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My first triathlon

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  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    when is the next race Gary?  7th June Chase Race sprint...??


    Sure.......if you have a wetsuit you don't need.
  • trevtritrevtri Posts: 39
    same race as gary no where near as quick though run let me down badly bike was ok but slower than i wanted i too got caught at the lights on the way out and the way back which was an absolute sod on that hill to get going from a standing start back to T2 im sure the marshal had got a remote control on those damn lights for the first timers. only real probs today were the socks on wet feet in T1 which took ages and must have looked hilarious specially as hands were quite cold too so couldnt get the things right. also used to swimming/ training in a 33 metre pool and try to count the strokes for efficiency so like a dipstick first length brilliant on the second length forgot i was in a 25m pool and crashed into the end must have looked funny but hurt like hell. lost a good few seconds on that one and grazed knuckles.

    hard work but good fun overall and will do better next time.

    trev

  • Cheryl6162Cheryl6162 Posts: 356
    Trev, you did realy well, really well. Don't make the mistake of comparing your time to others - if we do that we'd never get beyond our first!



    Well done to both of you - respect!
  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    an OD by end of year


    Hey trev



    Sounds like you stepped in at the last minute, and with that in mind put in a great performance. How does it compare to your expectations, because if i'm honest that't the only measure for me at the moment. I can't expect to compete with these peeps who have been doing this for years. Are you doing the same one in September?



    And i'm hoping to do OD this year too.....lets compare notes!
  • Phil TPhil T Posts: 49
    Some very impressive times there! Good effort to everyone. I'd encourage anyone to go up to OD this season. Last year was my first season and I wasn't planning on doing an OD but my sprints went well so I took the plunge. Moving up was much much harder than I expected but I done 3 in total and now this season I'm better prepared and ready to really bring the times down. So I'd say defo go for it and get the experience in. With the times posted here it sounds like the fitness levels are there so why not? Whats the worse that could happen? A DNF! Good luck for the rest of the season anyway...
  • Ron99Ron99 Posts: 237
    Nice work folks. Hope I can do as well in my first race. Well done.
  • husslerhussler Posts: 237
    Nice race reports guys:)



    A big well done again

    Learn from your mistakes and look to correct them at the next one!



    From the results looks like its a fast course.... the guy who won is an awesome athlete and is close to becoming Pro status.... and the guy who was 2nd is one of my team mates and is our top guy... so for the guys who raced today did very well!!!!



    Gary - Tip for remembering your number belt next time.......

    1) place helmet on bars on bike in transition and place number belt across the helmet with sunglasses inside helmet.



    2) put number belt on, then sunglasses, then helmet



    3) If you forget to put number belt on before helmet you will remember when it wraps around your head whilst putting your helmet on haha



    Ill post some pics on how I set up my Transition.... Ill show both my Tri bike setup and a normal road bike set up for those who race on a normal bike :)



    They will be on here 2moro night after I get home from work...
  • WoolyWooly Posts: 63
    GGB - Where's your tri? i'm doing my first on the 4th as well, doing the Thames Turbo, though reading the posts here think i may be in for a shock. As it's the first one i'm just using my Airnimal (folding bike, albeit with drops and road rims (24")). If your on the same one, let me know your number and i'll wave as you pass me!!!
  • trevtritrevtri Posts: 39
    To be honest id been on reserve list but had trained hard on the bike through the winter swimming was going well but had shoulder injury a few months ago and only realy started swimming again properley about a month ago ( got to go see a surgeon in may bout sorting it thats going to be an intresting conversation when i tell him it interferes with my triathlon training he will probably tell me to sod off )so was realy pleased with the swim i put in although i know i can do faster the bike was about what was expected although again i know i can do faster the run was on my mind and tried to spin on the way back into T2 so my legs wouldnt seize when i started the run . i just havnt done the required training for running so id like to think i could nock at least 8 minutes of my time over that distance over the summer. One thing i do have is im persistent and wont give up so the run was just steady and did run a little faster after the turn but it is the one thing i need to improve on but overall was a lot faster than i expected so as a first attempt i was well pleased and has given me a taster which i thouroughly enjoyed although just had 1/2 an hour in a hot bath to get my legs back in the land of the living again. every one thought i was mad to take this up at 45 but good feeling finishing today so as long as the knees hold out il be tri ing

    yes i will be doing the september one along with the Halesowen which is also in september (which is a good one if you like hills on the bike its where i do most of my training) only hitch may be that the OD Bala lake is on the same day as halesowen so if feeling up to it may do that one Gary il keep you posted whats your next one im after doing one in about a month going to do a bit more run training in the meantime shave some more minutes of my time.





    Trev
  • Well done trev and Gary. Excellent work.



    You should be very proud

  • GGBGGB Posts: 482
    Great results there :D - best of all you both finished .. and have now joined the Triathlete clan. Seriously pleased for you with those times - and you both seemed to enjoy it which is the best part of all.







    Wooly - am doing Mallory Park tri - Good luck with yours :D







  • WoolyWooly Posts: 63
    GGB - good luck on yours as well, look forward to hearing how you do.
  • jacjac Posts: 452
    Awesome results guys.

    Great first effort Gary.
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Hi Wooly, I am also doing the Thames Turbo as my first tri, so will let you know my race number once available - wave hallo when you race past me!
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    Awesome bike leg mate. Hard work paying off.



    I have to say i was worried when i read you were dabbling with the 'pre clipped' cycling shoes but it looks like you nailed it. I'm tempted to have a crack at that for one of my tris this year.
  • WoolyWooly Posts: 63
    just2tri - be nice to see a familiar number as it zooms past me on the bike leg!!!



    How's the training going? are you tapering/stopping before the big day? Personally i find myself stuck in two minds, you've got guys & girls on here talkign IronMan and then we're doing a turbo sprint, so not sure how much it all applies to us.
  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    It seems that my representative on earth, Lady Britspin may well be attending, I mentioned this to her & she claimed she would not recognise anyone, so if you could wander around with your thumb in your mouth, then she may well say 'Hi', but she is somewhat more shy & retiring than even me....yes incredible isn't it?


    Lord Britspin, your good Lady did stop me and say hi! She recognised me because my thumb was indeed.....in my mouth! See below!!!



    [image]local://2838/1080AB4E71884F4AA6EFF8581864DB60.jpg[/image]
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Gary and Trev, well done top efforts!



    How many were competing? 1.08 is a very decent time for a first effort Gary and well done Trev after very little notice!



    Gary, get your run leg up to the standard of your bike leg and you could be quite good [;)][:D]
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    She did indeed spot the T -shirt, which led to her quick intro..she says you were lovely....
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Wooly, I have started my training 6 weeks ago, as I was barely able to complete the required 12 lengths in the pool. After 11 sessions in the pool I am now ok using a mix of crawl and breast stroke (will I ever be able to cover the distance in crawl?!) and can cover the distance in 9 minutes.



    I am commuting by bike to work, so do about 180-200k a week, but fairly slow, averaging just under 30 kph. Tried the bike route on the weekend and it took me 44 mins for 21.5k, using a Specialized Sirrus Comp commuter bike ... mhhh, should I get a proper bike I ask myself???!



    I run twice a week after my commute to work, 5k in 25 mins, so nothing spectacular either. Good thing is that I am mediocre in all three disciplines and therefore can improve overall in the future!



    A little panicky at the moment - have I done enough, will transition be ok, should I try and push harder on the bike, etc etc .... nerves!



    After Gary's 1.08 I now think I will be last of the pack and consider myself ... slow! Anyway, I am really a newbie and haven't worked out a proper (annual) training plan yet or a plan to address each discipline in terms of form, endurance, speed, etc. Triathlon just seems like a lot of fun and a great workout, so my priority right now is to cover the distances, increase fitness and have fun! I would like to come in around 1.25 if all goes well ....
  • WoolyWooly Posts: 63
    my training sounds the same. As a whipper-snapper i used to swim a bit of backstorke so the 16 lengths (on a 25m pool) was nightmarish, i'll see what tonight brings but it's aboutr 9:30 for that.



    Bike wise i've been commuting 9k each way on a folding airnimal since feb last year but not a lot more (and as it's london it's very stop, start, try not to die!). Bike times are about the same as well - 42 for 22k albeit not on the course, that's on the folding [24" wheels are the only complaint] as well (i'll have to complete this one before i've accrued enough WAT credits to get a road bike!).



    For run training i've just been running the commute once or twice a week really. think 5k will be 25mins though after the bike. the only time i've done a full distance brick it was 25. just got to hope the cramp holds off.



    Are you going to continue commuting on friday? not sure if we should be resting the appendages for the main event!
  • WoolyWooly Posts: 63
    and as for transition - that'll just be an event in itself!![;)]
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Don't Panic!....you have done plenty.

    As a brief 'round up'...my opinion only...your swim will be slowish, but still faster on the day & there WILL be folks slower, your bike will be much faster than your commute..less traffic, you are racing, adrenaline etc etc & I would put money on your run being faster too. Benchmarking & getting the job done is all that your first is about..apart from having a good time, enjoying the whole experience, & setting up for the next....& the next...
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Thanks for the encouragement Britspin and, yes, we should not forget the fun bit ...!



    Wooly, I will still commute on Friday and then take it easy on the weekend, maybe a slow 5k jog or a bike ride with the kids, that's it. No beers on the weekend either, but I will make up for it with Champagne on Monday!



    I am thinking of another tri already now (not sure why I am so eager), but I am afraid to loose focus after this one unless I have another one in mind. I was even thinking about OD, and the only one in reasonable travel distance from London was the City of Bath Triathlon. The bike leg looks tough and hilly .....



    Then there is the question about gear .... road bike yes or no and if so how much to spend without being 'unhappy' with it after six months wanting to upgrade, wetsuit, cycle shoes, and so on ....
  • Cheryl6162Cheryl6162 Posts: 356
    Tried the bike route on the weekend and it took me 44 mins for 21.5k, using a Specialized Sirrus Comp commuter bike ... mhhh, should I get a proper bike I ask myself???!


    For any of you other newbies wanting a new bike but maybe being aware of the alarming amount of money that has already left your account since you came up with the crazy idea of triathlon, I don't know if you know about the Ride to Work Scheme? Basicly its a government incentive to get us all off our butts and out of our cars. Your boss signs up for the scheme, then they buy the bike (you choose it and it can be anything you want-a friend bought a four grand bike on the scheme!) and rent it back to you for a small monthly deduction from your salary. At the end of the prescibed time, you can buy the bike off your boss for a nominal sum. There are all sorts of tax and vat advantages for your boss, some of which is passed on to you. Your LBS will have details of the scheme.



    Just a thought, as we are all trying to save the pennies where we can.
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Thanks Cheryl6162, I have instructed our HR department to set this scheme up for the company a little while ago, so cannot wait to have it approved, do my first try, make some savings and then maybe gat a wunder-bike along the lines of a Trek Madone .... ahhh, daydreaming!
  • WoolyWooly Posts: 63
    cycle-to-work is great, but i've used it for a mountain bike a year ago, i'll not be able to re-apply until jan 2010!![:(]



    just2tri, think i'll do the commute also and then just chill for the weekend, as per your weekend, think footie with the little one may be required.



    i'm thinking of doing the ampleforth OD in mid august up in York, bit of a trek for me but the only one really on that weekend (15th-16th) that i have free [damn wedding season]. Think a road bike will be a must by then!



    Have you got tri bars on your commuter bike?
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Ah, the joy of the little ones pushing you to exhaustion after a hard week's training ....



    No tri bars on my Sirrus Comp, as I am not convinced it will make that much of a difference at the moment, especially as I still have a huge improvement opportunity by training harder, getting fitter and faster as an athlete.



    A road bike, now that would be a different thing ....... I must complete my first try and then see where to go from there. Ideally I would like to buy a bike that I will not outgrow in a season, but the price tag might be an issue ...?!
  • jthetjthet Posts: 45
    Trev and Gary



    Big congrats guys from another "First Tri(er) this weekend.



    I have just one question. Do you now have the Tri Bug?



    A second for Gary. Did you take your thumb out of your mouth?



    JtheT
  • well done boys

    1.08

    I think I have been training hard , but I have no way of getting near these times, but these was always about me finishing it not clocking times.



    I've got 4 weeks to go and have picked a good old hilly course Arundel in west Sussex , which has a 2 mile climb straight out of the swim, why oh why have I picked this course



    Is it usual to worry about your first one, it feels like my wedding night :)
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