BHannahs's Group - FULL! (Page 10)

kathy79 - 2010-05-21 9:23 AM I am going to do my first tri event ever tomorrow.  It is a mini tri (300 yard swim, 9 mile bike ride, and 2 mile run).  I have never done anything like this before and I am excited/nervous.  Any advice besides have fun?  I am not competitive but I have a hard time having fun doing this stuff because I am so focused on what I am doing and how well I am doing.  I am hoping to finish in 2 hours.   

Good luck! Glad someone is racing this weekend.

Try to stay as relaxed as you can. It's hard to do but really try to focus on it. You can waste a lot of energy from being too nervous. Sleep is important. Just do your normal stuff, you don't want to try new things or vary your routine prior to a race. Make sure you are hydrated well the day before and the morning of the race.

Layout your stuff for the transitions the night before and after you are satisfied you have everything you need pack up right then and there. Don’t walk away from it or say I’ll do it later.

Of course if you don't sleep do it anyway - I got 4 hours of sleep before my first sprint-tri last year and I crossed the finish line.

kathy79 - 2010-05-21 6:23 AM I am going to do my first tri event ever tomorrow.  It is a mini tri (300 yard swim, 9 mile bike ride, and 2 mile run).  I have never done anything like this before and I am excited/nervous.  Any advice besides have fun?  I am not competitive but I have a hard time having fun doing this stuff because I am so focused on what I am doing and how well I am doing.  I am hoping to finish in 2 hours.   

Kathy - You have hit the nail on the head with the goal for your first race - HAVE FUN!  Have the goal to finish - upright and smiling.  Thank all of the volunteers and enjoy the experience.  There is nothing like crosssing the finish line for the first time.  To make the experience more enjoyable, try to take stress out of the equation as much as possible.  Think through your transitions to know everything you will need and have everything packed as early as possible today.  Try to relax some this evening, have a 'safe' dinner (one that you know won't upset your stomach or be too heavy) and try to get a good night's rest.  Get to the race site early, get set up, and get your mind settled.  You don't want to be scrambling and stressed out before you hit the water.  From there, just let your body take over and allow it to do what you have trained it to do.  If you think of anything today that you have questions about, post them and everyone will chip in to try to help you out.  Good luck!!! 

dmwill37 - 2010-05-21 7:17 AM I am racing on Sunday, excited and nervous that i haven't done enough, guess i will find out Sunday huh? I have gone over my transitions twice so far, and will probably do it again tonight. Last i check the water was at a balmy 60ish degrees and murky. they are forecasting mid 80's with upwards of 50% humidity and winds sustained at 20 gusting to 30+, should be interesting (think i better skip the Zipps )  

In my past couple races and some simulations done with the multisport group i belong to, I have found that all nervousness leaves in seconds, and my competitiveness takes over, allowing me to shave time off my run pace, and increase my bike speed by 2 or 3 mph. I am hoping to get this one done in under 1:40.00, but will see what the elements throw at me. 

Best of luck on the races to others this weekend, and to those new graduates as well !!! Smile, have fun and remember all that you have done to get here!  

Good luck this weekend, Dave!  Just remember that whatever tough conditions you run into, everyone else has to deal with them too!!

No tips on the counting, but I think you'll be just fine. 

As far as the HRM, skip it for tomorrow and just wear whatever watch you used in training.  People always say 'nothing new on race day', and I think this is a good time to apply it.  It will only complicate things - start playing with  training with your HRM on Sunday or Monday. 

I would skip the HRM as well.

As far as counting te laps goes are there any sporting goods stores near you? A tri-shop or something? They make waterproof counters some of them mount on your finger, too late to order one. But you might be able to buy one at a store. You could use a watch and just keep pressing the lap button (I’ve done this before) it may break your rhythm a little.

OR if your hubby is willing and is near enough to you (not sure of the setup) he could count for you

Transition questions:

Since a few people have races this weekend I was curious about running with your bike. Do you hold onto the handle bars, stem or the saddle when you run with it in/out of transition?

I was surprised to find that when I held onto the saddle I have very good control of the bike.

I generally hold it by the stem.  Like you, I have found that holding the saddle does keep it fairly stable, but usually my transiiton areas are on grass and I get nervous that the wheel will turn on its own, so I have just gotten used to the stem to be on the safe side....

That's fantastic, Dave - GREAT job!!!

Good job! Just remember you did it and that’s more than most people can say.

During my swim last year I felt the same way as you I almost quit. I don't know how many times I said just pack it in and swim to the beach. At some point I decided to make mini-races during the swim. I kept on saying just get to the next buoy. When I made the turn something clicked – I decided that I was going to finish what I started. So I did.

Set your sights on the next race - you finished and for most that’s the only goal. I second guessed my effort on the run after the race but I was spent. This year I'm training harder/more and I know what to expect during the race. It's hard to put it all together the first time.

Learn from it but don't dwell on it. Write down some notes on things to improve or gear you thought would be good to have for the next race and review them often.

After I was done with my morning swim I noticed something rather odd. It was another swimmer in the water! It makes me feel good to think that I’m not totally insane.

On a side note whoever it was had a beautiful fluid stroke. It was a pleasure to watch.

I'm so glad it went well and you're looking forward to the next one, Kathy!  I think most of us can relate to what you went through.  I find that in both training and racing, when fatigue starts to set it I can go through huge ranges of emotions.  When I get down and question why I am doing it, I call it 'going to the dark place', and over time, I have learned how to think my way past it.  I always remember that brighter times are ahead and if I just keep going, things will look up.  Invariably, when I get to the finish line, and look back on the race, I remember the rewards more and the difficulty in getting there is minimized.  And that quest for the 'perfect race' - where everything goes right and you feel great from start to finish - is what keep many of us going back again and again and again!    

Even though I am not great at transitions, I have improved in them over time.  The keys for me are to be organized and efficient and to leave nothing to think about or decide on when I am there - just be on auto pilot.  With some experience, you'll find what works best for you.  For example, I have learned that my balance is terrible in T1 and I used to waste a lot of time trying to stand up and dance around trying to remove my wetsuit.  I'm a lot faster if I just drop to the ground and yank it right off.  Other people are much faster standing.  I also insist on wearing socks througout the race, which takes a little time (although for me, it is faster that putting my shoes directly on wet feet) - however, I try to minimize it by rolling them off my feet and putting them in my bike shoes before the race.  During transition, I can just roll them right on so it doesn't slow me down much.  Just a couple of ideas - keep practicing and find the things that make yours as efficient as possible.