed me to maintain a high power output for longer. I found that my turbo resistance was slightly higher than road, so when I had trained on it to the point that i could maintain about 35kph for an hour I got out on the road and found I could happily maintain 37.5-40kph, has helped my times immensely. My advice though is get a good one, a quiet one, if you care at all about other people that live in the house! Mine is noisy as hell, and I have just moved into a house with 2 girls, so I am not in the market for a new quieter one!
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Hey



    I am a fellow newbie myself and this forum is great for tips and advice. The biggest tip I have picked up is to start BRICK training. The jelly my legs turned to the first time I tried a brick was only funny for the people who saw.

    I get at least 1 session in a week and my legs are starting to hold up.

    Normally couple or 5 K's on the bike then 2 on the feet and do it again.
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