Sprint Triathlons for Beginners - Advice needed

Tritrier

Hi,

I have just completed my first two sprint triathlons - Crooked Lake & Mullaghmore. Enjoyed both experiences and want to look at the rest of the summer ahead and get registered for a couple more.

The triathlons I am considering are:

Lisburn 27th July (Sprint)
Tramore Waterford Spokes 23rd August (Sprint)
Carlingford (Olympic - could do a relay with 2 friends) - 30th August
Lough Key (Sprint) - 7th Sep
Loughrea Galway (Sprint) - 14th Aug

I'm obviously not going to do all of them but I would probably do two more sprints and an olympic relay with friends. What I'm looking for is advice in terms of suitability for beginners, good organisation, good atmosphere - after all triathlon is all about taking part and enjoying it.

Also, are there any other sprint or olympic (for a relay) distance tris that others on this forum would recommend that I haven't considered yet.

Thanks,
Tritrier

tracto

Congrats on completing Camlough and Mullaghmore, personnally i think they are the two best sprint races on the calendar.

With regards to your potential race list the only one of those I have done is Lisburn, i last did it in 2006 and said afterwards that i'd never do it again. For starters its in a swimming pool so its not a "hard core" swim but the main problem with it is the cycle which is on open roads and you are told at the race briefing that you are obliged to obey red lights of which theres about 5 different sets on the course, obviously i and most didnt but then safety becomes an issue. From what i recall there was also a bit of drafting going on and not a draft buster to be seen.

For Olympic races both Lough Neagh and Mourne are nice, the mourne run is on a forest path around a lake so its a bit different whereas as LN is a 4 lap out and back, the cycle is maybe slightly tougher in Mourne and both swims are in lakes so theres no much in it. Both have been on the calendar for years so they are well established and very well run. A new race on this year in the Beast of the East, the bike course sounds v tough but should be beautiful, if you are doing one for a relay i'd say go for this and make sure you take the swim leg

Peachy123

I want to do Lisburn as well - but when I click the link for the website on the triathlon Ireland website it takes me to a Lisburn city website with no mention of the triathlon? Does anyone know if it's full - is that the reason?

tracto

Yeah thats another reason why i didnt like Lisburn, you have to write to someone in the city council and ask them to send you an entry form by post which you then have to fill out and send it back. Not sure what the reason for it is but its a pain in the @rse!

Peachy123

Thansk Tracto... It's a pity as the Kinsale one the day before is full & the next sprint is the Focus Ireland one in the Dockland which you have to fundraise for - which is also a pain! Not sure which is worse?

Tritrier

Hi Again,

Thanks for the feedback on Lisburn - I definitely won't be doing that one. Not really interested in the pool ones.

However, does anybody have any specific feedback on the Sprints - Spokes (Tramore), Lough Key and Loughrea. Would be really interested in this.

Think we are going to go ahead and register a team for Carlingford. I've never been there and believe it is a beautiful part of the country.

Thanks again
Tritrier

Seres

hey Tritrier , i am a starter triathlete too , i live near lough key forest park where there is a sprint triathlon on the 9th Sep , if you are looking to do a beautiful course do this one , the course is fantastic , good luck , hope to see you there