1st Triathlon in 2011 thread

elvis jones

paky wrote: »

i find on my days off that i shed more body fat. rest days are important too for building muscle.

Agreed rest days are important but i need a few weeks really hard work for my mind as much as my body.

elvis jones

Well i only got off the starting line proper this week as i had a chest infection last week.

I did some walking last week but that was all i was able to do.

So last night i went back to spinning and it was a really hard session that went well. I'm going out of a light 5KM run tonight and swimming tomorrow.

I have taken the rest day on board and its going to be a Friday i think.

How is everyone else going ?

Oryx

Thought about what youre going to enter elvis?

elvis jones

Well Tri Laois on April 9 is my 1st ( once 2nd baby due on April 11 doesn't get in the way )

Then Perhaps get a wet suit and Cahir on May 21 ( looking for feedback on this )

Also i have to find what ones my club are doing and i will do a few with them, i want to fit in 2 or 3 half marathons this yr as well so trying to work all around each other.

I'd like to do Athy in June i'll be working at it all weekend so not a chance !

Oryx

Ah, I just entered Laois this morning. Its my first one this year, so Ill see if I can still do it! I shall see you there, most likely then.

elvis jones

Oryx wrote: »

Ah, I just entered Laois this morning. Its my first one this year, so Ill see if I can still do it! I shall see you there, most likely then.

If you don't you'll hear me as i'll being doing MC as soon as i finish ( i'll be in the 1st wave )

Oryx

elvis jones wrote: »

If you don't you'll hear me as i'll being doing MC as soon as i finish ( i'll be in the 1st wave )

Kewl. Nothing like multitasking!

Any estimates on your time? Or is it too early to call? Dont know what wave Ill be in, whichever is the slow one.

elvis jones

I would love to be sub 90 min for my 1st one but as i am only starting my swimming this week that will be the deciding factor on the day.

I'm just in the 1st wave so i can do MC for the max time possible !

I've work at it the last 2 yrs and it really is geared to 1st timers.

k mac

Hi another tri newbie here.Hoping to compete in a few triathlons this year and was wondering am i too late to start training now. To tell you a bit about my fitness background i played football so was fairly fit up until last year when i missed most of the year injured and so have now retired and hence my hope for the tri's this year. I used to do alot of swimming a few years ago as in i would swim 4/5 times a week doing maybe 20 lenghts of a 25m pool at a time, would have been a average swimmer but been away from it for a few years. On the running side i used to jog about 5k 3 times a week during the winter to try and keep a bit of fitness for when the footy resumed, so hopefully with a bit of work the swimming/running might be ok. As for the cycle i never liked cycling and found it very hard but recently bought a new hybrid giant bike and find it a lot easier and am doing about 20k twice a week so even though it will be my weakest discipline i am hopeful ! Sorry bout all the questions but i am a complete newbie as i said and have no friends involved in this sport or no local club, where can i find info on training tips ,diet and nutrition etc., and i see times are mentioned alot above, do you have to be able finish in a certain time to be allowed enter. Any help greatly appreciated, thanks.

DustyBin

Hi k mac

- No your not too late to start training now, you seem to have a pretty good base there anyway
- You can find tips and such here on Boards by checking out this years beginner triathlete thread which also has a link to the previous years thread. A lot of questions asked and answered already in them. Alternatively you could have a look at www.beginnertriathlete.com
- No you do not need to be able to finish in a certain time to be allowed enter. Ironman races tend to have a cutoff time wherebyu they chuck you in the back of a van and drive you to the finish line after so many hours, but you probably won't need to worry about Ironman races for a while yet

Go on, enter your first race and get training for it

Oryx

I think as a beginner if you can get the swim done, then youll get through the rest of it regardless. I have a friend (a good swimmer) who did a sprint having never run 5k, and only been out on her bike twice. What a girl. Made it look like the rest of us were training for nothing. (That was in Bunclody, Dusty)

So a sprint is doable, as long as you can manage the swim. Everything else is down to the finish time you want.

k mac

Thanks for the advice . Another query , can you change strokes during the swim ? Thinking about taking the plunge and getting registered with tri ireland and signing up for laois in april. Seems to be a good starter with the swim in the pool instead of open water .

catweazle

k mac wrote: »

Thanks for the advice . Another query , can you change strokes during the swim ?

Yeah you can change strokes although they are not too gone on backstroke as going on to your back and raising your arm is a means of telling the marshals you need assistance. Although I have seen plenty of people backstroking in races. Breaststroke is very common

All very mannerly I would imagine if i ever needed assistance it would be more trashing wildly and spouting water from my nostrils and ears like a whale

k mac

Hope to get into training right next week. What is this training schedule like do you think, 3 to 4 5k jogs , 2 500m swims and 1 maybe 2 20k cycles as i said can only get out in daylight on the bike at weekends so maybe 20k both days might be too much. Also whats your opinion on 2 sessions in the 1 day as in swim in the morning before work and run that evening, would it be taking on too much ?

catweazle

Take it easy when you start into it. Double sessions during the day are for seasoned guys. Wait till the body gets used to it before you even think about doubling them up. You have loads of time and the training you listed above will be more than enough

You are in a good position as you don't have to learn to swim but don't neglect the pool either.

A few 5ks during the week and maybe one longer one of 10k at the weekend, one decent cycle at the weekend of maybe 30k and a few swims and you will be in good shape. Dusty is right why not download a beginner plan from the site he mentioned below, they are free and will give you some confidence that you are doing the right things

k mac

My plans to enter the tri laois have been scuppered due to a family event ,dissapointing was really aiming for it. Does not seem to be any other tri that suits me now till the carrick on shannon on 14th may however that is a open water swim, might be a bit daunting for my first one ? Also thinking about trying a duathlon in the meantime ,one in connemara end of feb ( i might be a bit ambitous aiming for that ) and also one in ennis in march.Started back swimming during the week found it very tough i think it is going to be harder for me than the cycle which i thought would be my weakest event .Swam 32 lenghts of 25 m but after 4 had to stop for a breather , then after every 2 , and after 20 had to stop after every lenght. What harm nobody said it was going to be easy

VirtualWorld

There won't be a bother on you. Just try to make it to the pool twice a week if you can. Take a look at the sprint in Nenagh. April 30th. It's a pool sprint unless I'm mistaken. To contradict what someone mentioned above... I would suggest you should try to get off the bike and go straight into a run most times you cycle, especially in the weeks leading up to race day. If you don't train for that transition it will be tough on you on the day. However... it's fine to just do a short 1k run at the start of this training. It's all about teaching your legs how to change from using one set of muscles to another.

VirtualWorld

By the way... no one will mind you stopping for a breather at pool end on race day if you need to. Try to rem on the day to swim at a relaxed pace rather than racing to keep up with someone.

elvis jones

Started my swimming last week and have a lot of work to do on it.

Some good running sessions in the last week and got out on the bike as well but wasn't very happy with my time.

Its off to spinning tonight, run tomorrow, swim tomorrow night and swim thursday night..................

k mac

Hi elvis ur trainin seems to be going well, are you not worried though that 2 sessions in one day is a bit too much, i had planned to do similar with a swim early morning before work and a run later that evening but was advised against it .

elvis jones

I just plan to do a light run at lunch to stretch out my legs after spinning. I have been stiff after spinning lately and i'll do a run at a slow pace and stop a few times to stretch out.

Then with swimming i'm only starting off so i have some drills to do before a coached swimming session on thursday night.

Off friday night and a cycle on sat !

k mac

hi guys what are your views on the benefits of supplements ? I started doing some weights just 2 times a week , have been told it is important to build up core strenght and someone suggested using whey protein. On the training side of things been a quiet few days. I had been doing my own thing in training ( tried to download a trainin plan as was suggested but it would not download ) , iwas jogging about 5/6 k 5 to 6 times a week and a bike session of at least 30k once a week and started swimming about 2 weeks ago, however last week after swimming on consecutive mornings went out for a run on the second evening and my legs werer just dead and the same the following evening so took a complete break for 2 days. Got back into it yesterday with a 40k cycle and 1000m swim this morning.

elvis jones

maybe more rest time is needed as was suggsted to me ?

How is the diet ?

I'm trying to get my weight down but wasn't eating enough to allow that to happen and train correctly so i had to increase my in take.

Some say i good tonic at this time of year is a good thing as well just to boost the system.

k mac

Diet is fairly good have always tried to eat well, loads of fruit and veg, no frying etc. . i have been told to eat plenty while trainng as i will need the fuel, although i am maybe a half stone overweight i am not worried as should be burning it off and must admit i do be hungrier and my appetite seems bigger since i starting training.

k mac

Has anyone any tips on how i can improve my times on the bike.Did 40k yesterday and timed my first 20 at 48mins though this was a bit slow, is there any drills or anything to improve speed ?

elvis jones

k mac wrote: »

Has anyone any tips on how i can improve my times on the bike.Did 40k yesterday and timed my first 20 at 48mins though this was a bit slow, is there any drills or anything to improve speed ?

Was it windy or many hills ?

I'm doing spinning once a week to try and build some power in my legs.

From tomorrow onwards its a cycle and short run afterwards to get my legs into the habit of doing one after another.

Swimming is still miles off ( excuse the pun ) but i will be in the pool 4 times a week for the next 8 weeks to get up to 750M.

April 9 is the date and that ain't changing so there is a lot of hard work ahead.

Also signed up for Nenagh on April 30th !

Oryx

elvis jones wrote: »

Also signed up for Nenagh on April 30th !

Keen!!

Tipp man running

Hi,

I've mainly concentrated on marathon running but done one triathlon last year, cahir, which i heard someone mentioned. I'm no expert but general consensus was it was an ideal beginner triathon as the swim is all down river with a good current, the run is mainly a trail run along a scenic path through the woods and the bike course is very flat...hope this helps who was asking about it......hoping to do cahir and a couple more this year and improve my very poor swimming.

...Tipp man

elvis jones

Oryx wrote: »

Keen!!

Have to be, with work i can only do certain dates and when i see something i book myslef in for it.

1st double session today, cycle and run.........should be fun:o

k mac

elvis jones wrote: »

Was it windy or many hills ?

I'm doing spinning once a week to try and build some power in my legs.

From tomorrow onwards its a cycle and short run afterwards to get my legs into the habit of doing one after another.

Swimming is still miles off ( excuse the pun ) but i will be in the pool 4 times a week for the next 8 weeks to get up to 750M.

April 9 is the date and that ain't changing so there is a lot of hard work ahead.

Also signed up for Nenagh on April 30th !

There was only 2 hills with a slight incline and not much wind . I have also starting spinning once a week, find it tough but good so hopefully that will help with the speed. Swimming is proving a struggle also,had really improved doing about 1200 m a session and managing to do 750m without stopping for a rest but my technique was so bad i went for a advanced swim lesson. Since that i can barely do a lenght as i had to change my breathing and it is like learning to swim again!