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First Triathlon
M47hew
Posts: 18
in General Chat
Hi everybody.
I have signed up to my first triathlon albeit a sprint one but a triathlon all the same. I have been reading the magazine for a few months and have bitten the bullet. However I need help.
What equipment do I need and what are the procedures relating to T1 and T2 I've seen bits on the TV but they don't show all of it. Any help and advice would be much apprecaiated.
The event is the Skipton Triathlon - near to where I live so if I am knackered when I finish I don't have far to go.
I have signed up to my first triathlon albeit a sprint one but a triathlon all the same. I have been reading the magazine for a few months and have bitten the bullet. However I need help.
What equipment do I need and what are the procedures relating to T1 and T2 I've seen bits on the TV but they don't show all of it. Any help and advice would be much apprecaiated.
The event is the Skipton Triathlon - near to where I live so if I am knackered when I finish I don't have far to go.
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Equipment? trisuit ideally, but swimmers & goggles will do but changing will cost you time, Bike (Duh) helmet, bike shorts (could swim in but not overly comfortable when wet..if you have no tri suit), helmet, bike shoes if you wish, but many do with run shoes which saves you a change in T2...bottle, sun glasses & hat maybe, towel to stand on whilst changing pool to bike/run shoes, number belt will save time.
Anything else can be invested in if you decide to continue & re mortgaged your house/sold a kidney/child etc.
Last year they did allow you to leave your trainers at the pool exit incase you didn't want to run in barefeet.Also the transition area is on sloping ground,when you get to the mount line go slightly past that on to a flatter surface before getting on the bike.
From living in the area you will obviously be training on the bike route,there will be marshals at junctions but despite their articulate arm movements they cannot stop traffic,it is your responsibility,take care.
Cheers Britspin, Browny and Jon E for the advise are any of you doing the Skipton Triathlon then?
So essential kit is Bike, Helmet Tri-suit goggles and trainers. Do I need cycling shorts or trunks if I am wearing a tri-suit?
Cheers again
Don't forget M47hew, the vast majority of the population will never even attempt to do a Sprint so there's no need to apologise and quite the opposite, should be congratulated for stepping into the all-consuming world of Tri. Hope you enjoy it mate, you'll be completing an Olympic before the seasons over
All you need is something to swim in, a bike and helmet, and running shoes.
A trisuit would make life much easier, needn't cost a lot, about £30 will do it http://startfitness.co.uk/product.asp?s ... P_ID=41230
Elastic laces will: a save time, b, stop laces coming undone
http://startfitness.co.uk/product.asp?s ... rtRecord=1
We tend not to wear socks so get some practice in, Bodyglide or similar smeared around the heel of the shoe is a help http://startfitness.co.uk/product.asp?s ... rtRecord=1
Sorry I'm being lazy and just searched the one site, no affiliation, honest.
As Britspin says get in early, ask lots of questions nobody will mind, we are a friendly bunch and will all pass on tips and experience.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Just a Sprint?
As Graham says you will be a Triathlete, a warrior breed. I know a lot of triathletes who only do Sprints and the odd Olympic so you will be in good company.
And did I say enjoy it?
Good luck
Good luck!
Will try my best to enjoy it. I guess in the light of day after puking up etc the day or two after I might think its great or just for the mad either way sounds like fun to me!!
Depends on how you approach it. If you are just aiming to complete it and don't care about the time, then it is true that a sprint is easier than the longer versions.
But if you are going to race it, then not necessarily so. It is shorter, but tougher and more intense while you are going. Different kind of hard, but not less hard.
When I was a kid I used to do some athletics, and I always found the 400m/800m to be tougher than the cross country... Not a pefect analogy, but you get the idea...
Good luck!
Not remortgaged as yet and not going for Carbon. Was going to be a little different and go for titanium.
Bike all regreased and rearing to go.
Any additional help much appreciated.
Get there early, at least drive the bike route.
Recce routes in and out of Transition
Practice transition, lay your kit out the same way
Don't worry if you make mistakes, learn from them
Enjoy
Smile at the camera
Think everyone else has given all the advice you need, but one thing i can remember from last year T1 and T2 were very busy, mainly because people can come at anytime to rack their bike while other people are racing. So make sure you know where your bike is......i find a brightly coloured towel helps.
Good luck and enjoy
You ARE keen!
I think all the useful advice has been given, so relax, enjoy it, push as hard as you can and try to puke off the course if you do puke. Get there early, stake the transition areas out a bit- try to learn where things are etc - you will forget and as britspin said, run round lost for a bit. Is it OW? If so, practace getting out of a wet wetsuit...get in teh shower, put it on cold as it will go and stand there for 10 mins - or until you get a headache, then jump out and run downstairs to the garden and try to get out of the wettie. then try and get yourself out on the bike asap. then just before you ride off - stop and look at what you have forgotten, bike shoes, helmet, sunnies, number belt, bike gloves? all there then well done.
As for just a sprint, sprints are hard, they hurt and make me sick lots of the time. But remember, enjoy!
arghh i have so much to look forward to... 11 weeks to go
My school boy error was to go out of transition 1 without my number belt on, Only realised when I saw somebody in front who I was catching up had his on. Oops I turned around and went back to the transition to pick it up. Lost time.... lets put that down to experience!
I then got a puncture. Which unfortunately I struggled to changed mainly due to the fact that the valve split on the pump. I evently got a cyclist to stop (who wasn't in the race) who helped by using his CO2 cartridge for my tyre. 2nd school boy error - saves so much more time than a pump (I've never used them before).
I was just about to pick the bike up and run the remaining 15K I still had to cycle. (didn't want a DNF on my first Triathlon. Lol.
Completed it in 1:49:38 so not sure how this would compare to a novice bearing in mind I think I lost in excess of 20 minutes for the puncture.
Cheers for all the support and advice. If only I remembered it all lol.
Mathew
1.as you approach the wall at the end of the length is to cut across them before they reach the end,or
2.grab their ankle,pull them back and swim over them,if they argue at the end just point out it was an accident,
good news on finishing with your incidents.
Sounds like you did well given the puncture, and the number belt well you won't do that again (well you might actually but hey never mind )
Must look for the next one to try out, any recommendations for sprints around Yorkshire, will build up to the Olympic one by the end of year I hope.
Tadcaster May 2nd,still had places available
http://www.pdsportmanagement.co.uk
the Hatfield tri,run by Adwick tri club is an excellent open water sprint tri near Doncaster.
There is the Driffield tri Beverley and Allerthorpe,run by freebird events,www.frebirdevents.co.uk,
for a good Olympic distance,the Ripon tri is well recommended.