What was your biggest problem when you first started tri?

Just thought it would maybe be a helpful thread for people new to it.

For me 3 things stick out, firstly I couldn't swim crawl at all. The solution was about 5 inexpensive one on one swim sessions with our tri coach swim.

The second is still to do with swimming. Pool was fine but when I tried OW I had panic attacks, I'm not built like a swimmer and it's not a natural environment for me.

The solution again came through the tri club and making myself go to their OW coaching sessions. It took about a year for me to feel ok in the water, I mean really ok but it meant that I completed the triathlons I had within that first year. I would thoroughly recommend OW sessions before an OW tri for anyone who doesn't come from a swimming background.

Third thing... Unclipping on the bike, basically I couldn't and had a couple of falls which rocked my confidence. The solution was that I bought the easiest pedals (in my opinion) to unclip from, Speedplays, and the rest was just practice in situations that were controlled (my kitchen).

I couldn't swim.............

I didn;t have a bike.....

Dave....you could write a book about that........

Never thought about that..

Did I mention I'm a crap runner as well

But you had a caravan Dave... Those were the days...

Cheerful Dave wrote (see)

Swimming, either complete inability or lack of confidence in OW, will feature for many people I would guess.

Cost (either real or perceived) will come up too.

My biggest hurdle to IM was convincing my wife that it could be done without devoting every waking moment to training.

How did that go? IM training put a stress on my marriage, but that was a combination of my personality and the training to be fair.

Not a serious stress I might add, no way is any of this more important than my husband and his feelings.

Mine are well documented.

Maybe I would have been better if I'd had a caravan.

I'm hoping to do my first triathlon later this year, and come from a running background.  I am struggling with the swimming (in every sense - if it invovles swimming, I'm struggling with it) and the cycling (specifically, gears).  I have now had the first of five swimming lessons (pool), and hope to do my first OW session later this week.  Haven't overcome the problem with gears yet, but I'm hoping that it will suddenly click, so I guess I'm overcoming that by practice.

I was pondering yesterday what background is the best one to have.  I was thinking it woudl be nice to be an ace swimmer, or not have to worry about the bike leg.  On balance I think being confident about the run is probably best, but I may just be trying to make myself feel better!  I guess it might be different depending on distances as well - I can probably muddle through a short bike ride doing daft things with my gears, but an IM would be a different story.

Princess Leah wrote (see)

I'm hoping to do my first triathlon later this year, and come from a running background.  I am struggling with the swimming (in every sense - if it invovles swimming, I'm struggling with it) and the cycling (specifically, gears).  I have now had the first of five swimming lessons (pool), and hope to do my first OW session later this week.  Haven't overcome the problem with gears yet, but I'm hoping that it will suddenly click, so I guess I'm overcoming that by practice.

I was pondering yesterday what background is the best one to have.  I was thinking it woudl be nice to be an ace swimmer, or not have to worry about the bike leg.  On balance I think being confident about the run is probably best, but I may just be trying to make myself feel better!  I guess it might be different depending on distances as well - I can probably muddle through a short bike ride doing daft things with my gears, but an IM would be a different story.

The gearing does come, also you have to find out with the cycling what suits you personally. I came at it from a running background and the generic advice when hill climbing is to stay in the saddle, but I'm out of the saddle so much on hills and flat because of the running.

What are you specifically finding hard about the gearing?

Ironholgs wrote (see)

Mine are well documented.

Maybe I would have been better if I'd had a caravan.

Round Ireland with a Fridge as we know has been done, IM with a caravan in tow has not. Just include me in the royalties.

I'll leave you to write that one me dear

Convincing my OH that swimming and cycling weren't going to kill me, and that I would give up golf to pay for the kit I'd need.

The support from the massive was fantastic

I'm actually coming from the (un)envious angle of someone who is yet to embark on the three sport challenge, so I might be able to provide a newbie angle.

Being of the Australian persuasion, I'm more than comfortable in the water, so swimming holds no fear for me thankfully.  But cycling - my lord - if I get passed by another pensioner on a rusted heap, I may cry.  I understand that it is just about time in the saddle for now, and I'm trying to teach my legs how to go the distance.

I recently finished my first marathon, so I know I can get there - but cost of the sport, nailing down cycling and finding time between my training and my OH (as well as the responsibility of raising an 8 month old!) makes it...challenging.

(note: Holgs - recently finished your book mate - cracking read!)

I can swim (in a pool anyway) and can't run.

Running ability is taken for granted (unlike swimming) and I thought by 'just running' i may turn into a runner. I haven't and after Outlaw I am very tempted to focus on it for a while and look into the biomechanics and technique stuff (plus loosing more lard will help!)

PL, stick with the swimming. Spend time on technique and be patient. There is good stuff,like swimsmooth on the Internet to help as an alternative to lessons.

I'm still very much at the start of my tri career and although the individual elements each have their challenges for me the biggest barrier has been the mental one.  I am committed to working hard at everything I do, but I go through serious down phases brought on by IBS (one feeds off the other) and so I often end up feeling depressed and demotivated coupled with an inability to eat. 

Once I've forced myself out the door for a swim/cycle/run I feel loads better and eat like a horse but its taking that first step, sometimes it feels like my feet are glued to the spot and no matter how hard I try they just won't move.  I'm hoping that building a routine will help and having a super supportive OH makes a world of difference.

Couldnt swim, didnt have a bike and was crap at running.

I can now swim, have got a bike but still crap at running.

Cost was the main hurdle for me... So I graduated!

Other than that confidence on the bike was a major major limiter. Spending a solid week on two wheels in France was the start of the real slippery slope...