Home Chat General Chat

First Sprint

tomtristomtris Posts: 135
So I'm doing my first Sprint Triathlon on Sunday in Arundel, West Sussex. I'm really looking forward to it, but also bricking it at the very same time!



Im happy with my swim time, 6.20 so thats good. I have completed the 20K bike route twice now, its got a long hill right at the beginning- 15 mins or so, then a nice downhill followed by a flat out back to transition. First attempt was a reccie 43mins second was yesterday at 37 mins, still not race pace as didnt want to push it so close to race day.



Run is OK, have completed the route once and it is a fairly flat out and back. Though running is my weakest discipline.



Looking at last years results, there is a strong chance I can finish around 30th out of 200 entrants. But we will see on Sunday!



I had no idea that I would think about it so much in the lead up to race day! I cant seem to think about anything else!



I know the first one is supposed to be fun, and I should be pleased just to finish, but 'just finishing' isnt really enough for me! ;)



Will let you all know how I got on after Sunday! EEEEK!

Comments

  • garyrobertsgaryroberts Posts: 869
    I should be pleased just to finish, but 'just finishing' isnt really enough for me! ;)


    Hi Tomtris



    You said it all for me mate, i was exactly the same, it wasn't about finishing, it was about putting in a respectable performance, and hopefully setting myself a decent benchmark for future races etc.



    By the sounds of it you've got it licked, my advice is to go hard on the bike, its where you can earn yourself a few minutes, and MAKE SURE your transitions are fast too, 20 seconds here, 20 seconds there might not sound much now but that 40 seconds will be the difference between 55th and 30th place - i guarantee it!



    KEEP FOCUSED on that very point, that every 5 seconds saved (or earned) is worth a place in the leader board!! Its too easy to take an extra 15 seconds in transition to 'catch your breath'.......bollocks to that......catch it at the end......THIS IS A RACE!



    One last point, DONT INCUR ANY TIME PENALTIES, make sure you have your helmet and race belt on in T1 (i forgot my racebelt....cost me 2 mins penalty for something that take 4 seconds to actually do).......



    Come ON........DO IT....



    [8D]

  • gdh250467gdh250467 Posts: 237
    It's called a sprint for that reason. Flat out all the way, heart rate red lining. It's the only way you'll cross the line thinking I've given it all I've got. Hold back slightly at any stage and you'll regret it.

  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    Mate... sounds like you're in good shape and a top 30 finish would be brilliant for a 1st go, but don't forget to enjoy it!



    Soak it up, enjoy the atmosphere, have a joke with the other competitors... Use this race as the base for your season and somewhere to make mistakes.



    In my first I definitely had times in mind but made mistakes... swim was awful, bike was average but I finised with a good run (for me anyway).



    Crossing the line is the important bit. Don't get hung up on the time too much... To be honest, blowing up in the swim meant all dreams of the perfect race went out the window straight away. From that point on is when I really started to enjoy it!



    You'll never do your first triathlon again, enjoy but most of all good luck Tom!
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    Thanks all for the comments and advice. Good point about a couple of seconds making a big difference between places Gary, I will remember this when hauling my arse up that hill!



    I will certainly enjoy it... or try to!



    Time penanlties will hopefully be avoided! Shall place the helmet on the bars and the race belt in the helmet!



    Thanks once again

  • jacjac Posts: 452
    Best of luck tomtris.

    Don't think about what position you finish (easier said than done I know!). You can't control anything except your race. There could be a stronger/weaker field than last year so don't get hung up on where you finish.

    Just go out and give it your all. I held back on the bike during my first..a mistake I won't make again!

  • steviedonssteviedons Posts: 10
    Hi Tomtris



    I am at Arundel as well this Sunday, this is my second tri. I did the sprint at Steyning at the start of the month. Must say I agree with you I started out thinking be good just to finish the race and get an idea of how it all works.



    Then when I finished (1:11:47) I thought a decent time, better than I had expected but ended up 84th, which I was a bit disapointed with. I have been over the race again in my head working out where to pick up extra time and this time I am going all out as I think I still had something in the tank when I crossed the line, and as others have said whats the point of that :).



    Weather is looking really good for Sunday should be good fun.





  • tummymustgotummymustgo Posts: 43
    tomtris / stevedons



    I am also at my first tri at arundel on sunday so first of all good luck to you both, I am your standard fat bloke thats nearly 40 so triathlon came banging on my door. I have spent I think a lot of time training, getting fit but I am focused from the first day I decided to do this , New Years Eve but I have realised that speed and me just dont go to together. but the timing issue keeps raising its head, and I read your estimate times on the swim / bike and worries me even more. But I am doing this for me and keep getting worried about times,

    one thing that has kept my pecker up is when i filled the form in to say estimate swim time I couldn't swim 400m so I put down 25 mins, I am now at 10mins so thats an improvment.

    Do love the bike , but that bloody hill first out of the traps, NICE oh and the run , i hate that part



    So good luck to everyone on sunday, if you see the fat bloke holding his tummy in whilst wearing a black tri suit,so no one laughs give me a shout !



    I will be in the swim first at 8.10



    I am going to find this hard but I really am looking forward to it,now where are those arm bands ?



    Anthony
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    Ah Fantastic glad I'm not the only 220 forum goer at Arundel then!



    Im the ugly ginger guy with the Halfords bike! two piece tri suit!



    Yeah i think it is difficult to get in the mind set of giving a race 'your all'. I used to swim competitively and would often finish a race and think "damn, i had more left". Guess this will become easier with more races. Just dont want to push it early on and end up walking over the finish line.....



    Tummymustgo, thats a great result on the swim! well done!! running is my dreaded discipline.... I'll be sure to keep an eye out for you both, should have invested in the 220 forum charity t's!!

  • Cheryl6162Cheryl6162 Posts: 356
    Good luck to all three of you racing this weekend!



    I am not tri-ing this weekend, just have the Race for Life on Sunday which is only 5k so should be a doddle.



    Have Weymouth sprint next weekend tho so all your fears will be my fears then!
  • Error whilst Doing a Replacement, Error in srv_convert.
  • gavinrigg06gavinrigg06 Posts: 176
    LOL - Quality Report, I felt like I was doing it with you.



    Fantastic effort, there's no turning back now. I bet all you want to do now is better that time next year / outing - there's no other feeling like it when you cross that finish line.



    Well Done.
  • I'm planning my 2nd tri, (did my first last year) and hope to do as many as possible, although impending birth of fourth child may stretch my wife understanding.

    I've decied that realistically I can only afford the time to train for sprint events so I'm really interested how you guys plan your schedules, my times are pretty similar.
  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    Error whilst Doing a Replacement, Error in srv_convert.
  • nice one yes it was really hot



    great times, 5.42 what are you a fish ?

  • tomtristomtris Posts: 135
    Ha, not quite, I do wish I was a cheetah!



    Did you see that the winner had 4:46 swim time, or something like that! now thats quick!!

  • steviedonssteviedons Posts: 10
    Nice one tummymustgo and tomtris, sounds like you both had a great day :).



    For me this was my second Tri so sort of knew how it all worked but still the pre race nerves kicked in. Different this time as it was more "you've done this before you know how it works, you have been training dont screw it up" :).



    Swim started well felt really good in the pool, put down a conservative time (8:30) based on my last effort but managed to smash that with 6:47, still not sure I did enough lengths but got the 2 length smack on the head so :).



    Out the pool straight to the bike, no problems with the transition, socks on shoes on and off (still riding in my running shoes). Wife was out there waiting with a few shouts of encouragement :) and how much time I had taken so far as I dont have a watch / computer when I race (yet). A short flat section out to the HILL. Drove down it on my way to the race trying to work out the best way to tackle it, in the end just went into the low gears, stayed seated head down and just kept peddling, overtook a few people on the way up but really in the end wasn't as bad as I had feared.



    Then it was downhill for a good few miles just tucked in and went for it until I ended up chasing 2 cars down the hill for one of them to brake to turn off slammed on the breaks and did a nice snaky skid (nice scuffed section on the rear wheel now). The A27 section back to Arundel was nice and fast tried to keep in the top gear all the way.



    Back to the Lido managed to make a hash of getting into the car park feet wouldnt come out the toe clips as I had to stop on the road in the traffic as now there were cars and bikes everywhere. No real damage done just slowed me down a bit getting into T2.



    Bike on the rack and then out for the run, of course by now there were tourists everywhere (the run route runs past the Castle entrance) but it was a nice easy run until the hill at the turn around point. That was really tough as it started shady but then out into the sunshine and things were starting to heat up by now. A quick stop at the water station at the top and back down. Thought I had done a decent enough run but looking at the time was hoping for slightly better.



    Overall really chuffed with my time and position as I ended up 50th so an improvement on my 84th place in the Steyning Tri. Now its back to the training for the Mid sussex tri in a couple of weeks.



    My time break down:



    Total Time

    01:14:28



    Stage - Swim - Time

    00:06:47



    Stage - Transition - Time

    00:01:27



    Stage - Bike - Time

    00:39:32



    Stage - Transition - Time

    00:00:39



    Stage - Run - Time

    00:26:01
  • anitaanita Posts: 27
    It sounds as though you are certainly prepared for it. I did my first sprint tri in May and I was dreaming about it none stop lol. You will do brill- enjoy AND good luck
Sign In or Register to comment.