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Which middle distance triathlon...

I would appreciate any opinions as to the what might be the most achievable domestic middle distance tri for a first timer. Swimming is my strongest area, whilst my cycling and running are slow but dependable! I do find I suffer with any hills on the run over standard distance events, and when running longer distances alone. This is no doubt in large part an inevitable and irritating legacy of years of smoking stupidity prior to my lungs being liberated by sense and activity, however I suspect I should avoid events like Bala and the New Forest!

Comments

  • Hi there,



    I'm a bit new at all this so I can't speak from experience but there was an article in 220 not long ago about this, it might have been in the beginners guide, basically they listed a few events and the terrain and how hard they were in each discipline. Also, if you're interested in joining the BTF their handbook gives a breakdown of every race ie hilly, undulating, flat etc.



    Loads of the races have a website and they often give a course profile on there as well.



    Hope you find one that suits!
  • dsk699dsk699 Posts: 20
    i've booked Vitruvian as my first middle distance event this year. May turn out to be an act of stupidity though!
  • NickNick Posts: 66
    hi all. i'm hopeing to entered the new forest middle at beulieu which has had a route change and now supposedly its a flater course. i have entered the vit as well, i've been realiably informed that its not as bad as people make it out to be, have to wait and see i guess. Train hard.
  • Hi, I did Vitruvian last year as my first foray into middle distance. A nice bike route and a flat run. Def not as hard as i was led to believe either!!



    Doing it again this year together with some friends i've managed to rope in!!
  • Mmm, I had the Vitruvian recommended to me just the other day as an ‘easier’ option, only to hear about 1000m of ascent in the next breath. Don’t get me wrong I love cycling up hills, but cycling the Raid Pyrenean route with French bread and cheese stuffed in your pockets to eat on each famous Col, or on a Sportive when half the conversation is about where the best real ale pub is at the end, probably doesn’t prepare well for the mental sweat I’d suffer on each climb of the Rutland Ripple - knowing I’d still to bully my legs and feet into carrying me 13 miles afterwards…



    Then again if it was easy what would be the point, and it does give me more training time. Might see you there then, I’ll be the fat bloke mumbling to himself in bottom gear, leaving a trail of half eaten baguette and stale cheese!
  • Whether you think the Vit bike course is hard depends on where you live and train. I don't mean to sound like a smart arse but the Rutland Ripple is not that bad. 1000m of climbing over 56 miles is not that much when you think about it.



    The Ironman Austria bike course has 1700m of climbing and is considered one of the fastest courses.



    Everyone sh1ts themselves about hills on courses, and that is good because it makes you train for them. On race day you are usually pleasantly surprised.



    I can highly recommend the Vit, but if you want a very flat middle dist race then Trentham is the one.

  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    I live in Hampshire. What's a hill?
  • rj1265rj1265 Posts: 70
    What's the flat - Northumberland has no flat bits - 1000m over 56 miles that is flat [:D]
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