Tri-tastic - Page 3 - Triathlon

Dangerous Dave

05/02/2004 at 10:40

Hi Guinevere, I did the London Tri last year - sprint distance - it was the first time I'd taken part in any kind of sport since leaving school and it was absolutely brilliant experience.

The organizers of the London Tri are very helpful to first timers, they do training days and answered any questions I e-mailed to them.

I've just skimmed through this thread and you I think you said you were most concerned about the swim - I was too. For me starting to swim in wetsuit was the hardest thing as I only swim breast stroke. I think the best advice I can give is start training in a wetsuit by April at the latest. Also find a large outdoor pool, Tooting Lido or the Serpertine for me. If you swim front crawl you shouldn't have the same problems as me, but if you swim breast stroke I found a windsurfing shortie wetsuit better as it doesn't restrict elbow and knee flexing the way a full length one does.

For the race don't let yourself get exhusted by the swim, just go at an easy pace for you and think about making up time on the road. I was nearly last out of the water but had a huge smile on my face as went by the others on the bike and run.

I ended up doing far better than I expected to. I started out just wanting to finish but as I trained I aimed for 2 hours and then 1hr 45min and ended up finishing in 1hr 36min.

Go on enter you'll love it.

Daz

05/02/2004 at 11:17

Guinevere,
you can still get in london this year (through ballot) if you wanted to. as others have said the sprint course will be easy for you if you can do marathons and dont have a prob swimming.

how fast are you - what could you do for 750m with wetsuit? my advice is to start at the sides out of (h)arms way. then when the field has spread out a little and before you reach the first buoy, start to move in-field a bit and start to draft behind someone.

JJ, ongar try-a-tri is about 8 miles from epping and is run by tri sport epping i think (website: http://www.trisportepping.co.uk/tseevents/tryatri.html)
I've won it last two years, but used my flatmates name (Rob) in 2002......because novice entrants are not supposed to have done more than 3 other tri's. By last year I think I'd done 15. Told you I'm naughty! :O)

Dr Nic Twinks

05/02/2004 at 11:56

Daz, that's really bad actually! Hmmm. You robbed some genuine novice of the prize.

Daz

05/02/2004 at 14:18

there isnt a prize in this race nic. they dont even put the times in order if you see the website.

and i know at least 3 other people there who have done it the prev two years like me :O)

Guinevere

05/02/2004 at 14:25

Carl, it's about three and a half miles from my house to the office. It's not far, but today was first time I had cycled in the dark so was slightly scary :-)
Also getting used to the razor saddle on my racer!!

Ping Pong Boy - I admire your optimism, but am still not sure about this summer!!
I think I could do the bike bit with a lot of practice and the run should be all right but I'm sure it takes me about 50 secs to do a length breast-stroke so 750M would take me AGES!!!!

But then again, Dangerous Dave's posting has inspired me... What happens if you get in through the ballot and then get injured? Is it the same as marathons where they will hold your place to the following year??

Daz

05/02/2004 at 14:41

guin, yes i think you get an automatic for the next year

Dr Nic Twinks

05/02/2004 at 14:42

Hmmm Daz.

Daz

05/02/2004 at 14:54

hmmm nic ;o)

Guinevere

05/02/2004 at 15:06

Hmmmmmmmm.....
I might not get in thru ballot anyway.....
Someone stop me??

Daz

05/02/2004 at 15:08

No Guin, you HAVE to enter....or you'll regret it :O(

go here:- http://www.thelondontriathlon.com/entry/userlogin.asp

the london tri is waiting for you....it's beckoning you into it's loving arms....do not resist!

Guinevere

05/02/2004 at 15:14

I have filled in the form... I have been provisionally allocated Female Sprint Group 2... All I have to do is pay.
Yikes!!

Daz

05/02/2004 at 15:17

yay you!
type in that 16 digit number!

:O)

Guinevere

05/02/2004 at 15:19

Tis done... But although the site link said "click here to guarantee your place!" it doesn't guarantee it at all, I am only in the ballot :-(
How likely is it that I will get in???

Ping Pong Boy

05/02/2004 at 15:23

What are you like Guin. NO will power. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to be the last out of the water in the Scottish Tri's this season.

Drowning PPB.

Daz

05/02/2004 at 15:25

hmm dont know. this is the first year theyve used a ballot system.

personally i think they brought it in to trim some of the olympic groups where there were far too many people last year (my age group had 300-odd which was crammed in the swim). i think the female sprints should be ok........so you looking forward to it now? :O)

Dangerous Dave

05/02/2004 at 15:30

Well done Guinevere - I'll buy you pint afterwards.

Guinevere

05/02/2004 at 15:40

Yes. Still worried about the swim. The site says the average is 17 mins!! Mine'll be closer to half an hour!!!!
But 50 mins for the bike seems do-able and 32 mins for the run is all right. It's just piecing it all together...
I hope I know what I am letting myself in for :o)
I have emailed their office to ask re the ballot situation too!!

Dr Nic Twinks

05/02/2004 at 15:51

Well done Guinevere, you'll have a ball!

Daz, am still not impressed. *tutttt* !

Dangerous Dave

05/02/2004 at 16:10

I was worried about the swim too, but it was fine on the day. If you know you're going to be a slow swimmer stay at the back for the start and let the others go, that way people won't be crashing into you. Swim at your own pace and relax. The main mistake I saw the other bad swimmers make was trying go to fast at the beginning and running out of steam. One guy ahead of me went charging off and had to change to back stroke after 250m because he'd exhusted himself.

Most DNFs are in T1 because they over did it in the swim.

And get that wetsuit and start train outdoors as soon as the weather is good enough.

Guinevere

05/02/2004 at 16:14

Where exactly is the swim on the day??