General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started Rss Feed  
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2014-05-24 3:24 PM


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Subject: Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started
Hello!
I've been reading up on and getting ready to start training to be a triathlete. I've not done much in any of the three disciplines before so it should be interesting but i'm determined.
I plan on starting with simply running a 5k. So I'm hoping to do that in either September or October. I found a few that I'm interested in doing.
As for the biking and swimming I'm brand new there as well.

I'll welcome ANY advice!! I only have a mountain bike right now which isn't the kind you need for triathlon from what I can tell. Anyone have a suggestion for where to go and start for a beginners bike (That isn't going to break the bank, I am a college student after all)

Swimming, I have a nice one piece that I can use for training and a back yard pool. Though the pool is pretty short, so I'm thinking that will only suffice for so long. I'm thinking of looking into membership at Silverlake so I can use the pool, cycling classes and treadmills etc. Especially in the cold months.

Running, I'm going to invest in some good running shoes as not to injure myself and for now I will try the Couch to 5K program (app? Any other suggestions welcome)

Though after I complete running my 5K I will be trying to do all three disciplines a lot more. I feel like a coach might be helpful in this. Any suggestions? Maybe I'll have to go with an online coach? Any suggestions there?

I'm joining right on top of most of NKY's/Cincinnati's triathlon season so I'll have to wait till next year to enter my first one. I'm hoping to start with the Tri for Joe as it is a pool swim which I am sure will be nice for a first, it is also a little bit of a shorter swim than the typical Sprint.
Then maybe go for the Cincy Triathlon (though swimming in the Ohio River grosses me out! Guess I'll have to get over that!)

Any suggestions for open water swim training??


2014-05-25 9:53 PM
in reply to: LiveLaughSurvivor


112
100
Union, Kentucky
Subject: RE: Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started
Hi! Since you'll take any advice, I'll offer my totally unqualified, never ran a tri advice.

Good idea about the shoes; I'd highly recommend Tri-State Running Company (on Turkeyfoot, just south of Thomas More), they can fit you for some good shoes based on how you run. They also have running groups you can join if you're interested.

If your main goal is just to finish your first race, not worried so much about time, I don't see anything wrong with riding a mountain bike if you're comfortable on it. If you're sure you want a road bike, you might check out the shops around the area for something gently used. Even better would be to borrow one from somebody you know who has one sitting around. If you're dead set on buying a new bike, just check out a few of the stores and look for a deal; how it fits you is more important than the brand name.

I've been doing my swim training at Silverlake and they do have a nice pool, and it's great to be able to use it year round. The spinning classes are alright too, and they have a short indoor track too. It's not the cheapest fitness center around (although I'm paying a family membership for myself, wife and kids, and individual might be cheaper).

I did a Couch to 5K running program on the Nike Running app on my phone and that helped get me started, but it did start with a run/walk mix, which was easy. You can find a number of training programs depending on your overall fitness. There are also a number of first time sprint triathlon programs out there and I've been following one, maybe a little too loosely, and that's also been a good way for me to work up to it. A lot of the training programs are built around heart rate zones so I did by a heart rate monitor and that's actually been really helpful. I'd definitely encourage getting one, and also doing something to track your workouts. You could get something like a Garmin GPS watch, and they have some that are triathlon focused, or even just use a smartphone. I've been using the Strava app for a while and it lets me track my workouts (biking and running while I'm working out, and I can enter swims after). It also has a bit of a social aspect to it which helps you see what some of the popular running and cycling routes in the area are. As an example, this is what my profile looks like on there; I've seen a bunch of people include a link to their profile in their signature.

http://www.strava.com/athletes/907681

Garmin also has Garmin Connect and I'm sure there are other services out there.

If you really want to try this I'd sign up for a race, either a 5K or sprint or mini tri, just to have something to shoot for. Good luck! And if I get hauled off in a stretcher from my first race next month, just ignore this message....
2014-06-08 12:49 PM
in reply to: LiveLaughSurvivor

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Subject: RE: Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started
Hello from Louisville!

A mountain bike is exactly what you need for your first triathlon. A bike. If you buy a road bike now, and you love triathlon, you will want a tri bike anyway. Finish a race and see if you can live without it before you buy; you'll have fun either way.

You will not need a coach for the bike and run -- save your $$$. A couch to 5k program will tell you what you need to know about beginning to run, which is that you will using a run/walk ratio that starts out heavy on the walk, and builds to more running. Do not pay for a plan; plenty of free ones are available with a google. General running advice is to keep your stride short, quick and light, focus on staying positive & relaxed. Stretch every now and again (AFTER you run) and commit to staying light and comfortable over fast and intense to start.

Your biking will improve through the time-tested T.I.T.S method: Time In The Saddle. For a sprint, start with 12 miles/1hour per week and build to 30-40 / 2-3 hours. As you are in school, you probably have access to a spin or stationary bike -- these are terrific for building base w/o worrying about traffic or blowing a tire in the middle of no-where. Spin classes are fine, too. Focus on being comfortable at first, on maintaining an even effort in which you could carry on a conversation but not sing. Then build in intervals (or some N.KY hills) 1-3 minutes long in which you are driving your heart rate up and running out of breath, then spinning easy to recover.

If you were going to get a coach for anything, it would be swimming. Assuming you can float on your back & kick, you will be fine to finish, but you will appreciate developing a front crawl that does not wear you out too much. A less expensive alternative to coach or classes is to borrow the Total Immersion swimming books from your local library and watch a few videos. Again, focus on staying relaxed in the water & maintaining form over speed & intensity.

Post more specific questions as races approach. Good luck, and welcome!
2014-06-09 10:02 AM
in reply to: Batcheldor


12

Subject: RE: Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started
Thank you so much for the post!! The information you gave is so helpful!! Really any information is very helpful when starting out!

From what I've heard from most people (Including you) is that a mountain bike is fine to see if this is something I want to stick with. I went ahead and got new running shoes and inserts (I have terrible dropped arches) as I'd rather spend my money on that and avoid pain and injury then spending my money on a bike.

I do have access to a gym at my school so I will definitely start taking advantage of the stationary bikes there. I do have a pool in my backyard that I will start with to work on my strokes and such. I think it will be fine for now but if I ever wanted to go to farther distances I think a longer pool would help. The library is a great idea!! I'll check out those books for sure!!

I'm working on the Couch to 5k program right now. I'm up to 1 1/2 minutes running, 1 1/2 minutes walking, 3 minutes running, 3 minutes walking and repeat. To most people this would look pretty easy, but 3 minutes running is a while for me!! But it's improvement from where I started so I'll concentrate on that!

Thanks again for the suggestions and helpful advice!! It's great to have someplace to be able to read up on tris and ask any questions I have!
2014-06-12 10:59 AM
in reply to: LiveLaughSurvivor


112
100
Union, Kentucky
Subject: RE: Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started
I think the shoes and inserts was a great plan. I also started with a couch to 5k plan a few years ago, and was doing a similar run/walk mixture. I think starting in that manner helps avoid injury from going too far too fast. At this point I can run a 10k straight, but even so I have no qualms about mixing in some walking when my body tells me too, especially on the hills around here. Keep at it and you'll find yourself going further and further as your general fitness improves.

While the stationary bike isn't a bad idea, I'd encourage you to try to mix in some time out on your bike. Most races are going to be out on roads so you'll want to be used to that environment. I've not found stationary bikes at a gym to be feel very similar to a real bike outside. If you haven't done a lot of riding on the roads are aren't comfortable with it, start with some short rides in a low traffic residential area, at parks or on bike paths. There's a decent new bike path, the CVG trail, near the Cincinnati airport on Aero Parkway. I've been riding on the roads mostly around Boone county and actually have found drivers to be pretty courteous to cyclists, but I've been riding on roads for around 20 years so I'm sort of used to it.
2014-06-14 4:48 PM
in reply to: LiveLaughSurvivor

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Wahiawa, Hawaii.... but now in Florence, KY..
Subject: RE: Northern Kentucky - Just Getting Started
We just had a Tri Clinic today and over the last few weeks have hosted a Swim, Transition, cycling skills and adventure racing clinic. I am the Veteran Outreach Director for Team RWB Cincinnati a nonprofit military support group that helps veterans reintegrate into their communities through physical an social activities. We are free and open to civilians but best of all, we have a lot of triathletes from beginner to double-ironman finishers. We also have coaches from each discipline and crossfit and yoga instructors as well. If you'd like to join us, PM me or find me on FB. We have about 480 members in our cincinnati chapter but really only 50 or so are really active. If you're interested in joining us, please let me know. Here's our weekly schedule and everything is free:

Monday: Yoga. At Ault Park (donations)
Thursday: Track Workout sycamore HS
Thursday: Yoga at You do Yoga
Saturday: swim, bike, run at Caesars Creek
Saturday: brick at Loveland or rt8
Saturday: trail run, location changes
Sunday: long run at Lunken Airport Trail

We are not a Tri/running club, we are a military support org but have members of each running/ Tri club within our ranks.


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