Try a tri?

--amadeus--

Right, back to pick the collective brains...

MrsA has been doing really well on fitness and exercise but is now looking for a new challenge. I'm trying to talk her into running (and aiming at DCM 2010 or 2011) but I'm not sure it's working.

So I'm wondering about suggesting a "try a tri" event. She's a strong swimmer and pretty good on a bike so she should be a natural. And because I'm crap in the water and crap on a bike we could do it together.

So does anyone know of a try a tri in the New Year, ideally in the Limerick region? One that is totally NooB friendly, would be ok with mountain bikes, etc?

Or any other ideas for a challenge that would motivate and interest a woman who doesn't consider herself fit or sporty?

Thanks!

RacoonQueen

There's a duathlon in Limerick in February which I'm sure you could do as a team.

http://www.runireland.com/events/2010-02-07/ltc-duathlon-race-1

Or an aquathon even might interest her more if she's a good swimmer.

Edit: scratch that they don't allow relay teams http://www.limericktriathlon.com/drupal/?q=duathlons

--amadeus--

I saw that, I wasn't sure if me turning up on a rusty MTB and herself on teh BananaBike would look out of place though? What's the standard like?

toomuchdetail

Not sure if May is too late but the Joey Hannon Tri in Limerick has a good rep , the shorter course from last year is the "try a Tri" but that has a 500m Swim/26k cycle and 5k run so that is tough as a starter but the swim is in a pool . Havent done it but hear great reports.
The earlier one in April is in Nenagh is also pool based (500m last year)and this is great,its a nice cycle (bit of hill)and reasonably flat run . This was my first ever tri and it was a great event , unpretentious and well organised .
All levels in the pool from the very fast to guys who walked the lenght of the pool onmost lenghs and swam only the deep ends to ordinary bog standard bikes(no gears/baskets) to top of the range €4k bikes.

Worth a look .

mloc123

Don't worry about the bike, you will have people showing up with bikes they have dug out the shed after 20 years.

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Right, back to pick the collective brains...

MrsA has been doing really well on fitness and exercise but is now looking for a new challenge. I'm trying to talk her into running (and aiming at DCM 2010 or 2011) but I'm not sure it's working.

So I'm wondering about suggesting a "try a tri" event. She's a strong swimmer and pretty good on a bike so she should be a natural. And because I'm crap in the water and crap on a bike we could do it together.

So does anyone know of a try a tri in the New Year, ideally in the Limerick region? One that is totally NooB friendly, would be ok with mountain bikes, etc?

Or any other ideas for a challenge that would motivate and interest a woman who doesn't consider herself fit or sporty?

Thanks!

Joey Hannon or really any event run by Limerick TC. Their events are fantastic and they are a very welcoming crowd. Joey Hannon is a nice event with a pool swim.

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I saw that, I wasn't sure if me turning up on a rusty MTB and herself on teh BananaBike would look out of place though? What's the standard like?

They will be all sorts of bikes there. Don't worry about your bike not being flash enough. Most of the flash bikes have no engines.

--amadeus--

Cheers, lot of food for thought there. How long would it be expected to take a comparatively unfit newbie to complete?

MCOS

tunney wrote: »

They will be all sorts of bikes there. Don't worry about your bike not being flash enough. Most of the flash bikes have no engines.

+1 --Amadeus-- when we rolled up to the first Duathlon at st Endas this year the place was covered in snow. It mostly thawed by the time we got going but a mtb would not have been a bad choice At Triathlone this year there must have been 100 mtbs or more. The duathlons in Endas is a nice way to start, all levels, all kinds of bikes (from the insanely expensive to rust buckets) and well run. You just need to make sure the tires are not bald and ye have a helmet as you won't be allow particaipate without one (I have a spare if needed).

As Tunney said Joey Hannon Try a Tri is a Noob friendly event. 500m pool swim in the arena, bike course tbc as bypass is now a motorway but likely to be around 20km, run is a lap of UL taking in a good bit of the mini marathon course. Lovely run and flat too. Its on May 2, same day as the inaugural Limerick Marathon.

Another option is the North Tipp Sprint in Nenagh on 17th April also NooB friendly. Again 500m swim in the leisure center, 20km bike which is open and could be a bit windy, 5.2km run with a bit of a hill on knobly roads in the first 2km. Well run though and nice atmosphere.

Next Local event would be Brian Boru in Kilalloe, not NooB friendly though as the run is up the side of a mountain and the swim is in the lake. Castleconnell worlds end Triathlon is easier that Brian Boru but not as scenic or as well supported/organised

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Cheers, lot of food for thought there. How long would it be expected to take a comparatively unfit newbie to complete?

Like the Marathon --Amadeus-- it doesn't matter. You do your own thing. They usually hava a cut off in the pool though. 30 mins for the swim I think, although I'd have to check that. In the Try a Tri they have a complete NooB lane in the pool in case you need to staop for a rest at the wall

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Cheers, lot of food for thought there. How long would it be expected to take a comparatively unfit newbie to complete?

A sprint pool based tri (750m/20km/5km) ? You? Anything over an hour and I'm disappointed. Your missus? Whatever they're fun events and time doesn't really matter. But about 1:45-2:15 for a unfit newbie I'd have said

MCOS

tunney wrote: »

A sprint pool based tri (750m/20km/5km) ? You? Anything over an hour and I'm disappointed. Your missus? Whatever they're fun events and time doesn't really matter. But about 1:45-2:15 for a unfit newbie I'd have said

Ahem... wasn't your WINNING time 61mins or so (with a 500m swim):P

--amadeus--

Thanks for all that!

I'm not so much worried about myself - it's more Mrs A. Like I said she wouldn't think of herself as sporty and missing a cut off and being taken off teh course would be waaay demoralising.

Might suggest she looks at either Joey or doing the 10k part of teh Limerick Marathon (with the 10k preferred as that way I can keep her company and not have to get involved in all this tri nonsense )

--amadeus--

tunney wrote: »

A sprint pool based tri (750m/20km/5km) ? You? Anything over an hour and I'm disappointed. Your missus? Whatever they're fun events and time doesn't really matter. But about 1:45-2:15 for a unfit newbie I'd have said

No, def NOT me - although thanks for the vote of confidence!

I would do it but only to keep herself company. Tri's for me will be when I slow down over marathons.

tunney

MCOS wrote: »

Ahem... wasn't your WINNING time 61mins or so (with a 500m swim):P

Touche.

n-dawg

tunney wrote: »

Joey Hannon or really any event run by Limerick TC. Their events are fantastic and they are a very welcoming crowd. Joey Hannon is a nice event with a pool swim.

+1 Limerick tri club are one of the best in the country, there events are fantastic. Im not in the club before you ask... Joey Hannon is a great beginners race too, swim in a pool, flat-ish bike and nice run course through UL's campus

Oryx

Very interested in this thread, seeing as tri is my next goal. Unlike your missus, --amadeus-- I can run, but am crap at the other two. Im jumping in the deep end with the duathlon themed WAR in Wicklow, in April.


Please keep us posted on how your missus is getting on. If she is very keen, I got a good deal on a race/tri bike online, which I can give you details of. (Dont even own a high nelly I can dust off to use right now, hence the need to purchase)

RedB

The Limerick Duathlons are a great introduction to Tri's. Very friendly crowd and good mix of standards. I dragged my MTB out on its maiden race voyage last Feb and enjoyed it immensely. Now after me raving about it, even Mrs B is thinking of doing it in Feb with zero bike experience and one 10k run in the last 12months (I can hear the groans from certain quarters already ). Its well worth doing as an intro. I was a total newbie and didnt finish last so I was delighted and came back for more . All times were between 45-90mins.




More photos to whet her appitite at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gordon_thomson/3264193940/in/set-72157613514410772/

--amadeus--

Oryx wrote: »

Please keep us posted on how your missus is getting on. If she is very keen, I got a good deal on a race/tri bike online, which I can give you details of. (Dont even own a high nelly I can dust off to use right now, hence the need to purchase)

Quick update, as requested

Very keen... hmmm, not at all! I floated teh idea of a tri but got a flat out "not a hope!!". However she has agreed to give teh 10k in teh Great Limerick Run a try, which I'm delighted about. Herself and a couple of friends do a keep fit session together once a week and they have told me to put my money where my mouth is and mentor them through the process of going from not running to a 10k, we're starting with the Couch25K program (probably next week). I'm really chuffed, not least because I think she'll be quite good. Her resting HR has always been slightly lower than mine despite the fact she has only recently started to exercise so I reckon she has a good engine, she just needs training.

Roll on teh race and thanks again for all of your advice