Who wants to learn all you need to know about doing a triathlon?

[pixarmom]

@pixarmom - do you clip in on your Lexa?

Still too scared.

 

[Keels]

Still too scared.

Same!!!

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

It's more than etiquette, passing is a large part of the rules. You need to remain a certain distance behind the bike in front of you or you risk being penalized for drafting. When passing, you need to make your pass in one go. The person being passed has the responsibility to fall back to the appropriate distance once you get your front wheel ahead of theirs. They can pass you back only after they reach the minimum distance zone.

Ugh, please don't get me started on this...it is understandable for beginners to get caught in draft zones and I certainly won't hold it against them, but there are a lot of tri d-bags out there that will draft and ride in packs and they know better and are cheaters. I see it almost every race, and the bigger the race the worse it is (I'm looking at you M-dot races). The drafting rules do vary but the short-distance 'standard' is 5m (16 feet, about 3 bike lengths) and 20 seconds to complete a pass and for long-distance (ie half-Ironman and Ironman) is goes up to 12m (40 feet, about 6 bike lengths) and 25 seconds.

Use a wetsuit, it will help you float. Or make you more buoyant. #science

I feel very confident in the swim and do not 'need' a wetsuit either, but if the race allows it I will always always always use it. Wetsuits make you faster. If you have one, wear one...but you certainly don't need one when you are starting out (I went a few years without one).

I was the same way. I swam up until high school and started back up again 4 years ago and was the same way - loved kickboard and fins, hated hated hated pull buoy and paddles. Then this summer all the sudden fell in love with them. I think it was b/c I hadn't been doing any weights/lifting for my upper body so after swim workouts I could feel my muscles burning in my shoulders and triceps, but we're on good terms now.

I love my pull buoy and build all of my recovery swims around it...save those legs for running and biking! Triathletes don't kick

You hope your goggles don't fog (mine have)

A tip to stop goggle fogging...spit in them. Trust me, it works.

Back from Disney so going to take a stab at answering some of these questions soon...just trying to catch up on everything!

 

[FFigawi]

I love my pull buoy and build all of my recovery swims around it...save those legs for running and biking! Triathletes don't kick

I love mine too! I'm faster with it than without it.

A tip to stop goggle fogging...spit in them. Trust me, it works.

Sea Drops work well too. You can buy them at dive stores or from Amazon.

 

[jennamfeo]

@CheapRunnerMike I always spit in my goggles, I have been a swimmer since I was 10. But I have still had the spit fail me during a triathlon. Also, I don't feel like a wetsuit would make me faster enough to justify how much time I would lost trying to peel it off of me in transition. I am a fairly good swimmer already and I am not trying to win the race, just finish, haha.

 

[ZellyB]

I'm reading and absorbing all of this. Thanks so much everyone. Great information, but not sure if it's making me more excited to try this or more scared! HA!!

Keep it coming!!

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Okay, finally have a bit of time so I'll try to answer these as best I can. This is going to be a long one…

1) Like, for real, how does the race really work from start to finish? I know this sounds stupid, but I really don't understand things much like the transition areas and how you manage your gear and shoes and stuff like that. So, just the most basic of primers.

Others have done a really good job describing how it works but I’ll go over what race day looks like for me. This is for local races where stayovers are not required…if you do a destination race or even an M-Dot race (slang for Ironman-branded) things can become very complicated.

I usually wake up at stupid o’clock and grab a quick light breakfast, very similar to whatever I would have on a running race morning (bagel with PB or something). I’ll then load up the Jeep with all of my gear, which I have probably double- and triple-checked and then again for good measure and we are off. I like to be at the race venue no later than an hour and a half before the race start as I almost always need to do kit pickup on race morning, plus body marking, setting up transition, applying bike/helmet stickers, etc.

My transition area is neat and tidy…my bike is racked by hooking the nose of my seat over the bar so that the bike faces out, ready to run with. Sorry if this is the wrong way @roxymama (but it is the right way ). I have a little bento bag on my bike where I will store any nutrition I might need during the ride, and I will also have a bottle of water and another bottle of Gatorade. I make sure that my Garmin bike computer is turned on and ready to go as well. On my bike’s aerobars (or just the handlebars will do if you don’t have aerobars) I will place my spaceman helmet face down with the front forward and strap unbuckled, ready to put on quickly, with my sunglasses inside them also ready to go. Beside the bike I have my lucky Mickey Mouse beach towel folded up into a nice little square with my bike shoes at the front of the towel (straps wide open) and my running shoes right behind them. If the race is a half-Iron or longer I will also have socks in my running shoes ready to put on, but I skip the socks for run distances up to 15K. Just behind my running shoes I will have my bib attached to my race belt along with the sparkle visor that wields all of my superpowers. Before leaving transition I do a quick walk through to make sure I know what I’m doing during the race…so I scope out the swim entrance, bike and run exits, etc, and go through it all to avoid any mistakes when it counts during the race.

With transition set up it is time to get into my wetsuit and head down to the swim start. I will usually jump into the water and get a short easy warmup in, just to get a feel for the water. Plus I can go pee in the lake and avoid the long potty lines. Any triathlete that tells you they don’t pee in their wetsuit…liars. After the warmup it is time to race, just waiting around for the gun to go off.

Once the guns goes, it is just swim/bike/run/beer/collect awards

I never bothered with a big gear bag but I have been considering one. For now I just use a grocery store tote, which does the trick. With that in mind, here’s a quick overview of what’s in my bucket;

Swim
Wetsuit
Swim Skin (for races where a wetsuit is not allowed)
Goggles – 2 pairs (one mirrored/polarized and the other clear, use whichever one conditions call for)
Swim cap – the race always gives you one, but I have it just in case

Bike
My bike, of course (though it isn’t actually in my bucket)
Spaceman Helmet – only for racing…looks goofy AF but the aero advantage is worth it
Sunglasses – a crappy older pair of Oakley Jawbones that I will probably replace soon
Sunglass lenses – tinted and clear, depending on conditions
Bike shoes
Nutrition and salt tabs (on bike)
Bike computer (on bike)
Water & Gatorade (on bike)
Flat kit (on bike)

Run
Running shoes with elastic laces
Sparkle Visor
Race Belt
Socks (for longer distance races)

Other Stuff
Mickey Mouse towel for transition
Body Glide
Pump, multi-tool, electrical tape and zip ties (because you never know)
Change of clothes & deodorant
Pre-race banana

2) What did you do for your first tri? How'd it go?

My first tri was a ‘Try-a-Tri’ back in 2012. It was also my first race EVER (yep, even before a running race). The distance was basically half that of a Sprint, so a 375m swim/10K bike/2.5K run. I survived the swim, managed the bike and then crushed the run. 2.5K I was just getting warmed up! That was the most frustrating thing. I just wore a Speedo-type suit for the swim, then threw on a pair of running shorts and a tank top for the bike and run with my running shoes. I also borrowed a road bike from a friend, which I had been out on maybe twice? I had never been on a road bike before either, only mountain bikes. It was quite an adjustment. I finished 4th in my AG and I was hooked. I ended up doing another 3 races that year, two Sprints and an Olympic, and was not overly successful, placing 11, 14 & 17 in my AG. By the end of it I wasn’t even sure I liked it anymore as the swim was very frustrating. I had bought my first road bike though, so I was somewhat committed to at least give it another go the next season. I also started doing running races once the tri season ended and that opened up another new world for me.

3) Like what do you wear? A trisuit? Swimsuit and then bike shorts? Pros/Cons to various options? I know like cycling shoes, helmet, running shoes, a bike obviously are necessary, but what other equipment should you have?

So I covered most of the gear in my first answer, but yes I do wear a trisuit. I almost always go with the two-piece although the one-piece is lightly better from an aero perspective. I just like the option of being able to get out of it quickly in a pinch (or if the ‘pinch’ isn’t working…no need to elaborate). Trisuits are awesome and superfun, and we’ve already shared a few great companies out there with awesome kits. I personally have Betty Designs, Smashfest and I just bought a TriSirena as well…all very cool (even if they are made for women…I’ve been lucky enough to get some of the limited men’s options they offer). Outside of that gear I usually race in our team shirt, which is also a fun tye dye type print. If you’ve read any of my race reports you have certainly seen it. Tri shorts are really good for running in, you don’t feel the pad much if at all.

4) What was your weak link (swim, bike, run - I assume for most of us here run is our strongest suit)? How did you improve? How often do you do each activity during training?

Going in my weak link was definitely the swim. I knew how to swim and figured it was no big deal, but I quickly learned that being able to swim and actually swimming in a race were two very different things. I almost quit after two seasons because my swim was so bad…I would get out of the water (near the back of the pack) and I would be fine with that if I at least felt good, but I would be dizzy and nauseous, feeling like I was going to fall over and throw up. And I hadn’t even had my beer yet! It wasn’t until I joined a Masters Swim group (VERY informal group at the local YMCA) that I started to see improvements. I started swimming open water with a tri group once a week as well and the improvements continued. After a few years of working away in the pool and the lake I am now a very good swimmer (for a triathlete that is) and this summer I was even first out of the water at one of my races.

Nowadays I would say that my bike is my biggest weakness and needs the most improvement. I can put down a really good bike split but I am a little ways off the top cyclists. My bike is completely adequate and does the job for me…it gets me to the run feeling as good as possible. The run is still a strength but my swim is right up there with it. In my opinion the bike is the LEAST important of the three disciplines…I know, words you never thought I would utter. It’s true though. You can’t ignore the bike as it is the longest portion of the race, but the race is won with the run.

My training schedule really depends on the race I am training for. Basically though, in season I will swim 3 times a week, bike 3 times a week and run 3-4 times a week. Swim/runs I’ll double up on, and ideally one of the bikes is a brick workout with a run attached to it. Saturday is a long ride and Sunday is a long run, with Monday being just an easy recovery swim featuring a lot of pull buoy!

5) I did find a local multisport club that might be smart to join. Their website says they are very beginner friendly. Did you join a club or get a coach?

I joined a local club once I started to get a bit more serious, but I wanted a club that was a good group of fun people that just enjoyed the sport. The club was a great way to meet people and it was fun to train together and have lots of friendly faces at the local races. I also signed up with a coach once I decided that Ironman was in my future and she made a big difference for me as well. I would recommend joining a club before going with a coach, you can glean a lot from a good group of athletes.

To be a great triathlete, you need to be a great cyclist.

I’m really trying not to pile on, but I don’t agree with this statement at all. I do understand the reasoning you have used but for me the bike is simply there to get you to the run. I actually can lay down a fast bike split for what it’s worth, with a few sub-hour 40K time trials under my belt, but the effort isn’t worth it in a triathlon. What’s the sense in biking to the point that your legs are fried for the run? You need to be able to hold steady watts and not burn too many matches so that your legs are as fresh as possible to run down the guys in front of you that did bike too hard or are the truly elite cyclists. That is why I would almost argue that the swim is so important in triathlon despite being so comparatively short in the grand scheme of the race…it is about where it positions you for the bike (and in turn the run). I hate to bring up the pros because it isn’t always realistic, but take Kona for example. Lionel Sanders is a much faster swimmer than I will ever be, but by pro standards he is pretty terrible. If he comes out of the water with a 5 minute deficit he had a great swim. He is one of the top 3 cyclists in triathlon though so he can make up the gap on the bike, but he pays a penalty for it…he is working his legs hard. He rides his way through the pack and comes off the bike at the front and leads most of the run before being passed at the end by the winner Patrick Lange. Lange outswam Sanders by 5 minutes and then rode with the pack on the bike to a very solid but not spectacular 4:28, nearly 15 minutes slower than Sanders. However he knows his strength is the run and he made sure to avoid the temptation of riding harder (though he certainly could have) and saved his legs for the run, posting an amazing 2:39:59 marathon for the victory. Lange is by no means the first to employ this strategy to win at Kona…Craig Alexander did the same thing 3 times, Mark Allen another 6 times and the list goes on. In fact I would argue that it is more rare to see someone win at Kona off of a great bike.

@CheapRunnerMike I always spit in my goggles, I have been a swimmer since I was 10. But I have still had the spit fail me during a triathlon. Also, I don't feel like a wetsuit would make me faster enough to justify how much time I would lost trying to peel it off of me in transition. I am a fairly good swimmer already and I am not trying to win the race, just finish, haha.

You might be surprised at how much a wetsuit can help, and honestly it takes 5-10 seconds to get out of it in T1 if you are doing it properly. Besides, why would you throw away the advantage you have as a good swimmer and not wear a wetsuit if it was an option for you? It would kinda be like deciding to use your mountain bike instead of your road bike because you’re a fairly good cyclist and road bikes flat more often than mountain bikes. Just my 2 cents…

 

[roxymama]

Thank you @CheapRunnerMike for all that information!
What I'm gathering more than anything is that I shouldn't empty my tank on the swim or bike...but it's ok to empty it on the run? And then fill it back up with beer?

This is a weird thing to be thinking about this early. But I think I'm gonna save some vacation days for next year to take some weekdays off with hubby so we can hit some long bike trails and/or pools together. I'm gonna need a lot of work to make sure I'm not struggling to survive on those two disciplines.

 

[AerialGael]

Thank you @CheapRunnerMike for all that information!
What I'm gathering more than anything is that I shouldn't empty my tank on the swim or bike...but it's ok to empty it on the run? And then fill it back up with beer?

This is a weird thing to be thinking about this early. But I think I'm gonna save some vacation days for next year to take some weekdays off with hubby so we can hit some long bike trails and/or pools together. I'm gonna need a lot of work to make sure I'm not struggling to survive on those two disciplines.

Three-time Ironman finisher here! Love to see new folks interested in tri's!

As for energy reserves - yes. That is a good strategy on any race distance. For fulls, my coach tells me the race doesn't start until mile 18 of the run. I'm free to use up whatever I have left at that point. If you are worried about building up a solid baseline, there are a ton of free training programs out there both on the Ironman website and on just a random google search. Consistency is really the bottom line.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Three-time Ironman finisher here! Love to see new folks interested in tri's!

As for energy reserves - yes. That is a good strategy on any race distance. For fulls, my coach tells me the race doesn't start until mile 18 of the run. I'm free to use up whatever I have left at that point. If you are worried about building up a solid baseline, there are a ton of free training programs out there both on the Ironman website and on just a random google search. Consistency is really the bottom line.

Welcome! Thanks for joining in...my coach tells me the same thing, if I feel like going for it 18 miles into the run then feel free.

Newsflash, I don't feel anything 18 miles into an Ironman run.

 

[ZellyB]

I actually told my husband we should try to get out on the bikes on Sunday. This is big news for me. LOL. Some chance of rain this weekend, so we shall see, but I'm looking to starting getting on my bike again.

Thanks so much for all the info @CheapRunnerMike

So, I'm assuming if I'm just doing a try-a-tri type of event (which is basically what this local one is that I'm eyeing) that nobody will judge me if I don't move at a fast pace through my transitions right? Cause just reading about that sort of stresses me out.

 

[AerialGael]

@CheapRunnerMike lol, I have a surplus of feeling by mile 18, unfortunately! I had to go to the med tent after IMLOU this past weekend.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

So, I'm assuming if I'm just doing a try-a-tri type of event (which is basically what this local one is that I'm eyeing) that nobody will judge me if I don't move at a fast pace through my transitions right? Cause just reading about that sort of stresses me out.

Nobody should be judging you period, let alone in transition at a try-a-tri. Best advice for transitions? Take your time and ensure you aren't missing anything. I'll have more tips and advice once you get closer to race day, but no sense in stressing now. It really isn't all that difficult

 

[AerialGael]

1) Like, for real, how does the race really work from start to finish? I know this sounds stupid, but I really don't understand things much like the transition areas and how you manage your gear and shoes and stuff like that. So, just the most basic of primers.

I think you've already got a good feel for this one but I'll chime in anyway. All my responses will be for short course, logistics and clothing choices change sometimes during long-course races.

Anyway. You'll start with the swim. Usually they line you up in waves based on gender/age, and sometimes first-timers have their very own start wave. Hit the water when they say go. When you're done with the swim, you'll run to transition and put on anything you need for the bike portion. Shoes, socks, helmet, etc. You'll run/walk with your bike out of transition via whatever area is designated BIKE OUT. Outside of that will be a mount line. Do not mount your bike until you cross this line, and make sure your helmet is fastened, you're ready to go. Then you're off on the bike course. When you come back there is a dismount line. Just like the mount line, you have to dismount prior to this line, then run/walk your bike back into the transition area. You'll rack your bike (there are numbers on the racks so everyone has a designated place) and change into run gear. (Usually this just means changing shoes and putting on your race belt.) Exit transition through RUN OUT and don't stop until you cross the finish line. Follow immediately with celebratory free food and beer.

2) What did you do for your first tri? How'd it go?

My first was the Destin triathlon back in 2012. It was a sprint. I was TERRIFIED of the swim, which was open water in the Gulf of Mexico and graciously two of my very experienced friends raced with me and stayed with me until I was out of the water. I took 3rd place though for my age group. At the time I could not fathom attempting anything longer than a sprint, but here I am three full's later and eyeing next season, lol.

3) Like what do you wear? A trisuit? Swimsuit and then bike shorts? Pros/Cons to various options? I know like cycling shoes, helmet, running shoes, a bike obviously are necessary, but what other equipment should you have?

Ok.. lots of opinions here. For sprint and olympic distance, I go with a trisuit. I don't want to bother with changing into bike shorts, or really changing at all in such a short race. But then I'm competitive and seconds matter at those distances. If you're a newbie, don't sweat this so much, but eventually you'll want to shorten your transition times. Occasionally I wear tri shorts and a bike jersey instead of a trisuit, but ALWAYS wear a swimskin when I'm doing that to reduce drag in the water with those pockets. I didn't live in an area where we had a lot of wetsuit legal days when I was more into short course, though like others have said, if it's legal wear it unless you're really worried about overheating.

As for other gear, I like earplugs for cold water. Again, maybe not so important for short course, but cold water in my ears makes me dizzy after a while. Race belts are a good idea, as well as speed laces. (I don't use speed laces myself, but that's personal preference.)

4) What was your weak link (swim, bike, run - I assume for most of us here run is our strongest suit)? How did you improve? How often do you do each activity during training?

In the beginning, absolutely the swim. When I first started I couldn't even make it across one length of the pool without stopping. I grew up in the water but never learned formal swimming. To improve, I joined a tri club and a masters team, and eventually started training with friends of mine who happened to be swim coaches. My swim still needs work but I've come a looooooong way. Now I think the bike is my worst event.

As for frequency... I've had a bunch of different plans. When I first started I was self-coached. I was running three or four times a week, biking three times a week, and swimming twice or three times. I have a professional coach now, and she has me working 6 days a week, with Monday as a rest day. Typically I'll swim 4 days a week, run 3-4 days a week, and bike 3-4 days a week depending on what phase of training I'm in.

5) I did find a local multisport club that might be smart to join. Their website says they are very beginner friendly. Did you join a club or get a coach?

Depends what your goals are. If you're just getting started and are not sure if you want to stick with it or progress to longer courses, it's certainly cheaper to join a club. Even if you get a coach, I recommend you join your local club. Biking is always safer in numbers and you'll find you improve when you ride with people who are faster than you. One of the best things about triathlon is the sense of community.

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

@CheapRunnerMike lol, I have a surplus of feeling by mile 18, unfortunately! I had to go to the med tent after IMLOU this past weekend.

Sorry to hear that...how was the race otherwise? Which IM's have you done? I'm looking for my next one...open to suggestions (other than @FFigawi trying to get me to travel halfway around the world)

 

[AerialGael]

Sorry to hear that...how was the race otherwise? Which IM's have you done? I'm looking for my next one...open to suggestions (other than @FFigawi trying to get me to travel halfway around the world)

Oooo, it was a rough one this year, weather-wise. Storm rolled through so we had 32 mph sustained winds on the bike, pouring rain, gusts up to 45 mph, and an alleged tornado. The temps also dropped from 70 at swim start, to high 40s by the time I crossed the mat. Can't really hold LOU accountable for weather though, I like that race under better conditions. Louisville was my first last year, then I did Mont Tremblant this summer and Louisville again. I was supposed to do New Zealand this March, but that had to get pushed a year to 2019. On my bucket list are Kalmar, Zurich, Challenge Roth (non IM branded), Wisconsin, Whistler, and possibly Frankfurt. So bummed Ceour d'Alene is no more.

If I'm going to keep punishing my body with the train-up for 140.6, I'm getting a cool vacation out of it.

 

[jennamfeo]

I have a question for y'all: fresh water vs salt water swims, which have you done? What do you prefer?

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Oooo, it was a rough one this year, weather-wise. Storm rolled through so we had 32 mph sustained winds on the bike, pouring rain, gusts up to 45 mph, and an alleged tornado. The temps also dropped from 70 at swim start, to high 40s by the time I crossed the mat. Can't really hold LOU accountable for weather though, I like that race under better conditions. Louisville was my first last year, then I did Mont Tremblant this summer and Louisville again. I was supposed to do New Zealand this March, but that had to get pushed a year to 2019. On my bucket list are Kalmar, Zurich, Challenge Roth (non IM branded), Wisconsin, Whistler, and possibly Frankfurt. So bummed Ceour d'Alene is no more.

If I'm going to keep punishing my body with the train-up for 140.6, I'm getting a cool vacation out of it.

Ugh that sucks about the weather at IMLOU...I've only done one full (Tremblant last year) and it poured the entire bike and most of the run. Not fun. I hear ya on CdA, was hoping to do that one day as well. Seems like any race that is difficult is on the chopping block

 

[kim3339]

Question for everyone about the goggles, b/c it never occurred to me since I haven't done an open swim yet ~ are there larger tri ones or does everybody use regular ones

 

[CheapRunnerMike]

Question for everyone about the goggles, b/c it never occurred to me since I haven't done an open swim yet ~ are there larger tri ones or does everybody use regular ones

Ya hey do make larger ones for open water but any goggle you are comfortable with should be fine. I use Tyr Special Ops, they are slightly larger than a normal pool goggle and have a nice fit for me.