General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Tell me about your first season Rss Feed  
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2014-06-28 9:40 PM


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Subject: Tell me about your first season
It's my first season of triathlon, and I'm wondering how yours went if you've been around the sport for a while. How many races did you do? What distance? Did you hire a coach, join a team, or follow a training plan? Train too hard, or not push enough? Race on a mountain bike or buy a tri bike right off the bat? What do you wish you had done differently, and what advice do you have for those of us who are new? Thanks!!


2014-06-28 10:10 PM
in reply to: MMW37

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
I've been doing tris for about four years, after running (sometimes competitively, sometimes recreationally) for some 30 years (since age 10) and swimming competitively from about age 10 to 16. During my first tri "season", I think I did two races, a x-terra type race with approximately a 400m swim, 15 mile bike, and 5K run, and a standard Olympic distance about four months later. No coach, no tri club, no real training plan. This was all in Vietnam so all I had was the advice of a colleague who'd done several tris, and the Internet. There was some off-road riding in my first race, so everyone had to ride mountain bikes. I actually didn't do too badly on the bike (by far my weakest sport) as most of the road cycling was uphill, and I ended up second overall. Would have won if I'd had a halfway decent run, but I had done ZERO training for the bike beyond a few leisurely social rides with friends, and had pretty much left it all on the bike. I almost had to walk the last half-mile.

For my second tri (the Oly) I did a few more bike rides, ran regularly, and did master's swimming 3-4 days a week, but didn't really follow a tri training program. I continued to coach myself (except for swimming) and I think my training was sensible for swim and run, but not nearly enough volume or intensity for the bike. I again did the race on a rental mountain bike. As I recall, I was one of the top 15 (of either gender) on the swim, top 10 on the run, and 123/136 on the bike! I quickly realized that having a road bike matters if one intends to actually be competitive (at least in AG) and that I could do so if only I upped my bike game. The following year I won the same race on my new road bike.

Due to time constraints, the heat in Vietnam, and lack of good places to bike/people to bike with, I've mainly stuck to sprints and Olys since; have also done one half-ironman and a tri and two duathlons between Oly and HIM distance.

What I wish I'd known for my first "season":

*Racing on a mountain bike is fine if your goal is just to enjoy the experience/complete the race, but don't expect to place, except in x-terra, even if you are a very strong runner and swimmer. It IS, at some level, about the bike! If you aren't sure you'll continue in tri but love to bike, a road bike is a great investment as it will enable you to do cycle tours and group rides much more easily.

*You have to actually train for the bike leg; otherwise not only the bike but also the run will likely be a total suck-fest. It's never "just" 5K, even if (as I was at the time) you're in great shape and recently ran a good half-marathon. I remember really being impressed with how "hard" my first tri felt despite the relatively short distances--it was a level of fatigue I hadn't felt since my last marathon. Then again, maybe this had to do with my kamikaze approach to competition. Most people wouldn't think of trying to win their first race. I had a lot more respect for the sport after that.

*Investing in a pair of tri shorts would be a really good idea. None were available in Vietnam and I wore a pair of men's fake Speedo jammers. My butt was not happy, even for a relatively short ride in my first race.

To this day, I have never hired a coach (except for training with a master's group when home in Oregon), joined a team (except for occasional workouts with a now-disbanded tri club in my hometown), or followed a published program to the letter. I make my own plans with input from lots of sources--plans on this site, books, or magazines that seem appropriate to my goals, online swim workouts, my experience with good coaches as a runner and swimmer. I focus a lot more on the bike when tri training. I guess if I've learned anything it's that balancing volume/intensity in all three sports, balancing training with other life demands, and peaking for important races is an art/science I have yet to master!
2014-06-28 11:08 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
I'd done tris for 2 years now..err 3 starting in 2 weeks? 2 years ago I didn't own a road bike and I couldn't swim. There was a $50 10 session tri training class that I joined. It included free group swim lessons every week. Best deal ever. I raced twice that year. 1 sprint and 1 longer spring that was just shy of an olympic. I did fairly well in both and placed in the upper 20%-25% or so, which being my first year and taking 17 minutes to swim 500m, I was happy about. I think I trained about just right. I tried to train every day if I could but I blew off a lot of days since it was just for fun. I did not hire a coach and I didn't run out and blow my money on a tri bike...no that was about 3 months later when I decided to go all the way I was fairly happy with how quickly I got decent with the bike but I'm now stuck on a plateau with no end.

Year 2 (last year): I did my IM in this year and obviously got super serious about it, to the point where I could probably count on one hand the number of days I missed in my 30 week training plan (minus time off due to arm surgery). I did not hire a coach but I did sign up for more official swim lessons, which did jack ("there's nothing I can teach you"), and also 2 sessions with a USAT certified coach ($80/session....) for better swim lessons. I picked some swim pointers from the USAT coach but I took away a lot of advice from her about pacing and eating, which was nice to have.

My advice: First year should be fun and not blow your wallet. Slowly buy the things you want. If you get to the end of the season and realize that it's just not for you or that you rather just keep it fun, then don't blow your $$$ of a tri bike, power meter, Garmin triathlon watch, etc, etc. I'd recommend picking up a "decent" used road bike off CL and have a bike shop inspect it before you buy. I went that route and got a nice roady for $100 + $100 repair (could probably sell for $300ish so I was happy). A road bike would be the best thing you could buy, if you already can swim decently and don't need lessons. A mountain bike to a road bike is huge difference. A road to a tri bike is a very small difference, as long as they both fit you.
2014-06-29 5:41 AM
in reply to: Blastman

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
This is my fourth year doing triathlon. For my first season, I picked a goal race that looked desirable - Chicago olympic triathlon. I bought a good road bike. I followed the intermediate olympic training plan on this site. I did 4 sprints leading up to the olympic. I had a very successful first season, and I believe I did because I strictly followed the training plan and was very consistent. I think my biggest piece of advice is to pick a plan and stick with it. You have to consistently do something to get better. If you have issues swimming, then take some one on one lessons. If you have issues cycling, go to a bike shop and try to get set up on a bike with a good fit. If you have issues running, then seek out some run coaching or advice.
2014-06-29 6:02 AM
in reply to: MMW37

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
My first season was probably one of the most fun.

I had planned to do the bike leg in a sprint relay together with two friends but they both bailed a week before so I decided with short notice to just do kt myself.

I had no expectations, did not stress or think much about it, just wanted to finish and had the best time ever. I was hooked on Triathlons as soon as I crossed the finish line. Just simply got addicted. 2 or 3 more races followed that year.
I biked all those races on a 10 year old Mountainbike.

That is 8 years ago and I am still doing Triathlons and I am still having fun (well at least most of the time )


Just go out there, don't overthink it and HAVE FUN!



2014-06-29 6:08 AM
in reply to: MMW37

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
My first season I did two sprint distances and a half ironman.

I've got a running background, had no bike (I was commuting on my bike daily but never trained on one) and couldn't swim to save my life. This is no exaggeration.

My first season was for me about the swim. I was fairly confident that I could power my way through my 70.3 goal if I just managed the swim. I did, but it was terribly slow. My season this year included a 70.3 as my first race and my swim was twice as fast as last year. Now I worry more about bike strength and will get my bikefit tomorrow which hopefully helps a lot!

My suggestions: reflect on what you want to achieve and what inspires you. Triathlon is, in every way, a consuming sport. Be honest with yourself and your abilities.

Don't underestimate bike strength, and be honest about your weaknessess. I didn't join a club my first season. I have now because I don't have any friends who do this stuff, especially not ironman, so being part of a community is pretty nice.


2014-06-29 9:40 AM
in reply to: MMW37

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
Your first season can't go as badly as mine did! Took swimming lessons for the first time since high school, was using a steel bike older than me, but I had done two marathons the fall and spring previous so I wasn't worried about the run. Panicked on the swim and did the entire thing backstroke, had a mechanical issue on the bike, actually did well on the run and FINISHED the dang thing, only to find out a few weeks later that I actually had a tibial stress fracture that effectively ended my season right then and there.

For my second season I was out for revenge, did five sprint tris and took a AG award at the last one of the season. I didn't buy a real tri bike until season 3, which was also when I did my first Olympic. I didn't want to drop the coin until I was sure it was something I wanted to do. I have not hired a coach or joined a team but I do loosely follow a training plan.

I'm not sure what I would tell my pre-triathlon self if I could. I think a lot of the things I learned I had to learn by doing. For example, I was already practicing swimming in lakes, so I think that swim panic would have happened either way and it was something I just had to work through. Maybe to have more faith in myself? To do more hill training on the bike? (LOL) That getting into a t-shirt is harder than you think when you are wet?
2014-06-29 2:39 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Tell me about your first season
April 2002 - my wife signed up for her first tri. She said I should ge a team together. I wasn't athletic but knew I could swim 400 yards. Got 2 friends and we did a relay. It was so fun, we signed up for another one the next month and we placed as a team. We all decided we would do it solo at a local race in September. I had a hybrid bike and we created our own test races at one of the guys beach houses and held short mini tris 200 swim, 10 bike, 1.5 runs on 2 holdiay weekends that summer. We did our first real one that September, in all there were 8 of us who did the whole race. Over the years the group competing has dwindled, but 4 of are still competeing.

We did half irons in 2004 and 2005 and 2006 and in 2006 4 of us completed ironman florida. We still do a couple tri's a year but mostly we bike now. The first couple seasons were great for meeting friends and trying to get faster. Have made so many long term friends racing, including a large number on this site.
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