Dublin City Triathlon

Bambaata

I'm looking a for a bit of advice: I am tempted to enter into the Dublin City Triathlon which would be my first Olympic distance. Is it particularly difficult or is it a decent one to begin with? I've done a few sprints (Focus Ire x 2, Athy this yr) and found them ok. In Athy this yr i did it in 01:14:59 (spent 3 mins in T1!!) so i think i'd be able for one but if its particularly difficult i'd pass. The swim is what i'm most concerned about. The cycle is fine, managed W200 ok (8hrs) and have done some 10km run's before but im a little anxious on the swim. Am i mad or should i go for it? I am definitely hitting the Oly distances next yr but would like to get one by years end this season.

tunney

If completion is your goal then you're grand, go for it.

artvandelay48

I am doing the dublin tri as my first olympic one as well... what's the swim like? is it 750m upstream and then 750 down? how strong is the current in the liffey?

Davittdr

somebody else might have more up to date info.

When I completed the Dublin Tri in 2004 the swim course was 250mts upstream, 750 downstream and finished on 500 upstream.

I presume the course layout was to facilitate the Try-a-Triathlon that used to cover a 500mtr course.

Bambaata

right so maps and all have been released on the course and i have to say im happy the first 750m swim is upstream because i dont think i'd manage an upstream finish to it too well! What si the current like there generally? I have been advised by a guy i was talking to from the DFB who do their trainigna round there to stay away from the banks as thats where you have more of a chance of catching some nasty infections but i dont fancy a massive current in the centre either!

I suppose with the rain we've had it may eb bad enough or is it quite calm like athy (although it was very low there so it had obviously been starved of rain for a few days). I'm happy to be in wave 5 as the swim is what will be my worst part.

hunnymonster

For speed, stick to the side going upstream and middle going with the current.

The water in this race is not very clean. It's the only race mr HM (himself a fireman & swiftwater rescue technician) stops after the swim and rinses with disinfectant. This guy is a complete water baby spending the frist 30 years of his life kayaking around the world and the last couple of years swimming (including an EC attempt next week - and we all know there is plenty of muck there!) If he was worried about the water quality, then I would be too.


I know it's hard to believe, but there is a shortage of water at the moment. There was meant to be a level 4 kayak proficiency exam down our way this week and it had to be cancelled because of lack of water. That said, there are a couple of dams on the Liffey. I don't know if you can just ring the ESB up, but they would be the one's who could tell you how fresh the water will be and how much flow there will be on race day.

Bambaata

thnaks for the info. does that shower take much time? i see it is mentioned in the brief so it's obviosuly somethign which is part of the run into the bikes

hunnymonster

if it's the usual fire brigade decontamination shower, it takes seconds, you just run through it (think a car wash without the swirly bits). Also worth considering some sort of mouth wash in your transition kit for a quick rinse and make sure any open sores/blisters etc are covered. Disinfect your hands too if you'll be eating with them on the bike. Other than that, make sure your HepA and tetanus are up to date and you're as well prepared as can be.


Serious bit
***If you swim in rivers and notice any flu like symptoms or GI issues, get yourself to a doctor, make sure he knows where you have been and insist you get taken seriously!! your average GP will not consider Weil's disease unless it is rammed down their throat***
http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=6620


Of course this is very unlikely but why take the risk.

Bambaata

i dont ahve any hep a or tetanu shots! might look into that! do they cause sickness liek soem do though as i dont think that would go down well for the event

hoppo254

Make sure you do some practice with the transition phases as they can be very tough , being horizontal in the swim for a period of time and then getting onto the bike or run (whatever comes next usually the bike) does take some getting used to.

hunnymonster

Bambaata wrote: »

i dont ahve any hep a or tetanu shots! might look into that! do they cause sickness liek soem do though as i dont think that would go down well for the event

I only got them recently. Last year all my swimming was in the sea but this year I'm in rivers quite a bit. The doc told me they might make me feel a bit sick for a couple of days. Of course, thinking I'm super woman, I thought, they might make an 80 year old granny with a zimmer frame ill but I'll be fine. The reality was they knocked me out for a day or 3! It was a bit like the start of a bad cold combined with after weights DOMS. Not a great idea just before a competition but something you should look into at some stage. I've got to go back to the Doc next week to start thinking about what I'll need for the marathon des sables. Hopefully not too many more although I've heard rabies being mentioned:eek:. I'm full of doom and gloom today, weils or death in the swim, broken bones on bikes and rabies on runs... remind me again why sport is good for us :-)

Bambaata

haha HM you sure are selling them! Yeah i'll go without for this event and unfortunately this will be my last for the year so i'll look into getting those jabs early next yr. How long do they last for? Good idea on the mouthwash. Might be a bit daft looking for i will have minty fresh breath for the cycle at least. Wud baby wipes or some equivalent be enough for the hands as i normally throw a bit of an energy bar into me at the transitions and also intend having one or two on the bike

911sc

hunnymonster wrote: »

remind me again why sport is good for us :-)

only if consumed with moderation, i guess.
IM and Marathon des Sables are hardly that!
Are you doing the Marathon des Sables in 2009? Where are you doing your training, as the Irish weather is more appropriate to prep for a Marathon des Eaux at the moment:rolleyes:

hunnymonster

I haven't started MdS training yet, except that most of my long runs are done with a backpack out of commuting necessity. I've got to get IM Florida out of the way first. I'm not going to even try to acclimatise for the warmth (40+ C) but for the terrain I'll mix it up between hilly road, trail and beach running. Most people come back saying it's actually the hills kill you not the heat or the sand. Personally I think 6 days without a shower is going to be the reall killer but hey, I'm a girls girl. I don't think the MdS women's times are very competitive so I toyed with the idea of training properly and trying to win it but in the last couple of weeks my dance card (oops sorry my race calendar) has filled up a bit
-IMFL
-round Rotherham 50 mile
- Andy Colliers 106 South Downs Challenge
-MdS
-IMDE
-IMCH (week after IMDE)
-(Maybe) Double IM Enduroman

Given how desperately ill I was earlier this year, I don't want to risk further scarring to my lungs so I think I shall just be out in the dessert enjoying the journey and topping up my tan.

interested

Bambaata wrote: »

right so maps and all have been released on the course and i have to say im happy the first 750m swim is upstream because i dont think i'd manage an upstream finish to it too well! What si the current like there generally? I have been advised by a guy i was talking to from the DFB who do their trainigna round there to stay away from the banks as thats where you have more of a chance of catching some nasty infections but i dont fancy a massive current in the centre either!

I suppose with the rain we've had it may eb bad enough or is it quite calm like athy (although it was very low there so it had obviously been starved of rain for a few days). I'm happy to be in wave 5 as the swim is what will be my worst part.

from maps the course looks the same as last years - first 750 or so (not sure, but suspect this was a little longer than 750 last year) upstream, back down the river with a final 25 metres or so back upstream. But these things change on the day so ...

The current and how much a problem it is will entirely depend on the weather the next few days here - for example last wednesday I would have said they'd have turned it to a duathlon - I was down about the river running and it was moving at a cracking pace. Ive swam in most open water events and there is not a chance in hell Id have taken a dip that day. Things look alot calmer this week down there - theres still a high water level but if theres still no rain between now and sunday morning Id say we'll be getting wet (Im relaying this year).

As per other advice, the side of river is gonna have less current - swimming on someones feet for the upstream section is of course the way to go

In the liffey its wise to ensure any open cuts are covered up with something moderately water proof before getting in the water.

Anyhow - try not to get too stressed about it - ensure you're at the race briefing get your gear set then go sit down and listen to music - dont waste your energy getting too worked up - you'll be in and out before you know it and cooling off around the park.

The very best of luck

mjth2004

Cheapest option of disinfectant is a can of coke – one good mouthful, wash it about, cough back out & you are good to go!

Regarding the swim I got some info Wednesday night from some club members who did a recon of the course, there comments regarding the swim –

Health warning: these suggestions were only based on Monday night’s conditions. It maybe much better by Sunday and/or the organizers could change the course.

Swim: the current was about 1.5mph last night. A 40minute 1500m swimmer wouldn't be able to swim upstream. It may improve by Sunday but the current will be a factor, so

•Swim as close to the bank when going upstream - use the reeds to pull yourself along if needs be. I'm not joking!!

•Swim as close to the centre when going downstream

interested

mjth2004 wrote: »

Health warning: these suggestions were only based on Monday night’s conditions. It maybe much better by Sunday and/or the organizers could change the course.

Swim: the current was about 1.5mph last night. A 40minute 1500m swimmer wouldn't be able to swim upstream. It may improve by Sunday but the current will be a factor, so

Not a total shock since it dumped rain all afternoon saturday in Dublin - ho hum its gonna be fun

Bambaata

jaysus that sounds interesting! I'm in wave 5 as i had put my estimated time at 35 minutes (hoping its more like 25/30 though but i wanted to go with a wave a bit below where i saw myself so i can hopefully get out in front)

Dowee

I've read talk on other forums of the swim being all downstream because of the current.

Bambaata

that would be a help alright! anyone know anywhere in town sellig the aquasphere seal xp goggles? mine are too stretched now and wont keep the water out cos i cant get them tight enough. hope to pick a set up while going to register for tomorrow

airscotty

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the exact distances for the race on Sunday? I know the cycle was 38k give r take.

Cheers

Highway_To_Hell

They said the swim was shortened by 125 mtrs, I clocked 38.16K for the bike and I reckon the run was probably under 8K.

Ergo, I still have not completed an Olympic distance Triathlon

but it was a great day and we were blessed with the weather.

Bambaata

i think the run was about 8.7km (as far as i can make out by mapping it on mapmyride.com). It certainly wasn't 10km cos i certainly wasn't going well but finished it in 42 mins or so. the swim was also cut short due to the current by about 100m i believe and i had about 38km on my speedo also for the cycle. i was getting worried cos i was approaching the exit point at 36km or so and thought for a sec i had another lap to go!!

Racing Flat

I would find that incredibly frustrating. Whay could they not have a 10k run????? 8.7 what use is that

Bambaata

tbh from what i can make out the distances in a lot of races are not exact and are generally slightly shorter.

hunnymonster

some are slightly longer. I'm pretty sure the bike in Kilkee is 45 km? I don't see why a run can't be made the correct distance. All it takes is a cone placed somewhere as a turnaround point, even on a lap route it's easy enough to extend. Sometimes the bike does have to be off though because it's much easier to have nice wide corners than putting people around lots of cones. In the past swim courses have been a bit hit and miss but with todays gps, they should be close enough, safety permitting. +/- 10% would keep me happy enough.

Bambaata

i think the problem with the run is they cant cross the cycle route and to make it up to 10km would probably mean making people run back and forth at some point around the pitches which leaves it a slight bit harder to manage as the general public use those areas for training, soccer, football and whatever else they play on them.

artvandelay48

I heard a rumour that they wanted to have the finish down at the boat house but the gards didn't want to close the road so they had to have finish up in the park. I'd say it was about 1 km from the finish to boat house so that would mean the run was about 9 km.

On a related note, I thought it was bad form that they did not tell people in the race briefing where the finish was. I met quite a few people who missed their friends finishing cos they didn't know where the finish was!

Seres

Bambaata wrote: »

i think the run was about 8.7km (as far as i can make out by mapping it on mapmyride.com). It certainly wasn't 10km cos i certainly wasn't going well but finished it in 42 mins or so. the swim was also cut short due to the current by about 100m i believe and i had about 38km on my speedo also for the cycle. i was getting worried cos i was approaching the exit point at 36km or so and thought for a sec i had another lap to go!!

that ir really frustrating , especially for the run , cause if your expecting a 10K run and it finishes 1300m ( nearly a mile !) short ,it means alot of people could have gone harder and thus got better times and ranking , utimately people are finishing with fuel in the engine

airscotty

ye.... but as you do your first lap you see the finish line so know where the finish is and that you'v one lap to do so i dont think not knowing the exact distance can be used as an excuse...? not for me anyway!

Also i though it was a great day out...really enjoyed it. It was also my first Olympic Dist and i learned a lot...where i could have went harder n where i should have held bac a little.

Seres

airscotty wrote: »

ye.... but as you do your first lap you see the finish line so know where the finish is and that you'v one lap to do so i dont think not knowing the exact distance can be used as an excuse...? not for me anyway!

i did not know the course had laps ,

tunney

Seres wrote: »

airscotty wrote: »

ye.... but as you do your first lap you see the finish line so know where the finish is and that you'v one lap to do so i dont think not knowing the exact distance can be used as an excuse...? not for me anyway!

i did not know the course had laps ,

The first thing you should do before any race is read the briefing and check the maps. Then ride/drive the bike then run/ride the run.

There is no excuse for an athlete not knowing the course.

Seres

tunney wrote: »

Seres wrote: »

The first thing you should do before any race is read the briefing and check the maps. Then ride/drive the bike then run/ride the run.

There is no excuse for an athlete not knowing the course.

Fair enough you need to be familiar with the course but it not always possible for people to run/ride a course some day before a race , and you are certainly not going to do it on the day of the race , if they say its an olyimpic distance then it should be that.

jollybean

The maps of the run course were up at registration the night before. I asked one of the many organisers who were milling around also, they were only too happy to go over the maps with me. That's all you have to do....ASK. I even picked up a map that was for an emergency duathlon course in case there was too much rain the night before. I was told there was a 50/50 chance it might be a duathlon due to the flow of the river....:eek:. I think we got lucky....goes to show the organisers were at least trying to think of everything.

I believe the run was cut short as the ground was unsuitable due to mud..... and lots of it that would have been made impassible by 450 people running over it...twice. Personally I'd rather a short run than twist an ankle or pull something....its a shame that the race was short but I think this was mostly due to weather reasons....i doubt the organisers who put so much work into the race were dancing for joy that the course was a bit short as i assume they know they're going to get criticism.

Genghis

I think the problem is broader than one race. I have finished 4 Olympic distance (thats 4 races other than DCT) and 4 Sprint distance races this year. Just one of the Olympic and two of the Sprints were actually the correct distance.

I am sure that each race had a valid reason for their course distances being non-standard, but it becomes difficult as a competitor to compare times over races. Is 2:43 in Kilkee better than 2:16 in Dublin? What about 2:31 in Caroline Kearney or 2:28 in Mourne?

If you are interested in tracking your performance, the better benchmark might well be the National Series Points which are based on finishing position as opposed to time.

Bambaata

you cant really compare times between different races. even if they are identical distances you still have weather conditions, terrain and many other factors that will make them different. next year i hope to do a complete set of racers to get a proper national series ranking. I've only been able to do two triathlons that counted this year.

I was wondering what are the races that i should be focusing on to get maximum points? Also is there any ranking for Duathlons in this country?

hunnymonster

I've never done enough races in ireland to look at the national series the details are
http://www.triathlonireland.com/article.php?story=20080522162608125

Highway_To_Hell

This year both Athy and Athlone had bonus points so to maximise your points these races would need to have been in someones race plans.

I have no idea how they decide which races have bonus points but I am sure it is done early enough in the season so compeditors can build the races into their race plans.

tunney

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

This year both Athy and Athlone had bonus points so to maximise your points these races would need to have been in someones race plans.

I have no idea how they decide which races have bonus points but I am sure it is done early enough in the season so compeditors can build the races into their race plans.

National Championship events have bonus points. Groomsport will also have bonus points.

Genghis

Bambaata wrote: »

you cant really compare times between different races. even if they are identical distances you still have weather conditions, terrain and many other factors that will make them different.

Yes, but you can do nothing about those factors. I would guess the reason we have standard distances is because bodies like the ITU / ETU and Triathlon Ireland expect race organisers to conform to a standard distance.