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Triathlon Noob Questions

1,031 Views | 26 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by farmersfight
Tyrone_The_Tuna
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Have always wanted to do a Triathlon so I signed up for a sprint in El Paso for September. Any recommendations for training schedules or routines??
HvilleAggie
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If you're reasonably fit you'll be fine. Try to enjoy the experience and not get too caught up with racing anyone else.

For training I'd recommend running after cycling as often as you can. It's an odd sensation that you may not expect in your first race.

Good luck!
Iraq2xVeteran
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To prepare for sprint triathlons, practice running after biking or have dedicated days for each part. Focus more om finishing than on completion time. I completed the 2020 XTERRA Sprint Triathlon in Navasota in July 2016 and the Tri Aggieland Sprint Triathlon July 2017.
wcb
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How's your swim? Lots of us triathletes are actually biathletes that just gut it out through the water. If that's you, learn to legit swim. It's the one thing I wish I'd done long ago.

Other than that, just enjoy it. Did my first one on a beat up Walmart mountain bike. Loved every minute of it...after I got out of the water.
Kool
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Second (third) on the recommendation to practice "bricks" - getting off the bike and starting to run. I say that assuming you can confidently swim the distance needed with ease. Also, if it's an open water swim, have a plan in place for sighting so you don't zig-zag too much. Any practice you can get in open water would be helpful.
Mostly, have fun. It'll be over before you know it and you'll be signing up for an Olympic tri next.
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94chem
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wcb said:

How's your swim? Lots of us triathletes are actually biathletes that just gut it out through the water. If that's you, learn to legit swim. It's the one thing I wish I'd done long ago.

Other than that, just enjoy it. Did my first one on a beat up Walmart mountain bike. Loved every minute of it...after I got out of the water.
Username implies that swimming won't be an issue.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
Tyrone_The_Tuna
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Grew up swimming and love it and for a guy my size 300+ I feel pretty confident in my ability, but will defiantly need to work on distance. I just started IMF and my goal is to use this as a way to lose a lot of weight so i am not looking for a top time.

thanks for all the help!
AggieOO
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Tyrone_The_Tuna said:

Grew up swimming and love it and for a guy my size 300+ I feel pretty confident in my ability, but will defiantly need to work on distance. I just started IMF and my goal is to use this as a way to lose a lot of weight so i am not looking for a top time.

thanks for all the help!
good luck! and don't feel discouraged on race day when you see all the people with fancy gear. There are people with more money than ability. On race day you will see everything from wal-mart bikes to high 4 figure bikes (and maybe a 5 figure bike). You will see people from kids to seniors, big and small. Kudos to you for getting out there! Have fun!

When I did IM Texas, I saw a guy who was easily 300+ finish the race.
P.U.T.U
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There are lots of free training programs out there like Training Peaks and countless others I have forgotten since I stopped. That is one of the best things about triathlons, there are people of all shapes, sizes, and ages out there.

Starting off joining a triathlon group in your area helps a lot. They can help you get down the basics and what you need to know for your first race. People talk about drafting on the swim, running starts on the bike, etc. which maybe 1% do during an actual race. Stick to the basics such as swimming in a straight line, drinking on the bike, and not starting off too fast in anything.
Ragoo
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Don't use a mountain bike. Wheel size alone is a huge disadvantage.
P.U.T.U
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Ragoo said:

Don't use a mountain bike. Wheel size alone is a huge disadvantage.
If it is your first race use whatever you want to find out if you like doing them. No reason to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for a hobby you are not going to want to keep up with. Plus fit geometry will drop with weight drop which may require a different bike.
Ragoo
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P.U.T.U said:

Ragoo said:

Don't use a mountain bike. Wheel size alone is a huge disadvantage.
If it is your first race use whatever you want to find out if you like doing them. No reason to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for a hobby you are not going to want to keep up with. Plus fit geometry will drop with weight drop which may require a different bike.
fair. Did my first sprint on a mountain bike and it was pretty miserable.
P.U.T.U
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I did a race with a mountain bike to prove a point, it is a ton more difficult than a road or tri bike. I have known too many people get a carbon road or tri bike before they did a single race and never did many after that.
htxag09
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I didn't have a bike so bought a decent used road bike my first race. My thought was it was a good enough bike to continue riding if I liked it, wouldn't have to upgrade right away. But by buying used it came with pedals, bottle holders, etc and I could sell for close to what I bought it for if I hated it.

I ended up loving it and buying a tri bike anyways
wcb
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Quote:

I ended up loving it and buying a tri bike anyways

The story of every triathlete summed up in one statement.
Ragoo
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wcb said:


Quote:

I ended up loving it and buying a tri bike anyways

The story of every triathlete summed up in one statement.
haha. I am still on my road bike. Specialized Allez Sport I bought off of here. I would love a tri bike and a professional fit. Just not sure where to go in Houston for that. Or what a reasonable budget should be.
HvilleAggie
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Well a reasonable budget is whatever you determine it to be. There are several reputable bike shops and fit studios in Houston, might be a conversation for a different thread so as not to clutter up the OP
txags92
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Ragoo said:

wcb said:


Quote:

I ended up loving it and buying a tri bike anyways

The story of every triathlete summed up in one statement.
haha. I am still on my road bike. Specialized Allez Sport I bought off of here. I would love a tri bike and a professional fit. Just not sure where to go in Houston for that. Or what a reasonable budget should be.
I'd recommend Tad Hughes for the bike fit. He used to offer a package where you could go do a fit on his dynamic bike, and he would then recommend bikes that would be best for your geometry. After you bought, you could get it setup using the measurements from the dynamic fit, and then go back to him for tweaks after riding it for a bit. I am not sure if he still offers that, but it would be worth looking into if you are looking to buy a new bike.
AggieOO
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Ragoo said:

P.U.T.U said:

Ragoo said:

Don't use a mountain bike. Wheel size alone is a huge disadvantage.
If it is your first race use whatever you want to find out if you like doing them. No reason to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for a hobby you are not going to want to keep up with. Plus fit geometry will drop with weight drop which may require a different bike.
fair. Did my first sprint on a mountain bike and it was pretty miserable.
i did my first sprint on a borrowed mountain bike that i'd never ridden until race day. I wasn't miserable b/c i had nothing to compare it to. I didn't know any different/better. I was just having fun doing the event.
txags92
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Tyrone_The_Tuna said:

Have always wanted to do a Triathlon so I signed up for a sprint in El Paso for September. Any recommendations for training schedules or routines??
Train hardest on the sport you are weakest at, work on slowly increasing distance and endurance for the other 2. Wait until you have some endurance built up in both running and cycling before you start doing bricks.
htxag09
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txags92 said:

Ragoo said:

wcb said:


Quote:

I ended up loving it and buying a tri bike anyways

The story of every triathlete summed up in one statement.
haha. I am still on my road bike. Specialized Allez Sport I bought off of here. I would love a tri bike and a professional fit. Just not sure where to go in Houston for that. Or what a reasonable budget should be.
I'd recommend Tad Hughes for the bike fit. He used to offer a package where you could go do a fit on his dynamic bike, and he would then recommend bikes that would be best for your geometry. After you bought, you could get it setup using the measurements from the dynamic fit, and then go back to him for tweaks after riding it for a bit. I am not sure if he still offers that, but it would be worth looking into if you are looking to buy a new bike.

I've done tad Hughes and the bike barn off weslayan. I liked tad Hughes a little more. But I ran by his shop in the heights the other day and it looked closed. He still doing fits?
txags92
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No idea. I went to him back in 2015 or 2016 and havent been there since. He used to run by appt only and i think he travels quite a bit to do fits elsewhere.
RustyBoltz
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Ragoo said:

Don't use a mountain bike. Wheel size alone is a huge disadvantage.
This guy would like a word.

txags92
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RustyBoltz said:

Ragoo said:

Don't use a mountain bike. Wheel size alone is a huge disadvantage.
This guy would like a word.


Might be the same dude, but I rode with NWCC on one of their Sat rides out of Zube Park a few years back. There was a guy who was visiting from Miami, who was dropped off at the start by his girl friend and he was riding a borrowed mountain bike and rode the first 24ish miles with the 22+ mph group (I was not with that group...). She picked him up in Hempstead at the usual mid-ride stop, but he apparently kept up with that group for the whole 24 miles.
AggieOO
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From IM Louisville several years back:



there was a bmx guy too, but can't find those pics.
easttexasaggie04
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Jorts
SoTxAg
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Did a sprint one time with my mountain bike and entered the "mountain bike division". The bike part was on a city street, no off road at all. Little did I know everyone else entered in the mountain bike division had switched their tires from knobbies to smooth road tires. That sucked.
farmersfight
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I saw him at IMTX 2018, there were a few guys riding fat tires. Also crossed paths with him at some big park in Houston during Texas Independence Relay.
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