the time has come!

Hello all! I am still around :D

I have been MIA these last few months because of life getting in the way (second jobs, kids, work)

Well I have done it! I have verbally commited to doing my first Tri! JUNE 10TH!

thanks to all who have posted their first tri experiences - they have helped me a lot! especially in the courage department.
I am doing it w/ a veteran triathlete and another over 50 gal who will be doing her first also - Perfect combination.

I originally wasn't too worried about the swim portion because swimming is one of my stronger areas but it is in a marina off of the Northern Missouri river and will be cold! I am trying on some wetsuits tomorrow and will have a few chances to get into frigid water before hand. I have heard gasping rather than breathing is a pretty common reaction. I figure if I have to breast stroke it so be it, I have a strong breast stroke so shouldn't lose too much time and hopefully once i am comfortable I can break into freestyle. This may change when I do my first cold water practice - it just may be SURVIVE

My running still isn't up to par but I figure there is no time like the present to get started and if all else fails I KNOW I can walk 3 miles in 45 minutes - all I can do is go up from here!

I have been able to get out and do some good road rides so that portion should be doable and it doesn't look like too tough a course (although I do better on "rollers" than I do on the flat.)

this site is so awesome. Thanks for all the tips and reports - they are invaluable

You're back!!!! :D Good to see you around, and congrats on signing up for your first tri!!! Sounds like you're going to do a FANTASTIC job- you've got it in the bag. The first one is just about going through the motions, figuring out the ins and outs of racing, and HAVING FUN, IMO. You're gonna do great!!!
Everytime I swim in cold water my first reaction is to gasp a few times, but if you can warm up a little in the water first, then that'll be taken away. If you can't warm up, then when you get started just do breast for a little way and you'll quickly warm up and can jump into free.

Woo hoo- so excited for you!!!

Well done for signing up. I agree with Tri Girl - I'm sure you.

I can highly recomend a silicon swim cap if you don't use one already.

What event are you doing?

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Originally Posted by beetle

Well done for signing up. I agree with Tri Girl - I'm sure you.

I can highly recomend a silicon swim cap if you don't use one already.

What event are you doing?

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I am just doing a sprint tri for my first one - I am REALLY not a runner. so 5k seems almost insurmountable (I am up to the point of doing 2 miles steady w/o dieing (how do you spell that?) If I do a short 90 sec walk every 8 min or so I can do the full 5k. Right now w/ walking and running combination I am at a solid 12 min mile.

I think they issue caps so there will be no choice :(

Now starts the questions

for a sprint tri how important is it to take in any calories while on the bike and if it is important how much and what

What do people eat prior to doing it (it is at 1:30 pm) and we will be doing a 2 hour drive to get there in mid morning

What kind of warm up do you do before getting into VERY cold water. I don't think it will be a very good idea for my muscles to get too warm I tried that on a swim once and my leg cramped up the first lap.

Any and all suggestions are needed

Thanks all - this is so exciting :D

Hi Eclectic,

If you don't mind me adding my 2 cents here...

As a beginner triathlete and a very weak runner, I would like to say that I made the mistake of not fueling my body enough during my last sprint tri, and I paid the price for it during the run.

So, my biggest advice (which I am going to follow myself next time) is to fuel your body even though you will probably not be that thirsty or hungry.

All I did was drink a little water during my first transition, and then I had a quick "goo gel" during my transition between the bike and the run, and it was not enough to get me through the run.

I also had a peanut butter and banana sandwich about 3 hours before the race, and that was it.

I am not at all comfortable eating or drinking on a bike yet, so I guess I really need to work on that. My balance is still not great, and I am not comfortable taking my hands off the handlebars to grab a water bottle or unwrap an energy bar, sport beans, or a gel.:(

So I have bought myself a Camelback, and I plan to drink from that during my next tri while on the bike. We will see how that goes.

But I wholeheartedly agree with the advice that says, "HAVE FUN." It is such a cool experience, and I felt amazingly fulfilled after it was all over!

Hope this helps.

Lynette

I'm no expert, but here's my thoughts.
Nutrition is important during a sprint, just like any other distance. I'd make sure that you have something fairly substantial a couple hours before the race start (at least 4-500 calories with a good mix of carbs/protein). I always eat oatmeal the morning of a race and it does me good. You could have oatmeal for breakfast, then a good size snack a couple hours before the race (peanut butter sandwich and a piece of fruit with some gatorade). Take in some calories during the bike portion (because by the time you digest you'll have some energy for the run). I'd make sure to drink gatorade on the bike and then have some clif shot bloks or sport beans or a gu on the bike. In T2 you can have another quick gu before the run if you feel you need it.

As for warming up, I'd get in the water about 5-10 min before the start and do some warm up strokes. That way the water won't be so shocking and you'll get a feel for it. If you get in the water too soon you'll be cold waiting for the race to start. For my IM, I got to warm up in the cold water about 15 min before the start, but then had to get out and wait on shore for the race to start. I was cold, but when I got back in the water, it felt so warm and I was ready to go. :p

Oooooo....I'm so excited for your race! What will you be wearing?

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

Oooooo....I'm so excited for your race! What will you be wearing?

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Thanks for all the food ideas I wasn't sure how much or how little to eat. I usually am in worse shape if I eat too little than if I eat too much.

I have just recently found out I am allergic to wheat and oatmeal but I have been finding good substitutes for everything. AND my breathing is so much better :D

over50newbie - I am over 50 too and a newbie at this so thanks for all your input.

What to wear that is the million dollar question right now. I need to wear a wetsuit because the water is going to be FREEZING! I read the tri rules and it said wetsuits can be worn for water temps up to 78 degrees - that seems HOT! I think the water right now is around the 64 degree mark if we are lucky (air temps lately have been 45 degrees for the high - yes I do live in the continental United States and not Antarctica :(

The handy dandy wetsuit I can get my hands on immediatly is only 2mm which is too thin for water temps around here. I am leaning on ordering one, spending the money with the faith I will like this and do more of them. If not someone on TE will get a good deal on a very next to new wetsuit. :p

I have been looking at them and am really leaning towards a 2xu 2007 sleeveless. I like all the features, the price is as reasonable as they come and the sizing chart looks to fit me better than the other brands (all the others I am between sizes.)

So after much thought and pondering. Here is the wardrobe
wet suit of some type
TYR full piece racer back swimsuit high cut legs
(I will invest in tri shorts later - right now i need the wetsuit worse)

Now - is it better to just pull a pair of regular shorts over a wet swim suit so I don't have a wet chamois or pull a pair of cycling shorts over it? either way doesn't sound too comfortable but doable for a 20k ride.
I have a pair of Louis Gurneau's that are pretty meshy and comfortable that would pull on quick.
I can run in bike shorts w/ no problem I have been doing that when doing bricks, but then I don't have anything under them. One good thing is my swimsuit is really comfortable and the high cut legs give good range of motion. I just hate the thought of a soggy chamois. But then it isn't like I am doing an ironman.

The top will depend on the weather - around here it could be 55 degrees or it could be 95 degrees. Again I will just pull whatever over my swimsuit.

Shoes - my road shoes are tight and hard to pull on and off (and I hate to think what it would be like w/ wet feet, I don't wear socks in them) so I think I will wear my mtn bike ones - They too are velcro closure, I wear socks in them, I can move faster in them and clip in and out faster. I am not a speed demon and it is a short ride so what little drag I get from them will be gained back through the ease of movement (plus I am not exactly in the elite category at this time :lol:

run portion - standard asics running shoes and whatever I wore for the bike switching helmet for cap.

over50newbie - I considered wearing my camelback but decided i didn't want to take the time to put it on along w/ everything else. I am comfortable drinking from a water bottle while riding. Even though it is extra weight I will probably bring both bottles - I haven't done it often but I have dropped one and wouldn't want to take the chance of not having water. When I do long rides I do a weakened powerade mixture - that may be an idea for here. I talked to a guy friend and he doesn't drink too much when he races because of the bathroom dilemma - that is where it is a plus to be a female - we have better bladders :lol:

I just thought of this - I swam in a swim meet a couple of years ago and found that after eating a good breakfast, good quality protein bars held me all day if I ate 1/2 of one and about 6oz of powerade after every race. (4 races all together spread throughout the day. So I am thinking: I have a little topbar bag, so I can just unwrap a bar, cut it in bitesize pieces, put it in a small baggie, open at the top, then I can just grab and pop them in my mouth - I always chew gum while I ride so the eating shouldn't be a problem. (again it's not like I am racing in the elite category) and I won't have to fiddle w/ unwrapping and trying to hold it while I chew the last bite.

so anyway this is a very long response, I talk alot when I am nervous :lol:

Sounds like you've got it all thought through- nutrition, clothing, etc. You should be good to go. There is a website that rents wetsuits if you are thinking you'd like to rent one to try it out. A friend (and member of my tri club) rented one for a recent tri and had a GREAT experience with the company. Rental is only $35 and if you send Jim an e-mail (the owner and President of the San Diego Tri club) he'll help you out all the way!
Pretty good deal if you just want to spend a little before dropping big bucks on a wetsuit. Here's the site if you're interested: http://www.wetsuitrental.com/cms/index.php
You'll have to order by June 1st to get your wetsuit in time for your race- but that still gives you a few days to make a decision.

Just a thought- if you're going to pull on shorts and a jersey over your swimsuit, practice it lots beforehand!! It is incredibly difficult to get dressed while wet and dripping. If you decide to rent a wetsuit, I'd spend the money you would've spent on the wetsuit on tri shorts and a tri top and just wear that underneath your wetsuit and for the whole race. Changing in T1 is... difficult... but if you can practice it before and know how to mangle/twist yourself to get in your clothes, it shouldn't be too bad. I always wear in the water what I'm wearing the whole race. TriGirl and wet body/clothes don't mix well. :rolleyes: I figure there's a reason why they make tri clothes you can swim in- so I'm going to take advantage of it.

Thanks for all the responses all!
and for the rental hook up Tri. :D I have decided i am going to rent for the first one.

I found a company in IL that you can rent from, then apply the rental toward purchase if you like it. I am going to see if they are open today and if not will have to wait until Tu.

After doing some more research (I was up way to late last night :) I am going to try a zoot wetzoot sleeveless, they have weeklong rentals so i can have a chance to get out and try it some.

the swim was supposed to be the easy part for me because I am a swimmer and it is proving to be the most difficult :mad:

Re pulling clothes on while wet - I know exactly what you are talking about, I have been doing that my whole life and it never gets easy. tops aren't so bad, but bottoms . . . . :(
One good thing - because of all the swimming I have done I am used to not drying off w/ a towel, including my face and the feeling doesn't bother me. I figure I wil just have a small towel there to wipe any gunk off my feet so I don't have it embedded by the time I have to run.

I like the 5 gallon bucket idea to tote stuff then turn upside down for a seat. I think I am going to use that idea because i know if I am nervous my balance won't be the greatest (I just about fell off the starting blocks a few years ago when i did my first adult swim race :p

All I can say is good luck!!

Wetsuits AAARRRRRRGH ! ! ! !
The swim was supposed to be the easy part and it is a PAIN! ! ! !
I hooked up w/ the IL co. and they don't have the one I want. the little missy on the phone was very difficult to communicate w/ and it seems they only have unisex ones left - well the main reason I was going w/ this co. is I could purchase it if i liked it and the rental would go towards purchase.
I am NOT unisex so only want one I would be happy with.

So I went back online. I tried the one you recommended tri girl (I actually had registered there when I started my search.) but I found that site very difficult to navigate and it didn't have any info on the type of wetsuits they had. I put an email in but haven't heard back

so I have come full circle and back to square 1. I bit the bullet and ordered a 2xu out of a Minnesota shop - we are in ND so it feels like buying local :D I In doing my research these past few weeks I really like how the 2xu is built and I keep coming back to it.
In talking to the sales rep it appears the 2xu's are built for women who are triangles (small on top - wider through the hips) that is me, so hopefully it will work well. they have free shipping and I got a 10 percent discount so it made it a little more affordable.
I should be getting it in time to get in the river to try it out.

And because I was feeling rich (NOT) I ordered some tri shorts, speed laces and body glide from TE. I went into rational mode and figured if my first tri is a very good experience I will be more inclined to keep doing it (works for me)

If not - check the for sale folder in another month - 2xu's are very nice :D