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First Triathlon Help.

ecsnsmb

Chimp
Jun 10, 2008
56
0
NJ
Hey guys, I am looking to do my first triathlon this summer. I have been training on the bike and running 5 times a week. I plan on doing a sprint version for my first one, just to get my feet wet. I have done a few other biathlon type events in the past and placed well and had an awesome time. I guess I am just looking for some friendly advice on how to make it go smoothly. Also, more specifically, I am looking for some clothing advice - like do I just wear my chamois and riding stuff under my wetsuit or is there a changing/staging area to do it quickly? Do you guys run with your chamois/riding gear on? What about shoes? Any help would be really awesome. Thanks, I appreciate it.
Cheers
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
BTW, there aren't many trigeeks on the ridemonkey.

I would just plan to wear your bike gear on the run during a sprint. It is such a short distance, it is not worth changing. One of my friends will sometimes do the ride in his running shoes for that reason.

Keep your cycling shoes clipped into your pedals so you can just jump into them.
 

cadmus

Monkey
May 24, 2006
755
0
PNW
Head over to beginnertriathlete.com, they have a wealth of knowledge for beginners. They also have training plans available. Running 5 times a week doesn't sound very balanced, given that most sprints are a 5k run.

You'll probably not want to swim in bike shorts, unless you like riding and running in a wet diaper. Get some tri shorts, they have a smaller chamois and are designed to dry quickly.
There will be a transition area for you to swap gear for each leg, but they generally frown on nudity. You'll want to wear the same gear for the entire race, only swapping shoes in the bike to run transition.


One more thing I'd advise, get in some open water swims with a group. A mass start in the open water is unlike anything you've ever done before and cannot be replicated in the pool. Many people panic their first time, don't let that be you on race day.

Have fun, triathlon can be very addicting.
 

Banshee Rider

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
1,452
10
Read the Downhill forum for a headstart on the required sense of entitlement and supreme wankness. You'll need it.

:p
 

sunny

Grammar Civil Patrol
Jul 2, 2004
1,107
0
Sandy Eggo, CA
How to make it go smoothly: Practice your transitions again and again. Once you like where everything is, do everything the same way every time. Transition is often where you can make up time and is overlooked by those new to tris.
I used a roll-up doormat at the back of the bike (where it's racked). Easy to claim your spot, wipe your feet on, etc.
Helmet goes up-side down beside your bike, not on the seat or behind the bike.
Glasses go inside helmet.
Jersey (if you wear one) goes on top of helmet. Jacket goes under helmet. You might decide you don't need it. Make the decision before you are running from the water to your bike.
Optional items: socks, gloves, wetsuit
Advisable items: tri shorts, gel taped to toptube so that it can be opened with one hand as you ride, CO2, fairly new tires, electrolyte tablets (Eletetabs are great)
Items to leave at home: bike shorts. Unless you're doing a long course, you should wear tri shorts (and even then, tri shorts are fine). The muscles under your sit bones should be sufficiently built up with time in the saddle to protect you.
Know that muscle cramps can be your undoing. Chewing into an electrolyte tablet will often stop them in a matter of seconds. You need all the electrolytes. Magnesium is often the expensive one that's omitted from "electrolyte drinks".

Do not do anything new or different, especially food, before a race. Test it all out well in advance.

When in doubt, breathe.

Have fun! :)
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,496
9,528
eat a big bowl of pasta in the morning.....


skip to 5:28
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,521
7,074
Colorado
sunny has it pretty spot on.

I haven't done one in a while, but my kit was:
tri shorts (minimal chamois padding)
Tri shirt - skin tight, quick drying
running shoes w/ quick draw laces
tri road shoes with large, single velcro
Sunglasses - do not forget these

For transitions:
Swim to bike - unzip and pull your wetsuit to your waist while running to your bike. Leave your cap and goggles on your head until you are out of your wetsuit; they just get in the way. Also have your shoes (assuming tri shoes clipped into your pedals); socks aren't necessary. If you have tri shorts and top, you wont need to change clothes. quick cover of your face/shoulders with sunscreen
Hit a Gu/Clif shot and a few blocks - these should all be open already

Bike to run - if you have tri running shoes (better ventilation/drainage) you still wont need socks. Quick-draw laces will save you ~1min on the transition. hit your gu/cliff shot, drink a few swigs of water. Given the short nature of the run, you probably won't want/need a hat unless it's really sunny. repeat quick cover of your face/shoulders with sunscreen.

Remember, most of your time will be made/saved in the run and bike (in order).The big part of the swim is training and proper stroke - dive your arm in a 90*, dont do a full reach stroke. You power is from ~30* up from parallel to the groun when standing to your butt. Try to swim in your wetsuit while training, as you actually need to push your arm forward in the suit vs. without. You will want to build that muscle.
 

TheMontashu

Pourly Tatteued Jeu
Mar 15, 2004
5,549
0
I'm homeless
sunny has it pretty spot on.

I haven't done one in a while, but my kit was:
tri shorts (minimal chamois padding)
Tri shirt - skin tight, quick drying
running shoes w/ quick draw laces
tri road shoes with large, single velcro
Sunglasses - do not forget these

For transitions:
Swim to bike - unzip and pull your wetsuit to your waist while running to your bike. Leave your cap and goggles on your head until you are out of your wetsuit; they just get in the way. Also have your shoes (assuming tri shoes clipped into your pedals); socks aren't necessary. If you have tri shorts and top, you wont need to change clothes. quick cover of your face/shoulders with sunscreen
Hit a Gu/Clif shot and a few blocks - these should all be open already

Bike to run - if you have tri running shoes (better ventilation/drainage) you still wont need socks. Quick-draw laces will save you ~1min on the transition. hit your gu/cliff shot, drink a few swigs of water. Given the short nature of the run, you probably won't want/need a hat unless it's really sunny. repeat quick cover of your face/shoulders with sunscreen.

Remember, most of your time will be made/saved in the run and bike (in order).The big part of the swim is training and proper stroke - dive your arm in a 90*, dont do a full reach stroke. You power is from ~30* up from parallel to the groun when standing to your butt. Try to swim in your wetsuit while training, as you actually need to push your arm forward in the suit vs. without. You will want to build that muscle.
So you're a closet try dude!!! That's why you're wound so tight!!!!!


Get some tri geek clothes, no need to change!!!! Also, don't tell your friends you're doing a tri, that's the key!!
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,521
7,074
Colorado
So you're a closet try dude!!! That's why you're wound so tight!!!!!


Get some tri geek clothes, no need to change!!!! Also, don't tell your friends you're doing a tri, that's the key!!
1. We've gone over learning how to spell. Keep trying.
2. The amount of dedication it takes to get to a high level doing triathlons is monumentally higher than anything you have yet proven the ability to do.

I did my first one to prove to a buddy working at the tri shop with me that they aren't as hard as people think. I got crushed, lower 1/3 of the group. After spending 6 months training, doing double days (running 5-7 miles, riding 30-40, or swimming 1.5 miles), losing 40# while training, and being in the best shape of my life, I was still only able to break into the upper third.

The only physical activity that I have participated in harded that triathlons was rowing at Cal, when our boat was 2nd in the country (3 of 8 went to the Olympics). We were training at a near Olympic level though.
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,670
1,851
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
How to make it go smoothly: Practice your transitions again and again. Once you like where everything is, do everything the same way every time. Transition is often where you can make up time and is overlooked by those new to tris.
I used a roll-up doormat at the back of the bike (where it's racked). Easy to claim your spot, wipe your feet on, etc.
Helmet goes up-side down beside your bike, not on the seat or behind the bike.
Glasses go inside helmet.
Jersey (if you wear one) goes on top of helmet. Jacket goes under helmet. You might decide you don't need it. Make the decision before you are running from the water to your bike.
Optional items: socks, gloves, wetsuit
Advisable items: tri shorts, gel taped to toptube so that it can be opened with one hand as you ride, CO2, fairly new tires, electrolyte tablets (Eletetabs are great)
Items to leave at home: bike shorts. Unless you're doing a long course, you should wear tri shorts (and even then, tri shorts are fine). The muscles under your sit bones should be sufficiently built up with time in the saddle to protect you.
Know that muscle cramps can be your undoing. Chewing into an electrolyte tablet will often stop them in a matter of seconds. You need all the electrolytes. Magnesium is often the expensive one that's omitted from "electrolyte drinks".

Do not do anything new or different, especially food, before a race. Test it all out well in advance.

When in doubt, breathe.

Have fun! :)
Excellent advice in there!

I will reiterate a few VERY important points
1 - don't try anything new for the race day!
2 - practice transitions!!!
3 - fuel before during and after the race and practice what you need to eat and when!!!
4 - tri shorts for the whole race will be fine
5 - definitely put sunglasses in your helmet and stage it on your bike
6 - Have fun!
 

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2009
3,893
1
I'm waving. Can you see me now?
When you go to shops asking about tri gear, the first thing you must do is tell them exactly how long the bike portion is, otherwise the employees will not be able to help you. It also helps to have a 26.2 sticker on the back of your car just so that everybody knows exactly how athletic you are.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,521
7,074
Colorado
When you go to shops asking about tri gear, the first thing you must do is tell them exactly how long the bike portion is, otherwise the employees will not be able to help you. It also helps to have a 26.2 sticker on the back of your car just so that everybody knows exactly how athletic you are.
hahahaha :rofl:

It actually does help to some extent because you will need a different bike setup for sprint vs. olympic/ironman. You will also need bodyglide for the longer events as you will get friction from your wetsuit on the swim.

Find out how hilly the course is too. If it's flat, setup with aero clip-ons and get a tri-saddle (squishy front - saves your boys). If it's hilly, setup for climbing. This actually makes a huge difference.
 

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
23,190
13,452
directly above the center of the earth
a couple of other things. Body glide, back of the neck, armpits for wetsuit rub, Tri shorts with ample use of body glide under the wetsuit [I preferred a one piece tri suit]. Make sure you can bilaterally breathe while swimming as you never know which side wave chop may come from.

Get a well fit wetsuit, if it is not snug, especially at the neck and hands, it will fill with water and become a rubber boat anchor.

back off the last 1/2 mile of the bike and spin in easy to let the legs recover so that you can actually have a descent start to the run.

Pace yourself throughout all three legs, go at 80% so that you do have enough gas to finish strong. Gauge how much you have left towards the end of the run to kick it and blow up just as you pass the finish line.

If you have a mechanical out on the bike, fix it then wind your speed back up to pace. Don't try to get back to where you would have been as you will blow up on the run.

above all have fun

my best placing was 3rd in my age group 44th male and 56th overall in an Olympic Distance Tri.
 

Jrod155

Chimp
Nov 4, 2010
17
0
i did my first one in the fall.

most important, learn how to freestyle swim, i practiced about 5 times before the tri, i was dead tired 1/4 into the swim.

get tri shorts, i did the whole thing in regular speedo swimming shorts, my junk was numb 5 mins into the bike section.

bring a bucket to sit on in transition area and a gallon of water. I run in vibrams and they're a bitch to put on when your feet are wet.
 

wreckedrex

Monkey
Feb 8, 2007
137
0
Fremont, CA
I did a super sprint a while back and learned a couple things:

1. I won't even consider doing it again without really training for the swim. I thought I was an OK swimmer, and the distance covered in an SS tri *seemed* really short. I was very wrong, and it was pretty obvious that a lot of other folks made the same mistake I did. It sucked hard and really put a damper on an otherwise pretty neat event.

2. Keep a spare water bottle by your bike to rinse your feet off, they'll probably be sandy

3. You can use body glide on your feet and skip the socks for a short ride/run. Try it first and make sure it works for you though.

4. Cramps SUCK! I was really surprised to be as messed up as I was after a really short ride, it took 100 yards of walking/gimping after I got off of the bike to get through the cramping and be able to run.

5. I just wore my normal mtb shells over a cheap pair of compression shorts and threw on a jersey for ride and run. The ride was so short that the chamios just wasn't needed. I also used platforms on the bike and just wore my running shoes. Again, it was a really short ride so any advantage I would have gained with my normal clipless setup wouldn't have made up for the time lost in transition.
 
Last edited:

TheTruth

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2009
3,893
1
I'm waving. Can you see me now?
hahahaha :rofl:

It actually does help to some extent because you will need a different bike setup for sprint vs. olympic/ironman. You will also need bodyglide for the longer events as you will get friction from your wetsuit on the swim.

Find out how hilly the course is too. If it's flat, setup with aero clip-ons and get a tri-saddle (squishy front - saves your boys). If it's hilly, setup for climbing. This actually makes a huge difference.
If I was a billionaire and I owned a bike shop, I would tell the customer exactly what they needed, and at the end I would say "Have any other questions? Oh ok, excellent, now when you go home, I am going to need you to go fvck yourself."