New person needs help please - Page 3 - Triathlon Week

LIZZ · 01-18-2004, 03:25 PM

I am looking to do my first tri this year too. My husband and I were told by our nine year old daughter that she was worried about our health since my husband has MS and I was showing symptoms of diabetes and both of us were morbidly obese weighing in at 246lbs for me and 312lbs for hubby. He has lost 132 lbs and is registering for his first half marathon in April (first full in october with a desire to do Iron Man in Coeur d' Alene ID next year). I am closing in on my 170lb weight the doc wants me at and trying to find a sprint tri to do. My daughter had the incredible opportunity to learn from a world class swimming coach for her swim team. I was fortuneate enough to get him to teach me some technique. Everything in swimming is about how efficient you can make yourself in the water. Competitive swimming and tri swimming differ slightly because in tri swimming you want to use your upper body more and reserve your lower body for the run and bike. My 400 yrd swim is at about a time of 8-10 minutes depending on how hard I push it. Now a 1650 is well within my reach, but my bike and my run are so weak. Of all the research I have done I have learned that the swim is the most technical and hardest to master. If you can find a swim coach in your area fantastic. If not try looking on USA Swimming and the ASCA (american swim coaches assoc) websites. I got a lot of material from them on swim technique(videos, books etc.) It may cost you a little money but if you want to get serious it may be a good investment. Good luck Jim!!!

Jim Dugan · 01-19-2004, 04:09 AM

Lizz,

Thanks for the info on swimming, while I'm not very fast on the bike or running, I know I can make it in those areas.

Swim I'm not so sure... I'll start training for the swim in late Feb. when I can finally get into a pool in my area. I can swim, but really don't know how to race, so I'm hoping to find a local coach of some sort to help me... thanks for the info on the swimming groups you mentioned, I'll see if I can find someone that way.

The first race I'm looking to enter is in May with a 660 yard swim, your commetns make me wonder if I should try for a race with a 400 yard/ meter swim instead.

Good luck to you in your races in 2004.

jtwhitmor · 01-19-2004, 06:49 AM

Jim-
If you have any tri, bike or running specialty shops in your area ask them if they know of any tri clubs. They often do clinics on transitions, fixing flats etc as well as organize workouts.

Jim Dugan · 01-19-2004, 10:09 AM

jtwhitmore,

thanks for advice.... I know that at this point if I get a flat during a race, I'd be out of luck.

LIZZ · 01-19-2004, 10:51 AM

Thanks JT. It's things like fixing flats and transitions that to someone that has done this before would look at as trivial. To me its a big worry (the unknown) I was getting dressed to swim yesterday after doing my run. I now understand why the swim is first! I use a competition suit and it is not easy to get on. Trying to do it quickly would leave me in a position to do some psychological damage to some little boy!!:D