General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Do you have a focus/specialty distance? Rss Feed  
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2018-07-18 8:26 PM

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Subject: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I've done all the distances (one full, 2 half, few oly and countless sprints). I do very well in sprints and because of this have been afraid of moving to oly. Let's face it, training for a sprint is easy peasy, right? Plus my swim is so bad, sprint distance swim make it easier to catch up on the bike! LOL. This year, I've moved on the oly only. I would like to do another full (need to justify the tattoo at some point, right?) and almost feel like I should to be a real triathlete.

The question: do you have a distance you strictly do (or for the most part) and why?


2018-07-18 8:47 PM
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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
It's not really intentional specializing, but I think I have done more HIM than anything else. It's just kind of worked out that way. I started tri when living as an ex-pat in Vietnam, and there weren't a lot of races locally. I did start out with sprint and Oly distances for I think my first four or five years in the sport, but once I worked my way up to HIM, it just seemed like since I had to travel for most of my races anyway, it felt more worthwhile to do a longer race! Then when I realized there were World Championships for HIM, I got excited about qualifying....

To be honest, I prefer the training and race experience of a longer event to sprints or Olys. I'm also probably a bit better at endurance than speed, especially on the bike and swim. I've raced well at sprint distance (tri and aquathlon), podiumed for my AG and overall in races, and even qualified for sprint nationals (couldn't go due to my job), but I find them in many ways more tiring than a HIM. After the latter, I usually just have tired legs for a few days. It's not uncommon for me to spend the entire day after a sprint feeling like I'm going to puke! I think my body is trying to tell me I'm more suited for longer efforts at a somewhat lower intensity! I also find sprints very nerve-wracking--if you are in it for overall or AG placing, in a competitive race, you really have to nail the transitions. It's a big added layer of stress on top of pushing near-max efforts on all three legs. I hadn't considered moving up to full IM until this year mainly because of the time committment involved, and difficult training situation when I was living in Saigon (really limited access to outdoor biking and training buddies, for starters).

Will begin training for my first full next month. Really the only reason I decided to do so now (in the last year of my current AG) is that due to a family situation, I'm taking a "gap year" where I'm not working full time and have plenty of time to train, and living somewhere conducive to it. Not sure if this will be my first full, or a "one and done". I need to see whether I like the training and racing as much as for shorter events, and how much it takes out of me energy- and time-wise. Not at all sure I want to juggle full-time work, family responsibilities, and IM training on a regular basis.

Edited by Hot Runner 2018-07-18 8:49 PM
2018-07-19 4:41 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I only do sprints. Never even done anything longer, although I am considering trying an Oly next year to see if I like it.

Reason behind this choice is mainly lack of time for training. Beside a full time job and a family, I have other time consuming hobbies (golf and music) which I do not want to give up on.

Also I do not come to triathlon with an endurance sport background. I used to play soccer and other team sports, where the tempo is high over a shorter period of time and sprints are more appealing to me for that reason I think.



2018-07-19 7:56 AM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I don't think I can say I have a specialty at anything only being a 2nd year triathlete. I have enjoyed racing Olympic more than sprints though. I'm 3 weeks away from my first 70.3 and I have another one in October. I enjoy going longer. I enjoy the challenge of training for a new distance. Personally, there has been a steeper learning curve going longer especially learning the nutrition aspect. I want to be competitive at whatever race I do. I guess that's in my nature and why I have loved getting into triathlon.
2018-07-19 10:48 AM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?

I would have to say that I "specialized" in sprints. It is a different kind of mindset, not a lesser thing, and takes no less dedication to training. I've done distances up to the half-IM, and many long bike events. In my first couple years of college, in spite of mileage concentration for half marathons, I became very aware that my best distance was the 5K.

My racing motto was "you know when you're going fast enough in a sprint -- you can taste it."

2018-07-19 11:57 AM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?

I dont get much chance to race so when i do it is always IM has been for a few years now



2018-07-19 12:37 PM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?

Like someone else, I think I've done more 70.3s than anything else (I've done 10). I like that distance because I still have to train (a bunch), but it's not nearly as intensive and volume heavy as 140.6 training. Historically, there have been more 70.3 distance options within a 3-hour drive of me than fulls, so that probably factored in as well.

Also historically, there have only been a handful of sprint and olympic distances that didn't require a multi-hour drive and an overnight stay. So while I did those in my city every now and then, there just weren't that many options.

2018-07-19 4:44 PM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?

Focus or specialty?

My higher-place finishes have tended to be in longer races.  I've also done more marathons, ultras, and IM's than shorter distance races.  

Way back when, my rough "rule of thumb" was to not spend more time traveling to a race than it took to complete the race.  That meant 5K's less than a half-hour away, 10K's within 1 hour, sprints or half-marathons within 2 hours, OLY's within 3, 4 hours for a marathon, 6 for a HIM, and 12 for an IM.  That kinda-sorta held up until my first IM, when I signed up for IMCdA knowing it was 25+ hours to get to what I hoped would be a 12-hour race.  (It was also the excuse to do a 2.5 week drive and visit Yellowstone, Glacier, Mt. Rushmore, etc.)  

Longer races were often justification for visiting an area.  I could have focused on IMWI (Madison was less than 4 hours) instead of IMCdA, but then we wouldn't have done the other things.  Vineman was a reason to get to San Fran, Sonoma Valley, and Yosemite.  

2018-07-19 5:34 PM
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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
Exactly--my race schedule is determined to a large extent by not just my job schedule, but where I/family would like to travel! I signed up for IM Malaysia rather than a US race, mainly because I'd rather go there in the winter. (Plus spent years living in SE Asia, would love the side trip to Singapore, and just don't want to think about being cold for 12+ hours.)

Edited by Hot Runner 2018-07-19 5:34 PM
2018-07-21 6:43 PM
in reply to: #5246541


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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I’m pretty sure no one asks Michael Phelps why he doesn’t do 1 mike open water races.

Same for asking Usan Bolt why doesn’t he race the mile

I like sprints and specialize in them. I’ve done all distances except full IM. I like that I can train a few hours a week and yet still have a chance at the podium

I don’t like hills so I just don’t do races with hills.
Life is too short to do things because of what others will think
2018-07-21 10:25 PM
in reply to: REILLY P

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
Originally posted by REILLY P

I’m pretty sure no one asks Michael Phelps why he doesn’t do 1 mike open water races.

Same for asking Usan Bolt why doesn’t he race the mile

I like sprints and specialize in them. I’ve done all distances except full IM. I like that I can train a few hours a week and yet still have a chance at the podium

I don’t like hills so I just don’t do races with hills.
Life is too short to do things because of what others will think


VERY good points!! Well said.


2018-07-23 1:53 PM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?

Originally posted by goobergirl98 I've done all the distances (one full, 2 half, few oly and countless sprints). I do very well in sprints and because of this have been afraid of moving to oly. Let's face it, training for a sprint is easy peasy, right? Plus my swim is so bad, sprint distance swim make it easier to catch up on the bike! LOL. This year, I've moved on the oly only. I would like to do another full (need to justify the tattoo at some point, right?) and almost feel like I should to be a real triathlete. The question: do you have a distance you strictly do (or for the most part) and why?

My focus is 70.3 races. I did my first one in 2015 in just over 7 hours.  I have done one 70.3 every year since then and have improved about 45 minutes each year.  My last race was the Redman 70.3 in Oklahoma City last fall in 5hr 9 minutes.  I will be going IM Boulder 70.3 in two weeks so If I stay on pace with what I have done in the past three races I would be about a 4hr 35 min this year (ha..ha..ha we won't count our chicks before the eggs hatch).  

My specialty is running.  I did 5K races for several years after college with a post college PR of 17:25,  When I started to struggle to even get down to 18:00 minutes I decided to look to new races and did half Marathons for half a dozen years with a PR of 1:22:45.  I moved on to triathlons when I was only running 2-3 times a week and showing up at half Marathons and winning my age group by 10 minutes.  I didn't have anything to push me so I needed to try something that would challenge me. The 70.3 Triathlons not only challenge me but they are fun and keep me motivated.  I did an Olympic Triathlon last year and feel that I could be a lot more competitive at that distance since I am a little under trained for the 70.3 but I am sticking with the 70.3 because I am still improving every year and there is not risk of it being too easy for me to stay motivated.  It takes about 3 years to peak in endurance sports so I stick with one thing for at least 3 years.  After that I stick with what I am doing until I either am no longer improving or until I not longer feel challenged.  

 

2018-07-25 9:21 AM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I race sprint duathlons simply because I do enjoy the short, hard and fast efforts. I've done a few longer ones, but just don't enjoy them as much.

My wife (triathlete) does sprint, olympics, 1/2 IM and has been talking about doing a full IM. She loves the sprints, doesn't like the olympics and once in a while will do a 1/2IM. The sprints for the same reasons as me, dislike the olympics as they're too long to go all out, but too short to really pace. 1/2IM is much more of an endurance race so you can take your time. She's competitive in all her races btw, so that's not the deciding factor.
2018-07-25 12:31 PM
in reply to: goobergirl98


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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I just prefer the shorter course stuff because to me, it feels more like racing. I've done one half and it was just a long day of exercising with others, I never felt like I was competing. Frankly, training properly for the short stuff requires enough time per day/week so I can't imagine what doing the long stuff exclusively would be like. Just do what makes you happy - it was hard for me to come to grips with that because the full and half gets all the coverage, but in the end it has to be fun!

Patti
2018-07-25 12:33 PM
in reply to: REILLY P


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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
Originally posted by REILLY P

I don’t like hills so I just don’t do races with hills.
Life is too short to do things because of what others will think


Love this!!!
2018-07-25 2:28 PM
in reply to: PattiPepper65

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I love full iron distance. :-) I love the training for these and the long race days.


2018-07-26 12:39 AM
in reply to: REILLY P

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I´m only on sprint-distance;
3 1/2 hours training a day is a long time and enough;
I need time for my other hobbies like playing music and arts and relaxing
2018-07-26 8:23 AM
in reply to: Lfriede

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
3 1/2 hours of training a day??! No need to apologize for "only" doing sprints--in many ways they can be harder than longer races--but don't keep yourself from longer events because you think you need to train 3 1/2 hours a day! That might be a typical weekend training load for HIM training, but I would guess most of my other days are in the 1-2 hour range. (60 to 90 minutes if a single, longer workout, occasionally shorter for a recovery day; in the two-hour range total if there are two workouts. I don't think I've ever done more than 16 hours of training in a week, and usually average about 12-13 hours. But I agree--it is still a bigger training load than for short events, at least for the long rides/runs. Not everyone has that kind of time, or wants to carve it out of other activities.
2018-07-26 8:26 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
That's what I was thinking. 3h1/2 a day for sprints is a LOT. I do sprints only too and I train about 30 minutes to two hours.
2018-07-26 10:07 AM
in reply to: Rollergirl

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
I guess I just really enjoy all the distances, though I have only completed one IM (one of the best days of my life). I've done all the "local" driving distance 70.3s around me so my last few have been destination 70.3s and I like the traveling. Olympic distances are just nice to do since I feel like I can get home in enough time that my whole day isn't wasted away.

In my mind I tell myself that doing 3 IMs sounds like a nice round number to finish so if I can get myself mentally prepared to do one I'll tackle another.
2018-07-26 10:32 AM
in reply to: goobergirl98

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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?

Mainly due to a very erratic work schedule (small business partner with a friend) I prefer Sprints.  I preferred training for shorter vs longer distances.  I just could never get reliable training needed for longer distances (i.e. 70.3).  I've done three 70.3 and never had great training for them.  Oly I liked, did 2 or 3 mostly when I was younger 15 years ago.



2018-07-31 8:27 AM
in reply to: REILLY P


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Subject: RE: Do you have a focus/specialty distance?
Originally posted by REILLY P

I’m pretty sure no one asks Michael Phelps why he doesn’t do 1 mike open water races.

Same for asking Usan Bolt why doesn’t he race the mile

I like sprints and specialize in them. I’ve done all distances except full IM. I like that I can train a few hours a week and yet still have a chance at the podium

I don’t like hills so I just don’t do races with hills.
Life is too short to do things because of what others will think



LOL!!! I could have written this!!! 100% agree

Patti
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