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'First Time Triathlete' - The Novice Thread
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Ms K Sir A wrote: »We did great didn't we? Each and every one out there.... we all did great!!! And that sunshine!
There was more than ONE uphill in that cycle. I had done the route a couple of times and was prepared for it, but it's no wishy washy handy cycle doddle for a first time event is it?
Well done Ms K Sir A, It was a great day and it's great to have the first Tri under the belt and a PB to boot:D. Lovely day as well and glad not to have to use the long sleeve top after.
I was just happy not to be last getting out of the pool. In the end I wasn't even last out of my lane:D Agree with you on the number of hills, it made for a tough enough cycle, never mind the number of roundabouts but I must say they were well marshalled by the Triolgy club. I enjoyed the run and even passed a few.
Will post up a better report on my log when I get a chance.
Roll on the next one, cheers to all who offered advice on here over the last few months.0 -
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Thanks Papamike. & well done to you too.
I'm afraid I was joint last out on my lane of 4 in the pool. But hey, knocked a couple of minutes off my last timed 30 lenghts which I'm pleased with. When the clapping started for the first person getting out and I was only at about 20 lengths that was rough. I hadn't expected the applause. But they applauded me too when I dragged myself out of the pool and that was perfectly alright with me!!! I never really got into a comfortable zone with the swim. But 9.30am swim and me don't go that well together!!!
Like you I think I passed about 3 or 4 ppl running with which I amazed myself. So hats off to us. That was a good feeling considering I spent the past fortnight saying to myself " whatever you do don't walk the run bit, what ever you do don't walk the run bit, whatever it takes you have to run it" over and over again. In the end it wasn't the struggle I was expecting at all. For the run itself I kept visualising those after event texts I would be sending, and wanting to be able to say I ran it all. It seemed to keep me going too.
Something someone in the club said to me the first night I went out for a run stayed with me too, & I think it's a good idea to have it in your head before you train or compete. "you don't want to go home and be thinking later that you had more in you and you could've done better". It's easier to quit than it is to stay going sometimes, but having that notion in the back of your mind helps to egg you along. Nothing worse than being disappointed in yourself when you know you could've done better.
The following are a few tips I thought of that might help others with their 1st in no particular order.
Ask for help if you're unsure with your bike set up when leaving it into transition before the race. I had mine in the wrong gear and it needed more air in the tyres too. I would never have thought of that if someone hadn't been there to help me. Absolutely silly I know, but still I hadn't thought of it.
Also in set up.... rem to leave your gear out in the order you are going to need it. So your towell is on top, the tops you might be going to put on will be under that etc.
A lot of competitors used a plastic storage tub to store their gear in transition. It didn't apply to us, but I imagine if it were raining that would be essential. Also I imagine it is easier to see and access your bits than trying to find them in a bag.
Pick a mad colour so that you can spot your tub from a distance too when you're rushing to your bike, (advice from an experienced competitor).
I heard someone got penalised by 2 minutes too for taking off their helmet before parking their bike. The rules are... don't even think about touching your bike until the helmet is on your head when leaving, and don't touch your helmet when you're coming back until your bike is on the rack.
For the pool swim the passing rules were as follows. If you are gaining on another competitor then touch their heels, they are obliged to pull in at the END of the pool to let you pass. No passing mid lane. There will be time penalties for both not pulling over to allow someone pass, & passing mid lane. I have no idea what the rules are for open water swims.
Don't underestimate the amount of time you will need to pack your bits and recheck everything the night before. It was something I hadn't put much thought into until the night before. I was on the phone to another competitor going through the, do you think we will need.... routine. If you had it in your head this is something you will do in a few minutes as I had, think again.
Cameras, phones, money etc are all things you probably won't want to have with you. Leave these in your car out of the way.
Check where you will be parking the night before too if you can, the usual parking wasn't available to competitors at the leisure centre for our event. & don't get caught with a b&*%"d parking fine of FORTY FREAKING EURO, cos your head is so distracted that morning that it never ocurred to you to stick a measley 2 Euro in the meter. The event is costly enough as it is. You don't need that on top of it. I KNOW!! Most unsporting of Laois co co too I feel given the circumstances.
Listen to the pre-race briefing!! That is not the time to be tuned out.
The only other thing I can think of that struck me about the day was the sense of solitude. You are on your own. You are alone with your thoughts for the swim, then the cycle, then the run... you will do lot of talking to yourself. (Well, clearly I did anyway) There will be ppl there such as marshalls etc that will be giving you encouragement, which is really brilliant, but you are on your own for a long while. Yet when it's all over you wonder how it all happened so fast. It absolutely flew. & you'll have no problem grinning for those cameras!!!
Hope some of this is of some help to those still to do their first tri. 0 -
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Ms K Sir A wrote: »Thanks Papamike. & well done to you too.
I'm afraid I was joint last out on my lane of 4 in the pool. But hey, knocked a couple of minutes off my last timed 30 lenghts which I'm pleased with. When the clapping started for the first person getting out and I was only at about 20 lengths that was rough. I hadn't expected the applause. But they applauded me too when I dragged myself out of the pool and that was perfectly alright with me!!! I never really got into a comfortable zone with the swim. But 9.30am swim and me don't go that well together!!!
Like you I think I passed about 3 or 4 ppl running with which I amazed myself. So hats off to us. That was a good feeling considering I spent the past fortnight saying to myself " whatever you do don't walk the run bit, what ever you do don't walk the run bit, whatever it takes you have to run it" over and over again. In the end it wasn't the struggle I was expecting at all. For the run itself I kept visualising those after event texts I would be sending, and wanting to be able to say I ran it all. It seemed to keep me going too.
Had a great swim by my standards too as I knocked over 4 minutes off my previous best timed 750.
The guys in my lane were joking before we got in about what it would be like hearing all the clapping when the first guy got out and sure enough it was a bit off putting when I had about 12 lengths to go but to be fair everyone got a clap when they got out which was great.
However not as off putting as the lane counter telling me I had 5 to go at one stage and I all delighted with myself until I realised half way down that length that it couldn't be 5 as they were counting every 2 lengths as 1 so it meant 10 to go:( To be fair the lane counters were great and very encouraging as I gasped for air the last few lengths.
So just to add a few tips to what Ms K Sir A mentioned for anybody heading into their first tri in the next few weeks. Again in no particular order and people probably know these already:
If it's a pool swim be honest when giving your estimated time to the other people in your lane. It will make for a more comfortable swim. Don't worry if you are the slowest as when the faster guys pass you at the wall take off after them and get a nice draft down that length, Got me through 6 or 7 lengths:D
One tip I got on here was to kick strongly for the last 2 lengths so as to get the blood down there to prevent dizzyness on exiting the pool. No dizzyness on Saturday
If you have a tri suit or tri top to go with tri shorts I would wear it. It will save you time in transition. I didn't and I spent over 2 mins in transition and a good portion of that was putting a dry top onto wet skin...not easy.
Bike in easy gear to start off and use the first bit of the bike to get some water/sports drink on board...even if you think you have drank half the pool:D
Practice getting off the bike. If you can, take your feet out of the cycle shoes on your approach to the dismount line and cycle with your feet on top of the shoes as when you get off it is easier to run in your socks/bare feet than on your cleats. A few more seconds saved!!
Use lock or elastic laces for your runners. Just means you have to slip them on and away you go. More seconds saved:D.
Over the last while in running races I have always been wary of marshals telling you that you are nearly there, keep going, only a short bit left etc., but the guy who told me that I was doing great and only had a couple of hundred metres to go as he was standing 10m away from the 4k mark on the run was the best yet, I had to laugh:D Don't think he was a marshal though but it got me through the last km.
Last of all, enjoy it. Its meant to be fun, if you manage to pass people encourage them to keep going, if people pass you, say well done also. That was the main thing I took from Saturday, the friendly and helpful attitude of all competitors and marshals.0 -
Welcome kerinsp and best of luck in your first Tri
papamike and Ms K Sir A, really excellent posts by both of you! You really summed up the spirit of your first event and you are the kind of athletes that give an event its atmosphere, smiling as you go and having great respect for everyone else and most importantly enjoying yourselves
Well done!
Great examples for anyone doing their first Tri! I'll hopefully put some of your tips to good use this Saturday myself 0 -
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excitementcity wrote: »Hi all
Mrs K Sir A what did you wear for your tri? Did you get a tri suit for your first one?
Hi Excitementcity, I wore a tri suit and because of the frost that morning I had two tops ready. By ready I mean I had put them on me the night before and took them off together. So that I was getting into them both as though they were one. Does that make sense? The one downside there was because I was wet getting into them they were tricky enough to put on, but it worked reasonably well. I think the cotton long sleeved under top was a wrong choice of fabric. Good old lyrca would have been better, but realistically it didn't make a BIG difference other than it filled up quickly with the water before I dried off through the rest of the event.
Don't forget to pin your numbers to the outside top you plan to wear before the event!!! or get a race belt as previously mentioned in this thread.
Tri suits seem to vary in price from 60 - 100 euro. I got mine for 60 and to be honest I just can't see how the extra 40 would've been an improvement. And the 60 euro one was actually the nicer looking of the ones I saw. I know I know, all you experienced ppl probably have good reasons for going for more technical clothing... but I would imagine myself that a bigger budget spent on a wet suit for Open Water events would be better spent. I am willing to be corrected here. The sizing is a disaster with these suits. They are TINY. I'm not a big girl at all, yet I needed a large & it was snug. (maybe I need to have my mirror & scales checked!!) If you are in any way taller than average you are going to need a big suit. I don't think you can order this online or even by phone with a helpful assistant. You really do need to fit them.
I went to two places in Dub shopping for this, but won't name them here... In the first I was treated with nothing less than derision. The cheek of me to ask about the prices of entry level bikes. I was told... this bike is a cheap bike at 550.00 it has cheap brakes, cheap deraileur (however its spelt) Cheap saddle, Cheap x, Cheap y, & Cheap z.... I'm not exagerating!!! Noone knows better than I do that it's well worth your while spending money on good equipment. And I have now chosen a bike I want which will set me back around 1,100 Euro. BUT the cheek of him to be condescending to his customer esp given that I am more than likely going to come back to that store if I am looked after when I am ready to go for improved gear. Needless to say.. about 6 'Cheaps' in, I was running out the door with a sprint I wish I could've replicated for the event. I got onto the phone and rang two more places regarding stock of suits, and knew the moment I spoke to the 2nd that I was speaking to a gentleman, and not surprisingly was treated with more than the level of respect a customer would expect.
Apologies for the rant!!! - Yeah I'm still mad. I know where my money won't ever be spent in Dublin now for sure.0 -
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Welcome cluelessx2 and MaxPower89Ms K Sir A wrote: »Best not encourage me!!! I could be off on another rant!!!
Save some of that fire for your next event
btw I ride a 'cheap' entry level bike that does me just fine!
Also, agree with the Tri suits. Lycra aint forgiving thats for sure! I picked a large off the rack yesterday and put it on to discover I may as well have been bare... eh I was in the ladies 'large'
All I could do was laugh at myself
That said the men's large size wasn't much bigger!0 -
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