General Discussion Introduce Yourself!!! » Hello-newbie here! Rss Feed  
Moderators: IndoIronYanti, k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2019-02-28 10:15 AM


4

Subject: Hello-newbie here!
I am brand new to triathlons! I am planning on doing my first sprint in April. I started running a year ago and completed a 1/2 marathon in Oct 2018, but I have never swam other than the kind you do with a beer in your hand, and I can ride a bike, but right now my biking options are my very old mountain bike or my pink one speed beach cruiser with a basket. None the less I am riding mountain bike for now and working on my swimming in our local lap pool! I plan at some point to upgrade the bike and take some formal swimming lessons. I am a mother of 3 kiddos, thirty something and work a full time job so time is hard to find, but I manage. Right now I am doing 2 swims, 3 runs, and 2 bikes a week and 4 days of strength training. I am pretty slow, but trying to up my game! Glad to find a place for beginners!
-Ginger


2019-02-28 11:09 AM
in reply to: gingerbell


265
1001002525
Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
Welcome.

Your mountain bike will do find for training and sprints. I did my first triathlon (a sprint) on my MTB and I see them fairly frequently in sprint tris around here.

Have fun.
2019-02-28 3:37 PM
in reply to: gingerbell


2

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
Damn Ginger, I think that's a pretty impressive volume of workouts! I'm in a VERY similar boat as you and definitely am not getting in 11 workouts a week.

For your sprint tri have you looked into renting a road bike just for the race? That might be more cost-effective until you decide whether to keep doing more tri races, and train on your mountain bike in the meantime.
2019-03-04 9:08 AM
in reply to: PDXmom


1

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
Hello everyone, i'm also new: on this site and in sport :D
2019-03-04 1:18 PM
in reply to: PDXmom

User image

Champion
7547
5000200050025
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!

Originally posted by PDXmom Damn Ginger, I think that's a pretty impressive volume of workouts! I'm in a VERY similar boat as you and definitely am not getting in 11 workouts a week. For your sprint tri have you looked into renting a road bike just for the race? That might be more cost-effective until you decide whether to keep doing more tri races, and train on your mountain bike in the meantime.

The race is NOT a great venue for experiencing a road bike for the first time!  Renting a road bike is a viable option INSTEAD of transporting your own road bike, but the riding position, shifting, handling, etc. are far different between a mountain bike and road bike.  

Ride your mountain bike!  Once you're hooked, you'll figure out how to support the habit including a road/tri bike.  

 

2019-03-04 3:46 PM
in reply to: McFuzz


7

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
That's good advice. I wouldn't change the position on the bike even slightly before a race never mind renting a machine that is alien to you. At best i would negatively impact your performance, at worst, you could injure yourself.


2019-03-09 1:04 PM
in reply to: gingerbell

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2019-03-10 10:36 AM
in reply to: Namka


20

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
Welcome! My wife was the one who directed me to this forum a well. These pages have a lot of great information so hopefully he can find what he needs. I am glad he has a training partner for the runs, those are always better with someone jogging along.
2019-03-15 12:00 PM
in reply to: 0

Official BT Coach
18500
50005000500020001000500
Indianapolis, Indiana
Gold member
Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!

Originally posted by PDXmom Damn Ginger, I think that's a pretty impressive volume of workouts! I'm in a VERY similar boat as you and definitely am not getting in 11 workouts a week. For your sprint tri have you looked into renting a road bike just for the race? That might be more cost-effective until you decide whether to keep doing more tri races, and train on your mountain bike in the meantime.

Hi Ginger and welcome!  My best advice to you is to take it one day at a time, one workout at a time.  That isn't to say don't have a plan, indeed having a plan is one of the most important things you can do to achieve success.  What I mean is - life happens, especially with 3 little-ones.  Don't become down-trodden or beat yourself up if you can't complete a workout on your ambitious schedule. Don't worry about pace or speed - that will come.

I remember back in the earliest days of triathlon when it wasn't uncommon to see an athlete on a beach cruiser doing an Ironman.  There is absolutely no reason you can't do your first sprint on a mountain bike and I absolutely agree with McFuzz that you don't want to learn how to ride a road bike during your first race.  There's an axiom in sport - nothing new on race day.  Certainly riding a new bike for the first time during a race falls under that protective mantra.  Once you've completed a race or two and are well and truly bitten by the triathlon bug, there will be plenty of time to upgrade to a newer and faster bike.

Welcome to Beginner Triathlete and this wild and wacky sport!

2019-03-18 2:19 PM
in reply to: PDXmom


4

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
I double up on the workouts 4 days a week...usually the swim/bike/run in the morning and I do beachbody on demand workouts in the evenings in the parking lots of whatever activity my kids have that day! I just carry weights in my car!
2019-03-18 2:20 PM
in reply to: HaydenHunter


4

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!
Thanks! I am planning on getting a road bike, just making sure I like the sport!


2019-03-18 2:25 PM
in reply to: k9car363


4

Subject: RE: Hello-newbie here!


I remember reading how during first Ironman, one of the guys learned to ride a bike on the way to the race! Times have changed!
New Thread
General Discussion Introduce Yourself!!! » Hello-newbie here! Rss Feed  
RELATED POSTS

Feeling Happy as a newbie

Started by marilynchughes15
Views: 362 Posts: 1

2018-07-23 4:26 PM marilynchughes15

Newbie, soon to retire from teaching!

Started by nadinez
Views: 992 Posts: 4

2019-02-04 1:24 PM WagnerMoraes

Tri newbie mama of 3 here

Started by Gforcemama18
Views: 527 Posts: 2

2018-05-07 10:16 AM jhaack39

london newbie

Started by lauzhall
Views: 677 Posts: 4

2018-05-01 12:16 PM jhaack39

Newbie

Started by brewha75
Views: 508 Posts: 2

2018-03-05 5:15 PM lutzman