General Discussion Triathlon Talk » stupid distance q / help me pick a race in the Southeast Rss Feed  
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2005-03-22 12:07 PM

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Subject: stupid distance q / help me pick a race in the Southeast
OK, I have a stupid question. One of the races I'm looking at is "International" distance, listed at 1000m /22mi/10k. I thought International = Oly, and that the Oly swim was 1500m?

I am going to do my first tri, a sprint, in April. Assuming I don't die and / or absolutely hate it I'm going to do the same race in September to see how far I've progressed in one season. I want to do one more, preferaby a different distance, mid-summer.

I'm looking at these 2:


I'm not expecting to be fast or anything, keep that in mind if you look at the training logs. I just want to complete the distance. Also, I am about to purchase a road bike -- my bike times are all on a mtb with knobby tires. I can comfortably complete a 10k running (slowly) right now. I can comfortably sit on my mtb for 80 minutes (ok, not that comfortably, but you know what I mean) on the trainer or road pedalling at 80-90rpm. I can comfortably swim 2000yds at 2:30 min / 100yds...I'm sure I could do more but I just don't have much time to schedule the swim workouts so I do 2x/week right now if that. I train in flatland, and both of these races are in hills. When I say comfortably, I mean I can finish those distances individually without needing a nap immediatly after, unless I am having a rotten day.

Is it sane to think i could keep my current level of training and do either of these distances this summer? I think so but I want other opinions.

Has anybody on here run both of these events and recommend one over the other?

Any tips/pointers?

Thanks! Sorry for the long post.


2005-03-22 12:59 PM
in reply to: #132765

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Columbus, Ohio
Subject: RE: stupid distance q / help me pick a race in the Southeast
First the distance question. An iron, half-iron and olympic all have exact distances. Sprint and international races have no standard, they can really be whatever the race director wants to do or works best with the geography of the venue. I've competed in several "internation" events that were the standard 1500/40/10 for the olympic so there might be some variation of this understanding.

As far as you being ready, I think that you will be.

Your swimming indurance doesn't sound like a problem. I'd focus on the biking and running, incorporating some bricks to simulate the race.

You will likely get much better on the bike when you switch to a road bike. I can't imaging spending 80 minutes on a mountain bike!
2005-03-22 1:18 PM
in reply to: #132796

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Subject: RE: stupid distance q / help me pick a race in the Southeast
KJ in OH - 2005-03-22 10:59 AM

First the distance question. An iron, half-iron and olympic all have exact distances.


Depends on the race. Sanctioned qualifiers and championships (big races) will follow the proscribed distances, but your neighborhood race may vary.
And, I agree that international usually equals olympic.
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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » stupid distance q / help me pick a race in the Southeast Rss Feed