I know I said I'd never do this but...

--amadeus--

I'm bored silly of running and just not getting into it at all over the last year - too much time spent focussing on one huge goal and then when that was achieved a lack of motivation coupled with crazy times at work and that was that.

So today when picking up Jnr A's birthday pressie at the bike shop I casually asked the owner how much a basic, entry level bike would cost. Before I know it MrsA had put down a deposit on my birthday / Xmas pressie and I am soon to be the proud owner of a road bike

It's a Trek 1.2 and being second hand it's only costing me €450, the reviews online make it sound like a decent bike and it has a pump, computer and a couple of other bits (no tri bars yet though).

Now I am pretty much incapable of swimming and my biking is not much better so where do I start? Recommendations on training plans and good debut events greatly appreciated along with commiserations on my folly and offers to buy the bike off me!

Roadtoad

Lamps, mudguards, small kit bag, padded shorts, padded longs, rain gear, clips, track pump.... should be up to the grand v soon.
Club or solo? Commute or tour? Discover that a hilly 100k is no big deal.

Better haul ass over to the cycling forum.
She will regret it, but you won't!

anymore

If you are bored with running I am not sure how you will feel after 50 minutes up and down the swimming pool.
Good luck anyway !
I sterted to train for a triathalon during a period of injury but found my breaststroke was too slow and was exacerbating an exisiting groin injury so i said to hell with it and went back running until I at least learn the free style stroke !

RacoonQueen

Another one bites the dust

rainbow kirby

All the cool kids have Trek road bikes. :cool:

Oryx

I knew you would come over to the dark side eventually. Don't mention triathlon in the cycling forum. It makes them hiss.

Where to start? Extend the credit limit on your cards and get used to stupidly early race times. Other than that just mileage, mileage, mileage!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Welcome to the dark side of tri....another victim:). It is more or less the end of tri season so my advice is to try get 3 swims in a week and if you are a complete novice get someone to look at your technique first before you jump into it. On the bike similar just try get 3 bikes in a week and build on the distance/intensity but generally just go out and enjoy it over the coming months.
Plenty of books out there to read but its really dependent on what distance you want to focus on, duathlons, sprint, olympic or even HIM's.
Plenty of knowledgeable folk on here who have forgotten more about tri than i know. Perhaps read some of the tri logs listed here to get an idea on what people are doing each week.

Oh and it can be an expensive hobby as i am finding out over the last year:)

kennyb3

Dont get sucked into a plan yet.

On the cycling, just get out as much as you can and build up the distance. consider a club as group riding is a lot more fun esp when its windy.

Swimming - get lessons and good form before learning a load of bad habits.

Id just get volume in for both for few months then worry about a plan - reason being for example if you start off trying to do hill repeats on the bike your not going to enjoy it very much.

Best of luck with it.

Decent tyres are a must for the bike - punctures are not fun when you start out so a decent set of tyres mean you ll be changing them a lot less.

NeedsTraining

Enjoy the bike, great time of year for it.

As a matter of interest, what bike shop you get it in? Looking or a second hand myself and Trek 1.2 looks good

shotgunmcos

--amadeus-- I echo what kenny said. Forget about plans and even goals for now. Plenty of time for vision and structure.

My 2c?

The weather is going to become too crap in a matter of 6-8 weeks or so for you to get out and enjoy your new steed (well wear by the way). So, for now just head out and enjoy some cycles and the increasingly cleaner air. Keep your cadence nice and fresh and get used to using your full range of gears. Bike handling is more important right now than any plan. On some day when you are glad you got out on the saddle, have a think about what goal your heart desires. When the winter sets in we can all debate a plan for you

In terms of gear. Cleats, shoes, a good water proof/wind breaker hi vis jacket with pockets, gloves, overshoes, helmet, pump, spare tubes, cycling shorts and some allen keys and you are good to go. Your current stock of running winter gear will suffice as base layers.

Swimming? Lessons and practice what you learn between them.

Events? Try one of the duathlons in Feb maybe to whet your appetite

El Director

First of all Amadeus congrats! Soon everybody will realise what you have realised

Kenny and shotgun make great points. I actually love winter cycles, nice crisp air, low intensity cycles. Just so long as you are dressed appropriately that is, no fun being wet and cold. So what shotgun listed will do nicely, I also like wearing a Buff (Tubular headwear) and ear warmers (turtle fur) under my helmet and another Buff on my neck.

Then build up the miles, I didn't during my first winter, too busy learning to swim, I think I still suffer from the lack of milage.

The lads/ladies above have said it all dude so best of luck to you, look forward to the tri-log

Mr Freeze

--amadeus-- wrote: »

my biking is not much better so where do I start? Recommendations on training plans and good debut events greatly appreciated along with commiserations on my folly and offers to buy the bike off me!

Join a club 1st off....most clubs will be winding down for Winter, so its a good time to join up, shouldn't be too hard as joining up when they are in full swing.

Then keep an eye out for some Winter Duathlons....you'll get the bug then.

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I'm bored silly of running and just not getting into it at all over the last year - too much time spent focussing on one huge goal and then when that was achieved a lack of motivation coupled with crazy times at work and that was that.

So today when picking up Jnr A's birthday pressie at the bike shop I casually asked the owner how much a basic, entry level bike would cost. Before I know it MrsA had put down a deposit on my birthday / Xmas pressie and I am soon to be the proud owner of a road bike

It's a Trek 1.2 and being second hand it's only costing me €450, the reviews online make it sound like a decent bike and it has a pump, computer and a couple of other bits (no tri bars yet though).

Now I am pretty much incapable of swimming and my biking is not much better so where do I start? Recommendations on training plans and good debut events greatly appreciated along with commiserations on my folly and offers to buy the bike off me!

Welcome to the dark side. You'll soon realise how easy marathon training is

Swimming - get some lessons, just a few but go for a dip 4-5 times a week, only need be 15-20 minutes but when you are starting out its all about frequency.

Training plans - pick a race first and then talk plans.

Events - pick a race from the ART events board that has negative comments and if the comments aren't too negative go for it!
(An event with only positive comments is probably the result of the organiser threatening the individual posters, but thats a topic for another thread, one that will never be allowed open)
In all seriousness you have to be more careful with selecting events in tri than running as there are more gangsters and poorly organised and unsafe races in tri. Happy to recommend races to do/avoid off-boards (edit - send a PM)

Happy to see you try multisports - it is fun and it does help your running.

griffin100

Lots of good advice here. My 2c - enjoy the winter. Learn to swim but don't get too hung up on it, it takes time and if you stress about it gets harder. Get a feel for being comfortable in the water. Bike wise again don't stress about distance. Get out as much as possible and improve your bike handling skills. Cycle in the rain, cycle in the wind and cycle in the cold - but avoid ice and snow. Once you are comfortable on the bike change over to clipless pedals. Like Tunney said pick a 2012 race, preferably early in the season. I'm a big fan of the PortLaois tri which is usually the first race of the year and is a pool swim so no need for wetsuit or open water swimming. I've done it for the last 3 years so that suggestion is based on my experiences. Most of all enjoy!

Oryx

Seconding Laois as a good starter tri. I did it last year, its nice and early in the season, well organised and a good one to dip your toe in.

When I started swimming I was terrible, so I had two one-to-one coached sessions, then joined a group swim. The coaching was the best thing I ever did, and the masters style group brought me on by miles.

--amadeus--

Thanks (I think!) for the congrats / commiserations

@NeedsTraining - I got the bike in The Bike Shop (who would have thunked it!) in Limerick. They don't generally do 2nd hand bikes but we've been in and out of there for years buying bikes for the kids and MTBs for me and MrsA and he happened to have taken the 1.2 as a trade in that morning and I think he just wanted rid.

As for marathon training being easy, that's only if you're not really trying

Herself is being stubborn and refusing to release the bike until Nov 1st (my bday for anyone wanting to send gifts of alcohol or cash) but lots of great advice above, I like the idea of just putting in some time and building a base through the winter prior to a duathlon in the Spring and probably Laois. Longer term with a marathoning background I've got to be looking at going long so an IM at some stage but that's a couple of years away. Short term it'll be off to the UL pool for lessons and maybe join up with the Tri club. If MCOS can get in the entry standard can't be too high

Thanks again and I'll get herself to post something up when I'm hospitalised having drunk 3/4 of a 50m pool....

RandyMann

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Thanks (I think!) for the congrats / commiserations

@NeedsTraining - I got the bike in The Bike Shop (who would have thunked it!) in Limerick. They don't generally do 2nd hand bikes but we've been in and out of there for years buying bikes for the kids and MTBs for me and MrsA and he happened to have taken the 1.2 as a trade in that morning and I think he just wanted rid.

As for marathon training being easy, that's only if you're not really trying

Herself is being stubborn and refusing to release the bike until Nov 1st (my bday for anyone wanting to send gifts of alcohol or cash) but lots of great advice above, I like the idea of just putting in some time and building a base through the winter prior to a duathlon in the Spring and probably Laois. Longer term with a marathoning background I've got to be looking at going long so an IM at some stage but that's a couple of years away. Short term it'll be off to the UL pool for lessons and maybe join up with the Tri club. If MCOS can get in the entry standard can't be too high

Thanks again and I'll get herself to post something up when I'm hospitalised having drunk 3/4 of a 50m pool....

The trek 1.2 has been a great servant for me, you made a good choice for an entry level bike, cant go far wrong with that.

Oryx

Tell your missus we said you need your bike now. Sure it could be snowing in November! She can always get you a turbo to have on the day.

--amadeus--

Oryx wrote: »

Tell your missus we said you need your bike now. Sure it could be snowing in November! She can always get you a turbo to have on the day.

Babe, when that bike gets on the road I am the turbo :P

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Babe, when that bike gets on the road I am the turbo :P

What she is going to ride on you???

Abhainn

Miles Zealous Simpleton wrote: »

Oh and it can be an expensive hobby as i am finding out over the last year:)

It is when you decide your first tri ( or 2nd) was a HIM in Barcelona and some one brought over the full clan for support