The Triathlon thread - Ironman, 70.3, Olympic, Sprint

[ED209]

dangerousB said:

ED209 said:

I make that 9 podium finishes in last 10 races!

It's just showing off really, isn't it?

oddman said:

Did Sundowner yesterday - great event

My first at 70.3 5hrs 21 fell apart on the run after a good swim and bike. Food for thought.

Doesn't sound at all shabby to me, especially if your run wasn't so good!

Yup she is showing off.

Even more so on checking the results properly there appears to have been a rather large error with them. The first in her age groups results bear no resemblance to her strava activities for the race. It appears she actually won her age group and that the person down as winning was about half an hour behind!

It also looked a bit fishy that they knocked well over an hour of their last 70.3 time.

[oddman]

ED209 said:

Yup she is showing off.

Even more so on checking the results properly there appears to have been a rather large error with them. The first in her age groups results bear no resemblance to her strava activities for the race. It appears she actually won her age group and that the person down as winning was about half an hour behind!

It also looked a bit fishy that they knocked well over an hour of their last 70.3 time.

That must be very frustrating. There are always going to be the odd timing glitches and people have a responsibility to point out errors to the organisers.

[FredClogs]

Second sprint triathlon knocked off today, fleetwood, ran at a much better pace but the bike was evil, half the course into a 25mph sea breeze, 20km has never been so painful, I'd prefer 10% hills. Good day all in all, kids did well too and 1hr 15 is on for next time (if the wind let's me)

[redback911]

Popped my Triathlon cherry today @ University of Lancaster venue. It was a "sprint" event, but onwards and upwards I hope. Garmin watch says I was around 1hr 36mins, which seems ok for a first timer overweight 40-something. Just waiting on the official timings.

Definitely hooked, now looking for next event.

Booked this morning for the Kendal Sprint (Sunday), and Lakeside Sprint for a week Sunday. Looking at events for next year the Lakesman Half has to be on my to-do list.

http://thelakesman.com/the-half/

I am on the West Coast of Cumbria so reasonably local as well.

Healthwise feeling really good today and off for an open water swim shortly, but I guess tomorrow will be the big test for muscle recovery. I tried to scoff down some food after the race, but was probably a good hour after.

Edited by redback911 on Monday 10th September 11:48

[briangriffin]

Question for the experts on here both for my benefit and my gfs.

She would like to improve on her sprint distance times (came first novice in her first event recently) and I would like to improve on my single ironman wales time.

We are debating where the biggest gains can be made a cross the 3 disciplines although primarily debating run v bike.

She is a 9.5 minute mile runner for the sprint distance run and 13mph average for the bike

I am 10 minute mile runner for the ironman marathon and 15 mph average on the 112 bike.


She thinks she can make bigger gains by targeting say 15mph on the bike rather than sub 8.5 minute miles running. She does prefer cycling to running though.

I prefer running over the bike but perhaps feel I can make bigger gains on the bike and a 16-17mph average would benefit more.


The other side of our discussion is which is the easier gain/improvement to make? Is it easier to add those 2moh in the bike or that 1 minute a mile running?

[ED209]

Bike has biggest gains potential, especially in long events.

[iguana]

ED209 said:

Bike has biggest gains potential, especially in long events.

Exactly what I thought & I'm no expert only having done a couple of tri's but more training & a far more aero bike & gear inc helmet etc then surely the biggest possible gains.

Edited by iguana on Thursday 13th September 11:44

[dangerousB]

briangriffin said:

The other side of our discussion is which is the easier gain/improvement to make? Is it easier to add those 2moh in the bike or that 1 minute a mile running?

You'll probably find gains will be harder to achieve on the discipline that you least favour - I used to hate running with a passion, so only used to do it when I absolutely had to. It's only in the last couple of years where I've forced myself to love it (and genuinely do now) that I've seen appreciable improvements.

If you wanted my advice in which discipline to focus upon to reduce your time, like everyone else, I'd say bike - do the maths on how long you spend on each discipline during the race and you'll probably find you spend at 50 - 60% of your time on the bike, so time spent training on two wheels will pay you back quicker when it comes to races.

However, bike aside, don't let that detract from focusing upon your weaknesses - if you're an OK rider and fall apart on the run then perhaps have some focused blocks of run training in your build up to an event.

The same goes with swim training - I know a guy who's a pretty strong swimmer (in a wetsuit) who focused on his bike & run for a specific event (IM Vichy) and did next to nothing on his swim as he was pretty confident with it. Come race day it was super hot (35ºC or so) and the water temp was 26ºC, so no wetsuits. Worse still, Vichy is a river swim so freshwater. He'd never competed in a skins race and it absolutely ruined his day. 1k in he genuinely worried about making the swim cut he told me afterwards (he did, but played catchup for the rest of the day).

[briangriffin]

Cheers Guys,

Sound advice really. I’d probably enjoy the bike more when I see some gains, I’ve always been in dread of doing turbo classes as I expect them to be boring but reckon I should give it a go as plenty of the fast guys are doing it round here so it must work haha.

Think the same works for the missus in regards to running been trying to talk her into coming to running club with me as that’s where I made massive gains without realising. She’s very competitive even if it’s just against her own Strava PB’s.

On a side note does anyone know of any swimming headphones that are Bluetooth compatible rather than with the built in memory?

P.s. any reports from guys on here who did ironman wales last weekend? Always look forward to reading them

[Scabutz]

briangriffin said:

On a side note does anyone know of any swimming headphones that are Bluetooth compatible rather than with the built in memory?

Nope. Radio waves no worky underwater (except a very narrow band). Same reason HR monitors don't work. The Garmin ones record it then transfer when out of the water.

[redback911]

Just signed up for the Lakesman (full course) for next year (June).

If anyone else is planning to do the course then drop me a PM. I own a B&B/bar/restaurant on the west side of the Lake District ( https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/wayside-guest-acc...). Maybe we can organise some pre-event training sessions, I can sort out some accommodation discounts for folks - same for race weekend as well.

[briangriffin]

Scabutz said:

Nope. Radio waves no worky underwater (except a very narrow band). Same reason HR monitors don't work. The Garmin ones record it then transfer when out of the water.

Cheers mate. Lost my swimming ones so was wondering if there was a cheaper Bluetooth option out there.

Ironman wales 2019 is calling me a little now I think haha

[dangerousB]

New IM race announced for Spain - up in the Basque region, beautiful part of Spain

http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/events/emea/ironma...

May have to have a "good news/bad news" conversation with my girlfriend - race day is her birthday

[dangerousB]

For anyone that interested, here's the race in Sweden I competed in:-

https://www.facebook.com/swextri/videos/1217520758...

Beautiful location and brilliantly captured. Absolutely fab event - the film can't convey the wind we had to battle though!!!

[blade runner]

dangerousB said:

New IM race announced for Spain - up in the Basque region, beautiful part of Spain

http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/events/emea/ironma...

May have to have a "good news/bad news" conversation with my girlfriend - race day is her birthday

I quite fancy that one. Finished Ironman Barcelona on Sunday, but the sea swim was ridiculously choppy. A nice flat lake swim would be good for the next one.

[ED209]

redback911 said:

Just signed up for the Lakesman (full course) for next year (June).

If anyone else is planning to do the course then drop me a PM. I own a B&B/bar/restaurant on the west side of the Lake District ( https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/wayside-guest-acc...). Maybe we can organise some pre-event training sessions, I can sort out some accommodation discounts for folks - same for race weekend as well.

You will enjoy it. Its sold out now.

Did the half this year and the full in 2016. For the full I had worried about the weather being naff for months, not once did I ever imagine that it would be 30 degree torture on the day.


Entered the half again for 2019 as soon as the entries came out.

Just had a rejection for london today so looks like I will be taking up a reserved slot in the Outlaw half instead. They are using the event as a championship for work. i won't be anywhere near winning but its a good way to get a place.

[dangerousB]

blade runner said:

I quite fancy that one. Finished Ironman Barcelona on Sunday, but the sea swim was ridiculously choppy. A nice flat lake swim would be good for the next one.

Got to compare notes with my training buddy for next year, but it does look a great option.

Well done on the Barcelona finish, by the way - I competed there in 2016 and the swim was exactly the same, probably a 5ft swell. Plenty of people throwing up after about 3k!!!

[blade runner]

dangerousB said:

Well done on the Barcelona finish, by the way - I competed there in 2016 and the swim was exactly the same, probably a 5ft swell. Plenty of people throwing up after about 3k!!!

It was certainly one of the more interesting ironman swims I've done! And not helped by my wetsuit zip breaking just before the off, meaning I had to do the whole thing with it open up the back and water pooling into my arms. I actually don't mind it choppy, but I'm pretty crap at sighting at the best of times, so was a few minutes slower than I was aiming for. Typically it was a flat calm the day before and the day after...

[redback911]

ED209 said:

You will enjoy it. Its sold out now.

Did the half this year and the full in 2016. For the full I had worried about the weather being naff for months, not once did I ever imagine that it would be 30 degree torture on the day.

Entered the half again for 2019 as soon as the entries came out.

Cool, its local and I will have a chance to do the route(s) and swim a couple of times before the race. It will be my first IM (I really wanted to do the half) so a bit apprehensive and now just working on my endurance. Let me know if you want to swap entries on the Half for the Full. :-)

Just realising how popular the Lake District events are and will get in early (as possible) in future.

[ED209]

redback911 said:

Cool, its local and I will have a chance to do the route(s) and swim a couple of times before the race. It will be my first IM (I really wanted to do the half) so a bit apprehensive and now just working on my endurance. Let me know if you want to swap entries on the Half for the Full. :-)

Just realising how popular the Lake District events are and will get in early (as possible) in future.

I doubt I will be swapping from half to full, I won't tell the wife you are thinking about it either because she has already been going on about swapping her entry to the full.