The newbie bumpable thread

In prepping for the LSAT for law school admission, communicating via message boards such as this one is an indispensable tool in preparation. There is a wonderful thread on one message board that is simply titled, “The LSAT prep bump-able thread.” A near perfect scorer on the exam wrote both an extensive and uniquely insightful chronicle regarding her journey. Every few days, the thread is bumped for new users. It is my hope this thread can provide a benefit to newbies to the sport and this site.

My background involves the sport of swimming. As a four year old through high school, I competed in local, district, regional, and state meets. I placed well, although far from stellar. In college, the fast food bug bit me early and I resigned myself to 30 pounds, fraternity life, and cigarettes.

In August of 2003, an old neighborhood swim-team friend encouraged me to participate in a local triathlon. I was fat, out-of-shape, and perpetually bloated. I borrowed my cousin’s mountain bike weeks beforehand and began training. Elaborating in greater detail further on, my race ended far before it even took place; accustomed to the swimming adage-“leave everything in the water”, I ran myself ragged on bike rides and runs.

The morning of the race proved to be an eye-opening experience. Chiseled bodies, bikes appearing to be NASA certified, and spandex-quite a bit of it..everywhere.

As it was a sprint distance, I survived the swim solely on my background, watched grandmothers zip by me on the bike (a massive ego blow when they smile angelically and wave as they passed me) and hobbled (running would be too modest of a term) to the finish line.

I finished nearly dead last. I was depressed, down, and distraught. Although in retrospect, God gave me a new life that moment.

That afternoon, I quit smoking after being a pack-a-day abuser for two years. I changed my eating habits and embarked on a life-changing journey.

Following the race debacle, my goal was clear: to return the next year and win my age-group. As a reminder, I had not run more then ½ mile before this goal in over 10 years. In fact, my version of physical activity was actually driving my girlfriend to the trail she ran, driving myself back home and smoking cigarettes on my couch. Walking upstairs even burned my lungs. As a caveat, I concluded that completing a marathon would be fun as well.

Sometimes, you just have to dream big.

I informed my friends of my goals, the majority of them scoffed (one actually said, “I love you, but I think you’re just saying it and I’ll believe it when I see it).

I began my training runs and adjusted them with walking breaks. However, I continuously developed shin splints. I ran one block, walked one block, and continued this pattern for weeks.

As I didn’t own a bike, I used the lifecycle at my gym. The swim training consisted of mega-set sprints.

One evening, I wasn’t able to fall asleep. I noticed my pulse was racing. Not paying attention, I continued to train with no direction. I soon suffered from various colds and illnesses. I had encroached far beyond the point of over-training.

It sounds like a plug, but I found this site and began reading everything regarding triathlon. It was a very slow process, but I immersed myself within the sport. By default from training, I began losing weight; however, I ASSUMED that I knew how to train. After all, I was a swimmer and understood punishing the body (also a swim coach).

During swimming sessions, I backed off sprinting. Still, I swam too fast without any guidance or direction. During my lifecycle bike rides, I would ride HARD with no purpose. For runs, I ran too quickly and ended each run with a glorious kick (sound familiar?).

In January of 2004, I began training for the Buffalo marathon. My father is an accomplished marathoner (14 races) and recommended the Galloway program (run with walking breaks). Thankfully, this added structure to my run training.

I noticed in the late winter (February), I started feeling REALLY good. My swims were sharp, my biking and running felt wonderful (at this point, I had purchased a FUJI road bike and modified with a fast forward seat post and Profile Carbon X aerobars). I didn’t know it, but I was actually peaking! Everything quickly began feeling more sluggish and I didn’t understand why.

My first race of the season was in May. I had dropped approximately 15 pounds at this point. Again, my training had no direction to it and I felt consistently “tired” throughout the duration of the race. I surprised myself by finishing second in my age-group and backed up the race two weeks later with my first marathon finish! As I crossed the marathon finish line, I truly felt as if I had been reborn.

Immediately afterwards, I entrusted www.markallenonline.com. I cannot emphasize how wonderful their program is designed. Based on your past history (via questionnaire) and current fitness level, your program is generated with email access to Ironman legend Mark Allen (unlimited).

Mark’s training method is designed around the Maffetone heart rate system (myriad heart rate methods exist, Mark happens to prefer Maffetone). Although I owned a hrm previously, I had no idea how to –truly- use it. Mark’s schedule gave me a clear structure to adhere to. Throughout the next three months (my peak race was in August), I consistently lost more body fat and my training went great.

Throughout the months, I became more confident. In August, I won my age-group and wrote Mark immediately afterwards informing him how fast, sharp, and strong I felt.

Advice for the newbie:

1. I just started training for my first triathlon. What’s the most important equipment?

Triathlon is a sport of longevity. Don’t concern yourself with an expensive bike just yet; a mountain or any road bike will suffice. However, make sure you are comfortable (if you begin noticing knee pain, it’s most likely your bike fit or lack of running fitness). After your first race, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what you may need. My number one advice for a first triathlon is to follow a proper schedule (many are listed on this site). Also, remember that triathlon is a sport of balance. Don’t overdo any one sport in particular.

Please note that if you do not own a heart rate monitor, this should be your most important purchase. If you don’t own one or cannot afford one, use your breathing as a guide (rule of thumb: the crux of your training will/should take place at a pace in which you can carry on a conversation).

2. What should my diet be?

This is a very difficult question and is unique to each individual. There is wealth of information out there concerning this one specific question. A few sites that I use are:

www.coachgordo.com
www.cruciblefitness.com
www.d3multisport.com
www.coachkp.com
www.fitness-concepts.com
www.slowtwitch.com

Every individual is unique. Many prefer carbs derived solely from fruits and vegetables and only use starches (oatmeal, pasta, potatoes) in recovery. A great rule of thumb according to Gordo Byrn is to do the majority of your grocery shopping in the fresh produce/meats section.

3. I’ve been training for awhile and I don’t seem to be losing weight.

Don’t worry, others experience the same thing. Although it is certainly frustrating, please note that body weight is not an accurate indicator of fat loss. You’ll need to have a body fat pinch test to truly determine weight loss (don’t forget body muscle is heavier then fat also). Embrace how far you’ve come, how wonderful you feel after your workouts, the rest will fall into place.

Personally, I found great success with 6 smaller sized meals per day (3 small meals and 3 protein shakes) in combination with weightlifting. I actually did the Body for Life program and made my HUGEST gains here in weight reduction/increased muscle mass. I did this during the off-season. Please note that I leaned out immediately after the program as I was not able to lift accordingly to the program. Women also should partake in a light weight-lifting/conditioning program also.

4. Do I need all of the “aero” stuff for the sport?

No, you don’t. I’ve gotten my butt handed to me by older men riding old school 10 speeds wearing what resemble hockey helmets. Don’t forget, triathlon is a blue-collar sport; you MUST put the work in to reap the benefits. If you view old Ironman World Championship videos, notice how clunky their bikes looked. As Lance said, “It’s not about the bike.”

However, those in the sport love new gadgets. Will they make a material difference in their speed?-most likely only marginally. Again, worry about a hrm initially.

5. I get intimidated at triathlon events. Everyone looks so scary.

Before a race, I personally don’t like to talk. I like to focus on visualization. However, after the race, I love talking shop with other triathletes and checking out their bikes. I’m a firm believer in answering questions for newbies and love asking those that have more experience then I do for tips, etcs. You’ll find that if you approach people (the vast majority IMO), they will respond with a smile.

6. I don’t understand terminology in the sport.

Neither did anyone else here, initially. If you’re REALLY into the sport, I highly recommend immersing yourself in any and everything triathlon related. It’s similar to total immersion in language, you’ll subconsciously denote specific terms and correlate them in the context that they are being used.

7. I suck at swimming, can I still be involved in the sport?

Yes! As I’m sure Rich Strauss can attest to (Rich I believe is a former D3 swimmer-he also has great swimming resources on his site), swimming takes time to develop. It is the most technically attuned discipline. I suggest contacting your local Master’s swim club on private lessons for beginners. You will find that if you make the investment in time and effort into swimming, it will pay dividends. Triathlon is a sport of balance. Many triathletes fail to work on their swimming, thereby negating their fast bike and run splits by losing enormous time in the swim.

8. I would like to purchase a good bike, what should I buy?

The million dollar question. I recommend going to your local bike/triathlon shop and speaking to someone who is capable of capturing your needs in height/measurements/goals and parlaying that into a proper fit. A proper fit is ESSENTIAL! Don’t spend $2k and forgo a $50 professional fit. You’ll be surprised how a proper fit can maximize comfort and power in your pedal strokes.

9. Can I drink alcohol?

That’s an individual question. Only YOU know your body. I stay away from alcohol at least one month out from my peak race as I become bloated from it. However, you have triathletes such as professional Ironman Wisconsin Champion Nicole Deboom who have a beer or a glass of wine a day.

This is all I can think of at the moment, please take advantage of this site and ask questions. You have a wide-array of individuals ranging from working moms and dads, Ironman finishers (including exceptional athletes such as Steve who is racing to find a cure for his wife’s disease).