Advice on triathlon for 2023

Joe Exotic

Hi All,

I have committed to complete a triathlon in 2023 for charity, im trying to pick an event so that i can plan training and lead in events.

I have it in my head that this should be hard if im asking for money, so im looking to do Olyimpic distance approximatley in June or August. While im looking to do a good time im not looking to be super fast.

A bit of background while covid (and kids!) has put a stop to a lot of my training i have previously completed events like the Quest adventure series and the Dublin Marathon in the past and while im currently unfit i feel ill be able to get the fitness base over the winter and top it off with build up events during the spring and then the main event in summer.

My weakest area would be swimming, i used to be quite a decent swimmer in school and am still quite confident in the water, but i havent swam more that 25Ms in a single effort in 20 years !!!

My plan is to swim regularly and take coaching over the winter with the odd run and cycle thrown in and hopefully to do a tri a tri early next year. this will let me know where i am and hopefully i can then set a porper training plan to prep for the olympic distance with a few events thrown in for practice.

My main question is about what event to do, i have tried to look for a 2023 calendar but i couldnt find one online. Id like a resonably difficult one without it being the hardest of the events !! any suggestions welcome

I would also like some thoughts about my plan to go for the Olympic distance in that time, i expect its not too much with almost a year to train but ive never competed in a tri so what do i know :)

Lastly i plan to join a club and im based in south dublin, Pulse looks like a good option. any thoughts ?

Thanks in advance

griffin100

For an early season Sprint I’d suggest Tri Laois - added bonus of a pool swim. You need to keep an eye on https://trilogy.ie/tri-laois.html# as it sells out quick when it opens in the new year. The other good early season race is Tri 795 in Carlow which has a river swim. Again keep an eye on the website https://racing795.com/tri-795-2022/

Both of the above are run in May (assuming they go ahead next year).

When the TI calendar comes out you’ll see a lot more races. Athy would be a popular Olympic distance race and gives you plenty of time to train. Its also a river swim https://www.triathy.ie/

One thing to consider is if you want an open water or a pool swim. The only pool swim Olympic race I can think of is Joey Hannon in Limerick https://limericktriathlon.com/joey-hannan-memorial/ All the others are open water. If you go open water you have the added expense of a wetsuit that if you only plan on doing 1-2 races will be a big once off cost.

Your plan seems ok, just get the swimming sorted out and plug away on the bike and run. Consider the Swim Ireland Swim For A Mile programme for your swim if you want company abs cheap ‘coaching’ https://www.swimireland.ie/get-swimming/swim-for-a-mile

An Olympic is a nice challenge to set without having to do too much training.

munsterfan2

Hell of the West in Kilkee, usually end of June / 1st week July is a nice event

Joe Exotic

Hell of the West in Kilkee looks great and while i live in dublin im from Tipp originally so its not to Far from a home base.

what is Sea swimming like compared with river swims ?

Joe Exotic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119627905#Comment_119627905

Thats some great advice thanks :) i think for the authtentic experience it will have to be open water !!!

the Swim program looks like a good plan ill get it an start as soon as i can

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628089#Comment_119628089

Sea swimming can be more challenging if the sea is rough, rivers tend to be a lot calmer. Lakes can be surprisingly rough in high winds. Freshwater is a lot less buoyant, but will be in a wetsuit so that helps (but you shouldn’t depend on it to get you through the swim).

One thing to bear in mind is that river and lake swims are rarely cancelled due to weather (it does happen), sea swims are at a higher risk of weather cancellation. The swim for the first Iron Man Cork in 2019 was cancelled due to high winds, but this year it was scorching hot and the sea was flat calm!

Joe Exotic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628351#Comment_119628351

Ok something to consider i hate to miss out on the swim, are sea swims often cancelled ? (other than the one you mentioned)

munsterfan2

On a nice day the swim in Kilkee is perfect, clear water, sheltered bay, but over the years there have been the ocassional rough swim ( 1 in last 5 maybe ). Salt water is more bouyant which helps. The cycle is out around loop head, lovely scenery, run is a hilly run.

StaggerLee

Hey, Pulse looks like a great club, Belpark also over there. Join a club either way, makes it so much easier. Dublin City Triathlon is a great event. As is Hell of the West, although the swim can be a bit hairy 🙂.

mossym

hell of the west is hit or miss, its been pancake flat some years and you are swimming along watching the bottom which is crystal clear. couple of other years its been swimming up the face of some pretty big swells and it can be offputting for new swimmers. its nothing too bad, but i wouldn't let it be your first sea swim in case you get one of the rough days

limerick tri club always put on a good race though, that and lost sheep are my favourites by a country mile

carbonceiling

+1 for Kilkee, I have done it ~10 times and just like Mossym, I have experienced everything from calm clear water to a fairly rough swell, combine that with several hundred lads all clamouring for position and you're in for a memorable experience. It's part of the character of the race though, just like the windy bike and the uphill run, you have to be tough enough to accept whatever the conditions are on the day.

My advice would be to go for it but pay it the respect it deserves and prepare for it. Make sure it is not your first open water swim, swim regular open water training sessions with a group, get used to having people close to you, bumping off you, people swimming over your legs, get used to sighting and turning with people all around (this advice applies to any open water race to be fair).

I always break the swim into three phases

1. start to first buoy : mental, the nearest thing you will get to a WWE Battle Royale
2. first buoy to second buoy: much more settled, just focus on sighting Buoy no 2 and try to find a decent group to draft off, (you may get pushed off to the side if other lads have the same idea, don't get upset, just fall in behind them and get the draft, the time difference will be minimal).
3. second buoy to finish: quite calm, the group has totally spread out and there is loads of space, make sure you find some feet to draft off, dont go solo.