General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Time-machine Tuesday Rss Feed  
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2016-02-09 8:34 AM

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Subject: Time-machine Tuesday
This morning I was talking to a friend who is thinking about doing their first triathlon this summer. I was telling the story of my first triathlon which was basically a disaster. I only did the swim because I ripped my bike tire stem (on my hybrid bike) out while inflating the tire before the race. And survived the swim is more like what I did.

That got me thinking - what if you knew what you know today and you could go back (in a time machine) and train for your first triathlon again. What would you do differently?

For me - I would have swum more before the race and also had a spare bike tire :-) Now your turn. How about you?


2016-02-09 10:06 AM
in reply to: miamiamy

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
1. Learn to site on the swim and basically swim outside for like a month prior to the race.
2. Ditch the mountain bike I was on and at least borrow a road bike.
3. Seconds do matter, that person who is 5seconds in front of me could be in 3rd place in the novice division and this may be your shot at a podium finish so get your butt moving and pass them now.
4. go longer to gain more confidence
5. loose 5 pounds that last month of training
2016-02-09 12:30 PM
in reply to: ToxicDonkey

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
Those are all great points. I especially like 3. Seconds matter and 1. Swim outside before the race.
2016-02-09 6:07 PM
in reply to: miamiamy

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
Hmmm.....It all comes down to the bike, basically. And my choice of events:

*Don't do an Xterra race over sand dunes as a first tri, especially when you suck at technical MTB riding
*Understand that riding a commuter bike a few times around a flat park does not constitute "bike training"
*Given the above, don't try to win the race (I actually led till the off-road stuff started, crashed multiple times, made some ground up on the run, and finished second)
*Don't leave it all on the bike. It's never "just" 5K (actually it was 6K) if your legs are completely fried.
*Don't enter a race apparently run by misogynists (They gave prizes for top 5 men overall and top master's man, but only one prize for the first overall woman. I was second, in my 40's, got beat by a 20-something, and got nothing to commemorate my experience.)
2016-02-09 7:37 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
OMG that's the craziest award breakdown I've ever heard of.

Excellent advice. My favorite is ... it's never just a 5k. This is true.

What made you want to do a second tri after this awesome experience? Just curious?
2016-02-09 8:10 PM
in reply to: miamiamy

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
I would have done more bricks. The run was torture.


2016-02-09 9:22 PM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
Hmmm....You have to understand my psychology. I've never been the fastest or most naturally talented of athletes (or of anything) but I pride myself on my stoicism, persistence, and general all-around toughness. If people say something is really difficult, it's like that's the flame and I'm the moth. I can't stand the idea of people who are clearly more bada$$ than I am. I realized that for all my marathons, etc. this was a new level of hurt and that clearly these people were truly hard-core and I needed to be one one them!

Plus my friend (whom I blame for getting me into this) suggested that given my endurance and lack of coordination, longer distance races on the road might be more to my liking. (Plus I would be less of a danger to myself, other humans, and animals. Forgot to mention that in that first race I hit a chicken, broke its wing, and almost got killed by the farmer, only he couldn't catch me. So maybe another piece of advice, "Watch out for farm animals.") Then after my first Oly (where, out of 136 men and women, I managed to be 12th overall on the swim and the run and 123rd on the bike, a heavy rental MTB, probably the same monster as my first race), she gave me another great piece of advice: "Get a road bike if you're going to try to win these things. Doing a tri on a mountain bike is like running a 10K in rubber boots."


Edited by Hot Runner 2016-02-09 9:25 PM
2016-02-10 9:40 AM
in reply to: b2run

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
Originally posted by b2run

I would have done more bricks. The run was torture.


Great advice. Do you do more bricks now that you have more experience? Just curious.
2016-02-10 4:46 PM
in reply to: miamiamy

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
Originally posted by miamiamy

Originally posted by b2run

I would have done more bricks. The run was torture.


Great advice. Do you do more bricks now that you have more experience? Just curious.


I did a lot my second year of triathlons. After that, my body seemed to get used to the idea of running after biking and I eased off. Now I will do them every time I bike for two weeks before a race and that seems to be enough for me. Everyone is different though so find what works.
2016-02-11 2:31 PM
in reply to: b2run

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Subject: RE: Time-machine Tuesday
I've found the same thing. I don't do them as often anymore because I don't need to.
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