mndiver's group-closed (Page 3)

I have the book and the video.  It is a good book but is a little to be able to disseminate what he is saying and put into oractical purposes in the water.  I reccomend getting the book and the video if you can.  If you can't get the video look online for videos.  Tons of stuff out there.  I do reccomend Total Immersion highly.

You more than likely did push too hard today.  Wed all have that problem most of the time.  To answer the first question, I would not test more than once a month.  It won't change much if you do the test right.  In addition, this is a painfull test, no reason to torture yourself and risk injury more than once a month. 

The LT test is sports specific.  You will get a different number for both bike and run.  In addition you will get a different number for outdoors -vs-indoors also.

In most instances it is more difficult to train for T1 than T2.  I would suggest practicing transitions once a week for T2 as soon as you get closer to tri specific training.  About two months before the race season I do at least one brick (bike followed by a run) a week.  I mimic my transition as close as I can and work on getting that time down.

As for practicing T2?  In 6 years I don't know if I ever have.  You should, but I don't.  It is usually such complete chaos coming out of the water (think the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan but without the death) that you just try to get through as fast yet calm as you can.  I would work on putting on and taking off the wet-suit.  As someone here mentioned earlier, you want to be wearing what you plan to wear under your wetsuit.  It is no fun trying to put on a shirt or tri top later.

oops

Great questions Amber.  Body marking is putting your number and sometimes your age on your body.  They mark your race number on your calf and upper arm most of the time.  Sometimes they put age on other calf.  This is usually done for body identification if lost during a swim (kidding).

For your second question I can help out, although not a lady.  Most women at tri's do not wear a swimsuit.  They wear tri shorts and either a sports bra or a tri top under the wetsuit.  Take off the wetsuit in T1 and you are ready to go.

Same answer for women wheather they wear a wetsuit or not.  Tri shorts and tri top from start to finish.  As fas as chafing goes you need to experiment.  If you have a spot that rubs and hurts look into BodyGlide.  It is a greaseless product that does wonders.  Looks just like underarm deoderant.

I will have to look into it. Is it waterproof? or do you dry off real well and in T1 before you put it on?

Sorry for the retarded questions but I know I will not have committed to a wetsuit come game day... at least not at the first one... lol.

It is waterproof.  You put it on before the race.  But usually the main reason people use it is to prevent wetsuit rub and saddle rub.  The wetsuit is not an issue so now you are only really concerned with chafing in the tri shorts area.  I like to have two sticks of body glide.  One for everywhere else and one for down under.  You really do not want to share this stuff or mix up the "down under" one.  Put it everywhere you have ever got the tiniest chafing, burning or pinching during training runs and rides.  For some reason a race just makes things worse. 

Where do I put on BodyGlide?  Bottoms of toes and on my left arch.  Those are areas I have problem with blisters forming.  Bottom of my ankles and the back of my neck.  This helps with getting my wetsuit off.  Little on the underarm area where my tri top rubs in longer races.  Almost everywhere the sun don't shine and is in contact with my saddle.  I shant elaborate.  BodyGlide is not the only product but has been around for awhile and most people really like it.  I would highly suggest a stick or two.

There are a lot of transition questions coming up and rightly so.  One suggestion I would have is that if at all possible go watch a tri before your event.  Even after doing 35+ events ranging from sprint to Ironman I still learn things from watching people go through transitions.  It is not a hard or difficult process but you can lose a lot of time and get thrown off your game plan.  Later today I will go through my transition set up and step by step through each transition. 

Great input Erin, thanks.  Only concern with the swimsuit and then shorts is rubbing.  Anytime you have seams coming together from different articles of clothing you are going to have rubbing and chafing.  That's also why you should never wear any kind of undergarments under tri shorts.  Thought I might mention that to folks who may have never trained in or worn tri shorts.

Transition set time!!  This is how I do it ans is by no means the only or best way.  I race mostly in Minnesota and Wisconsin so I almost always use a wetsuit.  I try to arrive at the site at least an hour and a half before the race.  This gives me time to get organized, talk to other people I know and get a quick test spin in.  I hate being rushed.

1.  Night before I get everything organized and packed the way I want it.  I visualize going through each segment and transition to make sure I have everything.  Get directions to the race and have bike packed and a peanut butter sandwich all ready made along with coffee ready to brew.

2.  Wake up ready to roll w plenty of time to get the bathroom stuff done. Hit the road early.  Now this part might sound weird, but it works for my wife and I.  We always stop at a convenience store, gas station, etc right before getting to the site of the race.  You will be nervous for your first race and eventually you just kind of train yourself to have to "unload" again. It is much better to do it somewhere with running water than waiting in line for the porta jons.

3. Get to site.  Take out bike.  Put nutrition and hydration on bike and pump up tires while still at vehicle.  Make sure I have everything and head to transition area.

4.  Some places will let you get the race packet the night before and some you get on site.  Some let you enter the transition area without body marking or numbers applied and some make you do it first.  Either way you will figure it out quick.

5. We'll assume the most cumbersome way and say I need to pick up race materials that morning and get body marked.  You first find where packets are and get yours.  Some nice cheery person who is not racing will assist you.  Get your number on where it belongs and follow the crowd to where they are doing body marking.  After that you need to put your race chip on your left ankle.  The chip will either be in your packet or you get it at the next station.  After all this I head into transition area and set up.

6.  Some races have designated spots and some it's a free for all.  In that case I always try to find a spot near an obvious landmark.  Huge tree, ambulance, etc. Bring a small towel to set up on.  You do not want to encroach on other peoples area.  I lay my towel down and put run stuff towards the back. Shoes, socks, race belt with number attached, hat.  Towards the front I have bike items needed.  Tri shoes, sunglasses, helmet.  I lay my wetsuit and googles over my transition stuff and take my bike out for a quick spin.  Make sure it is shifting well, nothing out of the ordinary and just to ease my mind.  When I get back I reset my bike computer to 0 and then look for people to talk to.  I stay away from transition after this to keep myself from screwing things up.

7.  About 30 minutes before my wave I go back and get my wetsuit and googles and head down to the lake.  I should mention I put on a lot of Bodyglide where needed and my tri top and tri shorts before leaving.  These are the only items of clothes I will wear the whole race.  So I get down to the water and put on wetsuit.  This takes awhile and it is not fun to rush so I give plenty of time.  Once suit is on I get in and swim for 5-10 minutes.  A lot of people skip this process but in short races I feel it is a must.  I usually don't even get warmed up for 500 meters or so.  If no warm up I am never getting a good stroke in.  After a warm-up I am on land with at least 10 minutes to spare before wave start.  Make sure I am at the start and wait for gun.

8. BAM!!  There is the gun.  This is not the time to panic.  If you are anervous swimmer let the group go first.  Wait 10 seconds and then go.  As you see the shore you will be tempted to walk as soon as you can touch.  Bad idea.  It is very tiring running in water.  Keep swimming until your fingers hit the bottom of the lake on your stroke.  This will save a lot of energy.  Get out of the water and head for transition.  Keep it cool and try to keep heart rate down.  No reason to go Z5 at this point.

9.  I look for my landmark and find my spot.  Take off goggles and wetsuit and hit the ground.  If feet are very dirty I spray them with a water bottle quick and throw on my tri shoes.  No socks yet.  They are not needed and it is easier to put them on in T2 when your feet are drier.  Shoes on, helmet on and strapped, glasses on, Start Garmin on wrist, GO!! I try to keep it under control for the first mile or so to get heart rate under control and then hammer pretty hard.  As you see the end of the bike coming try to loosen up a bit and spin easy.  The hard work is about to start and you might as well give yourself a quick chance to calm down.  Pull into T2 and dismount where all the people are yelling at you to get off bike.  Run in and look for transition spot.  Are you lost?  Did you come in from a different direction and forgot where you were?  This happens a lot.  Good scouting before the race and knowing entry and exit points will help.

10.  Find my spot and rack my bike.  Take a big gulp of liquids(you were hydrating on the bike, right?) I usually leave my cleats clipped into the pedals so I am bare foot upon running to transition.  Take off helmet.  Put on hat, race belt with number, socks and shoes.  Take another quick drink and I'm on my way.

As I said, this is not the only way to do transitions but it is pretty close to what most do.  Watch some races and see how others do it.  Lastly, if in doubt just ask.  I have found people at Triathlons to be some of the nicest people on earth.  Hope this all helps.

All right!  Let the countdown begin.

So I need to make the decision as to whether or not to join USAT. I had to pay a one time license fee of $10 for my race because I wasn't a member. However of the 3 other races I am looking at, only one other is USAT sanctioned. So it is cheaper for me to pay the $10 for each of those than it is to pay the $40 for the USAT membership. The question I have is this; Is it worth it to become a member if I stick with it and what are the perks of being a member?

Still reading more on this. I just thought I would pose the question to the forum and see who is and is not a member.

Josh