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Swimmer to Triathlete by May?

paulksnn · 2008-01-25 15:47:57

Vitals as of 25/1/08 Male 6'1" tall 14st 12 Age 30 Goals: 1. Get fit enough to do a triathlon (Joey Hannon in UL start of May) 2. Lose some weight I'm a fairly good swimmer (can do 80 lengths in a 45 min session in a pool). Used to cycle a lot in Dublin - in and out of work, to swimming - 6 years ago. Last ran a 10 k about…

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#62 23-07-2008 10:41am
paulksnn

Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭

Join Date: September 2007

Posts: 224

Galway to clifden road, what a joke. Single lane with no overtaking spots, full of tourists and tractors.
I got there in the end though.
Registration done and checked out the transition.
Bike spots were numbered, even though it was supposed to be on a first come first served basis. I tried not to look at the hill going down to transition.

About half an hour before the start, the weather turned balmy. I was almost broiling in the wetsuit.

I had heard the start of the swim was chaotic. It didn't disappoint. A small warmup, followed by shouts from the kayakers to go back to the starting buoy, a loudspeaker countdown from 5 interrupting a conversation and everyone was away. Good breath control was necessary, people decide to swim right over you rather than go around. Luckily I'm happy in the water.

I didn't go in the pack, I just made straight for the next buoy. I've heard that drafting someone else makes it easier. I'm not too sure. I didn't and I was very happy with my time, although I reckon the distance might be a bit suspect.

Into transition and on to the cycle. I was feeling well. A bit better than the start of the swim when I felt really lethargic. After 5 k we had the first turn and onto a road I wouldn't train on. Narrow and really poor surface. The hills and straight into the wind didn't help either.
The rest of the cycle was ... forgettable. I got over with it. I might consider investing in tri-bars, but you'd have to be able to change the gear on them as well.

Back down the hill to transition. Much happier with the number belt and my choice of tri-shorts and technical running top. I don't have clip pedals, so the cycle shoes were also the running shoes.

3k up a hill. I really struggled. I just felt tired. It wasn't my muscles. Aerobically, i.e. stitches when I breathe, I just don't have it. 1 hour for the run I was very dissapointed. I would have hoped that my legs would scream at me before my lungs. That's what I need to improve for next year.

Organisation out there was brilliant. Warnings about turns, as well as marshalls at the turns. They seemed very anxious about people racing around the turns, but thats what TI membership is for, no?

The shop that supplied the BBQ burgers must be commended. Mana from the gods I think is the phrase I used on the day.

Swim:0:27:19(35) T1:0:02:00 Cycle:1:25:09(105) T2:0:01:13 Run1:0:28:58 Run2:0:31:03 Run:1:00:01(134)
Total:2:55:41

I would normally in training have 10 mins off that cycle
102nd out of 178. Not bad, but I was hoping for the other side of the bell curve.:o

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