Beginner or Age Group...,.can't decide

Just go ahead and jump in to your age group. The most important things in your first race in this specific order:

1. Have fun.
2. Finish.
3. Do your best, whatever that is, and learn from it.
4. Have fun.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I would just go ahead an enter age group unless both of these are true:

1. You are a very un-confident swimmer and
2. There is a special separate swim wave (probably last) for newbies.

I know at my last race, there was a special "Newbie" wave start. (Which surprised me, since this was a half-ironman--IM Calgary 70.3. Not sure why anyone would choose a half-ironman with a very challenging bike course as their very first tri, but there seemed to be plenty of people massing for that wave!) The idea seemed to be to let them have a smaller, less stressful swim start. (The other waves were all pretty big--some men's AG were combined, all women started together, and that was three hundred plus people, on a tight course in a small lake.) But I think the people in the newbie wave were competing in regular AG.

I've actually never heard of a beginner division for prizes, just a separate swim wave with athletes still eligible for AG prizes based on electronic timing.

I wouldn't automatically assume the people in your age group are experienced.

I never raced novice, and I don't know any of my friends who did, either.

Go and have fun.

I have only done 2 sprint triathlon's and I would do the age group. At the end of the day it is your first one and you are seeing what is all about. If you are really that fast it will show up in the overall results. good luck with your race.

Edited by Ericallenboyd 2016-08-15 10:43 AM

Age Group.

Tecnically, you could reg as a beginner since this is your first, but I don't really see the point. Unless you intend to only do one triathlon, ever, and this is it.

Otherwise..

Race with the same people you should be racing with, HAVE FUN, and don't stress. The work you have or have not done will determine the end result, so enjoy it wether you end up in first, the middle, or last, as everyone out there will be in the same boat.

Edited by davejustdave 2016-08-15 12:46 PM

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I actually learned since I posted this that I have nothing to lose by registering as a beginner. There is no separate heat or anything different except you have a shot at placing in the beginner's division. Those that don't place in the top 3 beginner's division can still place in their age group. That makes it a win-win I am excited yet super nervous!

"Around here", they call it "Novice". If you sign up as a novice, you are not eligible for AG awards OR USAT points.