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2010-10-19 11:05 AM

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Subject: n00b questions, please be gentle
Hi there, new user here. Did some triathlons and biathlons as a young man (15-16). Now 40 (almost 41!) and signed up for a Tri coming up this Saturday. 

I'm not going in cold though. I've been running and biking actively for about a year now. I cycle with a local club pretty much every weekend and do side rides of 40-50 miles from time to time. I've run several 5k's over the course of the year as well. 

I got the idea to do a triathlon after a couple weekends where I did my normal 20 mile club ride and didn't feel 'tired' enough, so I went out and ran a few miles as well. It occurred to me that maybe I could complete a triathlon, so I guess I'll find out!

But now that its actually upon me, I started digging a little to find out what I could expect. Its been a looong time, so I'm glad I looked ahead of time, because honestly I wasn't considering all the aspects of the transitions and politics of space-saving in the allotted bike areas, etc.

So my question (finally!) is this: Obviously there are purpose built Tri-bikes, but are there also purpose-built Tri cycling shoes? I've read that a lot of folks clip in their shoes and slip into them after getting on the bike, and for the life of me, I can't understand how people are doing this. My shoes are a pair of SIDI's (I forget what model) that I absolutely HAVE to undo to get my foot into. There is just no way that I'm going to be able to slip my foot into them while on the bike (unless I was to also ride in them loose). 

My only other question would be regarding the Clydesdale class. I definitely fit into this description, but I just registered into my own age group. Is it considered poor form to compete in your age group if you're clearly in the Clydesdale body type? Or is that mainly so that larger folks are competing against their own 'kind' and putting up times that are appropriate for carrying extra weight (due to larger frames or extra pounds, whatever the case may be)? 

 Thanks much, 

-Matt  


2010-10-19 11:13 AM
in reply to: #3160220

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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Welcome!
There are special shoes. usually single strap, larger loop in back to aid in putting on quick, etc..
You do not need to register as clydesdale unless you want to. Many larger folks kick my a## on a regular basis.
 Not an expert by any means but that is my take on it.
2010-10-19 11:13 AM
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Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Welcome to BT Matt and welcome back to triathlon!

Your questions are exactly why this place, beginnertriathlete, is here. Thanks for asking!

Yes, there are triathlon cycling shoes, pretty easy to pull on--there's a loop on the back and they're stretchier--but doing it while they're attached to the bike takes some practice. I definitely wouldn't change anything for a race on Saturday, though.

As for Clyde v. AG, totally your call. Yes, Clyde group is there so people of similar mass are competing against each other. But many Clydes (and female equivalent, Athena) compete in AG nevertheless.

Poor form would be signing up for Clydes when you are not in that weight class. Otherwise, do whatever you'd like!

Good luck!!!
2010-10-19 11:15 AM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
There are tri specific shoes. They generally only have 1 velcro strap which means you can leave the shoe clipped in with the strap open. This allows you to get on the bike, get up to speed (with feet on top of the shoes), slip your feet into the shoes and do them up without too much hassle.
2010-10-19 11:16 AM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Welcome and good luck!

Even when I had "road shoes" and not "tri shoes" I still opened the strap to get my foot in and out. I just did this while coasting. I have to use one hand to do it, for sure.

This takes practice, though, and needn't be attempted at your first triathlon. There will be plenty of races later where you can worry about whether that saves you 6 seconds or something. (For me, I don't like running in the shoes on the pavement because I think it's slippery. That's my main reason for doing it.)
2010-10-19 11:22 AM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Welcome to BT.  There are tri specific shoes but they aren't necessarily needed to clip in prior to mounting the bike.  Granted, they are easier to accomplish the task with but not required.  As others have mentioned, they usually have a larger loop where many loop one end of a rubber band to the shoe and the other end to the bike(usually around the downtube or waterbottle cage).  When you mount and begin to pedal, the rubber band breaks.  Tri shoes make this process easier but the same can be accomplished with a pair of road shoes.  You just have to find anonter spot to loop the rubber band onto the shoe.  When using my road shoes at triathlons I usually loop the rubberband through the eyelet that the velcro strap goes through. 


2010-10-19 11:38 AM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Looks like your questions have been answered ^^ - so I'll just say welcome (back) to triathlon, and have fun his weekend !

And while there are sometimes heated discussions on BT, everyone is very welcoming to new folks and very willing to answer questions and offer advice. Never feel afraid to ask !
2010-10-19 11:55 AM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Thanks for the answers, everyone. I figured there must be a purpose-built shoe, because I've never had a road shoe that I could just 'slip into' either on or off the bike. 

Maybe I'll bring a bucket to keep my stuff in and sit on while I change my shoes. Certainly no one would have an issue with that, right? ;-

J/K of course. After reading some posts about transitions, I see that there appears to be an ongoing battle between bucket/no bucket and tri-purpose bag vs. any old bag. In light of this, I've decided to keep my transition stuff in my brunswick bowling ball bag (minus the bowling ball, of course, unless anyone thinks it might come in handy).

As long as I'm asking n00b questions, I think I know the answer to this one, but I'll ask anyway - you need to bring your own swim cap, right? I seem to remember being given one at a Tri I did years and years ago. I also remember that it didn't fit and fell off during the swim.

And maybe a couple more - is it de rigeur to do the run portion with a hat or visor? Or is that mainly a comfort thing to avoid sun fatigue/sunburn? 

Another: I bought a Zoot tri-top and shorts - is the idea to just do the swim in the top and use it for the whole thing, or do folks usually put those on post-swim? Temperature isn't really an issue since this is FL, even in October the water in the gulf might be a little nippy, but not arctic. 

Goal wise, (hoping my conservative estimate is actually conservative), I'm hoping to finish in under 2 hours. I do 5k's right around 32 minutes and I ride in a 22mph group most weekends. Of course, that has the benefit of drafting, which I understand isn't allowed. 

This is a sprint tri, I think its a .3 mi. swim, 10 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. I'm just going to take it pretty easy with a goal to finish and take it from there.

Thanks again for the responses!  
2010-10-19 12:09 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
I'm one of two people here who will defend buckets. I've never used one, though.

Wear your Zoot stuff for the whole tri. That's what they're made for.

Hat or visor yes, just for comfort. Whatever you like.

Swim cap may come in your packet--do you own one? Do you need one? If you like it, bring one, if not, don't!
2010-10-19 12:17 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Sometimes the swim caps are color coded for the wave you are in.  I've only done 3 tris and in 2 of them there was a white latex swim cap in the packet, and the race info stated you could wear the one provided or your own as long as you were wearing one.  The 3rd tri that I did had different waves.  I was in the women over 40 wave so I wore a green cap.  There was a different color for each wave.  Rules stated you had to wear the cap provided.

jami
2010-10-19 12:19 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle

I LOVE the bowling bag for your gear idea. I think you might start a trend with that.

 

You should get a colored swim cap that coincides with your start wave (if there are multiple starts). You’ll know on race day that the “Yellow cap Group- AG M 30-39 starts at 8:00” (just an example). They are one size fits all so hopefully you don’t have an abnormally sized head.

 

For the run do whatever is comfortable. I wear a hat and sunglasses. There are all other combinations of no hat, hat, visor and sunglasses.

 

For a sprint race just wear everything for the whole race (swim, bike and run). You don’t want to waste time in transition trying to put on a shirt when your wet and your arms are like spaghetti from the swim.

 

I got some very good advice when I first started and that was to keep transition simple.

For T1 its “sock, sock, shoe, shoe, helmet, GO!”  ß for a sprint I probably wouldn’t wear socks but only try if you’ve practiced that.

 

T2 is: “bike racked, helmet off, shoe off, shoe off, shoe on, shoe on, number belt, hat , sunglasses, GO” ßI keep my number belt and glasses inside my hat so I can just grab the whole thing and start running. Then put on everything as I start the run.

 

Based on your training times I feel that your 2 hour goal is very conservative.

 

Good luck

 

And welcome to BT. I’ll look forward to your race report after the race.



2010-10-19 12:19 PM
in reply to: #3160482

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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Ah, ok well that makes sense. I guess I should check the specifics of this particular race, might be some answers there. 

I have a fair amount of gear, none of it tri-specific though. I thought about adding some clip on tri-bars, but for a 10 mile ride I'm not really that worried about it.

There is an ironman store over in wesley chapel though, which isn't exactly close to me, but needing goggles and a cap might be a good excuse to pay a visit though.

Sometimes the swim caps are color coded for the wave you are in.  I've only done 3 tris and in 2 of them there was a white latex swim cap in the packet, and the race info stated you could wear the one provided or your own as long as you were wearing one.  The 3rd tri that I did had different waves.  I was in the women over 40 wave so I wore a green cap.  There was a different color for each wave.  Rules stated you had to wear the cap provided.

jami


Edited by pir8matt 2010-10-19 12:22 PM
2010-10-19 12:20 PM
in reply to: #3160425

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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
pir8matt - 2010-10-19 9:55 AM Thanks for the answers, everyone. I figured there must be a purpose-built shoe, because I've never had a road shoe that I could just 'slip into' either on or off the bike. 

Maybe I'll bring a bucket to keep my stuff in and sit on while I change my shoes. Certainly no one would have an issue with that, right? ;-

J/K of course. After reading some posts about transitions, I see that there appears to be an ongoing battle between bucket/no bucket and tri-purpose bag vs. any old bag. In light of this, I've decided to keep my transition stuff in my brunswick bowling ball bag (minus the bowling ball, of course, unless anyone thinks it might come in handy).

As long as I'm asking n00b questions, I think I know the answer to this one, but I'll ask anyway - you need to bring your own swim cap, right? I seem to remember being given one at a Tri I did years and years ago. I also remember that it didn't fit and fell off during the swim.

And maybe a couple more - is it de rigeur to do the run portion with a hat or visor? Or is that mainly a comfort thing to avoid sun fatigue/sunburn? 

Another: I bought a Zoot tri-top and shorts - is the idea to just do the swim in the top and use it for the whole thing, or do folks usually put those on post-swim? Temperature isn't really an issue since this is FL, even in October the water in the gulf might be a little nippy, but not arctic. 

Goal wise, (hoping my conservative estimate is actually conservative), I'm hoping to finish in under 2 hours. I do 5k's right around 32 minutes and I ride in a 22mph group most weekends. Of course, that has the benefit of drafting, which I understand isn't allowed. 

This is a sprint tri, I think its a .3 mi. swim, 10 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. I'm just going to take it pretty easy with a goal to finish and take it from there.

Thanks again for the responses!  


As far as transitions, as long as your stuff fits in the allotted space, you can use just about anything you want and nobody will say anything. It's when it creeps into other spaces that people get snarky.

Hat/visor - purely personal preference. I use a visor because my head overheats easy in a cap.

Swim caps are generally provided. If it fell off, you put it on wrong. :D (Or you have massive amounts of hair)

Most people wear the top all the way through, mostly because it's like wrestling an octopus to get one of those on when you're wet.

Welcome back! My first tri was 1984 USTS Bud Light in Denver. :D

John
2010-10-19 12:25 PM
in reply to: #3160220

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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Sounds like you equipment questions have been answered pretty good, but I will throw my opinion in anyway. I am one of the who do not use bike shoes, I use my running shoes ( which causes my to go through running shoes like mad I know) which I buy with a wide loop on the back and outfit with elastic laces. I can slip these on and get on my bike just about as fast as my buddy who uses tri shoes clipped to his bike (within one or two seconds out of practice transitions which I am sure his neighbor thinks is hillarious). However when we transition to the run, my shoes are in place, it park my bike, and I am off. I wear a ball cap everywhere, except when I run, so that is a personal thing.

As for AG vs Clyde, I regularly get my but kicked by people from the "bigger" groups and once finished behind a woman who was 7 months pregnant.

Good Luck
2010-10-19 12:29 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
SCamp07 - 2010-10-19 1:19 PM

I LOVE the bowling bag for your gear idea. I think you might start a trend with that.



Awesome. Actually its not that crazy an idea. The bag has a space for the ball and for shoes, so it's close in functionality. Its just not made of mesh, so stuff will probably stay wet in it and get gross if you don't take it out pretty quick.  


They are one size fits all so hopefully you don’t have an abnormally sized head.


Sigh. Well, I do have kind of a big melon, actually. Like a size 8 3/4 in fitted hats. Most 'XL' size hats simply do not fit me. Hats are not my friend, caps probably less so. Maybe the high end of the OSFA range has gotten bigger in the last 20+ years or so. 

 

Thanks for the other tips. Much appreciated. 


2010-10-19 1:15 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Hello and welcome to BT.

So you mentioned running and biking... what about swimming? Will this be a pool or open water swim?



2010-10-19 1:39 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
KSH - 2010-10-19 2:15 PM Hello and welcome to BT. So you mentioned running and biking... what about swimming? Will this be a pool or open water swim?


Open water. Swimming will be the weakest part of the Tri for me, no question. I mean, I know how to swim, but I haven't been doing much of it.

My strategy is to try and stay behind the initial scrum when my group is called and attempt to swim fast enough to keep whatever group starts behind me from catching up before I'm done (hopefully no one else has that same strategy). 
2010-10-19 1:50 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
I am some what a Newbie also with only 4 tri's under my belt. I have tried bucket and no bucket. I would say no bucket. Just take a squeeze type water bottle. (Sports type waterbottle) Then when you get into t1 just squeeze the water out and rinse off the sand. I think it works better and takes up much less room. Good Luck and Have Fun.
2010-10-19 1:51 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
I suppose, with your swimming background, you know what you're doing (I hope).

500+yds is a long way to swim (esp. in open water) to many new triathletes.

Good luck.
2010-10-19 2:00 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Great advice here for you.. Lots of great folks in here and always willing to help.  Just make sure you do one thing during your race. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!  Best of luck to you this weekend!!!!
2010-10-19 2:28 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
I hate to tell you this but approx 1/2 of the other racers have the same swim strategy you do. even staying to the back is no gaurantee of a good swim, hold to the outside as well. To quote my hero Frazz, "Triathlon swims are like Australian Rules Football, only in water." The outside lane will be faster because it avoids the mosh pit at the turn.
Also keep in mind it is easy to get injuried on the swim, ie shoulder injury, if you are not fully ready. I sat out most of the season because I pushed to hard in the swim on a sprint and ended with a DNF and torn tendons in my right shoulder. I am an open water swimmer, but in a race your mind will want to push beyond your training level. Do not take the swim lightly.


2010-10-19 3:15 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
charles-goff - 2010-10-19 3:28 PM I hate to tell you this but approx 1/2 of the other racers have the same swim strategy you do.


Good to know, maybe I'll try to get right in the middle, behind the hard chargers, but ahead of the stragglers. ;-)


even staying to the back is no gaurantee of a good swim, hold to the outside as well. To quote my hero Frazz, "Triathlon swims are like Australian Rules Football, only in water." The outside lane will be faster because it avoids the mosh pit at the turn.

Do not take the swim lightly.



That's good advice, thanks. If anything, I plan to be overcautious. I really don't want to catch an elbow or foot in the face. I'm really ok with being dead last in the swim if that's what it comes to. 


2010-10-19 3:24 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
nc452010 - 2010-10-19 2:51 PM I suppose, with your swimming background, you know what you're doing (I hope).

500+yds is a long way to swim (esp. in open water) to many new triathletes.

Good luck.


Understood. I was born in FL and have been in and around water pretty much my whole life, but yeah, I get that its probably a lot longer than I realize. But again, I'm going to try not to get caught up and over-do it on the swim. I'm just going to try and stay out of other folks way until I can get out of the water. 
2010-10-19 7:44 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
pir8matt - 2010-10-19 1:39 PM

KSH - 2010-10-19 2:15 PM Hello and welcome to BT. So you mentioned running and biking... what about swimming? Will this be a pool or open water swim?


Open water. Swimming will be the weakest part of the Tri for me, no question. I mean, I know how to swim, but I haven't been doing much of it.

My strategy is to try and stay behind the initial scrum when my group is called and attempt to swim fast enough to keep whatever group starts behind me from catching up before I'm done (hopefully no one else has that same strategy). 


Well I strongly encourage you to swim some in open water before jumping in race day.

Also, do you know if you can go the distance?

I'm only asking, because most people find the swim to be the hardest of the 3 to pick up as an adult.

2010-10-19 7:56 PM
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Subject: RE: n00b questions, please be gentle
Wait! I thought AndrewMT did the welcoming here!
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