QuincyF and Oriolepwr's Magical Mys-tri Tour for Newbies Has Begun (CLOSED) (Page 12)

DIVE IN!  You can do it! 

I didn't.  But keep that stuff coming.  I read this and felt sheepish.  I did buy some proper Lycra trunks today, does that count?  

My prediction is that you'll love it.  I got the Garmin Forerunner 405.  I'm still figuring it out, but I got the silver membership here at BT and it just magically drops my workouts into my training log.  I did a strength/conditioning workout today and didn't use it, but my DW pointed out that it's not quite so cool on the treadmill, where its GPS uses are, well, worthless.  But I've got it set up for heart zones, too, (have to order the heart monitor separately, but we did and I'm glad we did) so that's a way to use it on the treadmill.  Either way, there's a Garmin site that also has a place to record info.  So - with regard to extrinsic incentives, that's cool, too.  I can double-dip and get more mileage out of my mileage. 

Also - just saying this - this is one heck of an expensive athletic pursuit.  I mean, once you start taking it seriously, all the costs start rearing their heads.  I'm having to piece everything together because getting all the gear at once is prohibitive.  I could have never done this sport in my 20's!  Any suggestions from anyone on online sites or stores that have worthy discounts?  Wetsuit?  Tri-suit?  Swim gear?  Cycling apparel?  

-Kent

--------Pete- Did your bike arrive????

Red Sux pretty much are the Evil Empire #2   (after Yanks)    I mean they just buy whatever they want so what is th ebig deal if they win?----------

The bike is here! Came at 10:18 AM. I have cleared out a spot in the garage to put it together. I am working tonight and tomorrow and then school on Wednesday so I have to wait until thursday to put it together. Thinking of making a bike stand out of PVC for it. Not sure though.

Now I love the Yanks, always have since I was about 5 years old. My one Aunt use to take me to see them play the Blue Jays in Toronto all the time.

Ybeal - 2012-01-08 8:20 PM

oriolepwr - 2012-01-08 5:48 PM

kentkillsit - 2012-01-08 12:58 PM

Haha so I can admit I want a medal? My dh bought me a beautiful display rack for medals and I need to fill it up, but many sprint tris don't give medals

I haven't done a sprint yet that doesn't give medals. Of course I've only done two- lol. I too want the medal. Maybe one day when I have 100's of them it won't matter.

Shelly

DIVE IN!  You can do it! 

I hear you on the expenses. I just keep looking it as an investment in my health. I have bought a little at a time and shopped around for everything. www.sportsbasement.com is an excellent site to get decent deals. Some others are bonktown, REI, Sierratrading post, trisports, all3sports and amazon. I also look at alternatives to save money. My gear bag is one of my kids old school backpacks. It actually works awesome. I also have bought athletic wear from JCPenney that I used as a tri top in my last trialthlon and it worked awesome. I liked it better than my Pearl Izumi tri top that I used in my first triathlon. Now I am only doing sprint distances so don't know if that affects things or not.  And I ask for tri stuff for all birthday, Mother's day, anniversary, christmas gifts etc.

Lots of items though are wants and not necessities. You really only need a bike, helmet, running shoes and something to swim in ( goggles included). The rest is all luxuries that help- lol.

I too think I'm going to love my Garmin. And I have also gotten very good at justifying my wants- haha. I mean I had to have a good hrm because of my heart damage- so that's a necessity not a want- right ;-).

Shelly

Run:

Since I didn't cover extras in the bag/towel portion, I'll add those in here...

Shoes:  You need comfortable, well fitting running shoes. If you're new to running I highly recommend going to a running shop and trying on a bunch of stuff. Once you pick a pair and decide they are your running shoes, you can simply reorder them in your size. My husband orders Mizuno wave creations in his size, sometimes two or three at a time and just hangs onto them until he needs them. He waits until the end of the season and then buys last year's models at a discount. If you're starting out your running career by walking, walk in the shoes you intend to run in. Each shoe can be a little different and the last thing you want to do is start running in a pair you have never worn before...if you do this, start out with some short, easy runs to make sure they don't give you any surprise aches and pains. I put yankz on all of mine for most every distance except marathon...I tend to go back to laces for that long of a run. This is purely personal preference. Although my DH (lace only guy) has never beat me in a T2...it's all part of the race you know...

Socks: if you can stand it, you can try running sockless, but honestly, this is one of those things that can wait. I LOVE those fabulous microfiber running socks...I ran in those stupid cotton ones for years and switched when I started going longer than an hour...they seriously changed my running life!!! The only time I would consider skipping socks is in a sprint tri, but that's because the run is so short, and it's the only distance I am competitive at.

Hat: I love a visor...headsweats does a one piece elastic band so you can throw it on while you are running. But this is pure preference, maybe you don't even want a hat. 

Glasses: I buy cheap ones at Target...they get beat up after a season. I am considering a pair of prescription glasses for the bike, but not necessary. I would not skip these though...protect your eyes.

Shorts: I like tri shorts with a super minimal chamois. No underwear...if you don't believe me, try riding your bike with underwear on. They come in different lengths and compression.

Top:  Let's just go with this: whatever you wear, make sure you can just wear it for the swim, bike, and run. No need to make transition more complex than necessary. I like tri tops because they have a little pocket in the back for a gu, but you can wear any jog bra/top combo you like. Men can go shirtless and then put a top on, but I recommend a tri top for the boys too...just remember that if you are wearing a tri top, you need to just swim in it. NO way you are going to get that thing on in T1.

Trisuit: I tried one last year but went back to shorts/top. Too hard to pee/poop. Comfy though. Skip it until you have raced long enough to have an opinion.

Race belt: These are great...you just slap it on before the bike and spin the number to your back. Then on the run, spin it to the front. Otherwise you end up pinning it to your top and swimming in it. Probably the cheapest and most useful piece of gear you will ever buy. Some of them come with a little key pouch and little holes to put gu's in. I have 3 or 4 of them.

Watch/HRM: I have raced without a watch numerous times...in fact I don't know if I've ever timed myself correctly thru start to finish. These are FAR more useful for 1. Getting yourself to the race on time and 2. Training for the race. I race by RPE mostly so even a HRM is just a cross check. If you are going to try a HRM, that's fine, but unless you are like Shelly and NEED to know something, there is no reason to try to use one for your first race. I think my head would have exploded with that much info on my first race. Plus if you are going to use one, you need info which means you need some sort of threshold test and then train with it. Skip it for now. Seriously, you can even skip the watch. If you do use one, and know how to use the lap function, you can hit the lap function every time you cross a timing mat and have a pretty accurate timing record of your race. Not necessary tho...

Nutrition: for a sprint, you'll probably go a bit longer than an hour, so you could justify doing a gu at around an hour into the race. You don't need any more than that and eating more than that could make you sick. Only eat something you have eaten before (these things can wreak havoc on your gut and everyone reacts differently to these...for instance I cannot do gu roctane or clif bloks...ymmv). If you think you can pull it off, the end of the bike is a good time to eat, if not in T1 or at the beginning of the run. But just to be clear, you can do a sprint with NOTHING.

Sunscreen: super waterproof:  wear it, reapply if you need to.

OK, what did I miss? 

Wow Quincy!!  THANK YOU for all that great info and advice!  I'm going to cut and paste all of that into a word doc and keep it for easy reference.  Really really appreciate the time you took to think all that through and capture it.

Jacki

I think your list is a bit daunting.  Perhaps it could be broken down further as to what would be needed for training now, and what can be purchased and built up over time.

I think all the information is incredible.  I don't think I have ever seen it summed up so well in such a short space.

Maybe I missed it, but the fact is that it seems like the question at hand was what do you need, and you answered it (extremely well), but I will ask the follow up question...  What do I need NOW, versus what will I eventually need.

Thanks

Mark w.

I hear you on the expenses. I just keep looking it as an investment in my health. I have bought a little at a time and shopped around for everything. www.sportsbasement.com is an excellent site to get decent deals. Some others are bonktown, REI, Sierratrading post, trisports, all3sports and amazon. I also look at alternatives to save money. My gear bag is one of my kids old school backpacks. It actually works awesome. I also have bought athletic wear from JCPenney that I used as a tri top in my last trialthlon and it worked awesome. I liked it better than my Pearl Izumi tri top that I used in my first triathlon. Now I am only doing sprint distances so don't know if that affects things or not.  And I ask for tri stuff for all birthday, Mother's day, anniversary, christmas gifts etc.

Lots of items though are wants and not necessities. You really only need a bike, helmet, running shoes and something to swim in ( goggles included). The rest is all luxuries that help- lol.

I too think I'm going to love my Garmin. And I have also gotten very good at justifying my wants- haha. I mean I had to have a good hrm because of my heart damage- so that's a necessity not a want- right ;-).

Shelly

OK everyone, I finally got around to making a list of the group! Vacation really kicked me in the butt, and I'm supposed to be cleaning out my basement today so naturally I am wasting time on here! Actually it's not wasted time as I am using those monster posts I wrote this morning on my blog!!! Multi tasking...

Anyway, you should be able to cut and paste this into the intro section on your blog and then it's super easy to click on your mentor-mates blog link and give them some inspiration and encouragement on their logs!!!

Magical Mys-tri Tour for Newbies

Shelly-FitMomma2010

Cheri-CheriFortin

Ted-Sammeg

Tom-TLkatos1259

Michel-Michel.Sutton

Wendy-Emmrald

Matt-mjh1975

Mark-ChicagoMan65

Jacki-DaDooRunRun

Sean-sma777

Yvonne-Ybeal

Kent-kentkillsit

Peter-peterflagg

Lauren-lmo123

Mark-mrkwhittaker

Todd-trei

Dave-oriolepwr

Quincy-quincyf

Tri Gear:

Bag: anything that holds all of your gear and is safe to wear on your back while you ride your bike is good enough. I would not buy a tri specific bag until you race for a while for a few different reasons. You don't know what you want out of a bag, they can be expensive, and it might not match the bike you eventually buy.

So true.  A bag is just a bag.  Though one that matches the bike.  hmmmmmmm

Towel: please for the love of all things holy, bring a tiny little towel to set your shoes on...I promise to you that you only need a hand towel...if you must bring something bigger, please, please, please fold it up into hand towel size. There is nothing worse than a space hog in transition...especially a sprint transition where space is generally limited.

OMG!  Have you seen the advertising for the special transition absorbent towel thingy?   is it necessary Really? 

Swim:

Goggles: a pair that doesn't leak. I now own approximately 314 pairs of goggles in an array of clear, mirrored, big, small, pool, OWS. Not one of them doesn't leak. Some ONLY leak in race situations (a mystery of physics). Actually you could justify having two pairs in your bag in case one breaks. They are cheap. 

For sure  have two pairs of goggles.  I did have to resort to using my backup pair of scratched up leaky goggles for a tri once.  was so glad I had the backup.   Stuff happens.     it does take many sets of goggles that you "think" are the right ones before really finding the ones that fit your face ideally.   Once I finally did, they do not leak.  Just sayin...   Q  perhaps you need #315?

Swimsuit: generally you end up swimming in what you race in (the only distance where you even can change legally is an IM, transition areas are usually coed and open to spectators and USAT has a no nudity rule...sad I know). For training in a pool, I would swim once in the clothes you plan to race in, because you want to make sure they work. Then I would purchase a swimsuit that is dedicated to pool swimming...this is useful for two reasons...the chlorine beats fabric up pretty bad, and you won't be as easily identifiable as "that triathlete guy trying to figure out how to swim."

Yes and swimming in the pool with your wetsuit is a BIG giveaway that you are THAT triathlete guy. 

Wetsuit: if you live in a warm climate you may be able to get away with not owning one. Us midwesterners need to show up at every race with one and then decide whether or not to wear it if the decision isn't already made for us. Unfortunately it is one of those expensive, specialized pieces of gear, but you can mitigate costs. Most of us are not such awesome swimmers that a 400 dollar wetsuit will give an edge to...simply wearing any wetsuit is going to do the job. So here are ways to get ahold of one. Rent: most places will credit you the rental if you buy the suit. Buy last year's model: this is a good time to get a deal because tri shops are looking to get rid of leftover inventory...this is especially a good idea if you are bigger/smaller than average...all the common sizes will be gone. Borrow: do you have a friend who isn't racing that is your size? Craigslist: this is where I got my first, a pretty nice QR for about 1/3 of retail. It was even new.

Great advice-  I have two wetsuits.   a $300 one that I never use, and a $99 one that I do use.   hmmm.   yes go ahead and rent to find the perfect fit.   Xterra  I will say is a very customer friendly co, if you are going to buy one new.   But they ALWAYS just about have a sale.  So do not buy one from them unless its a sale.    They ship quick and you can try it out. If it does not fit, send it back and get another, they will not hassle you.   NO I and not sponsored by them (or anyone else)  But I am totally for sale!

I totally forgot swim cap! Most (every) race will give you a cap to wear, perhaps color coded by race distance or wave you are starting in, or gender...boys with no hair that hate swim caps, too bad, you must wear yours for the start. If it slips off after the start, nobody will say anything about it...also, I like to put mine on over my goggles...to help keep goggles on if I get beat up during the swim...

I put my goggles over the swim cap.   (just being difficult here)

This is becoming a monster post...so I'll break it up into three pieces...

Bike:

Bike: obviously this is the biggest money sponge in tri. There are whole monster threads devoted to every single aspect of bike gear, but since we're entry level I will stick to what we will most likely do. Borrow: that friend with the wetsuit that fit would be a great place to start...I rode a sweet felt road bike with toe cages on for my first tri...I have pictures of me passing dudes in aero, it is awesome!!! Rent: you can rent super nice rides from most bike shops and they will help you get it all set up.  Buy used: again, this is a good time to buy a used bike (craigslist, ebay, etc) because people are plotting their new bike purchases and want to get rid of their old one...we already talked about how to find out your size... Buy new: we already talked about this, you can get deals online, but there is definitely a long term advantage to building a relationship with a LBS (local/little bike shop). Ride what you have: for a sprint tri, a mtb/hybrid with slicks (slick tires) is good enough. A lot of people don't want to do this, but just think of the bragging rights you'll have later (I did my first tri on a 60 lb beach cruiser, etc). Bragging rights are VERY important.

Yes yes yes!  You cannot really know what bike you really want/need at this point in time.   cannot stress this enough. 

Bike shoes: Don't bother with these for your first tri unless you already have them and know how to use them. Get toe cages! I own a pair of toe cage pedals which were a great investment (along with a pedal wrench) because whenever I have someone visit who wants to ride, I can put the cages on and they can use their running shoes. Plus your T2 time will be smokin' fast. Once you own a bike though, you should really get into some sort of bike shoe (this involves pedals which we can discuss later but is beyond the scope of the what you need post).

Well  that is a great point!  you do not have to have cycling shoes right away  but....this being said,  for all you spinners out there,  most spin bikes are set up to accept SPD style cleats.   You can use a cheap pair of cycling shoes  for spin  right now!!!    seriously cycling shoes can really help you improve on a bike.  I think if you are serious enough to go to spin class regularly right now, you can justify getting a cheap pair of cycling shoes that later you can also use on your bike.  The issue here is that there are a few different systems out there.    like I said spin bikes typically are SPD.    I have an old pair (20+ years) that I still use for spin.   I also have a diff pair that are set up for my speed-play pedal system on my bikes.      cycling shoes are a must I feel especially for older athletes (like me)  as they can help prevent foot injuries/sore feet.   Because they take that flexing out, more power is transferred to the pedal (you go faster)  this is a good thing.     But yes  you WILL fall over (probably a few times even)  you get embarrassed.  But all of us "clipping in"  have done this!.     Heck I've fallen over with toe cages.   its just going to happen.    

Aero bars: until you have been riding a while, I don't recommend these. If you are new to bike handling, they might be a big tough, especially because they change the distribution of your center of gravity on a roadie. For a sprint tri, if you want to be aero, just stay in the drops...it can be a bit uncomfortable, but you will get 1-2 mph just by lowering yourself and sprint rides are short, so suck it up, buttercup.

Agreed.   Also as again for you spinners,  work on being as aero as you can in the mirror every time you take a class.  keep your elbows in.   try to get lower and lower.  go in the 2nd row and try to "tuck in" behind the front row.  if you can see your self in the mirror,  then keep working on it.    Aero is more uncomfortable.   But so is pedaling harder than you need to cause the wind is slowing you down!!!! 

Bike computer: this is another thing you don't need until you have your own setup. If you do have one and can remember to start it in T1, I'll personally send you a dollar.

Ive been using my Garmin 405 as my bike puter!    NO need to buy a separate bike puter.    

Helmet: I borrowed my first one...it was about 10 years old and bright purple. I felt like grape ape. But I totally passed dudes in aero. Remember...Bragging Rights. Once you buy, I would buy one that is light and cool in the heat. I LOVE my giro Ionos, but it is pricey...remember even the cheapest helmet out there is ANSI certified. I guess this is one of the things that I would spend a bit more money on. I totally crashed the living s*** out of myself and my first Ionos...it cracked in about 9 spots, but my head was only a bit sore for a few days...amazing...I went right out and bought another one.

I remember Grape APE!!!!!  he came on after Speed buggy I think. 

Aero helmet: Chrissie Wellington doesn't need one, and neither do you. However, once you hit your second or third season, and you are riding a TT bike, an aero helmet is the cheapest free speed you can buy. If you can stand looking like a total tool. For our purposes here, we shall only make fun of them.

Chrissie does not use one??  did not know that.   yup  aero helmets may look silly on a training ride, or look all that great in your tri pics.   but they are the speediest/cheapest speed. 

Bike bottles/cages: You only need one bottle of water on your bike. Maybe two for an oly (but seriously unless it's super hot you really only need one, and you probably won't even drink out of it). I like the old school metal cages because I can bend them to keep the bottles in. I don't race with any nice bottle...they have a way of disappearing. Some people bring a second bottle of water and leave it by their shoes to squirt on their feet to clean them off after the swim. So CHEAP, and one, maybe two.

AND you seriously do not need a carbon bottle cage!  (though I have one lol!!!   Silly arent I?)

OK, on to the run...

Run:

Since I didn't cover extras in the bag/towel portion, I'll add those in here...

Shoes:  You need comfortable, well fitting running shoes. If you're new to running I highly recommend going to a running shop and trying on a bunch of stuff. Once you pick a pair and decide they are your running shoes, you can simply reorder them in your size. My husband orders Mizuno wave creations in his size, sometimes two or three at a time and just hangs onto them until he needs them. He waits until the end of the season and then buys last year's models at a discount. If you're starting out your running career by walking, walk in the shoes you intend to run in. Each shoe can be a little different and the last thing you want to do is start running in a pair you have never worn before...if you do this, start out with some short, easy runs to make sure they don't give you any surprise aches and pains. I put yankz on all of mine for most every distance except marathon...I tend to go back to laces for that long of a run. This is purely personal preference. Although my DH (lace only guy) has never beat me in a T2...it's all part of the race you know...

www.runningwarehouse.com  once you do know the shoes you really need, is like the cheapest source in my opinion.   Again you will probably end up with tons of shoes you tried and then found were not the best for you, in a closet somewhere.   True you probably will not end up with a closet solely for your running shoes,  like I do.  (what...  think I'm kidding?)   but shoes are fun!   oh and Yankz are the "bomb"   Seriously do not know why laces are still used versus system like Yankz.  

Socks: if you can stand it, you can try running sockless, but honestly, this is one of those things that can wait. I LOVE those fabulous microfiber running socks...I ran in those stupid cotton ones for years and switched when I started going longer than an hour...they seriously changed my running life!!! The only time I would consider skipping socks is in a sprint tri, but that's because the run is so short, and it's the only distance I am competitive at.

Socks also absorb some road shock/impact!!!   Socks are like shoes.  you will go through a bunch trying out what works best for you.   Microfiber socks are great!    Everything out to be made out of tech material.   Guys.  Seriously not kidding here,  if you are in cotton underwear.  spend the $$ and get some underarmour  tech underwear.  OMG!  soooooooo much better.  

Hat: I love a visor...headsweats does a one piece elastic band so you can throw it on while you are running. But this is pure preference, maybe you don't even want a hat. 

Its a good idea to have a visor or hat with that soaks up sweat to keep it from getting in your eyes.   Also helps in rain, cold  soooo everyone is different  but what is not to like???  ok I'm a hat guy....  (and come from a line of hat manufacturers sooooo)

Glasses: I buy cheap ones at Target...they get beat up after a season. I am considering a pair of prescription glasses for the bike, but not necessary. I would not skip these though...protect your eyes.

I loves me my Oakleys    worth the $$$$

Shorts: I like tri shorts with a super minimal chamois. No underwear...if you don't believe me, try riding your bike with underwear on. They come in different lengths and compression.

They also last like forever!!!!!!!   so yes get some tri shorts!   great value

Top:  Let's just go with this: whatever you wear, make sure you can just wear it for the swim, bike, and run. No need to make transition more complex than necessary. I like tri tops because they have a little pocket in the back for a gu, but you can wear any jog bra/top combo you like. Men can go shirtless and then put a top on, but I recommend a tri top for the boys too...just remember that if you are wearing a tri top, you need to just swim in it. NO way you are going to get that thing on in T1.

Guys  you do not need a tri top  but yes they are great cause you can swim in it and they have the pockets etc.   And I can tell you Q is spot on.  I did the change in to shirt thing a bunch of times in sprint tri's   NOT EASY when yo are wet.

Trisuit: I tried one last year but went back to shorts/top. Too hard to pee/poop. Comfy though. Skip it until you have raced long enough to have an opinion.

I like the tri suits  actually.   But again tough to size.

Race belt: These are great...you just slap it on before the bike and spin the number to your back. Then on the run, spin it to the front. Otherwise you end up pinning it to your top and swimming in it. Probably the cheapest and most useful piece of gear you will ever buy. Some of them come with a little key pouch and little holes to put gu's in. I have 3 or 4 of them.

yes!  spibelts   (google that) 

Watch/HRM: I have raced without a watch numerous times...in fact I don't know if I've ever timed myself correctly thru start to finish. These are FAR more useful for 1. Getting yourself to the race on time and 2. Training for the race. I race by RPE mostly so even a HRM is just a cross check. If you are going to try a HRM, that's fine, but unless you are like Shelly and NEED to know something, there is no reason to try to use one for your first race. I think my head would have exploded with that much info on my first race. Plus if you are going to use one, you need info which means you need some sort of threshold test and then train with it. Skip it for now. Seriously, you can even skip the watch. If you do use one, and know how to use the lap function, you can hit the lap function every time you cross a timing mat and have a pretty accurate timing record of your race. Not necessary tho...

Nutrition: for a sprint, you'll probably go a bit longer than an hour, so you could justify doing a gu at around an hour into the race. You don't need any more than that and eating more than that could make you sick. Only eat something you have eaten before (these things can wreak havoc on your gut and everyone reacts differently to these...for instance I cannot do gu roctane or clif bloks...ymmv). If you think you can pull it off, the end of the bike is a good time to eat, if not in T1 or at the beginning of the run. But just to be clear, you can do a sprint with NOTHING.

YES you don't need any nutrition in a sprint.     Its a good idea though to start trying and getting used to GU  in training.  (the best product for me are powerbar gel blasts-when i have somewhere to put them)   

Sunscreen: super waterproof:  wear it, reapply if you need to.

OK, what did I miss? 

Jacki! THank you. I was worried I had killed the thread and was just hoping that you guys weren't posting because you were digesting all that info (thinking python eating a goat here).

I was thinking about condensing it and tossing it out into triathlon talk...it will be critiqued like mad, but that's ok...

What does the Mys-tri tour think? I haven't heard from some of you in a while...missing you guys...