How was your first race?

Awful - my first race was a Try a Tri, and I lasted about 100M into the swim before starting to breaststroke the rest of the way.  By the time I reached T1 I was exhausted.  I then fumbled around trying to get my bike shoes on, etc., etc.  The bike was supposed to be my best part, but I was slow and never really got going.  By the time I started the run I had serious stitches and my lower back had seized up - I ended up walking 1/2 of the run.  By the end of it I finished 24 out of 27 in my AG.

It was seriously depressing - but I worked hard during the Spring and this year I'm MOP for the Sprint distance.  Just wasn't prepared for that first event - even though I thought I was!!

First tri for me was not good...

Real slow on the swim (DFL after averaging over 4min/100m), i left my helmet in the car and wife had to run and get it, bike and run were off-road and I hadn't trained for that...luckily, there were some old ladies doing the tri, so I didn't finish the event DFL

It'll always be memorable, but in a comical kind of way...

Lucky for me my first try was in a shallow lake.  It was a 400 meter swim (200 out and back).  I swam out...walked back!  that's right, I'm walking back in chest deep water while people are swimmng around me.

Then I got on my Mountain bike and couldn't figure out how these people with skinny tires were passing me like I was standing still.  I did have a decent run, considering though.

To top things off, I wore a bright blue speedo.  Oh yeah...fun times!!

My first went pretty well (2006) - I think it's because I had very low expectations going into it, LOL.

Thank heavens it was a pool swim, cause I blew up about 100M into it and ended up flipping over and backstroking the rest of it.  Also got my wetsuit (outdoor pool, May, VERY COLD) caught in my watch in T1.

Rest of it went pretty smoothly, though and I had a good time.

If they hold it again next year, I'm planning on doing it to see if I've improved or not.  (I'm guessing no, but at least I'll know what to expect!)

Did my first tri last weekend. Swim was horrible...started in the back of the pack and still got bumped and kicked. Couldnt get a rhythm going with my FS stroke. Ended up doing most of the race in the back stroke. Made up a lot of time on the bike and the run went well. Overall time was 1:18:24. I was pleased that I came in under 1:30:00 but I need to work on both the swim and bike.

Bob

http://bobrunner.blogspot.com

First race was on 8/19/07. I was super-nervous the night before and barely ate any dinner. Was better when I woke up. The swim went GREAT. T1 went fine. The bike course was a disaster. Scary big downhill right off. 16.5 miles of false flats and curvy, winding, steep descents. Then had to go back up the big hill at the end. I walked the first few hundred feet of the run. Ran to the turn around and past it and then my body said "no more". Pushed myself as hard as I could not to walk too much. Finished in a horridly embarassing amount of time.

I wanted to go and do the race again this year (it's this weekend, actually), but I have been busy with other crap and trying to train for other stuff, so it just didn't work out. Definitely next year, though, I will go back and show that btitch who's boss.  

Similar stories--I went back to my first tri 3 years later ... (although 2 years passed before I did any training or another tri)

My first race was awesome 'cause I did it as a lark, it was just brilliant fun. I'd literally JUST learned how to ride a bike and was so DFL on the bike leg that the next last person had LAPPED me on a 3-loop circuit.

Three years later with about 8 months' training and a few more races under my belt I was 3rd in my AG

Mine went great. I had the fear foresight to schedule a mini-sprint (pool swim) before my first target race (OWS) and it gave me the confidence to approach that target. In the first one:

• I put my estimated swim time down as "slow," and in the time-trial start I was 142 out of 170 registered. Found out that "slow" is relative as I passed 8 or 10 people in the 200 yards.
• Out of vanity decided I needed to wear a shirt after I was out the water, and struggled mightily to get it on. As proof, my T1 the first year was 2-1/2 minutes, in Year 2 I cut that to 56 seconds.
• Bike went OK, but it was on a friend's borrowed tri bike (Klein Aeolus) and hurt too much to stay in aero all the time.
• Lack of focus in T2 caused me to go out the wrong exit, had to reverse and go out the right one.
• Hadn't done any bricks so the jello feeling in my legs at the start of the run was an unpleasant surprise.

Finished second in my AG (48th O/A), got a medal and was hooked.

Saturday I will do this race for the fifth time, hard to believe I'm starting my fifth year of triathlon. I've now won my age group three consecutive years, but that's more a function of who shows up (and who doesn't) than anything.

My first race was a 400yd pool swim, 12 mile bike and 5K run, for which I prepared with two whole weeks of training.

Went out on the swim like I was in a 100M race and was thoroughly convinced I was going to die after the first 150 yards.  My heart was pounding out of my chest and I couldn't breathe.  Finally made it to end using some breaststrike, backstroke and something vaguely resembling a dogpaddle (no offense intended to any dogs).

Actually managed to pass one other person on my 30-year-old steel-framed Schwinn during the bike leg.  I also finished ahead of three others who got lost on the bike course. 

I think I was able to run about 200 yds before I had to walk.  Made it the rest of the way running 100 steps/walking 100 steps.    Finished in 2hr:02min.  I wasn't DFL, but close.

Learned tons about triathlons that day, but got hooked anyway.

Mark

1st race was the Spirit of Racine 1/2 IM.  I never swam an OWS before, didn't put in more than 1000 yards of swimming in one shot, and Lake Michigan was daunting with the waves and current.  Oh, yeah, I cramped several times during the swim.

Other than that, I felt that I did alright considering being undertrained.

Returning to the 'scene of the crime' this Sunday, as a matter of fact, first anniversary of joining the triathlete ranks.

Anywho, same story as many, mistakes in transition, way under-trained, no hydration/nutrition plan, blew-up on the bike, dragged a$$ on the run, finished BOP. On the plus side, first OWS was not an issue (not fast either).

Looking forward to seeing how much improvement one year of training may bring....

Mine was also terrible. Leading up to the race I felt prepared and fit. MY 3 YO daughter got sick on the Thursday before my Saturday race. I spent Friday night in the bathroom vomitting every 30 to 60 minutes. I have never thrown up more than once in any 24 hour period before in my life so I was really starting to freak out. I ate a roll of Tums and a roll of Rolaids at around 3:00 AM and went to the race at 6:00 hoping to be ready to start at 8:15AM. I felt great in the water I found a nice rhythm and was able to relax. Finished the .9 miles in 33.31. As soon as I got my feet on the lake bottom my hamstrings started cramping. At this point I knew it was going to be a long day, I also knew that I wasn't going to quit. Finished the 28 mile bike in 1:34 with cramps in places that I didn't know I had muscles. T2 was just under 8 minutes and included a disgusting trip to the men's room (I will spare you these details). Ran the first 1.5 miles at 10 min splits then my legs just decided not to cooperate. I walked the next 4.5 miles. I got to within 100 feet of the finish line when my right hamstring cramped like never before and stopped me in my tracks. I could not move. I then got a cramp in my stomach at the same time. A veteran tri guy who finished (probably hours before me) that I did not know came out to talk me through to the finish. At this point my wife was also there. They both walked with me to the finish and I became a triathlete. Not exactly as I had visualized it in my head, but a personal victory just the same Oly distance 3:57:05.

My advice to people doing their first tri:

Talk to people as you get ready to race. Talk to people as you pass them or they pass you. Be friendly and couteous as you don't know when you will need them to help pull you through. If you see someone suffering offer some words of encouragement I know first hand how much this means. One guy actually gave me a pat on the back as he passed me about 3 miles into the run. I will never forget my good / bad first Triathlon. 

chevy57       

My first tri was 2 months ago and it was great!  I did a couple of things 'right':  I participated in a couple of mentor groups which honestly gave me enough confidence that other participants were looking to me for assistance, and I got my bike checked before the race. 

For my second tri I didn't get my bike checked and . . . 2 flat tires!  This last tri, I did get my bike looked over again and it was worth it.

If there are no mentor groups currently available, browse and post to the forums, and hang out in your state or province forum if it's active.  Check out the articles and the videos (e.g. transition practice).  I've found it really helps.