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over 40 over weight lycra how far do you go

Hi

i'm a newbie who's thinking of signing up to do the liverpool tri
my concerns are im to fat to compete over 40 am i pushing my luck starting this at my age

i have been reasonably fit in the past army football squash, but have let it slip due to back problems work etc seem to have got my back issues sorted and am ready to start running again

and of course how long does it take to get over the embarresment of wearing lycra i know it won't feel right at my age

Max

Comments

  • Max, this is so so simple.

    Don't worry about it. Seriously, people don't give a monkeys about how heavy you are. People will respect you ( just like every other triathlete ) for starting and finishing. You wont be the slowest nor the last to finish.

    Br proud of your decision to race, wear what you like, a bloody dress if you want to.

    Enjoy the race for what it is and embrace the challenge.

    Ps- be prepared to sell everything you own to buy new kit. You'll be addicted in a matter of minutes post race.

    Good luck.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Hi and welcome
    Regarding age, my first tri I was 49 - now 52
    Weight; I was just under 13stone/80Kg - now 65-67Kg (still trying to shift that extra and oh so elusive 2Kg or so).
    Bike; £60 Halfords MTB with knobbly tyres.

    You have a few months to go and suggest you have a look here http://www.runningforfitness.org/faq/start.php
    This will help determine your BMI, your calorific intake for performance/weight loss, training paces, and as you progress your VO2 max, HRM zones etc.
    Get a good set of shoes, get your gait analysed at a ruuning shop (suggest you post asking for recommondations for where you live/work). Don't start full out, you will hurts yourself. Start with fast walks, walk runs, runs building up distance/pace.

    Swimming, what is your swimming like? Suggest you do a search/post on that but these may help:
    http://www.trinewbies.com/tno_swim/tno_ ... cle_04.asp
    http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/triathlon-swimming.html

    Bike; we are bike mad here but an MTB is good enough for the first few events. If you already have a bike whether it is an MTB or hybrid MTB that will be good enough, let us know what you have.If you don't have a bike there have been some recent posts on a first bike, IMHO spend no more than £500.

    I think the 'lycra' thing can be tackled in 2 ways;
    1. Go all out as Mr 'Pink' Scotty does and say what the hell, or
    2. Go for a two piece ensemble such as black tri shorts and white top so that you look more 'traditional'

    In the Liverpool you will be using a wetsuit so water slippery lycra is not the issue and gives you more scope for a 'mix n match'. Do be careful though with the shorts and don't wear ordinary cycle shorts as they soak up water like a nappy.

    Don't be shy, we are friendly here. Let us know what you size/weight is. Swim/run/bike times if applicable. The more you can give us the more we can help out. There are some really experienced guys here and all happy to help.
  • sp1nsp1n Posts: 9
    Don't worry about it, you'll soon forget what you are wearing when you are searching for the finish line
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    pretty sure you won't be the only bigger frame on a race, there are loads of different shapes and sizes of triathlete at an event and they all get the same respect for entering and giving it their damndest. it is bloody addictive as a sport goes though, so lock up the wallet.
  • bulletbullet Posts: 115
    Hi Max,

    Welcome to the forum.

    I have just completed my 1st season as a triathlete , and i'm over 40 .

    I would honestly say that with a tiny bit of effort ,almost anyone can complete a Tri ,and I think most people on this forum would agree .

    Just get out and enjoy training , and 'dine out ' on the glory of completing your first race .

    Don't worry about speed , you will get plenty of encouragement from other athletes while out on the course,I've found triathlon to be a very friendly sport.

    1 thing when you start your swim . Remember to breath
  • I started two years ago, age 63 and I've just entered two events for this year, with more to come,
    What do i look like in Lycra, who cares I don't
    Just enjoy
  • sportevesporteve Posts: 141
    lycra does for the body what carbon does for the bike: it makes you faster!!!!!! ask anyone on the forum they will tell you the same! although we are all divided in the fastest colour!

    by the time you reach race day you will feel and look so good and so fit anyway (you have no other option it will happen inevitably) so go ahead and wear your lycra with pride for you have earned it!

    let us know the colour you are going for!

    ...oh and welcome, have an amazing journey!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Stick me in a black Lycra trisuit and my backside looks like 2 hippos having a fight in a bin bag.
    Do I care,not one jot,I am competing for myself,and if anyone is making comments it is generally the Couch Commanders whilst holding their electronic babysitter communicator.
    I am in my mid 40's and Lycra is a functional material for the sport we do.As you do the more races you will be less bothered at being conspicuous so go for it.Wear a trisuit that You like in a colour that You like,if it means racing in a pair of budgie concealing speedos with a Salvador Dahli pant moustache,it is fine by me,just go for it.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    There is no color argument...RED.....just so you know.
    That said an exclusively red tri suit may well reveal more than one might like (& others too!) so black & red it is.
    Welcome along for the ride, you will have a blast & learn to love your lycra.
  • max you wont be the only one! iv entered liverpool as my 1st tri and im 43 and overweight (read fat )
    Theres over 5 months yet so training and a good diet will sort all...at least thats what im telling myself.
    As for lycra right now im with you its not agood look for us salad dodgers so i wont be buying mine till
    iv lost a few more lbs..about 28 i hope!
  • You'll find that the 40-45 or 45-50 age group have the most competitors in most Tri's. It's unavoidable that when you reach this age group things aren't as they were 20 years ago . We're all in the same boat.

    It does take a while to get used to Lycra or indeed wetsuits but convenience gets the better of looks VERY quickly.

    Good luck matey.
  • i "raced" liverpool last year and i can guarantee that you won't stand out, whatever you wear. a big percentage of those taking part were first timers and there were some sights to behold. the atmsophere was friendly and supportive so go for it.
  • wyno70wyno70 Posts: 189
    I wouldn't (and don't) worry about it. If anyone has the audacity to comment on you wearing lycra, then simply ask them if they'd like to race you over the given distance.

    I'm nearly 40 and would certainly describe myself as having a 'large frame'. I did initially worry about what you've mentioned as many triathletes appear to be well toned athletes. Once you've done your first race you'll soon get over it. There will definately be someone older and bigger, wearing something worse, so don't worry about it and as you lose the pounds it all seems to become a distant memory!! If your dressing in lycra and rubber, it's hardly the time to be self conscious!!

    For me, triathlon is all about what feels comfortable over the distance. As you start going longer, this becomes more and more important!

    Clearly none of the above applies to the bike, which needs to look pristine, and, sexy as hell all of the time!! Lets face it, if your bike is bling enough, most people probably won't even notice you anyway!

    A lot of the time by the time you get a decent distance into the run, you won't care what anyone thinks anyway and if they had the cheek to comment you'd probably give them a suitable rebuke!
  • ok so according to you guys i won't be the fattest or slowest i wish i had your faith

    but anyway

    swimming i live 1/2 mile from the new 50m indoor pool at picton so i guess i can get some lessons tips on technique and stuff (i thought the swim would be easy as i was a strong swimmer in the past never has the expression use it or lose it been more adapt to this skill )

    cycling i have a very old raliegh nitro bike 15 speed mind dead racy LOL but will upgrade probably from picton cycles who sell orbea they look the bizz anyone any other thoughts or which model

    running i have brooks defayance trainers which i will probably replce fairly soon are these ok for the tri or do i need to look in a different direction than these

    the nutrition side of things will need looking at as i eat a fair amount of crap i guess thats why i wobble a bit just a bit mind before i go skipping down the lycra section of the local tri shop

    vital stats are ht 5 ' 8" wt 85kg

    where is the local tri shop for liverpool by the way

    as for the money side of things i have had good training being a windsurfer for the last ten years i know the value of carbon as every serious athlete knows its never them that makes them crap its the lack of carbon which is to blame

    cheers Max
  • max, picton baths (or aqua centre as it now likes to be known!) has lessons for improvers on tuesday 7pm till 8 im going myself tomorrow so if you see some fat fella with the swimming style of robert maxwell say hello.
    As for bike shops theres quinns of course on edge lane,formby cycles has a good choice too. The nearest tri specialists is in manchester .
  • I am fortunately not overweight, however I have a tiny weener, if that makes you feel any better.
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 335
    perfect age to start tri's

    lycra helps to hold in wobbly bits, well nearly all of them

    it's all about having fun

    Pink is the only cool colour - or black/silver
  • wyno70wyno70 Posts: 189
    Max, when I first jumped in lycra I was the same height as you and 93Kg so relax, there will deffo be people bigger than you out there!
  • sportevesporteve Posts: 141
    wyno70 wrote:
    as for the money side of things i have had good training being a windsurfer for the last ten years i know the value of carbon as every serious athlete knows its never them that makes them crap its the lack of carbon which is to blame
    max the 220 forum loves you that little extra more now! here's to a man that knows the real worth of carbon and its magic properties from day one..!

    it took me a few of months .....
  • llllllll Posts: 2
    Really no need to worry about weight, 43 and 130kg and competing in lycra, always near the back but not yet last in a tri (duathlons a different matter!) I've overtaken competitors a lot younger and slimmer (great motivation for them as no matter how supportive we are as a community no one likes to be overtaken by the fat guy!) Have to admit I'm not sure I have seen anyone bigger than me out there...

    I have always had fantastic support from other competitors, one member of a police team, in a different wave to me, at Seaford a couple of years back instead of burning past, slowed (considerably!) to coach me in the last few hundred metres of the run, how many other sports would that happen in?

    Just get out and enjoy it like we all do!
  • right just for the record i'm 42 and 3/4 and probably not tht fat i think chunky would be a good description

    this week i have started training sadly i missed the evening swim training suggested at picton due to being pissed around by work but i'll get there sometime

    i have been to two bmf sessions this week after a month long layoff moving house a bad dose of manflu xmas newyear etc and i'm hurting all over i know this is a good thing and will pass but i'm at the everything is a big effort stage due to the pain stiffness etc

    i know i will need to address drastically some parts of my lifestyle diet, time llotment, lager consumption
    financial management (read hiding expensive purchases form the woman who shares my life and bed ) (if she ever reads that i might just get away with that ) and over use of the brackets symbol

    so from time to time i will pop back and update the brave and the good of this forum of my progress or failing only time will tell

    so cheers for the encouragement

    Max

    did i mention i'm stiff all over
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    .....which will also keep the lady happy.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    That is the Britspin we all know and love

    Max111 you are learning fast about your relationship with the WAT officer, do not be deceived, she will soon catch on (and may have done so already). Let's face it we can't keep anything from them and revenge will be exacted but the fun is in hope that just once we may succeed and when we do that victory is oh so sweet. But still keep one eye peeled!
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