Brett's Group - All Full Up (Page 4)

That or just make it an extra big swim/run week.  Either way you shouldn't lose much from just a week off.  The pay off from not having something rot or fall apart on you is certainly worth it.

bts

A lot of the answers to those are "it depends" but I'll do my best.  Really you're not expected to bring anything besides (what I think) is the obvious. 

A race belt is basically a strip of spandex that you attach your race number to.  It's handy for a number of reasons, but not a necessity.  Depending on the race you may or may not have to have a number on you when you bike.  A lot of races have a number for the bike and that suffices for the bike portion, however typically you are required to have the race number displayed during the run.  The race belt eliminates the hassle by letting you snap it on and spin the number to the back on the bike so it's out of the way and then spin it around to the front for the run.

As for swim caps, generally if it's a wave start, you're expected to wear it (to keep you from sneaking into an earlier field) if it's a mass start, then the RD will probably be less inclined to care.  However there is also the safety factor.  The caps are usually highly visible (at least compared to wet hair) and allows life guards to identify potential problems early.

Let me know if you have any other questions, and good luck.

bts

Sorry for the long delays, guys, been out and about on vacation...

I wouldn't sweat it.  It's just something else to lose.  Unless you become hyper involved in rankings, etc.

That depends on the race and where the mats are set up.  I typically hit the split button on my watch a few steps out of the water, right before I mount, a few steps after I dismount, and soon as I start running so I have a more accurate representation of exactly how fast I was going in each discipline.

bts 

jer2wcs- thanks for writing all of that up.  I learned some of that stuff (like needing to rinse off your feet) when I did the relay in July - so it's really good that you did a practice run.  Also I have read other's blogs and learned that the nutrition aspect is key -  learning what you can handle  during the race is important.  Maybe you can try another brand of gel - I have used Hammer Gels - whic taste nasty, but seem to sit ok in my belly. 

You are definitely setting yourself up to Kick some butt!!  Good luck on the race!! It's coming up - this sunday, right??

joyjoy - CONGRATS!!! That is awesome.  Was this your first tri ever?  Did you do an OLY for a first-time?  You brave soul!!  Thanks for writing all of that up - it's really helpful for me, since I am doing my first tri (sprint) on 9/16.  

I think that the hardest part of a race isn't finishing - it's STARTING.  It takes nerve and confidence to say 'yeah, I can finish this race' - no matter if you freaked beforehand, the fact is that you DID start - and finish - and did great!!  nice job!!

I second that... big ups to ya joyjoy!

bts

kt_grl11 - 2007-08-27 9:45 PM Alright, I have a few questions about general nutrition and supplements. I know that I need to take a good multi vitiman, but beyond that I am a little confused. First off, my energy levels seem to vary a lot from day to day (mostly independantly of amounts of exercise). I think it may be due to what I eat (I eat 3 meals a day + snacks, but i not sure im eating the right stuff necessarily)? What is considered a good ratio of CARBS: PROTEIN: FAT for endurance training (bear in mind I'm not trying to lose weight). Also I have question about supplements that aid in recovery. I generally try to lift 3-4 times a week (generally alternating upper body and lower body on different days) in addition to tri training. After lower body workouts I have lots of problems with DOMS, usually about 2 days later. My leg muscles get extremely sore and tight (esp my hamstrings), and it happens even when im lifting regularly. Are there supplements that help reduce DOMS and speed recovery? I have read some about BCAAs, creatine, etc... how well do those factor in with strength/endurance training? Any advice would be awesome

Unfortunately, there are countless answers to those questions. 

Regarding diet - I do okay around the 40-30-30 to 40-40-20.  I don't have any problems with lethargy using that approach.  Spreading the meals out is a good idea and should help keep the blood sugar steady.  If possible, you might want to try shrinking the meals a little bit and increasing the size or frequency of the snacks.

For me, I've found the more I stay away from highly processed foods (especially the high fructose corn syrup variety) they more even I stay.  Those foods give me the biggest crashes.

For supplements beyond multi-vitamins - you'll probably want to experiment to see what works best for you.  Creatine is solid for short duration activities, but benfits are more or less negligible for endurance activities.  DOMS is pretty much a fact of life if you're doing any serious lifting or hard speed work, it's just something you work through.  Stretching and using the massage stick help me keep it to a minimum.  Make sure you're getting enough protein as I've found that helps the muscles bounce back a little bit quicker (like the cows say: "eat mor chikin".

I used to go wild with supplements, especially pre-triathlon, but I've found that the expense and effort don't seem worth it when you can get most of the benefits from a well-rounded and sufficient diet.  One thing I still use from time to time is the MetRx powder because it helps me get the extra calories I need in fairly good proportions.

bts 

Woo hoo!! I did it!  I am officially a triathlete.  I am pretty psyched.  here's my race report.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=90769

Thanks to everyone for your support!! 

 By the way- I am hooked!!  That was so fun.  Too bad tri season is over up here in the northeast.  I'll be setting up my training schedule for the winter, though.  Time to work on the running.