I cycle
I don't run
I can but don't swim

...and...I am contemplating participating in a triathlon...

Looking at 2021 (perhaps IM Texas), but what would be a realistic goal and or expectation in regards to time, how do you find a coach, cost of a coach? Just assume I am fit enough for the purposes of this conversation.

Any advice, recommendations, etc is welcome.

Maybe start with something less than an IM (sprint or olympic) just to give it a shot first

Id start with a sprint, then olympic and move up. Just learn how to "tri" so to speak. Its amazing how much you can lewrn and get better at the sport by doing so.

Realistic? 3yrs.
Endurance takes time. Start with working up to an Oly and see if you even enjoy it.
You don't need a coach; you can get pretty far on your own just following a generic plan off of Triathlete Mag or something. Getting through a Half IM will tell you a lot about yourself, your training, and your nutrition. After that, you can decide how structured you need to be going into IM training and if you require personalized coaching.

Define cycle. Are 100 mile rides easy for you? If your goal is to finish an IM, it's not that hard if you have years and years of base miles in you. It's a long day, but it can be done. Especially if you're looking at one 2 yrs from now. Do some shorter ones and maybe a half IM to work out the kinks before going for a long day.

Whiskey Jacket said:

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... but what would be a realistic goal and or expectation in regards to time...

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The pros do it in less than 8 hours, and the cutoff is 17. So there's your range.

I've gone 12:30 on a flat Florida course and 16:55 on possibly the hilliest bike on the circuit. Fitness will have a large impact on your race, but so will the weather, your nutrition, the course you choose, etc.

You're the only one that knows what is realistic. Can you hold down 20 mph for 112 miles on a bike and then hold a 10:30 pace for 26 hours? You *might* have a shot at cracking 12 hours. Go take a look at the IM Texas web site. It will have last year's results for your age group and what their swim / bike / run paces were. That will tell you what your goals should be if you want to go top 25/50/75% of your age group.

You've said you don't do 2 of the 3 disciplines. Is this because you don't enjoy them? Or just haven't explored them?

While there's something gratifying about getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new, when it comes down to it this is a hobby. Do something you truly enjoy. IM training is a grind...if you don't enjoy the different disciplines your motivation will wane when you get into the high volume weeks.

It's hard to set time or finish goals on these things, because each venue is different, and even at the same venue you can get a bad weather day that throws your goals out the window. For a first timer, "just finish" is a good starting point.

I've had 1:1 coaches for the full IM's I've done. They'll run about $300-$400/mo but are worth it if you get a good one. Alternatively there are some places where you can buy a plan online and get some basic email coaching support for a lower cost of entry. D3 Multisport has some great plans and top-notch coaching. Wcb has used their plans (IIRC) and I've used their 70.3 plans and 1:1 coaching when I did IM Santa Rosa this past May.

Good luck with your decision!

OldAg93 said:

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While there's something gratifying about getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new, when it comes down to it this is a hobby. Do something you truly enjoy.

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I've recently done a few Sprint Triathlons for this reason. Enjoyed the challenge of it and the increased fitness (and the break) over just running, but I don't love it enough to push for the long races. Olympic maybe, but very unlikely to go beyond that. Agree with all the others, train for and do a Sprint (no need for a coach or to spend a ton on equipment), then you'll know. The bug doesn't bite everyone the same.

Doh! Obviously miles not hours. You keep that pace for 26 hours, and yeah, you're good to go.

I saw if you have an athletic background 3 years minimum, 5 years if not (actually what I prefer for someone with zero experience) but it also depends on your goals. Do you just want to finish or do you want to rock it?

I would get a coach, the one I had was like $120 a month and I know a few other good ones $150-200/month. They will teach you how to schedule and for a lot of people hold you back from over training.

Start swimming twice a week in the pool, do some bike rides, run a few days a week. Then do a sprint and see if you like it before you start getting all of this new gear.

About to do IM Chattanooga and while I have a strong athletic background, it still took me about 3 years to build base to the point.

And whomever said that 140.6 training is a grind is spot on - there is nothing like it. Prepare for very little occurring in your life outside of training/work.

Could you start preparing now and finish? Sure. Would it probably suck big time? Yep.

Do some smaller races first and see if you like the sport. If you don't, training 10-20 hours per week for 5-6 months is not going to be a great time.

yukmonkey said:

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And whomever said that 140.6 training is a grind is spot on - there is nothing like it. Prepare for very little occurring in your life outside of training/work.

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So much truth. It's hard to get new triathletes to understand how big a difference there is between the care free style of training you can do to complete a Sprint and the 3:1 week beat downs you have to endure during IM training.

Why don't you train for a marathon first and figure out:

A) How much you like (or dislike) the training

B) How hard it is on your legs

For most of us, the long distance swimming aspect is the part of triathlon that we did not master in childhood in terms of just being able to do the basic motions continuously for a fairly long time (I have never swum continuously for an hour, and personally have no intention of starting). But objectively, the swim is easily the shortest part of the race and if you're fit enough to do the rest, you can do that too.

It would be somewhat of a waste to spend a bunch of time training for a swim (unless you really just like the idea of long distance swimming) and then find that your legs fall apart if you try to run 20+ miles.