Hey all

Welcome Tom! 

I'm not sure I could help you with your first question since I thought that was a good thing .  I assume that you are having difficulty breathing properly, but I'm not sure from your description what the problem is.  On #2 there are lots of options.  You can use a mountain or hybrid bike especially if you are starting with a shorter distance.  You could look for a used bike or you could look at virtually any of the name brand entry level road rides.  The most important thing is to get a bike that fits you.  If you don't know much about bikes now, a trip to your local bike store is probably worth your while.

Good luck with your training!

Hey, upstate NY'er, welcome to BT! Good luck with your training, sounds like you're into it, and just working out the kinks...way to go!

Hopefully we can catch up with you sometime this summer. Bunch of us are planning on coming over to watch Lake Pacid IM, where a few BT'ers are running it. Us slugs are just gonna cheer, and maybe ride a little in the mountains. But we'll let you know if we're coming over, keep your eye on the group training forum.

In the meantime...

For the bike question, it depends a lot on your budget, your racing goals, how aggresively you want to pursue speed vs. flexibility, and your starting point. BT resource worth sending a PM to: The Bear.

For the swim question, boy, you got me. Sounds like a pipe mix up issue. BT resource worth sending a PM to: Fromer.

Anyway, welcome to the site, Tom and look forward to seeing your progress.

Rick

Hey Tom,

I get air in the stomach a bit.  I think it comes from getting a bit of water in your mouth as you breathe and then swallowing it.  You take in some air with the water as you swallow.  I try 1) not to get water in the mouth by rolling as breathe and 2) when 1 fails, I just expel any water that gets in as I exhale rather than swallow.  3) When both 1 and 2 fail, I belch.  That's life.

On your question about your first bike.  For a thousand triathletes, there are a thousand stories about the first bike.  It depends on the money, time, and opportunity.  Needless to say, if money is in short supply, it will take a little more time to find the right opportunity.  Just wait around a while until something good pops up.  In the meantime, use an exercise bike at the gym, borrow a hand-me-down from a friend who has upgraded, use an old mountain bike from childhood, or any number of creative alternatives to get you started. 

There is a nationally ranked professional triathlete that used to brag about riding a bike he bought used for $500 in all his Ironman events.   Maybe this will be you someday.

TW