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Plse boost my self esteem (or not)

Hey all,

I need a good solid dose of positivity please[:)]!



At 38 with a little fitness (mostly from windsurfing in all weathers) and a sprinkling of mtb'ing am I mad to be aiming at a full olympic tri by July (aiming for B'mouth tri - am fairly used to sea swimming - usually after a windsurfer)?



I have also booked up a mini tri in March and the dorchester sprint in May as carrots.



If the general consensus is Yes!!! - what is a good time to aim for on the olympic tri??



(training so far - 1st run 3.2km non stop - better than expected / 1st swim 30 lengths of 25m)



Am also juggling 2 small children and a wife who also works full time. However, after watching the 71 y.o. Nun on the Ironman video on youtube these are paltry excuses!).



I guess you lot have read this sort of thing many, many times before but I look forward to joining the lycra community here. Any nuggets and opinions please don't hold back.





Comments

  • Definitely do-able!!! (Swear that should be a proper word!). I know enough people who do an Olympic as there first ever event, so you'll have a bit of experience and 'race' practice under your belt.



    As an aim, anything under 3hrs for a first effort is a good tilt but obviously depends on the course!



    But sign-up for it, and then you'll definitely train enough for it!!! Come join the fun.
  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    Yeah!!!!!!![:D] That's what I want to hear!
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Ossy, see my signature.



    I did two sprint tris and a duathlon last summer. This summer I'm after doing the Chester (Deva) Triathlon, which is Olympic distance.



    I also have the job, wife and two kids "problem" [;)]



    I am currently managing on average four training sessions per week - two lunchtime swims, one early morning and one weekend run or bike. I would do more mornings but I can't as I take kids to school. This is far less training than I'd like (and far less than others on here do) but it's all I can fit in.



    I'm aiming to do the Olympic tri under three hours. Three hours in last year's event would mean finishing 350th out of 400.



    I may reassess my target time nearer the event, but currently I would be delighted with under three hours.



    Go for it! [:D]

  • Ossy,



    I'm in the same situation as you.

    36, wife, 2 kids, full time work.

    I currently squeeze my training in whenever possible. Although this means a lot of training late evening (after putting the kids to bed). But love it.



    My strategy is: Decide which event you want to do, enter as early as you can, and use this as incentive to get out at any un-godly hour.



    This time of year there are a few aquathons which could give you a intorduction to racing, and time your swim in a bit of a crowd.



  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    Great replies guys! Can anybody point me at any good training plans? I downloaded the 220 beginner plans but I guess these are pretty basic.
  • Adjusted the training to suit your life not the other way around......you have to be single or selfish to do half the training alot of these guides advise.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Boost your self esteem, Ossy? OK.... Ossy... YOU THE MAN!



    Now, you have the perfect approach to doing your Olympic tri:



    Thought seriously about the training? Check.

    Tested yourself to see if your fitness is in the ballpark? Check.

    Familiarisation events? Check. (See you at Dorchester sprint, by the way)

    Come to the right place for advice, as well as all your red carbon fibre porridge related queries? Check.



    To pick up on Gaterz very wise and true comment, here's a tip from the book Swim, Bike, Run by Wes Hobson: write down everything you do in your week, i.e. work 40 hours, commute 10 hours, sleep 56 hours, eat 10 hours and so on. Out of the total 168 hours in the week you will be easily able to identify the essential time (sleeping, eating, working), the dead time (watching telly, picking your nose, reading the 220 forums!) and your leisure time.



    There will be an obvious and maximum amount of time you could possibly devote to triathlon without compromising your life in some way. Most of us end up cutting out dead time like sitting up late watching the telly, and instead go to bed early so we can train early in the morning. There's lunch times, too. Turn the commute into a bike ride. Loads of time to squeeze a bit of effort in.



    To put it into perspective, I've had a lot of injury issues this year, so at the moment I'm not exactly race fit. I'm 38, like you, and have wife + 2, like you. I also have a fairly time-consuming job and a long commute. I manage to fit in about 10-13 hours training on a good week (if I'm not travelling for work) by going out running at 6am, or going to the pool at 6:30am, or going out after the kids have gone to bed a few nights a week - not every night, of course. In the spring/summer I extend my commute by just 40 mins 2 or 3 days a week and ride home 38 miles instead of taking the train. My only 'selfish' commitment is going out for a 3 hour ride starting at about 9am most Sundays outside the rugby season (my son plays, not me)... I always tell Mrs Bopo that she should at least be grateful that I don't take up golf.



    Point is... Gaterz is right. Fit the sport around your life and you'll get so much more from it.



    Can you do an Olympic by July? You're already there. Aim at sub-3 hours, keeping it in your mind that 2:45 would be really cool. Now you need to start looking around the forums for all the really useful advice on open water training, brick sessions and general training info. But first, work out how much time you can give the sport, then you can do the rest.
  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    Bopomofo wrote:


    Boost your self esteem, Ossy? OK.... Ossy... YOU THE MAN!



    Yeah!! I always knew I was the man!!![:)]



    Now all I've got to do is fit it all in around the windsurfing and guitar lessons - no problem!!!



    However, on a more serious note - thanks for the sterling advice, you lot are great! I was starting to think I had bitten off more than I could chew but it's always good to hear that others are in a similar position to yourself. A few friends have raised their eyebrows (knowing my propensity for beer drinking) but at least I have a reasonable level of fitness from which to start from.



    Bopomofo thanks for all the words of wisdom, I'm going to make my wife read it!
  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    Bopomofo wrote:


    Boost your self esteem, Ossy? OK.... Ossy... YOU THE MAN!



  • Go for it....



    [:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]
  • GHarvGHarv Posts: 456
    I too am in my 30's - 37 to be precise married with 1 child? What is it with us thrity somethings thickening around the middle who do nothing but work and watch TV who get the itch to try tri? Look at the next race your at were all over - it's like looking in the mirror! Mid life crisises?



    Any way i started tri last year and worked up to an OLY event.



    You'll learn so much from the sprints.



    I think you can do an OLY on 1 swim per week, 2 runs and 2 bikes if your goal is just to finish as long as you can do the distances in training you'll be fine. Its hard - but you'll be fine.



    I did 2:46 on no more than 40 miles a week biking and 3-4 miles a week running and one swim of about an hour. I was knackered but not last.



    Now i do a lot more and it's wierd where the time comes from.



    G
  • Hi there....



    Lets just say I'm on the wrong side of 40.... 2 kids.... wife... etc....



    One of the ways I look at it, is not just doing the races but the other benefits you recive....

    Freinds will notice that you are looking fit and well... If you have a bit to much weight like me that will come off you.... Improved work performance.... Genral better health....



    Great to be able to run to work past all those cars in the traffic jams....



    Reward youself with anew bit of kit when you reach a tranning target like a spercific running distance with out stopping.... an distance swimming.... bike distance covered....



    I personaly like to get a nice bright coloured bit of kit.... the louder the colour the better for me.... yes Im the one out there in the loud coloured lycra.... Bright colours always make me feel better...



    Go to the 220 tri expo..... or any equipment show....



    Run to the swimming pool.... do a swim.... Run home again.... This does wonders to how you feel....



    Feeling fitter.... Looking great....



    Shout it loud that you are doing a triathlon and trainning for it....



    Plan in some easy light trainning of some thing different.... for me this is walking the whole lenght of a local canal in the new year 34.5 miles in one day....



    So basically before you know it you are putting the effort in.... getting the work outs you need.....



    And allways make sure that you take your trainning restdays as your body will need then to recover.... and your performance and abillity will grow....



    [:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]



  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    Running to and from the swimming pool, now that's a good idea! I've just dug out my speedos - my wife is threatening divorce...
  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    It's about 4.5 km to the pool - i figure a swim and approx 10km run there and back once a week (on top of another run, bike, swim etc) is a good place to start.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Welcome Ossy..you fool!

    BTW..don't run in your speedos to the pool, change when you get there, saves the embarrasing arrest scenario. I ype this as I eat my porridge..see multi tasking to save time..only don't tell Lady Britspin that I can..
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Ossy



    Life is far to short to mess about. get out there and kick ass man. If you get down some regular training sessions and build slowly you will fitter in no time and just being fitter will build your own self belief.



    Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • OssyOssy Posts: 22
    Thanks for all your kind words. Off for a cycle session now!
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