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I'm going to put it all on the table here
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 2005-01-01 3:13 PM |
Veteran 118 |  Subject: I'm going to put it all on the table hereI'm seriously thinking about signing up for my first trialthon -- a sprint triathlon in June called "Tri for Fun" at Rancho Seco Lake in California. I just know that to keep myself motivated, I do much better when there's an event that I'm looking forward to. At least that's how it was with the open water swim I was in last sept. I was wondering if I could get some thoughts on my potential here. I'm not out to win, but I would like to have a respectable place within my AG. So here's where I'm at so far in each sport. Swimming - My PB's are 6:45 (400 Yards), 8:17 (500 yards) 25:59 (1500 yards). I also swam a 2k open water swim in the SF bay in 31:42 Presently I swim between 5000 and 10000 yards a week. Cycling - I can average 20 mph for 15 miles in calm air on flat ground (with traffic stops). I have held 21-23 mph for up to half an hour. I have a standard entry level road bike. I ride about 50-60 miles a week - more or less according to the weather. Running - I suck. I just jogged a mile continuously in around 11 minutes. I could have kept going. I wasn't pushing myself, however, because I'm really not supposed to run according to my orthopedist because of an arthritic knee. It's presently not causing any pain (due to the cycling and swimming) and didn't hurt after I ran. If I start a running program, it will be very conservative just so I can get to about a 9 minute pace for 3-4 miles. I probably would do about 10 miles a week. I'm 43 years old and weigh just over 200 lbs. Since my goal is to lose some weight, I could drop myself out of the clydedale division by the time I race. So am I crazy to think I could compete in a triathlon? Will I humiliate myself? I really need to know. I just know that to keep myself motivated, I do much better when there's an event that I'm looking forward to. At least that's how it was with the open water swim I was in last sept. Thanks. |
| 2005-01-01 3:21 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Pro 4228   Broomfield, Colorado | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here GO FOR IT! You'll do great. And why no running b/c of arthritis? Take some glucosamine and keep plugging away (take it easy and do it right) and you'll kick butt in that tri! Sign up! |
| 2005-01-01 3:30 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Yes you can compete, no you won't humiliate yourself. Looks like you have respectable swim times, slightly below average biking speeds, and a run that sucks (your description). Should put you somewhere near the back of the middle of the pack. With proper training, a little weight loss, who knows? Might help to pull up last year's age group results, to see where you would have to be to "have a respectable place within my AG." Edited by the bear 2005-01-01 3:30 PM |
| 2005-01-01 3:34 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Master 1275 Sonoma County, CA | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Chris, the folks over at http://www.tbfracing.comwho host the event you are talking about run a great race...I did 3 or 4 of their events last year, my first year doing tris, and can't say enough good about them...easy to approach, well organized event with a wide variety of athletic levels from those out to win to those who just want to finish and those of us in between just trying to beat our last time. You can do it. There's a few of us Bay Area people on the board who have raced with TBF before and personally i'm planning on doing IceBreaker in April again along with the Tri for Real in June again.... Stick around on the boards and you'll meet the others... Good luck. It's a great goal to have...you can soooo do it! nt |
| 2005-01-01 3:59 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Expert 1152 wrightsville beach, North Carolina | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here GO!!!!! and DO!!!!!!! |
| 2005-01-01 4:27 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Expert 1240 Columbia, MO | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Go for it. Would have to think that somehow the weightloss would help the knee some as well? Good luck!!!! |
| 2005-01-01 4:51 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Expert 717 Utah | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here The 6/04 Rancho Seco was my brother's first tri. From what he said, it is a great place to have your first race. I will be coming to CA to do the Aug. 6th one with him. Crazy? Yes. We all are. We are triathletes |
| 2005-01-01 5:10 PM in reply to: #97830 |
| Member 41 Sycamore, IL | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here GO FOR IT MrCjolsen!! BEAR - Just Curious, what would you consider an average biking speed? I would be thrilled with a 20 mph pace. I think 20 mph is very respectable, considering many pros in Kona were averaging just over 22 mph. |
| 2005-01-01 5:27 PM in reply to: #97846 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here In the sprint tris I've been in, 20mph is about average. The original poster said he could "average 20 mph for 15 miles in calm air on flat ground." Even down here, we don't have those ideal race conditions, thus the "slightly below average" comment. There's a bit of a difference between averaging 22 mph in a 112-mile bike leg of an Ironman in Kona and doing so in a sprint tri. |
| 2005-01-01 5:40 PM in reply to: #97849 |
| Veteran 118 | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here I think there's a difference between "average speed" on a given ride and the speed a person can hold for a given time. If I'm on a flat long straightaway (and those conditions abound where I live) and if I reset my cylcocomputer whild I'm crusing at 20 mph, I can keep riding for 20 minutes and the average will stay above 20 mph. My PB on my morning commute (12.5 miles) was 19.5 mph. But that included several stops. When I walked my bike from the parking lot to my classroom, the average instantly dropped to 18 mph. |
| 2005-01-01 5:42 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Master 1791 Raleigh, North Carolina | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here You can definitely do it!!! At my first indoor tri a couple weeks ago, I was surprised at the incredible amount of variety there is out there. I'd bet that 50-75% of the field were people just out there to have a great time, challenge themselves, and most importantly to them finish. Not necessarily with the fastest time, but every one of them seemed to have set a personal goal for themselves to strive toward. A sprint tri sounds perfect for your abilities, and you already seem to know where to spend some extra time training. You will not humilite yourself what so ever. |
| 2005-01-01 6:11 PM in reply to: #97850 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Well, yeah. To "average" 22 on a course with reasonable amount of hills and turns you have to spend a good but of time around 25. |
| 2005-01-01 6:43 PM in reply to: #97849 |
| Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here the bear - 2005-01-01 5:27 PM There's a bit of a difference between averaging 22 mph in a 112-mile bike leg of an Ironman in Kona and doing so in a sprint tri. Agreed. Especially when its 95 degrees out. |
| 2005-01-01 7:18 PM in reply to: #97830 |
| Member 41 Sycamore, IL | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Good. 'nuff said. |
| 2005-01-01 8:14 PM in reply to: #97830 |
| Regular 309 north end of vancouver island, BC, Canada | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Definately go for it. Sounds like you are in pretty good shape and just need to keep injury free in the run dept. Losing some extra pounds will come naturally with the training and this will help with the knee problems, as well as make you faster in all three events solely due to having to move less body weight. I've lost 60 pounds and now run under a 10 min mile (started at 13!), and I'm still losing pounds and minutes. You could be like me and end up wanting to find a race well before June. I signed up for a "My First Tri" in July and ended up racing my first race in May because I just couldn't wait that long. My times sucked, but I raced, finished, and had a great time. I went on to do two more sprint races in '04, with better times for each. I even placed in my age group (+ being an Athena) in my last race. You are in great company here!!! Welcome to the site. Darlene |
| 2005-01-01 8:40 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Veteran 267 Southern Ohio | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Go for it! You definately have what it takes! My hubby wanted to place in the duathlons that he did last year, so I told him to race in the clydesdale catagory. He got first place in each of them. There were not as many people to race against him as in the age groupers catagory. He was still able to compare his times with the age grouper times to see what he needed to work on in training. So If your looking to get a "prize" you could try that. Good Luck! Beth |
| 2005-01-01 9:41 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Regular 69 Daytona Beach | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here You should go for it. I completed my first sprint after only a two week notice. I was bored and looking for something to do. Training was short. No pool work, I had experience with biking, and I tore my right calf while preping for the run. How did I do? Dead last in my age group. Would I do it again? Hell yes. Even as I was walk/jogging the run course, everyone was encouraging me to continue. It felt great. I knew my times would be bad, but I finished. There were people at the final stretch who were cheering for me. I felt as if I had won. Of course, I am training a lot more. Found BT, a great motivator. The information avaliable is second to none. I found a good training program. "From couch to sprint." This time I am taking a more gradual approach. Good luck. I know from experience you will do fine. |
| 2005-01-01 11:11 PM in reply to: #97830 |
Champion 4902 Ottawa, Ontario | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here It sounds to me as if you are ready to do a sprint triathlon right now and could probably place very well in your age group. I would recommend that you do not sign up as a clydesdale as this category is very competitive. You swim and cycle legs seem to be fairly advanced so you might want to look at a run focused sprint training program, which can be found on the homepage of this site. Good luck. |
| 2005-01-02 12:29 AM in reply to: #97830 |
Expert 704 Durham, CA | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here What the heck - give it a shot!!!. My first tri I hadn't been on a bike in ten years, and I had never been in the lap pool.... It wasn't a pretty race, but I finished!! It sounds like you are much farther along in your training. There are a couple of good, local tri's that you may also look at - Oroville has a great sprint scheduled for May 5, and Chico IMF has one on either June 18 or June 25. Dennis |
| 2005-01-02 7:27 AM in reply to: #97830 |
Champion 6627 Rochester Hills, Michigan Gold member | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here Go for it! The swim's already in good shape, the bike's in pretty good shape, and you've got 6 months to figure out how to run - then do a couple of the events back to back? No problems. Just make sure you keep your expectations in check...it's rare to see someone crank out a great race first time out of the chute, and at least for me, the first event was a learning event. I learned a couple things...1) don't get lost in the transition area, 2) don't have your HR pegged when you get out of the water to start riding, and other little stuff like that. It was also a milestone, and was the baseline for improvement...so have fun, don't take it too seriously to start with, and let 'er rip. |
| 2005-01-03 7:46 AM in reply to: #97830 |
Extreme Veteran 454 PR | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here You better start running, today!Get a nice structurated running plan, also go to a running specific store and get a good pair of shoes, and start running my friend. As Cogirl said, try the Glucosamine Chondroitin, I use TriFlex from GNC.Good luck! |
| 2005-01-03 11:14 AM in reply to: #97830 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: I'm going to put it all on the table here By nature and profession, I tend to over-analyze, but I had this spreadsheet at work and may give you some reference as to how your times stack up in a competitive race. This is my age group (45-49) in last September's CajunMan, the big local sprint triathlon: 800-yard swim, 20-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run. It's also the state championship, so it may be a little more competitive than your "Tri for Fun," although there is no qualifying, people of all levels can and do enter and compete. Average paces for this age group are 2:14/hundred yards in the swim, 20.58 mph in the bike, and 8:43/mile in the run. Attachments ---------------- Cajunman 2004.xls (41KB - 25 downloads) |
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