I am a beginner and I am scared, but hopeful

hi and welcome to BT!

not sure about your comment on never doing a marathon??  a sprint tri would be a 3.1 mile run.

theres a ton of information here, a lot of tips and pointers for beginners, just try the search button on the top of the page.

as for gear, you'll obviously need goggles, a bike, helmet, most likely a tri suit, or tri shorts and tri top, which are worn during the whole triathlon.  The tri shorts are padded for comfort during the bike, but not too much padding so you can still run normal.

hope that helps a little.

hi and welcome i am the same as you, my first tri is in 7 weeks i am terrible swimmer thats my biggest thing to overcome, you said you swim I would say if thats the case you are half way there the programs on here are great for first timers, go for it... have fun.
lol

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Just go for it!

Not that I recommend the following as a training program, but it serves as a good example for not being too concerned about your first. For my first tri:

1) I am 42, 5'10", 205 lbs, not in great shape, good swimmer, decent biker, terrible runner
2) I had not worked out in 7 weeks
3) Signed up for the tri 3 days before the race, got in one run before race
4) Stayed out at a bar until 1am the night before the tri (birthday party )
5) Rode a 14 year old mtb.

Did pretty well in my age group, had fun, and am doing more.

Pointers, find a friend that does tri's, read stuff on here.

Edited by jjjjj 2009-06-15 8:43 AM

I only swam once before my sprint tri and ran just a few times. Just make sure you pace yourself and run your own race. Don't worry about all the other people passing you, just keep a pace that you know you can finish.  I treated my first tri as a trial to see if I really wanted to get into this "lifestyle". The people are awesome, very supportive and you should have a great time.

Good Luck!

I'd recommend taking the time to read some of the articles on this site:

Choosing a Triathlon Training Plan

Beginner Triathlon Training - Getting Started

Top Six Beginner Questions

You can also read other articles here:

Beginner Articles


There's a lot of good information here, just sift through it and you should be good to start training. 

How much base training do you have now (weekly mileage for biking and running, yardage for swimming)?

Go for it!  You don't have to run a marathon, only about 10% of a marathon

Also, I love your username.  Very clever.

GREAT!!  Thanx so much for the feedback and support.  I will most definately try the triathlon in August.  My training has been somewhat off and on.  I have started running in April.  I run 5kms up to 3 times a week.  I still get a lot of pain and have to stop during my run to recover from the pain.  Swimming is a different story.  I am a strong swimmer (technically) and mostly swim in the winter.  Swimming is the part of the triathlon that worries me the most, because I cannot complete 100m without stopping to catch my breath.  Cycling is the fun part ... I can complete a 30km ride with my eyes closed.  I ride about 3 times a week (30kms each time) in the summer. 
Like I said, my training has been on and off ... I don't have a regimented training schedule ... but now that I have decided to make this step into the triathlon world ... I hope its not too late to successfully complete a triathlon.

Thanks AGAIN!!

Edited by trisome 2009-06-15 12:51 PM

Nope. You can race in whatever. Don't get hung up on your first race regarding the details. Do it and analyze it when you finish then see what you want to change for the next one.

Congrats on making the commitment to do your first Tri.
No special clothing required. In fact, you might be surprised to see the many clothing choices people will make to compete.  Likewise, many will do the bike in running shoes; saves a little time in T2 also.
Couple of suggestions:
(a) Don't remember what you said of swimming - open water or pool - but a little practice time would be good to become comfortable in whichever venue it is.  You will be bumped and jostled in this phase of the race, so the more comfortable you are, the better.
(b) Pick a day to do a mini version of your Tri.  Even if you only swim 100 yards, then bike a few miles, then run a mile or two.  You will get the feeling of the events, what your body will go thru (the 'feeling of bricks' as you run after the bike), and understand how to transition.
(c) Think about and practice the transition.  T times count towards overall time, so you don't want to waste too much time in transition.  Keep it very simple in the two T zones.  Have your bike all set with a drink in the bottle holder - no sense stopping here to drink.  Drink while riding.

And remember to HAVE FUN!

I did my first Triathlon on July 6th. I completely bombed. I got beat up by swimmers, lost my bike in the transition, and got stomach cramps on the run. And, I had an f'in blast! I knew the second I stepped over that finish line, I was signing up for another one.

I did my 2nd one Aug. 4th.

And, Marathon? I'd put the actual beating your body takes at about a 10k. It's definitely an endurance event, but for your first one, just cruise through it. That's one of the reasons I was so hooked. I could walk the next day.

I just got on this forum today and everyone's super cool.

Also - I wore running shorts & threw on a sleeveless shirt after the swim. I'd suggest getting triathlon shorts at the least, though. The swim is definitely more chaotic than I realized and you'll resent any extra drag.

Enjoy!

Edited by adelsud 2013-08-06 11:05 PM

There are lots of races that have a "try a tri" which is half the distances of a sprint. Usually, 350 m swim, 10 km bike, and 2.5 km run. It's a good way to get used to it.
I'd second the motion to get triathlon shorts if you're going to buy anything. They are comfortable for swimming, biking, and running. There is no private way to change your shorts at the transitions and wearing a bathing suit for the bike and run can cause chafing.
It takes me a little more than 1/3 of the time to do a sprint triathlon as it does to do a marathon if that gives you any reference and, as another poster pointed out, you can walk the day after. The sprint is a lot easier on your body because you use different muscles for each section, you have kind of a down time at the transitions, and it's not as long.

Good luck.

I am confused, at one point you said that you are a good swimmer and then you say that you can't swim over 100m. I would not be entering a tri if I couild not swim over 100m.