New to the sport...

Hi! I have picked a race...Spa Girl Tri on November 22. It's a sprint and looks like a nice way to ease myself into the sport. No open water and short distances.

Thanks for the input!

I sometimes get out to that pool to swim the long course. Love swimming in the shaded pool and my Y doesn't have a shaded parking lot either. I can't comment on ride routes out there, but I think some folks ride around the Estrella area. If I recall, there were some decent stretches of low traffic roads around Laveen too.Good luck and welcome. tom

Edited by Fitzy 2014-07-31 8:28 PM

I prefer the sunny part of the pool, but the shaded parking lot is definitely a major bonus!

Not sure how much you're going to be into run training/racing, but there is a Peoria Runners' Series mostly out of the Rio Vista Community Park. (Not Goodyear, but close) We've done a couple of races through them, and they've been decently supported. If closer, we'd do more. They're in third year I think, so they seem to be doing something right

Thanks Erin, I'll look them up. I'm open to anything at this point!

Hi Deanna - I think that Goodyear YMCA has a 50 meter pool, so you are lucky to be so close.

Can you buy a one-day pass or do you have to buy a membership to swim there? It's a bit of a drive for me from Uptown Phoenix, but it would be worth it to swim in a long pool.

I can't say much about running, but there are several rides per week from the Lifetime Fitness on Bullard and McDowell. The Saturday ride has 3 separate groups and distance options. They're a welcoming group (just stay off of the aero bars in a pace line if you're on a time trial/triathlon bike). I think that West Valley Tri Club rides on Saturdays as well, maybe out of Surprise or Sun City West?

Someone has mentioned the race series from Rio Visa Park, I think that AZ Road Racers also offers some races from there. And in fact, from Rio Vista you can hop on the canal paths and ride/run for miles in either direction.

And there are usually a few races out there every year. Tri Family racing and 4 Peaks put on a few in the West Valley.

Oh, and the weather won't be cool for another 3 months so get out there early like the rest of us : )

Goodyear YMCA does have a 50 meter pool. They switch up the lanes between 25 and 50 though, so you'll need to look at a schedule to see what times they have the long course.

You can buy a one day pass...but it's like $10 I believe. A week pass is $40.

Sadly, until I get myself a bike (I know...eeeek...) I won't be riding outside. I have a mountain bike right now, which I can use if I must, but I'm really hoping to get a road bike.

I'll definitely be checking out those runs/rides you told me about. Do you have to be a member of Lifetime to join in their rides?

Nope, anyone can ride.