need some encouragement (...whine)

[alpinerabbit]

OK. So based on yesterday's experience, I think I can run more than 5k after biking 40. Make that 10...?

There' s an Oly in August that I have my eyes set upon. It has a major hill at 10K (200 meters) and then another 150 but less steep. km 20-30 is downhil and 30-40 is flat.
The course is here:http://www.reygrafik.ch/pdf/uster_tri_rad_lauf.pdf

I'm mainly concerned about the swim.

I just did 500 in 11 minutes.
Even if I take between 35 and 40min to do the swim I will not be last. See last years rankings: http://services.datasport.com/2007/t...er/RANG092.HTM

I might even make sub 3 hours (see there. I'm already putting on the pressure). Who knows...
should I do it? can I make it? I just realized again yesterday that all the fantasizing over going a longer distance (since the individual legs are within reach) just dissolves once you are actually at it and asking yourself why am I doing this, and it never seems to end....

What's the mindset I need to do a 1500 m swim instead of 500?
This may seem like a joke - I have been swimming 3-3,5 K in practice regularly, but it's not: that was never in one piece. When I used to do 1K or 2 in one piece I on my own, I went slower and took seemingly forever... and I haven't done that in ages... Yesterday did not hurt, I even got into some kind of rhythm for a while but it was still long...

If I continue at the kind of HR I had yesterday (average 172 for bike / run), will I blow up? I think 170 is just below my anaerobic threshhold for the bike, and 180 or a bit more for the run. What I am missing is "competition endurance". I'm not very good at self-torture.

[rocknrollgirl]

I think you need to figure out what you really want to focus on. Because it is your first step up in distance, maybe you should do the first Oly in the mindset of just finishing and not worrying about your time. Do it for the experience and then you can work on your limiters for the next one.
Jumping up in distance and putting a time goal on yourself is doubling the pressure.

You can always go a little further on race day than you think. So start working on increasing your distances slowly. You still have close to 8 weeks? You can do it.

While I am racing, I focus on just what is ahead of me at the moment. I do not think about the next leg of the race until I get close to transition. The only exception is to monitor how I feel during the bike so I do not blow my legs out.

First, I am going for a swim, when I get done swimming, I am going to ride my bike and then, I am going out for a run. One step a a time, to avoid the "why the hell am I doing this" feeling.

Go for it!!!!

[roadie gal]

2+ on what rocknrollgirl said. You have to just take each part as it comes, although you do have to rein yourself in a bit on the swim and bike to save something for the run.

The swim is my worst part. When I look out over the marked swim course before a race it always looks sooooo long. All I can say for the run is to just do your own race. Don't let someone swimming past you freak you out. Once you've lost your composure on the swim it's hard to get it back. Try to get a rhythm and stay in your own head. Then, suddenly, after what seems like a long time, it's over and you're on your bike.

I agree, too, that the first one should be for experience, only. Worry about you time on the next one. If you stress about having to make a certain time you'll almost definitely blow up.

[alpinerabbit]

Tonight I am taking the plunge, getting back the wetsuit that I rented over the W/E. For keeping! He offered it to me for 1/3rd of the original retail price.

And then I'm going out right away joining the local OWS practice.

yay me...


PS thanks for the comments. Deep down I know...

[kermit]

I am still trying to get to my first Sprint (this weekend). Just hoping to get through it. If I can ever THINK about further distances I will be thrilled. I think the mindset should be what I do well on, and what needs work. Its hard not to do anything without wanting to be competitive and kick ***, but right now I just want to have fun.

[HillSlugger]

Tonight I am taking the plunge, getting back the wetsuit that I rented over the W/E. For keeping! He offered it to me for 1/3rd of the original retail price.

And then I'm going out right away joining the local OWS practice.

yay me...


PS thanks for the comments. Deep down I know...

What wetsuit are you getting?

[alpinerabbit]

It's an aquaman model worth maybe 600$?. I liked it on Sunday. It fit me comfortably without tiring the shoulders. The zipper opens bottom to top, very useful. Or is that the case for most wetsuits...