'First Time Triathlete' - The Novice Thread

jb-ski

hi mitresize5,

Lough Key is off N4 between Carrick-on-Shannon and Boyle, Co. Roscommon.

Event is on 6th September.

It's a fantastic location for a triathlon and ideal for all levels of triathlete.

maybe see you in Sept?

barongreen

First tri completed at kilcock at the wkd. YAY!
Finished in 1.22 which i am happy with as i had loads of stops for stretchs, adjusting sadle height, and spending 4 mins for T1. :eek:
Lessons learned.
The run was weird because i finished with loads in reserve as i had intended to up the pace as i loosened out more and next thing there was the finishing in front of me, ( which i sprinted around the pitch for with shouts of great finish 113).

Now for the next chalenge, thinking of skerries or blackrock in dundalk???
think ive just found my new sporting passion.

mloc let me know what tri you end up chooseing.

mloc123

Looks like my next one will be skerries, waterford is full and blackrock is the day before th wicklow 200.

MCOS

barongreen wrote: »

First tri completed at kilcock at the wkd. YAY!
Finished in 1.22 which i am happy with as i had loads of stops for stretchs, adjusting sadle height, and spending 4 mins for T1. :eek:
Lessons learned.
The run was weird because i finished with loads in reserve as i had intended to up the pace as i loosened out more and next thing there was the finishing in front of me, ( which i sprinted around the pitch for with shouts of great finish 113).

Now for the next chalenge, thinking of skerries or blackrock in dundalk???
think ive just found my new sporting passion.

mloc let me know what tri you end up chooseing.

Well done on completing your first Tri barongreen, some good lessons taken for your next outing!

DrMicrobe

Hi Guys,
I will be doing my first Triathalon in Athy this weekend. Did the swim on Sat and was wearing goggles. Was just wondering, are you allowed to wear a mask that wiill cover your nose or is this illegal? I know its a stupid question but its the little things!!!!

liamo

DrMicrobe wrote: »

Hi Guys,
I will be doing my first Triathalon in Athy this weekend. Did the swim on Sat and was wearing goggles. Was just wondering, are you allowed to wear a mask that wiill cover your nose or is this illegal? I know its a stupid question but its the little things!!!!

Yes, you are permitted to wear a mask.

Best of luck in the race.

Regards,

Liam

DrMicrobe

liamo wrote: »

Yes, you are permitted to wear a mask.

Best of luck in the race.

Regards,

Liam

Cool!! Thats great-just looking at these on geatoutdoors.ie

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/Our_Products/Diving_Equipment/Diving_Equipment--Diving_Masks.html

Will I look like a complete tool?? :oAnybody use these in triathalons??

cluelessx2

Unless you're used to wearing a scuba mask you might find the fact that your nose is covered quite disconcerting. It's one of the first weird things that you have to get used to about diving. And if you are used to wearing a scuba mask, you may find the fact that you don't have a reg in your mouth a problem as well

DrMicrobe

cluelessx2 wrote: »

Unless you're used to wearing a scuba mask you might find the fact that your nose is covered quite disconcerting. It's one of the first weird things that you have to get used to about diving. And if you are used to wearing a scuba mask, you may find the fact that you don't have a reg in your mouth a problem as well

Hi,
I have dived before and have used a similiar type of mask. When im in a pool i always use a noseclip ( I dont like the sensation of water going up my nose..im a bit weird!!) and breathe through my mouth so i hope a mask like this will be ok!!! I have swam indoors using a mask like this also in training so hop i be ok!!!

richiemack

Did Athy yesterday, waht a beautiful course!! great day out!!

MrCreosote

Nice work Richiemack! How was the river flow in the end?

richiemack

MrCreosote wrote: »

Nice work Richiemack! How was the river flow in the end?

flow was lovely, not strong at all just a nice easy current to help you along, upstream wasn't near as bad as expected. great to swim in such calm water!!

crosbie

Hi all anyone fancy a swiim at Seapoint on Wednesday. Safety in numbers and all that!! High tides are at 0808 and 2044 so about 1 hour before either of these times would be good.

MCOS

Anyone out there CRAZY enough to be doing Kilkee as their first Triathlon?!

Now that we are well into racing season, how is everyone feeling?

Quick question for me, I have niot been on a long bike ride since mid April I think so bike mileage is quite poor overall. I just haven't had the opportunities to get on the saddle for 3+hours.

Is the long bike session as critical to keep up during the season as it is to build with during the winter and spring months?

eoin ryan

It was my first one years ago.... I was on my second swimming lesson!! I was sixth last out of the water. I had a wetsuit on that didn't fit me and i'd never worn before - I blessed myself when i got out.

I do see a few ppl going to races with the same Cavalier attitude
Don't do that - its stupid....
All jokes and being the auld chancer aside it really is stupid.

Eoin
_________________________________________________________________
Eireman - Long, Middle & Olympic distance Triathlon 23rd August www.eireman.org

ZZJ

Why is Hell of The West considered hard?

Is it the swim, the cycle, the run or all three? and what exactly about it/them makes is considered hard.

Will be my first time doing HOTW this year (as it is my 2nd year getting off the couch in 10 years) and looking forward to it.

Owen

Genghis

HOTW swim is normally quite enjoyable, last year there were some freak tides that made it a bit choppy, but usually the shelter of Kilkee Bay ensures a calm start to the race. The cycle is not especially hard, there is a killer hill just at the start, it is longer than normal (45km), and it can be a bit exposed to west coast winds in parts. The run is where the race earns its name, as far as I am concerned. About 800m in you start a 4km climb which is seriously steep in places. Cramping, fatigue, dehydration, sunburn are all common on this stretch. Then you round the turning point and think ‘plain-sailing’ but it can be hard to control jelly legs on the long descent to the finish.

Overall HOTW is a longer, tougher Olympic course, a proper endurance event.

Bambaata

Looking forward to it. WOuld people recommend a tri of road bnike for it? Like is there much climbing? My tri bike is almost 4 times the value of my road so i'd rather use it if possible

MCOS

Bambaata wrote: »

Looking forward to it. WOuld people recommend a tri of road bnike for it? Like is there much climbing? My tri bike is almost 4 times the value of my road so i'd rather use it if possible

Oh to have the choice.... I cycled the course last weekend on my trusty roadie. Bit of a drag in the middle for a couple of k taht raises the HR and a steep hill towards the end, road surface is ok. If you did Valentia on your P2C then you will be grand on it for this

jlang

Is this a rematch coming up - can we fix the swim so you guys exit transition together?

Bambaata

haha no rematch! I wouldnt fancy my chances down there unless MCOS is still not back to 100%. The short swim in Valentia helped me as the swim is my weakest section and over 1500m i'd struggle. I'm just hoping for a sub 2:30/2:35 which seems a decent time on the course.

MCOS

Don't be selling yourself short there Bambaata! You finished ahead of our top Junior at Athy and he is on the development squad for a good reason ... you were clearly flying! Also, sub 2'30 at Kilkee would be an excellent time from what I've heard from some of the older heads in the club!! I'm gunning for about 2'35 which would be me maxed out! You'll have me on the run by a few mins so I'd need the swim of my life to hold you off If I'm within 5 mins of you I'm doing well and thats the truth dude

ZZJ

Before I write this I would just like to say I am in no way giving out about Race Fees or about the people who give their time and effort to organize and run events, I'm just interested.

This is my first year doing triathlons from being a lazy slob for the past decade. I have done a few sprints and Athy Olympic. A few friends came along to see me over the line in Athy and were very impressed with the event and the numbers taking part (as was I).

Later on over a well deserved drink one of my buddies was doing the sums of entry fee multiplied by entrants. was asking me about the finances of triathlons, are they run on a break even bases, or to raise money, or for profit, or finance clubs? (can accountants never take a day off)

I did not know the answer for any of the events I had done apart from Valentia, which I know raises money to the local hospital. So I went looking at the TI and event websites and could not find an answer. Can anybody tell me? Is there a general rule or does it differ from event to event.

Again I must stress I am just interested to know.

hunnymonster

noone is getting rich from organising triathlons but generally they are priced to make sure of breaking even and anything left over is used to run the club for the following year (e.g. subsidising pool time in winter etc). People tend to forget all the associated costs with running a triathlon, water safety costs (although most kayakers are volunteers, they still need to be fed, and usually petrol is covered) marshalls need to be fed, water needs to be bought, sometimes land has to be hired, a venue for regristration, insurance, timing, ........

tunney

hunnymonster wrote: »

noone is getting rich from organising triathlons but generally they are priced to make sure of breaking even and anything left over is used to run the club for the following year (e.g. subsidising pool time in winter etc). People tend to forget all the associated costs with running a triathlon, water safety costs (although most kayakers are volunteers, they still need to be fed, and usually petrol is covered) marshalls need to be fed, water needs to be bought, sometimes land has to be hired, a venue for regristration, insurance, timing, ........

Disagree. Some people are making good money off them. I don't begrudge them the money though.

HardyEustace

tunney wrote: »

Disagree. Some people are making good money off them. I don't begrudge them the money though.

That's true.

The trick is to find out if it's a club race or not. If it's a club race then I would expect that it's used for fund raising for the club. I know that some clubs also make a charity donation.

For example, in Galway we give a substantial donation to the local lifeboats

What really annoys me is when you can't transfer places or defer them until next year when you have valid reasons for not being able to make the race. Races are very expensive, salaries are falling, I think that people would genuinely appreciate an effort by all race organisers to help people with this.

hunnymonster

I hope that's not the sound of you trying to offload you kilkee place young lady!

HardyEustace

hunnymonster wrote: »

I hope that's not the sound of you trying to offload you kilkee place young lady!

No! Though I am dreading it! LOL

I've just added sugar to the the list of things that I'm giving up in my effort to be as race ready as humanly possible. Speed reading Anita Bean every night as well.

MCOS

A tip I picked up at the weekend and especially if its a awrm day in Kilkee on the 27th. Fill 2 of those lucozade sport pouches with water and leave by your shoes in Transition. As you put your shoes on you can just slip them into the pockets of your tri top. The first water stop will be at 3.5k and its a loonng 3.5k to get to it

DrMicrobe

Hi Guys,
Looking for some advice,
I did my first triathalon in Athy 2 weeks ago. Was just a sprint (1Hr 40mins, swim time was 13mins) and am looking for my next race.

Im thinking either the Tri at Carrig on Suir or triAthlone (both sprint).
My problem is, im fine with the cycle and run but the swim is what kills me-:rolleyes:more specifically it is the thoughts of swimming against the current is what scares me. I would say that 70% of my swim in Athy was breastroke, nice and easy-but I doubt that this approach would suffice in Athlone since the curent is so strong. Is the Athlone sprint against the current and will I die??? :p
I know that the Carrig tri is all dowstream but I would really like to enter Athlone as it appears to be a big festival but im afraid I will end up in Limerick at the mouth of the shannon!!!

Help!!!