'First Time Triathlete' - The Novice Thread

Thanks everyone for the advice, in the end i decided to buy a ladies road bike which fits me perfectly as opposed to a cheaper male frame which was just too stretched etc

Hopefully will start training on the bike this week.

I have another question!

I read somewhere that having a belt for your number is better than having it pinned to you why is that?

Can anyone recommend a good triathlon around July/August that isn't sold out?

I've checked the various race calenders but just want to make sure I'm not missing out a tri that hasn't been announced or scheduled yet.

cheers guys

Thanks Ladytri, that sounds interesting and time is suitable, what's the distance?

I'm finding races filling up so quickly a bit of a problem. I only find out about a race before it's sold out :eek:

Any other races in late July early August? Give myself a few months to train for one.

About to get a helmet.

Be honest....do time trial helmets look ridiculous at super sprint triathlons?

Thanks MCOS for the best wishes. I'm told it's to reach freezing tonight.... Now I'm all a flap... should I leave out a long sleeved knitted ganzie for the cycle with no.s attached or my short sleeve 'sexy' cycle top & run the risk icycle nose syndrome might somewhat reduce the sexiness valuation....
Please let me finish running.... (even if I have to walk most of it.... don't let me walk back the last bit when they're all watching!!! )

Way hey... First Triathlon done with finesse!! Ok I finished the dam thing without having to resort to walking the run section, alright??? I am absolutely thrilled with myself, and thank you to Trilogy & all concerned who put on a great show. I had been content enough that I could do the swim & the Cycle, but was genuinely concerned that I wouldn't be able to do the run. In the end it turned out that the run was my best event. Who would've thought?

As an absolute beginner/couch potato/non-sporty type of 'ould one', who started training only a couple of months ago, and never ran before... All I can say is if you're gearing up for your first one, trust me, you can do it. But definately... make use of a local club. It's easy to postpone your planned 7pm solo run/cycle/swim til 8, then 9 then tomorrow evening til never. If your club have a set run and you get to experience the help & encouragement they give you, then you are FAR MORE LIKELY to get off your ass and join them. Even on the evenings you just don't feel a bit like it. Best of luck to all who are aiming for their first. I'm living proof you can do it!!! Go for it!!!!

MCOS wrote: »

Welcome ladytri

papamike and MS K Sir A, best of luck this weekend!! Let us know how you both get on

Anyone else doing a Tri this weekend?

My first one is 8 days away (assuming I can get a baby sitter), can't wait!

quote]

Best of luck next weekend MCOS. I'll happily volunteer babysitter duties if your stuck. (We are talking a puppy here yeah? )

Hey, the boards provide motivation in their own right. It keeps the training to the fore of your mind at least. Best of luck with it.

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.