Newbie finished his first sprint triathlon - Triathlon Week

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

So I just finished my first sprint triathlon. To be honest I started
tapering my training about a month ago. I think I was doing about one
day of training a week and either running or swimming.

I could tell the impact it had on my swimming since I wasn't making
any significant strides in the pool. The yardage distances for this
tri was 400 yard swim, 11 mile bike, 3 mile run.

I think those yardage markers are off tho because I did the swim about
a minute faster than my fastest time in the pool. The wierdest thing
about doing my first tri was trying to get used to swimming in a pack
and in a lake as opposed to the pool. I freaked out initially having
people jostling me. I found it hard to get into a rhythm...as soon as
I did, I would invariably bump into someone in front of me. And while
I have competed in track in high school, I never "competed" in
swimming. I found myself hyperventilating in my swim. It almost felt
like I was back in week 1 of my training where I had to stop every 50
yards to catch my breath. Eventually I eked it out, separated from
the pack (or perhaps the pack separated from me!). The other thing
that didn't help was as I was walking into the water, my wife pointed
out all of this goose poop that was all over the beach. She said, "I
bet there's a ton of that goose poop in the water..." And that was
the LAST thing I heard going into the water and for some reason, just
couldn't get it out of my head (which made breathing normally a tad
difficult).

I finished and it was fun. It makes me think twice tho about doing an
olympic distance one in real open water (like the ocean, versus even a
lake). It also made me realize I need to go practice some open water
swimming before I do take on such a challenge. How do people deal
with the jostling? As a slow swimmer, I tried to stay in the back of
the pack, but ended up getting pushed up to half way to the
front...which didn't help matters. Perhaps I'll just have to make
sure i'm at the VERY back of the pack.

Thanks again for all those who were encouraging and provided helpful
hints.

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

"FFBSensei" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:fe5916f0.0408222102.7e2a5090@posting.google.c om...
> So I just finished my first sprint triathlon. To be
honest I started

Welcome to the sport!

....
> I think those yardage markers are off tho because I did
the swim about

The markers are always off. Sometimes there is a current,
sometimes wind, sometimes cold/hot spots. It's rarely (if
ever) like being in a pool.

> a minute faster than my fastest time in the pool. The
wierdest thing
> about doing my first tri was trying to get used to
swimming in a pack
> and in a lake as opposed to the pool. I freaked out
initially having

Your faster time has to do with several things. First you
get excited because you're in a race - that normally makes
you a tad faster. Second you are swimming in a pack, wich
like cycling, is always faster than doing it alone. And
there are the winds, currents, and "short" courses.

> people jostling me. I found it hard to get into a
rhythm...as soon as
> I did, I would invariably bump into someone in front of
me. And while
> I have competed in track in high school, I never
"competed" in
> swimming. I found myself hyperventilating in my swim. It
almost felt

This is normal for the first open-water swim. Being from
Colorado with few open water opportunities it took me years
to get comfortable in openwater. After moving to Rhode
Island I began to practice openwater - it took a good 4 swim
workout before I started to feel at ease. Now it's not a
problem.

> like I was back in week 1 of my training where I had to
stop every 50
> yards to catch my breath. Eventually I eked it out,
separated from
> the pack (or perhaps the pack separated from me!). The
other thing
> that didn't help was as I was walking into the water, my
wife pointed
> out all of this goose poop that was all over the beach.
She said, "I
> bet there's a ton of that goose poop in the water..." And
that was
> the LAST thing I heard going into the water and for some
reason, just
> couldn't get it out of my head (which made breathing
normally a tad
> difficult).

The "mind game" is greatly under estimated in triathlons.
From trash talk, to concerns about what's lurking under the
water, to seeing a carbon fiber Zipp bike in the transition
area, to doubts about prepardness - the mind game is huge.
In the future you may want to suggest to your wife that she
will get a better view of your swim somewhere other than
where you need to focus your mind for the start of the race.

>
> I finished and it was fun. It makes me think twice tho
about doing an
> olympic distance one in real open water (like the ocean,
versus even a
> lake). It also made me realize I need to go practice some
open water
> swimming before I do take on such a challenge. How do
people deal

Congratulations! Fun is the key.

> with the jostling? As a slow swimmer, I tried to stay in
the back of
> the pack, but ended up getting pushed up to half way to
the
> front...which didn't help matters. Perhaps I'll just have
to make
> sure i'm at the VERY back of the pack.
>

The further back you start the more people you have to swim
through. If you're already "caught up" in the mid-front -
use that to your advantage.

My recommendation is to start to the outside of the main
field. This allows you to find your own rythem and pace
without having to worry about being too far forward or
waiting to start after everyone else has already gone. It
also helps to keep you from getting pinned at the first
bouie. As the field stretches out you can move back into
the slipstream to catch the draft without too much bumping
and grinding.

-CF

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (FFBSensei) wrote:

>
>I finished and it was fun. It makes me think twice tho about doing an
>olympic distance one in real open water (like the ocean, versus even a
>lake). It also made me realize I need to go practice some open water
>swimming before I do take on such a challenge.

If you decide to do a tri with an ocean swim, be sure you get some
practice swims in the ocean. The higher waves make breathing and
navigating more difficult. Experience counts.

>How do people deal
>with the jostling? As a slow swimmer, I tried to stay in the back of
>the pack, but ended up getting pushed up to half way to the
>front...which didn't help matters. Perhaps I'll just have to make
>sure i'm at the VERY back of the pack.
>

That's the best way. Again, experience is the answer. Do a few more
and you'll get better at seeding yourself. Try staying more to the
outside as well as to the back.

>Thanks again for all those who were encouraging and provided helpful
>hints.

Congratulations on your first tri!

Mike Tennent
"IronPenguin"

08-23-2004, 07:09 PM

i just finished the same one u did. yup, that water was pretty nasty at the
beach. it was my first one and i finished at 1:16 or so. not bad since i
wanted to do it in under 1:30. it was a lot of fun! i think i'll try it
again next year. i'm thinking about doing the treasure island one coming up
in november. we'll see....

"FFBSensei" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:fe5916f0.0408222102.7e2a5090@posting.google.c om...
> So I just finished my first sprint triathlon. To be honest I started
> tapering my training about a month ago. I think I was doing about one
> day of training a week and either running or swimming.
>
> I could tell the impact it had on my swimming since I wasn't making
> any significant strides in the pool. The yardage distances for this
> tri was 400 yard swim, 11 mile bike, 3 mile run.
>
> I think those yardage markers are off tho because I did the swim about
> a minute faster than my fastest time in the pool. The wierdest thing
> about doing my first tri was trying to get used to swimming in a pack
> and in a lake as opposed to the pool. I freaked out initially having
> people jostling me. I found it hard to get into a rhythm...as soon as
> I did, I would invariably bump into someone in front of me. And while
> I have competed in track in high school, I never "competed" in
> swimming. I found myself hyperventilating in my swim. It almost felt
> like I was back in week 1 of my training where I had to stop every 50
> yards to catch my breath. Eventually I eked it out, separated from
> the pack (or perhaps the pack separated from me!). The other thing
> that didn't help was as I was walking into the water, my wife pointed
> out all of this goose poop that was all over the beach. She said, "I
> bet there's a ton of that goose poop in the water..." And that was
> the LAST thing I heard going into the water and for some reason, just
> couldn't get it out of my head (which made breathing normally a tad
> difficult).
>
> I finished and it was fun. It makes me think twice tho about doing an
> olympic distance one in real open water (like the ocean, versus even a
> lake). It also made me realize I need to go practice some open water
> swimming before I do take on such a challenge. How do people deal
> with the jostling? As a slow swimmer, I tried to stay in the back of
> the pack, but ended up getting pushed up to half way to the
> front...which didn't help matters. Perhaps I'll just have to make
> sure i'm at the VERY back of the pack.
>
> Thanks again for all those who were encouraging and provided helpful
> hints.

08-24-2004, 11:44 PM

Thanks for the feedback!
>
> The "mind game" is greatly under estimated in triathlons.
> From trash talk, to concerns about what's lurking under the
> water, to seeing a carbon fiber Zipp bike in the transition
> area, to doubts about prepardness - the mind game is huge.
> In the future you may want to suggest to your wife that she
> will get a better view of your swim somewhere other than
> where you need to focus your mind for the start of the race.
>

I would have done that, except we were doing the triathlon together! ;)

> My recommendation is to start to the outside of the main
> field. This allows you to find your own rythem and pace
> without having to worry about being too far forward or
> waiting to start after everyone else has already gone. It
> also helps to keep you from getting pinned at the first
> bouie. As the field stretches out you can move back into
> the slipstream to catch the draft without too much bumping
> and grinding.
>
> -CF

Good suggestion, I'll try that next time.