Tell me about your first triathlon!

[northstar]

Hi Ladies!

I'm turning 30 in August, and have decided to do my first triathlon the week after. (Three decades, three sports!) My younger brother has committed to doing the event with me. It's a small event - the sprint is 1/4 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and a 3 mile run, in a town near where I grew up.

I would love to hear about your first triathlon experiences: what made you decide to try one, what event you did, how it went, how you felt about it, what you wish you would have done differently in preparation or during the race, how it's changed you, if at all. I don't really care about my time...I will feel like a winner if I don't walk any of the run. :)

Reading the threads here has been really encouraging. I can't wait for the snow to thaw here! :)

[Veronica]

I wrote all about in a thread "How hard Can it Be" in the tri section.

You can also follow the link to my website to see pics and my write ups.

I had a great first season lst year and I'm looking forward to doing more.

Veronica

[kelownagirl]

Oooh, your first - how fun! I did my first last August. Here's a link to my blog race report if you wanna read all about it. :)

http://kelownagurl.blogspot.com/2008/08/race-report.html

[badger]

I'm seriously contemplating doing a triathlon in March. I did't realize how expensive it was, though. The Olympic length is $49, and sprint (800m swim, 20K bike, 5K run) is only $5 cheaper.

At this point I'm tempted to do the Olympic, but my biggest weakness will be the run portion. I'm a swimmer so I don't worry about that, I figure I can just stay on the bike and be able to do 40K, but I've never ran 10K in my life. I don't doubt my finishing it, it will be more like in what shape I'll be in afterwards.

How are you training for yours?

[alpinerabbit]

At your first race, the primary objective is to finish and not worry about times and place (rank that is. You should know where your bike is :D:D:D)

You've got the swim down, so you're not sweating there. Just swim it and don't overexert.

Cycle - lots. 40K should be a joke for you by the time you race.

The 10K - it doesn't matter if you're not a "runner".
I was semi-injured all last year. I think I ran 10 K twice before my race, at a slow pace. Just work your way up to the distance. If you have good cycling fitness, you'll compensate. But do some bricks. Very important. Just run 20 mins off the bike, a few times at least.

And think about transitions too. Practicing that is not a bad idea. Again just to know where your stuff is.

I had my first oly last year - swim seemed easy, I just gave in to the facts of life that I would be swimming for half an hour.
Gave way too much on the bike and paid for it on the run but gritted my teeth and finished.

March is really early for a tri.... I'm just thinking. Mine was in August.


You're worried about entry fees being pricey - just wait until you accumulate all the accessories !! - wetsuit. aero bottle. aero bars. tri shorts or suit. you're not in need of swim classes etc, but I was.
it can be done without the above, but somehow the "goodies" are fun too.

[Iris616]

Your first tri! That's exciting. I did my first last September. Here's a link to my blog post about it.
http://tris3kidsandlife.blogspot.com/2008/09/tri-report.html

A few posts before that one talk about my training. I chose a sprint tri for my first race, it seemed the least intimidating.

Ditto on what Alpine Rabbit said about bricks. They're really hard, but if you do them, the run will be easier during the race.

Also, check out http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/
It's a great source for information and support.

As for why I decided to do a tri, I think it was because I had turned 40, and was looking for a way to challenge myself. It's something I wanted to be able to say that I did, but now I'm pretty hooked.

Good luck and have fun!

[HillSlugger]

To give you an idea of my first tri experience, when I wrote the race report I called it "The bad, the good, and the ugly".

I decided to do tri in a "if she can do it, so can I" kinda way. I was already biking seriously and had the winter to learn to run and swim. The running came along great but I needed to take lessons to really learn to swim. My first tri was a pool swim 300m but I was barely at the point of being able to do it all freestyle. 6 weeks before I sprained my ankle racing a 5k so by the tri my running was barely up to distance again.

Race day:
The swim was a "snake swim" where we were started in 10 second increments from fastest swimmer to slowest. As soon as I was in the water I had issues with slower swimmers ahead and faster swimmers behind and lost my composure. The swim ended up taking me far longer than I was capable and it wasn't pretty.

T1 was a bit slow, but not bad for a first time.

The bike (12 miles) went great and I set a PB for speed at that distance (a nice flat route really helps!)

T2 was faster than T1 but still kinda slow.

The run (5k) quickly turned into a mess. I was really hurting and started walking within the first mile. At the turn-around point I started running again, hoping to run the whole way in but later tripped and fell and started walking again. I did manage to run the last 1/4 mile or so but I could barely lift my legs.

Although I was thrilled to have finished my first tri I was initially hard on myself and depressed because I had done so poorly compared to what I thought my potential was. It took me several days to correct my "rectal-cranial inversion" and truly appreciate what I had accomplished.

[badger]

I'm curious, when you guys say "tri", what distance are we talking about? Is there a set distance, or is it basically any event comprising swimming, cycling, and running?

If one says "I did the Sprint", will most people know it's 800M swim, 20K ride, and 5K run? or is that something the University who's hosting it made up?

Rabbit: I never really thought much about transitioning. I've thought about what I ought to wear. I need to get better tights as the pair I have now keeps slipping down when I run! My bike is just a cyclocross converted to commuting with a straight bar. Nothing fancy, but I'd rather not look the part - nothing worse than looking like a million bucks in special gear and coming in towards the end or not finishing!!

I do hope it's not too cold; they've always had it in March. I remember one year it was snowing!! But truthfully I'd rather have it on the colder side than hotter, I don't do well in the heat.

[HillSlugger]

I'm curious, when you guys say "tri", what distance are we talking about? Is there a set distance, or is it basically any event comprising swimming, cycling, and running?

If one says "I did the Sprint", will most people know it's 800M swim, 20K ride, and 5K run? or is that something the University who's hosting it made up?

Rabbit: I never really thought much about transitioning. I've thought about what I ought to wear. I need to get better tights as the pair I have now keeps slipping down when I run! My bike is just a cyclocross converted to commuting with a straight bar. Nothing fancy, but I'd rather not look the part - nothing worse than looking like a million bucks in special gear and coming in towards the end or not finishing!!

I do hope it's not too cold; they've always had it in March. I remember one year it was snowing!! But truthfully I'd rather have it on the colder side than hotter, I don't do well in the heat.

An Olympic distance tri (also called International) will be very close to 1500m swim/40k bike/10k run. Sprint triathlons can be any distance at all that's short of Olympic. A pretty typical one might be 750m swim/20k bike/5k run. My first sprint tri had a 300m pool swim. My second sprint tri (Iron Girl) was 1000m swim/17.5 mile bike/3.4 mile run. I think it depends largely on what the local roads and body of water will accommodate.

Beyond Olympic the standard tri's are Half Ironman (also called 70.3) (1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.2 mile run) and Ironman (2.4 mile swim/102 mile bike/26.2 mile run). For the truly crazy there are Ironman-multiple triathlons 2x, 3x, etc.

[badger]

good lord, as if Ironman isn't punishment enough, there's something beyond it?!?!? :eek:

[roadie gal]

I've told this story before, too. Here it goes...

I had been having some health problems: shortness of breath, a choking sensation, lightheadedness, that made it so I couldn't exercise. It took about a year, but I finally ended up with a pacemaker. Then it took another 6 months to get the settings right for me, but I finally started to feel good and was able to exercise again.

The summer after I got it, a few women at work decided to try the Donner Lake Sprint Tri (1/4 mile swim, 6 mile bike, 2 mile run. The bike is the hard part), so I joined them.

I came in 3rd for my age group. It proved to me that I really did have my life back after a frustrating few years. Since then I've done 2-3 tris a year, either sprints or olys. I like having a goal for my training.

[Connie]

I did my first Danskin Triathlon 2 1/2 years ago at the age of 58 and my second one last summer at 60! I wasn't a good swimmer then and still today am not good but a little better. I never learned how to breath so the first time I did the swimming with my head out of the water the entire time. I was so tired by the time I got out of the water but couldn't belive I actually did 1/2 mile. First time ever in my life! Last year I took swim lessons to learn how to breath properly but my time wasn't much better. This year I'm planning on concentrating more on swimming. My two daughters did it with me last summer as a celebration of me turning 60. One was 2 months pregnant at 33 and the other is 36. My older daughter didn't train hardly at all and was surprised at how easy the whole thing was!!!!! They were both on swim team in high school so that was the easiest for them. My running days are over after the first time so last year I walked and felt fine about it but forgot how old my shoes were so my feet were killing me. Make sure your shoes are in good condition. I absolutely LOVED the tri. The second time wasn't as exciting because I knew what to expect but my favorite part of the whole thing was the training. I never new I enjoyed swimming so much and in particular in a lake. It just goes to show that it's never too late to try new things. Enjoy yourself and don't take it too seriously!!!!!!! I look forward to hearing all about your first experience:)

Connie

[NbyNW]

I think most of my first tri experience is in the PNW Tri Newbies thread, but in a nutshell, mine went like this:

-Fractured sacrum, 2006 - freak accident, long story.
-Started road cycling in 2007, still rehabbing hip and back from '06 injury.
-Feb. 2008 my bike got stolen, and while looking for it online I discovered TE and all the wonderful online communities around cycling and cycling-related sports. And I started tripping over forums like this one, and websites like beginnertriathlete.com, and got this crazy idea that doing a tri would be a great way to overcome my injury. I set a goal to do one in 2009, since I didn't think I would be comfortable running for another year.
-July 2008 - fellow TE-er Wahine hosted a few of us who were prepping for our first tris. Ran for the first time in two years and decided to train for a tri in September
- Training was fun! Re-discovered how to enjoy swimming, and biked to work several times a week. Mildly sprained my ankle a week before my race, but I wasn't too concerned about it.
-September 2008 - I did it! Entered the U.S. Women's Triathlon Series in Federal Way, WA, which is also an ovarian cancer fundraiser. Goal was to finish, which I did. Back of the pack in my age group, but wasn't dead last. I ran flats and downhills and walked the uphills. Back felt pretty tweaked about halfway through the run -- I needed an adjustment after, but the whole thing felt great! Can't wait to do another!

[tribogota]

I started triathlon after a miscarriage and the idiot leaving me. I needed to know that my body wouldn't fail me. I did an olympic distance which I trained for for 12 weeks, with no running experience, only biking on my banana seat Huffy back in the 70s and not much swimming, 2 times a week, poor technique. I trained with a team for the swimming, improved immensely, from 100s at an average of 1:50 down to 100s with an average of 1:37.
I finished second to last in my first tri, the guy behind me was 72 (I was 37).
Now I am dedicated to the sport and did 3 olympics and one sprint in 2008 and just signed up for VINEMAN, my first 70.3, I am still slow running (10k 60 mins) but I am improving on everything and actually hope that in 2010 I qualify for a championship spot in my age group, which will be 40-44....

GOOD LUCK! and ENJOY, it is really NOT about winning but about enjoying the training, which is way more intensive and time consuming than the races.

[colby]

My first was also a danskin tri. I had watched the previous year's that my mother in law did, and ever since then, we've done it together (well, not literally together, though because of our age difference, we ALMOST finish together... THAT would be cool).

I was a competitive swimmer as a kid, but hadn't really swam since then. I don't know that I really trained for swimming, maybe one or two trips to the lake. I mostly started running. Well, walking... jogging... then running... much later. ;) I had already bought a road bike to ride with my dad and husband (we all got bikes at the same time), and rode to work and did some regular riding. I wish I'd known about training plans then... or maybe not. Sometimes I feel married to my training plan now. ;)

It was so... amazing... to cross the finish line that first time. I was doomed from the moment I started that triathlon. The adrenaline. The feeling of completing something that was a challenge for me. The individuality and yet amazing camaraderie at the same time. Watching people finish that were challenged to their maximum, winning a personal victory, and still having fun doing it.

Hah. It sounds so sappy and romantic. I feel like a total dork talking about it that way. I hope I'm not the only sappy and romantic person out there. I always try to describe the feeling of crossing the finish line to my husband, about the mental and physical victory, whether it's your first, a special victory, something you did in your (mother/sister/friend)'s honor... I wish that feeling was a gift you could give someone in a little box in that moment when they need it most.

[salsabike]

Colby, that was wonderful.