Subject: RE: New to Triathlons Embrace the suck Carlos.
You have lots of new adventures ahead and they are all individually intimidating enough that most people won't endeavor to do them. You did so tie your shoes and let's go.
The Swim
If you can get help with swimming, it would go a long way. I am an adult onset swimmer (could swim but never swam continuously until two years ago ). I feel like a shoe box with arms and legs, the only way I can achieve more speed in the pool is to get a coach. Try it if you can. Otherwise I have muddled through a bunch of swims and wanted to quit each one...but I never did.
The Bike
Personally I love the bike. I started my fitness changes with running, so felt comfortable there. Wait until the first time you clip into your bike and come to a rolling stop only to find out that you forgot to unclip. It's like a line that we all have to cross, some more gracefully than others. Use a lot of caution as you get used the handling of your bike, don't even consider aero bars until you are very comfortable with how fidgity a road bike can be. Don't forget to drink water, you forget you're sweating so much because the help of the wind. Your will recover from the seat, it just takes time...and more time....and more time. Give a lot of attention to the bike in training so that on race day it's the "fun part".
The Run
As mentioned above, work on brick sessions, work on them regularly. They don't need to be long, just to become comfortable getting off the bike and feeling your legs turnover. On race day, here is where you really embrace the suck. You're tired, it's hot and you've likely not fueled correctly in your first race. Have some gels (hi sodium ) or maybe a couple of salt tabs available. This will help to offset the cramping. At this point, you can run/walk or walk/walk or RUN. Enjoy it, thank the volunteers and the spectators and maybe find a friend on the course. Everyone else around you is hurting too.
The journey is the adventure. The race is the bonus at the end. |