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Join a Tri Club or continue to go Han Solo. . . .

jamewahjamewah Posts: 113
Hi,



I'm just debating whether to join my local Tri club or not.

It gave me a big ego boost after checking the results of my last tri knowing I'd beaten a load of them on my own merit, but realistically should I be joining to enhance my performance even more ?



would like to hear some success or not so successfull stories when people made the change.



Thanks people



Comments

  • willieverfinishwillieverfinish Posts: 1,381
    I am very very reluctant to join cos I work shift work and have to spend alot of time at home - I therefore couldn't attend many sessions and I'd feel out of the loop all the time. I'd rather train on my own or has been done on here recently go on an organised ride for example. Then there is no pressure to attend.



    I have heard that most are very friendly though. Your obviously pretty good so why not go and better yourself and smash last seasons times ?



    If I could I would - That's what I'm trying to say





  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    its a question i've asked myself too.........but i think - believe it or not - that this forum goes someway to removing the need, you can get all the advice you ever wanted from here.....and even arrange training meets.....



    so no....no club for me.....anyway.....i like the thought of beating them [8D]
  • pippip Posts: 170
    Yes i`ve also pondered over this and been tempted to meet up for the Sunday morning bike ride and go with them on that,but then i think i`m going to be either A, too slow for them and hold them up or B,too quick for them and that`ll make my ride pointless,so i`ve decided not to bother so far and just go out on my own most of the time and do my own thing
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    There was one key reason why I joined:



    Affiliations



    There are a variety of races that to enter you need to be in an affiliated club. Most cycling time trials. Some running events.



    I've been to one training session - which was very good, but the nature of my job means that the only free time I have is at the weekend - or, at least, the only free time that I can guarantee to have. Since then, I've been away/travelling every time there is a swimming session.



    When I get good/brave enough, then the club OW swim sessions will be good too.



    Access to physio etc. should also be a benefit.
  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    barely concealed testosterone pissing contest in lycra


    now i come to think about it, this is what i meant [8|]
  • thebouythebouy Posts: 61
    That's very descriptive! I am also thinking of joining, but as a newbie, riding a hybrid with aero bars (no WAT Inspector Credit until after my first tri to make sure I enjoy it!), I wouldn't want to get into a willy waving competition! However,my local club includes use of their turbo trainers which could be useful and also includes swim sessions with coaches.

  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    I was not a 'joiner' of clubs...not since Boys' Brigade really, but I hung around on the periphery for ages, since I knew most of the members anyway, some even thought I was a member, so I thought 'why not?' & I am really glad I did, I regularly attend Sat a.m. run sessions, coach junior run & conditioning sessions, have been pool session swimming only twice, but O/W at every opportunity, lead C &/or novice rides, participate in B rides, never make week night sessions due to shifts & classes, but go to most of the socials. We have our mix of super fast, super fits, we have a good few slower, slow & slowest, but no one cares..if anything the superfast testosterone 'A' riders are openly mocked for their...'Just a slow one this week' jet propelled fest that develops, so in all I would recommend it, but I guess all clubs are not created equal.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Tried it,found them to be very cliquesque,shift work prevents regular sessions,and when I turned up,I was usually on my own anyway.Try it,better to walk away saying you gave it a shot rather than never knowing.
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Interesting - the negative comments - maybe the "testosterone/willy waving" diminishes as you get further up the age groups - Britspin and myself seem to have similar positive experiences.



    I've seen more similarities with the attitude on this forum - supportive, welcoming, prepared to share advice, encouraging.



    I've got more out of being a member than not. And I would get even more if I was around during midweek.
  • diddsdidds Posts: 655
    I think for me the main reason for not joining a tri club to date is the lack of proximity of one... the nearest are 20+ miles away, and I figure by the time I have traveled to a training event and back I will have already expended the time i could have spent training. There is a more local alleged triathlon club, but reading its own informational blurb it fails to mention any swimming or cycling activities/training whatsoever i.e. it appears to really be a running club.



    I am a member of a running club, but a not very active one as my family schedule doesn't often fit with club runs etc. I am also ostensibly a member of a local internet based cycling group but the same applies.



    So I tend to train alone, allied with some meet ups with various others on a verey ad hoc basis but that is more circumstances than anything. IF there was a LOCAL tri club that I could feasibly attend trainig sessions then i would definitely give it a go.



    didds





  • brizzichickbrizzichick Posts: 166
    well i'm considering this very question....i did a tri last weekend and met a girl that is a member of a club and she said they are great and friendly...sooo i think i'll go along for a couple of sessions and judge for myself....



    mind you having very easily arranged a cycling group for tomorrow on this website makes me think that the club may not be needed.....



    will see ...
  • sfullersfuller Posts: 628
    I am a member of a club, all the members are friendly and knowledgable. I would highly recommend joining a club if not just to meet people to train with - its alwasy easier to improve when you have someone pushing you to go faster or longer!



    Not everyone in a tri club is super fast, in fact in mine there are only a few are and most are just 'regular' speeds - therefore all this crap about 'feeling good because I beat the competitors from a tri club' is a bad reason for not joining.



    If you join a club and use what they have to offer you will improve much quicker than on your own.
  • julesojuleso Posts: 279
    I too joined my local club and have found them so far to be really friendly and supportive. I have to say that I don't do much with them but it's good to have the opportunity and when I do show my face at a session I find that (gasp) there are other people in my situation, keen to start the first season but a bit apprehensive too. It's nice to meet like-minded people because in other areas of my life (e.g. the workplace) people just think I'm a bit mental for even doing regular exercise, let alone a triathlon.



  • GGBGGB Posts: 482
    Join a Tri Club and go Solo ...



    I joined my local tri Club in December and its great, lots of friendly members with good advice and encouragement, real easy going club.



    I only do one session cycling and one session swimming per week at the moment and do all my other sessions on my own and a few of us go open water swimming once a week.



    I would definately try it and see what your local one is like, you can allways become a member just for the freebie ;) ... we get 10% off a couple of sports stores and the swimming sessions are much cheaper been a member.





  • Agree with the post above - I debated for a good while as I used to watch the good swimmers in the pool and think that I'll never have a chance of swimming that well, got to know a couple and and in the end they actually talked me into joining - very small club of around 30.



    I do most of my training on my own but will do the longer cycles with the club or others as it just makes the cycling easier and more enjoyable and when I run I do a run a week with them ........... you get the best of both worlds ...............
  • jamewahjamewah Posts: 113
    Hmm, this has turned out to be an interesting topic . . .



    I thought the decision would be unanimous in favour of a Tri club but seems a bit 50/50 . . .



    Further investigations by myself found that they do a weekly open water swim in a dive lake 10 miles up the road so could prove very handy as I'd would like to do OD & IM 70.3 at some point in the future.

    Only problem is would need to get myself a wetsuit.

    May need to add it to my birthday list . . .
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    Having read this I have been inspired to contact my local club to see about attending a session or two. I'll be interested to see how it goes - testosterone fuelled willy waving, or welcoming friendly advice and assistance.
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