Scott's Mentor Group-Closed (Page 9)

One of the things that often gets overlooked in triathlon is the the transition.  For those of you who are going to be going into your first race it would be good to practice your transitions.  

For T1-  Practice putting on and pulling off your wetsuit(if you have one, of course)  Decide if you will have your shoes already clipped into your bike or not.  Practice running, or walking quickly with your bike shoes on.  Don't forget to put your helmet on.  You can practice setting up your transition area and do a "run-through".  Have fun.  They say that the 4th sport in triathlon is the transitions.  

I do the same with Sufferfest ... and look forward to plugging the SF workouts into Trainer Road. I need to be entertained when I'm training inside. I never use a treadmill for this reason. I can't go down into the basement and train in a cave. Well ... I could ... but I hate it. My family is very accommodating for my Saturday long rides where I usually just put in a movie or two and go for hours. Right in the middle of the living room.

As we get closer to my first race, I'll definitely be picking your brain about transition strategies.

Good afternoon!

I feel like we're all a nice tri family now, call me Ashley. I tried to change my settings to display my name but can't seem to. 

I have been reading about the transition and practices/habits. I feel like no matter how much I read to prepare, the first few will be comical! Will you all share a blunder you've had? Something to think about? 

Also, if the water is too warm and you don't wear a wet suit for the swim part of your race, what do you wear? Is a tri suit considered a wet suit in competition? My first race has an indoor swim and outside bike/run. I will probably just wear a speedo bathing suit and have to add a few layers to do my ride/run outside. Thoughts?

Ashley,  I am a big fan of trisuits.  They are comfortable, and made to be swum, biked and run in.  They are not considered wet suits.  They have a small chamois for comfort on the bike, and you don't even notice it on the run.  I tell people all the time to "rock the onesie!"  You will love it.  

I will share a few of my transition blunders as that has been my bane the first few races but I wanted to throw a question out as I obsessed over this for the last hour and half in yoga ... chances ae I will reask the same question on the bike forum but I trust the insight of this group so here goes ...

Before April of last year all my bike riding for the five years prior had been mountain bikes ... even when I started running alot and decided to do a tri (or three) I said I would do the Xterra series or off road stuff so I could use one of my mountain bikes ... I got the bug so I bought a used entry level tri bike - the only problem was I did not know how to ride clips and my first bunch of tries was comically disastrous ... so I had this nice entry level tri bike, a Felt 32 and I could not ride it.  I ended up buying an old 1982 Univega Gran Premio a week before my first super sprint and practiced the clips in that one all week - and then raced with it.  Raced a sprint a few weeks later and also used the Univega.  Only recently (for a few Du's have I used the Felt - way faster) ...

That all said my Univega is a monster and I more than held my own with it but I want to upgrade leading into this season as I have 2 century rides planned and I am scared to pack ride with the Felt and am not sure if my old Univega is up for the task.  I can't go big (as in new) since I am an a budget that is mostly eaten up in race fees but I have been focusing on used LITESPEED manufactured bikes.  As a big guy (6'2" 229#) I think the titanium will suit me I have looked at the Ultimate and lost a few auctions on ebay and listings on craiglsit but then I found this and was hoping for some feedback:

Eddy Merckx Titanium 62cm road bike it appears that the frame was manufactured by Litespeed.  Looks in good shape with slight peeling on the decals.  Mavic Ksyrium 700C wheelset and threadless Kinesis carbon fiber fork; Dura Ace 9spd ... Ultegra 175mm 53/39 crankset&BB w/outboard bearings... Bontrager Carbon 27.2mm seatpost... Fizik Aliante saddle... Sachs 9spd. chain... Cateye computer. 

Looks good but it is huge jump in price from my $125 Univega at nearly $1300 for a 1996 ride ...

Any thoughts before I make the road bike upgrade?

Three days prior to my first sprint I cut my left pointer finger so bad I needed 8 stitches.  The doctor that sewed me up (who had done some local triathalons) strongly suggested I not compete but relaized I was going to anyway - as I left he said - "the transitions may prove difficult" well he was right.  I came out of the swim and stripped my wetsuit and got to my bike ok but I fumbled trying to clip my helmet closed and forgot my sunglasses.  T2 was worse - I could not tie my sneakers.  I had to actually sit to try to get better leverage to use my thumb and middle finger to tie (something I had not practiced) ...

I would like to say my tranistions have gotten better since but I would be lying - I just seem to lose urgency in transition and really need to work on that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/E-Merckx-Ti-Litespeed-62cm-Dura-Ace-9spd-w-Ksyrium-wheelset-One-owner-bike-/330670008074?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item4cfd77e70a

Is it this one?  I don't know.  It seems that if you are going to spend $1200-$1300 you can get something pretty solid that is new/newer.  

Paul ... I only bought my roadie this past summer (it's what actually sparked my interest in learning how to swim), and it's all I plan to ride this summer unless I happen to land a new job I'm looking at (I'd buy a tri bike as a "bonus"). So I'm new to the current technology. But I rode a lot in HS and College (a long time ago).

If I were going to spend $1300 on a bike, it wouldn't be on a '96. I'm thinking you could still find some 2011s out there ... it might mean going down into the 105s (which is what I bought), but I think a new bike would be easily attained if you plan to spend $1300.

Additionally ... consider aluminum. I was probably 210# when I started riding again, and definitely felt I had plenty of bike underneath me (I'm riding a Giant Defy 1). 

Anyone want to discuss gear?

Swim:

Tyr goggles - Nest Pro Nano Metalized

Tyr Earplugs

XTerra Vortex 4 sleeveless wetsuit

Tyr Competitor Trisuit (looks like they cut the price in half on these) http://www.tyr.com/shop/competitor-male-trisuit-p-1257-c-1_19_250.html

Sneakers:  Saucony Pro Grid Kinvara 2 (race)

Training sneakers:  Nike Lunar Haze, Nike Pegasus, Montrail Rockridge

Bike - Felt S32

Swim:

Goggles-Speedo

Tri suit racing

Jammers for training

wetsuit-Quintana Roo-UltraFull

Garmin 310xt (I covet the 910xt)

Sneakers:  Saucony Pro Grid Kinvara 1 (race)

Training sneakers:  Asics gel 1150

Bike - Tri bike-Cervelo P2-"kido"

Road Bike- Specialized Secteur Sport "The Black Mamba"

Aero Helmet-Giro Advantage

Bike shoes-Pear Izumi Tri Fly III Carbon.

That is the bike ... I put it on my ebay watch list and my wife put a sticky note on the computer that said this ...

$1,225!  Seriously?!

This bike is USED can't you get something NEW for that price?

Ugh - a battle I really don't want to have LOL

Swim:

Goggles-Speedo

Jammers

Bike:

Road - 2011 Giant Defy 1

Pearl Izumi shorts

Hand me down Look pedals

Mavic pro road shoes 

Regular helmet ... don't even recall the brand

CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer (just arrived today!)

Run:

New Balance 890s for training and racing

Looking for a new trail shoe, but have run the past three seasons in Brooks Cascadia 

Whatever shorts are on sale ... prefer short shorts for races

Always Under Armor for compression

Sport Hill winter leggings

Whatever soft shell is on sale is on TJ Maxx ... currently Marmot.

Just bought the Brooks Utopia mittens and they're amazing. 

Edit to add: I have the Garmin Forerunner 305 w/HR monitor. Just got the Garmin cadence/speed sensor for my bike. I fear it's on it's final legs, as it's been shutting off on its own schedule lately. Just the excuse I'll need to get the 910xt.

Running:  

Asics DuoMax Jell, EEE width (don’t laugh; it helps with the swim – flipper effect).

Timex HR watch

2008 Ironman World Championship visor (for inspiration)

Swim:

Pearl Izumi Tri shorts

Aqua Sphere swim mask – way better fit than any goggles I’ve ever tried.  No leaks now!

Bike:

 Borrowed Cannondale R400 road bike

Crank Brother Candy pedals (same as my mountain bike.  I’m comfortable with them and I don’t need another pair of cycling shoes).

Trek Fuel Ex7 mountain bike.

Medium run today 36 minutes.  HR was a little lower today.

Thursday is long bike ride, 80 minutes.

C

good morning everyone

I missed a bike workout yesterday due to some home issues but i got out for a four mile run this morning.  1 mile warmup, 2 tempo miles, and then a mile to cool down.

have a good day and keep up the great work!!!!!

Pete R

Morning, tri trainers!

Hope everyone had a great day! I did another walk/run session yesterday and can tell the difference again week by week of what I am doing. I did a 10 minute jog new years day and hated it. I didn't get very far either. Yesterday, I did a 9:30 mile and was excited! I then did some more walking/running for 20 minutes. Followed that up with a chest workout. 

Today will be back to the pool! I'm excited about swimming after my 10 laps on Tuesday. Weather permitting, could ride bike to the gym. I think I need a trainer. Might try to find one on the ole' craigslist.

I'll play the equipment game:

Running- Nike Pegasus w/ balega socks.

I wear my wife's old Timex Ironman Triathlon watch. (for inspiration)

Biking- old Giant sedona se mountain bike and a Giant OCR3 road bike. I have matching clipless pedals on both so I can wear the same Shimano SPD shoes.  I have a BELL helmet and some nishiki gloves. Bike has a cateye computer.

Swimming- basic speedo jammers and Ocean Pacific goggles. These need to be upgraded. 

No tri suit.

Have several old scubadiving and water skiing wetsuits but none were made this century. 

I look like the real deal!!! lol

I am sorry for your discomfort... but I thank you for the good morning laugh!  I have never heard that term before, but it's great!

Today is my long bike ride day, 88 minutes.  With a busy work day and having to drive the kids all over the place, I'm not sure if I can fit it in before dark.  I will likely have to ride my "trainer" tonight.  Really it's a decade old magnetic resistance indoor bike.  I'll definitely need some good tunes or something.  88 minutes seems like a long time on a bike that's not going anywhere.

Make it a great and productive day.

Craiger

I was just checking out Sufferfest that I've read about here.  Looks very cool.  Anybody have any reccomendations for me?

Local Hero looks good because it's long. 

Thoughts appreciated.

Craiger

Who on this board runs while it is snowing??!!!! Lets talk temperatures.

Where do you draw the line on running, biking, and swimming outside?

I did a bike ride and run in the 40s this week. I am debating a run in the snow today!

I run outside throughout the winter here in VT.  The cold I can dress for with no problems.  There was only one snow storm last winter that I bagged early because the snow was half way to my knee.  

I do not bike outside past October really.  I actually like the trainer and feel that I can get a more focused workout on it.

Over the summer I swam 2x/week outside and 2x/week inside pool.