two days and counting - Triathlon Week

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?

any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing this weekend?

i mostly lurk here, BTW.

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
>sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
>
>this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
>train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
>
>so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?
>
>

Here's my 2 cents:

Your first season of racing, you're a newbie.

Since it's your second year, I wouldn't consider you a newbie any
more, though you may be a "virgin" to longer distances. (The term
"IronVirgin" means a first-time IM competitor.)

I'm not sure you can call yourself a "vet" quite yet, though. Some of
Alan's humorous criteria are a good standard for that. <g>

And no, you don't have to do an Ironman or half IM, or even an Oly to
be a "real" triathlete.

Do the races you like, enjoy the training and racing you like.
If you find yourself attracted to the longer stuff, fine. Go for it.

If not, don't worry about it. You're a triathlete.

Mike Tennent
"IronPenguin"

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
> sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
>
> this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
> train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
>
> so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?
>
> any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing this weekend?

Hi Cam,
I'm totally new to this and so I'm just trying a try-a-tri out this
weekend in Ottawa (is it Ottawa for your sprint tri?) I thought of
entering the sprint but I'm really new to swimming so I wanted to make
sure I picked something where they wouldn't have to fish me out of the
water. So hopefully will be able to do a real sprint later on in the
summertime. I'm bringing a touring bike (so faster than a mountain
bike but slower than a racing bike) but really want to have a pretty
fast time in the bike. I don't care so much about overall, I just
really enjoy biking so want to do decently at that. Running is pretty
new for me as well so I will be sloooow at it even though its only 2k.

Tanya

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tanya) wrote:

> onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> > i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
> > sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
> >
> > this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
> > train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
> >
> > so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?
> >
> > any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing this weekend?
>
> Hi Cam,
> I'm totally new to this and so I'm just trying a try-a-tri out this
> weekend in Ottawa (is it Ottawa for your sprint tri?) I thought of
> entering the sprint but I'm really new to swimming so I wanted to make
> sure I picked something where they wouldn't have to fish me out of the
> water. So hopefully will be able to do a real sprint later on in the
> summertime. I'm bringing a touring bike (so faster than a mountain
> bike but slower than a racing bike) but really want to have a pretty
> fast time in the bike. I don't care so much about overall, I just
> really enjoy biking so want to do decently at that. Running is pretty
> new for me as well so I will be sloooow at it even though its only 2k.
>
> Tanya

Hi Tanya,

You are doing what I did last year at this event. I did that same
try-a-tri. It's a blast, and I was hooked after that race ended.... too
quickly! I, too, was new to swimming and yet I managed fine in the pool
(a nice place to swim your first tri, rather than in say, Mooney's Bay).

Oh, and by late July last year, I completed a very challenging 750m swim
in Mooney's Bay for my first sprint tri. This 500m one will be a cinch.
I have improved a lot in the swim, as will you if you stick with it, and
I have shaved five minutes off my 500m time from last year.

I come from a running background so that usually helps me catch up to
the faster swimmers and cyclists. Hope you have a lot of fun at the
race... and you should for your first time out.... best of luck!

(Now let's pray that it doesn't rain TOO hard on us tomorrow)

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
Mike Tennent <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
> >i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
> >sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
> >this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
> >train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
> >
> >so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?

> Here's my 2 cents:
>
> Your first season of racing, you're a newbie.
>
> Since it's your second year, I wouldn't consider you a newbie any
> more, though you may be a "virgin" to longer distances. (The term
> "IronVirgin" means a first-time IM competitor.)

Makes sense. Fair enough.

> I'm not sure you can call yourself a "vet" quite yet, though. Some of
> Alan's humorous criteria are a good standard for that. <g>

No, maybe in what.... 8-10 years? Sounds like a prison sentence :)

> And no, you don't have to do an Ironman or half IM, or even an Oly to
> be a "real" triathlete.

I'd like to take a stab at the Olympic distance sometime. Maybe in a
year or two after some more sprints plus greater distances in training.

> If not, don't worry about it. You're a triathlete.

Why thank you, Mike. I have thusly been christened.

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a little and
then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And tomorrow after the
race: beer and pizza.

Thanks for the words,

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>
> OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a little and
> then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And tomorrow after the
> race: beer and pizza.
>

For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant chicken burrito
after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but La Bamba would work, too.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

Harold Buck <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:

> In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
> onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>>
>> OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a little and
>> then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And tomorrow after the
>> race: beer and pizza.
>>
>
> For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant chicken burrito
> after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but La Bamba would work, too.

What's a "giant chicken" burrito? Is that like an ostrich burrito?

Phil M.

--
"I gotta go. You're killin' me."

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].giganews.com>,
Harold Buck <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
> onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
> >
> > OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a little and
> > then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And tomorrow after the
> > race: beer and pizza.
> >
>
> For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant chicken burrito
> after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but La Bamba would work, too.
>
> --Harold Buck

i ended up having a buffalo chicken burger with a mound of fries. the
beer and pizza will have to be tonight. mmmmm.....

(oh yeah, i did the tri!)

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <Xns94F1632CFB443seilogramp@216.77.188.18>,
"Phil M." <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Harold Buck <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
>
> > In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
> > onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a little and
> >> then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And tomorrow after the
> >> race: beer and pizza.
> >>
> >
> > For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant chicken burrito
> > after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but La Bamba would work, too.
>
> What's a "giant chicken" burrito? Is that like an ostrich burrito?
>
> Phil M.

you jest?

a giant burrito made with chicken.

but i didn't need to explain, did i? :)

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>(oh yeah, i did the tri!)
>
>Cam

And the report is where?

Let's hear about it!

Mike Tennent
"IronPenguin"

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
Mike Tennent <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>
> >(oh yeah, i did the tri!)
> >
> >Cam
>
>
> And the report is where?
>
> Let's hear about it!
>
> Mike Tennent
> "IronPenguin"
>

Oh, i didn't think we posted race reports in this ng (at least i don't
think i've seen any/many here). i did post it in rec.running but since
you are interested, here ya go:

2004 Ottawa Early Bird Triathlon
May 22, 2004 - Ottawa, Canada
Sprint Distance Event: 500m swim / 22.2k bike / 5k run
--

The forecast was for rain, but instead, the skies were just gray, and
the clouds didn't look too threatening. The race went by without a
single drop of rain. Temperatures were in the teens (Celcius) and very
comfortable. A sometimes strong wind on the bike and run kept us cool
and dry.

Got there plenty early so that I could go through all of my pre-race
rituals so that good luck would be with me. I've become a superstitious
sort ever since I started racing. Because the weather is not quite warm
enough for open water swimming yet, this event held the swim in an
indoor pool. Fine by me, but there was still some thrashing and bashing
in the swim lanes. It took me about half the swim to settle into a
comfortable rhythm with all of the confusion in the pool. The seeding
process was not terribly successful, as slow folk were holding up the
fast swimmers at the front, and several supposedly slower people
rocketed past me (near the back of the pack), with feet and elbows
a-flailing. I finished the swim strong, though, feeling like I could
have done another 500m easily.

Then the ridiculously long barefoot run across concrete, asphalt, and
stones to get to the transition area. No mats? It hurt a bit but I
gritted my teeth and moved quickly - I had to make up for my slow-ish
swim on the bike and run.

T1 went without trouble, and I crammed a banana in my mouth as I pulled
on my shoes, then headed off. Headwinds made it a little on the slow
side on the way out (two loops) but at least the ride back was smoother.
Lots of people on the course still, so we had to watch each other to
avoid drafting penalties. On the last loop, my hamstrings started
tightening up on me. I loosened up with a few stretches near the end of
the bike to ready myself for the run, but didn't know what to do about
the hams. So I took plenty of sport drink, and nearing the end, I went
into a lower gear, which seemed to ease the pain.

T2 was quick and easy - I just traded helmet for hat and took off. Now I
was in my element, being a runner first and foremost. I passed many
people throughout the run, and nobody passed me. A good sign. Right from
the start of the run, I experienced a small stomach cramp on my left
side, but I was able to beat that while still moving at a good clip. I
did that old trick of belly breathing, while exhaling as my right foot
hit the ground. Works every time. I recorded my splits throughout the
race, but didn't really monitor the watch very closely. I was just in a
"What the hell" kind of mood today, and hey, it got me through the race
within my time goal.

Overall clock time = 1:29:07
Place overall = 195/339 (room for improvement)
500m Swim + T1 = 18:12 (swim alone was about 15:28)
22.2k Bike = 46:16
T2 + 5k Run = 24:39

I'm pretty pleased with my results, especially on the swim, where I took
about five minutes off of my 2003 500m time. The bike was also a massive
improvement, about 10 minutes off last year's time. The run was a touch
slower but it simply didn't occur to me to push myself the way I
normally do for the last couple of kilometers - puffing on every breath.
This time, I picked it up on the final few hundred metres, and finished
fast but comfortably. No collapsing on the ground at the end, like I
often do.

Well, that's it - the deed is done, and now I must contemplate my next
race. I celebrated with lots of junk food the rest of the day. Yay!

Thanks for reading,

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

Cam,

You only needed to pass any one of these tests, and it sounds like you're a
real triathlete. After writing that list the other night I think #9 is a
little scary. Don't worry about the real bike, there's nothing cooler than
passing some dude on a $5000 bike who's scraping by at 17 mph. Extra
brownie-points if you're on a Pee-Wee Herman Special!

My wife's first triathlon was on a Peugot "shopping bike", replete with
racks, but she's definitely a triathlete now, having met several of the
criteria on my list :-)

How 'bout a race report?

Alan.

"onemarathon" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
> "Alan Walker" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
> > OK, I'll take the bait and suggest a few "milestones" that would turn
you
> > from a newbie triathlete into a totally-genuine, fair-dinkum,
> > electrolyte-swilling, iron-willed, home-grown, pavement-pounding
triathlete:
> >
> > 1. Completing your second triathlon.
>
> ok, so i'm a triathlete then, being on my third race.
>
> > 2. Completing any Ironman distance race.
>
> surely, the many sprint or Olympic distance racers are considered
> triathletes, even if they haven't gone IM? but i think i know what you
> mean.
>
> > 3. DIY major bike repairs and still finishing. Extra brownie-points for
> > using only tools / parts found on the side of the road.
>
> HA! ok, i'm getting there with the bike mtc. never touched the bike
> prior to tri, but now i'm stripping it down and putting it back.... just
> for fun!
>
> > 4. Your gear is held together with duct-tape from too many races.
>
> not yet.
>
> > 5. Your gear is brand new and paid for by a sponsor (or several).
>
> THAT would be a pro triathlete, not just a regular Joe triathlete.
>
> > 6. Hardware (ie. medal / trophy / etc for placing).
>
> i'll soon be collecting a belated First Time Triathlete medal for my
> first race last year.... the organizers took a while to come up with
> this idea, but hey, better late than never. so i'll have a little
> hardware.
>
> > 7. You think a 5 mile run is the perfect cool-down after a 130 mile ride
> >
> > 8. Your photo adorns a magazine cover.
>
> hmmm.... not quite that, but my runner cartoon was on a website for a
> week. and my marathon story appeared in The Running Room Magazine, as
> well as at marathonstories.com.
>
> > 9. DIY major body repairs and finishing (after a crash or tripping on
the
> > run). Double extra brownie-points for using only surgical implements /
body
> > parts found on the side of the road.
> >
> > 10. Just turning up at a race looking like and feeling like a
triathlete.
> > You'll know when you're there, if you have to ask, then you're just not
> > ready to assume the mantle...
>
> i know i need a real bike. i'm faking it on that front. from a distance
> it looks snappy with the aeros on and some minor tweaking that i did on
> my own, but it's a cheapo cycle that i've stripped down but haven't put
> much money into yet. i may break down and upgrade this summer.
>
> interesting list, Alan. it got me to thinking... i may not have all the
> gear (fancy bike) but i feel like a tri guy inside. i train hard and
> take it seriously... while having loads of fun with it all. i live to
> train and race.
>
> Cam
>
>
> > FWIW - I have passed some, but not all of these milestones myself, but
I'm
> > not sure what that means!
> >
> > Alan.
> >
> >
> > "onemarathon" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> > news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> > > i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be
a
> > > sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
> > >
> > > this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned
to
> > > train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
> > >
> > > so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie
point?
> > >
> > > any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing this
weekend?
> > >
> > > i mostly lurk here, BTW.
> > >
> > > Cam
> >
> >

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>
>Oh, i didn't think we posted race reports in this ng (at least i don't
>think i've seen any/many here).
>

Unfortunately, that's one tradition that has almost died here.

I would never have done my first Ironman were it not for reading the
race reports here by TriBaby, Jason Mayfield, and others.

Good race.

Mike Tennent
"IronPenguin"

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
"Alan Walker" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Cam,
>
> You only needed to pass any one of these tests, and it sounds like you're a
> real triathlete. After writing that list the other night I think #9 is a
> little scary. Don't worry about the real bike, there's nothing cooler than
> passing some dude on a $5000 bike who's scraping by at 17 mph. Extra
> brownie-points if you're on a Pee-Wee Herman Special!
>
> My wife's first triathlon was on a Peugot "shopping bike", replete with
> racks, but she's definitely a triathlete now, having met several of the
> criteria on my list :-)
>
> How 'bout a race report?
>
> Alan.

Hi Alan,

Heh, no Pee Wee Herman bike here! :)

I posted my report yesterday.... oh, but it might be buried in a post
with an unrelated subject line. I'll put the report up in a sec.

Thanks again,

Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
Mike Tennent <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>
>
> >
> >Oh, i didn't think we posted race reports in this ng (at least i don't
> >think i've seen any/many here).
> >
>
> Unfortunately, that's one tradition that has almost died here.
>
> I would never have done my first Ironman were it not for reading the
> race reports here by TriBaby, Jason Mayfield, and others.
>
> Good race.
>
> Mike Tennent
> "IronPenguin"
>

Thanks Mike. I wonder about the posting of reports here.... they are the
lifeblood of the running ng. And they are what inspire me, too, to go on
to bigger and better things.

Cam