anyone given a go at triathlons?

[sperminator]

I wont be working or taking summer school this summer so i think im going to try to do a triathlon at the end of summer. I was wondering if anyone had any advice to share.

[Zippo]

Just go do one and then decide if you want to do 'em for fun, or get psychotic about it. I did a bunch of 'em in my teens, more for the novelty of it than anything. I can tread water all day (surfer) but I suck at swimming fast, I can run but I hate it, but I live for the bike...

[ifouiripilay]

I've done the xterra tri in temecula. I'm not a swimmer so I did the sport which is shorter. Xterra is more off road, swim, mt bike xc, trail run. Thought it was much harder than a normal tri. I road my 40lb turner rfx w/ minions, bash guard, and in tri gear! Needless to say, spandex and a freeride rig looked horrible.
Swimming is usually the most difficult for most and most tri training is focus on improving swim time and stroke. Take a look at tri club of San diego web site there's a beginner tab that answers most questions and has a training schedule. Good luck.

[ifouiripilay]

At the tri club san diego web site, look under the training tab then you'll see the beginners corner.

[sperminator]

cool thanks for th info.

[jonathan_sykes81]

You should talk to Zippy. Send him a pm or something.

[BoingBoing]

I personally don't see the appeal. I mean, it's to show that you are a good 'overall' athlete. I'll have to get good at biking before I can worry about being 'well-rounded.'

But if it's appealing to you, more power. I have a friend who keeps telling me that cyclists win triathlons. He says the swimmers just can't get the hang of the bike, or they'd win. FWIW.

[nomadFF]

I just signed up for the Pacific Coast triathlon at Crystal Cove. I have been curious as well so I thought I would give it a go. I have never done one. It is a "sprint" distance so the distance traveled is pretty minimal. I am going to put road tires on my Niner hardtail, with the rigid fork. It should be fun, let me know if you sign up.

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by nomadFF

I just signed up for the Pacific Coast triathlon at Crystal Cove. I have been curious as well so I thought I would give it a go. I have never done one. It is a "sprint" distance so the distance traveled is pretty minimal. I am going to put road tires on my Niner hardtail, with the rigid fork. It should be fun, let me know if you sign up.

This is a great starting point. if you are in any kind of shape its not too bad. Most people get stuck on their weak areas. Usually swimming over the reef freaks people out but I would keep to the back of the pack because of the animals up front that had particularly sharp elbows. I have friend that our training would include the swim then ride Morro for hours and I had enough running experience that I ran the course once a week. One year my race number was "666" and people did not want to stand next to me. This is such a fun event, you see all levels, and it will tell you if Tri's are your thing. The only triathlon I liked better was the Women's Danskin Tri in San Diego, it would bring in all the elite women in the world, very impressive. Sorry, no boys allowed, women only.

[ChrisB]

The crystal cove is the national qualifier this year for the worlds. First time ever sprint world championships. There will be a lot of fast guys out there. Make sure you let them go first because they will not hesitate to personally move you out of their way. Yes, you are doing it just for fun. Yes, they are doing it as seriously as possible hoping to get their big break.

[poy]

i tried duathlon once! i cant swim for too long!

[paulbschmidt]

Advice would be train like hell.

I admire you for wanting to do one. One of my best friends has done three ironman competitions (womens) and she trains both men and women for both triathalons and ironman competitions.

Let me know if you want to chat with her, I'll send you her info.

PBS

[Zippy]

(stands up and clears throat)

"My name's Eric and I'm a triathlete"

I've been racing Tri's since 2003; everything from Sprints to 1/2 IM. Since 2005, my focus has been Xterra (www.xterraplanet.com) and I recently started my own coaching business so I can help people just like you get involved in a sport that has changed my life and the lives of those whom I've inspired to give it a try.

I'd love to help you out, but It's hard for me to give you advice without knowing anything about you and I could ramble on for pages with beginner advice.

Here's the "Reader's Digest" version:

Pick a race, sign up, try to get in 2-3 workouts per sport per week. Practice open water swimming and sighting and go through your transitions before race day. Borrow or rent a wetsuit (wetsuitrental.com): way easier to swim with one. Pace yourself. For your first one, just focus on finishing with a smile on your face.

Shoot me an e-mail if you have more "embarassing" or detailed questions. I'm happy to help beginners!

Eric
LyroVk@aol.com

[sperminator]

I just checked out the Pacific Coast triathlon at Crystal Cove are all the registration fees this high? I want to do this however i'm still a college student and really cant afford this. thanks.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by sperminator

I just checked out the Pacific Coast triathlon at Crystal Cove are all the registration fees this high? I want to do this however i'm still a college student and really cant afford this. thanks.

Sometimes the Collegiate categories are less expensive and shorter races are cheaper than longer ones, but yeah: expect to pay about $100 for a race entry.

See if the tri team on campus reimburses race entries for members. Might be worth the membership fee, but I think you're in Summer session and I doubt they're racing officially right now (I raced for UCSD in 2006).

[chevrolegs]

I've always wanted to try one but I seem to just sink when I get in the water..

[sperminator]

im the same way when i stop swimming think im a mixture of lead and rock on the insides

[ChrisB]

Originally Posted by sperminator

im the same way when i stop swimming think im a mixture of lead and rock on the insides

Iron rich blood?

[dirtvert]

the only one i've done was in morro bay. it's a fun road trip and a mellow swim in the bay.

[Dizle]

I also want to do one but not sure where to start as far as equipment goes. Guess I could borrow a road bike, read some books and train like hell. hmmmm