The Triathlon thread - Ironman, 70.3, Olympic, Sprint
Discussion
kit_kat said:
I am interested in completing a triathlon but I have no experience in running or road cycling! Swimming is my strong point but all the triathlons I have looked at have small swimming distances and really long running distances.
I think Olympic distance will give you possibly the longest swim vs bike/run ratio with a 1500m Swim / 40km bike / 10km runI came from a swimming background into triathlon and the aerobic fitness from years of swimming gives you a great start into tri. Not only that, but triathletes are typically not great swimmers, so although you'll not win a race with a good swim, getting out the water fresh (and with a fuller tank) on the longer distances will make the bike and run a much more pleasant experience
2seas said:
ah ok, fair enough. so why not take a spare tyre? or is it very rare for a tyre to get damaged enough that it needs replacing straight away?
do you know anything about CO2 cartridges? I've heard them mentioned but not really sure how they work or the advantages/disadvantages?
I've always taken two thin latex tubes and two gas cannisters on longer (IM) distance races stuffed into my Xlab behind the saddle bottle holder. No need to take a spare tyre as 99.9% of tyre damage can be fixed with a business card sized spare bit of tyre that you can keep wrapped up in one of the spare tubes.do you know anything about CO2 cartridges? I've heard them mentioned but not really sure how they work or the advantages/disadvantages?
Ever since I stopped running Tubs, I've never carried a spare tyre in 1000's of racing miles and never once needed more than a tube and in worse cases, the small bit of tyre to patch a rip.
If you're using deeper section rims, then ditch the valve extenders as they're a potential race killer when you can't get it off or it leaks on inflating the tyre and wasting your cannister. You can buy latex Bontrager tubes with 80mm valves that work with most rims up to around 60mm (I use them with HED Jet 60mm Carbon Clinchers)
Hope this helps ?
Cheers
Graeme
I think there's a fair few triathletes hidden away within PH if you look hard enough.
Although plugging other sites is not always the done thing, if you want lots of varied advice, then www.tritalk.co.uk is a good starting place
Although plugging other sites is not always the done thing, if you want lots of varied advice, then www.tritalk.co.uk is a good starting place
Managed to swim 830 metres in the pool today, unfortunately my watch drowned so I didn't record the time. Some nasty leg cramps towards the end - calf muscles suddenly felt like they had been shot! Hope tht doesn't happen in 50 metres depth at sea.
Cycled 26km a couple of days ago - took me 40 minutes which I guess is slooow. Was on a flat route too = the race itself is over some steep horrible hills so that will be fun. Last year most of the riders ended up carrying their bikes most of the way as the route was unridable! This year it is supposed to be easier but still is a mountain bike course, not road bikes.
Running is OK - I can do 8-9 minute miles.
Never done all three back to back...
Not long to go..
Cycled 26km a couple of days ago - took me 40 minutes which I guess is slooow. Was on a flat route too = the race itself is over some steep horrible hills so that will be fun. Last year most of the riders ended up carrying their bikes most of the way as the route was unridable! This year it is supposed to be easier but still is a mountain bike course, not road bikes.
Running is OK - I can do 8-9 minute miles.
Never done all three back to back...
Not long to go..
Ayahuasca said:
Managed to swim 830 metres in the pool today, unfortunately my watch drowned so I didn't record the time. Some nasty leg cramps towards the end - calf muscles suddenly felt like they had been shot! Hope tht doesn't happen in 50 metres depth at sea.
Cycled 26km a couple of days ago - took me 40 minutes which I guess is slooow. Was on a flat route too = the race itself is over some steep horrible hills so that will be fun. Last year most of the riders ended up carrying their bikes most of the way as the route was unridable! This year it is supposed to be easier but still is a mountain bike course, not road bikes.
Running is OK - I can do 8-9 minute miles.
Never done all three back to back...
Not long to go..
good work!Cycled 26km a couple of days ago - took me 40 minutes which I guess is slooow. Was on a flat route too = the race itself is over some steep horrible hills so that will be fun. Last year most of the riders ended up carrying their bikes most of the way as the route was unridable! This year it is supposed to be easier but still is a mountain bike course, not road bikes.
Running is OK - I can do 8-9 minute miles.
Never done all three back to back...
Not long to go..
during the swim - how did your upper body feel? the vast majority of propulsion when swimming is upper body related - legs/kicking is required to keep you balanced/streamlined really. the fact that your legs were cramping up suggests you're focusing too much on kicking hard, perhaps..
2seas said:
good work!
during the swim - how did your upper body feel? the vast majority of propulsion when swimming is upper body related - legs/kicking is required to keep you balanced/streamlined really. the fact that your legs were cramping up suggests you're focusing too much on kicking hard, perhaps..
Could also be down to dehydration/electrolyte deficiency too ?during the swim - how did your upper body feel? the vast majority of propulsion when swimming is upper body related - legs/kicking is required to keep you balanced/streamlined really. the fact that your legs were cramping up suggests you're focusing too much on kicking hard, perhaps..
Or, if you're not kicking enough, and your muscles are staying in a tensed, but stationary state trying to hold your legs up high in the water, then you could be cramping as a result of this too ?
graeme4130 said:
kit_kat said:
I am interested in completing a triathlon but I have no experience in running or road cycling! Swimming is my strong point but all the triathlons I have looked at have small swimming distances and really long running distances.
I think Olympic distance will give you possibly the longest swim vs bike/run ratio with a 1500m Swim / 40km bike / 10km runI came from a swimming background into triathlon and the aerobic fitness from years of swimming gives you a great start into tri. Not only that, but triathletes are typically not great swimmers, so although you'll not win a race with a good swim, getting out the water fresh (and with a fuller tank) on the longer distances will make the bike and run a much more pleasant experience
saleen836 said:
It's something I'm definetly going to think about. What sort of times (average) would the bike and run be done in? I like something to aim for! I can easily do the swim in under 30 mins already in a pool and outdoor swimming isn't a problem either.
Course dependent, I guess average times for an Olympic bike and run would be somewhere in the region of 80 mins and 50 mins respectively - with an average swim of about 30 mins and a bit of faffing in transition, that'd bring you home in about 2hr 45mins.If you can get round in anywhere near 2hr 30mins, you've done extremely well, anywhere around 2hr 15mins is pretty exceptional and if you can break the 2hr mark, think about changing your job!!
dangerousB said:
saleen836 said:
It's something I'm definetly going to think about. What sort of times (average) would the bike and run be done in? I like something to aim for! I can easily do the swim in under 30 mins already in a pool and outdoor swimming isn't a problem either.
Course dependent, I guess average times for an Olympic bike and run would be somewhere in the region of 80 mins and 50 mins respectively - with an average swim of about 30 mins and a bit of faffing in transition, that'd bring you home in about 2hr 45mins.If you can get round in anywhere near 2hr 30mins, you've done extremely well, anywhere around 2hr 15mins is pretty exceptional and if you can break the 2hr mark, think about changing your job!!
I'm going to have to search the net for some training programmes for beginners and see how I get on.
Ayahuasca said:
Managed to swim 830 metres in the pool today, unfortunately my watch drowned so I didn't record the time. Some nasty leg cramps towards the end - calf muscles suddenly felt like they had been shot! Hope tht doesn't happen in 50 metres depth at sea.
.
Possibly from pushing off the wall each length..
Ayahuasca said:
Been swimming 1000m a day for the past week or so and not had cramps again. Some really good clips on youtube on front crawl techniques that have helped a lot.
D-Day is sunday and as long as I don't drown, get eaten by sharks or finish in last place I will be happy.
I swear by swim smooth for all my swim related info . . . have a look at http://www.swimsmooth.comD-Day is sunday and as long as I don't drown, get eaten by sharks or finish in last place I will be happy.
Best of luck for the weekend mate, have a great race and don't forget to enjoy it and tell us how it all went!
dangerousB said:
Ayahuasca said:
Been swimming 1000m a day for the past week or so and not had cramps again. Some really good clips on youtube on front crawl techniques that have helped a lot.
D-Day is sunday and as long as I don't drown, get eaten by sharks or finish in last place I will be happy.
I swear by swim smooth for all my swim related info . . . have a look at http://www.swimsmooth.comD-Day is sunday and as long as I don't drown, get eaten by sharks or finish in last place I will be happy.
Best of luck for the weekend mate, have a great race and don't forget to enjoy it and tell us how it all went!
i got my planet-x timetrial bike a few days ago. itching to take it out for a ride this weekend. it came with tubs which was a bit of a surprise (i should have read the description a bit more closely). i've therefore invested in a spare tyre and some vittora pit stop thingmies..
anyone else had any experience of using tubs? from what i've read (exhaustively) through much googling they've come a long way and double sided tub tape means easy swapping. also, apparently it's much quicker to change during a ride and the stickyness of the previous tub tape is enough to hold the new one in place (so long as you aren't doing any crazy descents) so a puncture wouldn't be a big deal during a race... the issue might be getting the new tyre up to pressure with a hand pump..
any insights very welcome.
anyone else had any experience of using tubs? from what i've read (exhaustively) through much googling they've come a long way and double sided tub tape means easy swapping. also, apparently it's much quicker to change during a ride and the stickyness of the previous tub tape is enough to hold the new one in place (so long as you aren't doing any crazy descents) so a puncture wouldn't be a big deal during a race... the issue might be getting the new tyre up to pressure with a hand pump..
any insights very welcome.
2seas said:
Need some help please,
Can anyone recommend me a good aero-bar water bottle mount and cage?
Just been looking at the same stuff!Can anyone recommend me a good aero-bar water bottle mount and cage?
One of these is probably going to be my weapon of choice http://www.profile-design.com/profile-design/produ...
first triathlon DONE!
The swim - it was fairly choppy and as luck would have it the waves were from my breathing side (not mastered bilateral breathig yet). For the first few minutes I thought I would need to be rescued! - started too fast, hyperventilated, swallowed a lot of sea water, etc. Once I relaxed and got into a rhythm (and remembered how to swim) it was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a srong lateral current but I allowed for this and made a straight line to the end. I ended towards the back of the field, but by no means last! Result!
The bike - mostly road, lots of steep ups and downs, managed to overtake a few people. Was on a high from surviving the swim! There was a nasty off-road bit of 6km on a loose dirt / stoney track with massive hills. Everyone pushed the bikes up the worst. Crossed a river. Some came flying down the hills, me I was afraid of cartwheeling and breaking my neck (first time 'mountain-biking') so rode the brakes. Realised it was possible to 'lose the back end' on a pushbike!
The run - one of the hardest 5ks ever, there was no water and the sun was intense - 40 degrees in the shade - but no shade to be had. Plodded rather than ran, but crossed the finish line a very happy bunny.
Would definitely do it again - it was good fun!
The swim - it was fairly choppy and as luck would have it the waves were from my breathing side (not mastered bilateral breathig yet). For the first few minutes I thought I would need to be rescued! - started too fast, hyperventilated, swallowed a lot of sea water, etc. Once I relaxed and got into a rhythm (and remembered how to swim) it was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a srong lateral current but I allowed for this and made a straight line to the end. I ended towards the back of the field, but by no means last! Result!
The bike - mostly road, lots of steep ups and downs, managed to overtake a few people. Was on a high from surviving the swim! There was a nasty off-road bit of 6km on a loose dirt / stoney track with massive hills. Everyone pushed the bikes up the worst. Crossed a river. Some came flying down the hills, me I was afraid of cartwheeling and breaking my neck (first time 'mountain-biking') so rode the brakes. Realised it was possible to 'lose the back end' on a pushbike!
The run - one of the hardest 5ks ever, there was no water and the sun was intense - 40 degrees in the shade - but no shade to be had. Plodded rather than ran, but crossed the finish line a very happy bunny.
Would definitely do it again - it was good fun!
dangerousB said:
2seas said:
Need some help please,
Can anyone recommend me a good aero-bar water bottle mount and cage?
Just been looking at the same stuff!Can anyone recommend me a good aero-bar water bottle mount and cage?
One of these is probably going to be my weapon of choice http://www.profile-design.com/profile-design/produ...
got the bracket too..
Ayahuasca said:
first triathlon DONE!
The swim - it was fairly choppy and as luck would have it the waves were from my breathing side (not mastered bilateral breathig yet). For the first few minutes I thought I would need to be rescued! - started too fast, hyperventilated, swallowed a lot of sea water, etc. Once I relaxed and got into a rhythm (and remembered how to swim) it was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a srong lateral current but I allowed for this and made a straight line to the end. I ended towards the back of the field, but by no means last! Result!
The bike - mostly road, lots of steep ups and downs, managed to overtake a few people. Was on a high from surviving the swim! There was a nasty off-road bit of 6km on a loose dirt / stoney track with massive hills. Everyone pushed the bikes up the worst. Crossed a river. Some came flying down the hills, me I was afraid of cartwheeling and breaking my neck (first time 'mountain-biking') so rode the brakes. Realised it was possible to 'lose the back end' on a pushbike!
The run - one of the hardest 5ks ever, there was no water and the sun was intense - 40 degrees in the shade - but no shade to be had. Plodded rather than ran, but crossed the finish line a very happy bunny.
Would definitely do it again - it was good fun!
Congrats! Sounds like a tough one! Was it a 400m swim or a 750m? I have just over 4 weeks until my first tri!! What time did you do?The swim - it was fairly choppy and as luck would have it the waves were from my breathing side (not mastered bilateral breathig yet). For the first few minutes I thought I would need to be rescued! - started too fast, hyperventilated, swallowed a lot of sea water, etc. Once I relaxed and got into a rhythm (and remembered how to swim) it was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a srong lateral current but I allowed for this and made a straight line to the end. I ended towards the back of the field, but by no means last! Result!
The bike - mostly road, lots of steep ups and downs, managed to overtake a few people. Was on a high from surviving the swim! There was a nasty off-road bit of 6km on a loose dirt / stoney track with massive hills. Everyone pushed the bikes up the worst. Crossed a river. Some came flying down the hills, me I was afraid of cartwheeling and breaking my neck (first time 'mountain-biking') so rode the brakes. Realised it was possible to 'lose the back end' on a pushbike!
The run - one of the hardest 5ks ever, there was no water and the sun was intense - 40 degrees in the shade - but no shade to be had. Plodded rather than ran, but crossed the finish line a very happy bunny.
Would definitely do it again - it was good fun!
I've been training hard for mine and in the last 2 months have cut my bike time for 20km from 44:00 mins to 39:50, and my 5k time from 24:08 to 22:53, so looking forward to getting stuck in now!
Ayahuasca said:
first triathlon DONE!
The swim - it was fairly choppy and as luck would have it the waves were from my breathing side (not mastered bilateral breathig yet). For the first few minutes I thought I would need to be rescued! - started too fast, hyperventilated, swallowed a lot of sea water, etc. Once I relaxed and got into a rhythm (and remembered how to swim) it was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a srong lateral current but I allowed for this and made a straight line to the end. I ended towards the back of the field, but by no means last! Result!
The bike - mostly road, lots of steep ups and downs, managed to overtake a few people. Was on a high from surviving the swim! There was a nasty off-road bit of 6km on a loose dirt / stoney track with massive hills. Everyone pushed the bikes up the worst. Crossed a river. Some came flying down the hills, me I was afraid of cartwheeling and breaking my neck (first time 'mountain-biking') so rode the brakes. Realised it was possible to 'lose the back end' on a pushbike!
The run - one of the hardest 5ks ever, there was no water and the sun was intense - 40 degrees in the shade - but no shade to be had. Plodded rather than ran, but crossed the finish line a very happy bunny.
Would definitely do it again - it was good fun!
Bloody good effort mate!The swim - it was fairly choppy and as luck would have it the waves were from my breathing side (not mastered bilateral breathig yet). For the first few minutes I thought I would need to be rescued! - started too fast, hyperventilated, swallowed a lot of sea water, etc. Once I relaxed and got into a rhythm (and remembered how to swim) it was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a srong lateral current but I allowed for this and made a straight line to the end. I ended towards the back of the field, but by no means last! Result!
The bike - mostly road, lots of steep ups and downs, managed to overtake a few people. Was on a high from surviving the swim! There was a nasty off-road bit of 6km on a loose dirt / stoney track with massive hills. Everyone pushed the bikes up the worst. Crossed a river. Some came flying down the hills, me I was afraid of cartwheeling and breaking my neck (first time 'mountain-biking') so rode the brakes. Realised it was possible to 'lose the back end' on a pushbike!
The run - one of the hardest 5ks ever, there was no water and the sun was intense - 40 degrees in the shade - but no shade to be had. Plodded rather than ran, but crossed the finish line a very happy bunny.
Would definitely do it again - it was good fun!
Tri runs are an absolute killer - as you now know, they have to be experienced to be understood . . . especially the first few minutes!
I'm amazed there weren't any water stations given the heat, but good on ya for getting stuck in seeing it through
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