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Time between sprint triathlons
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 2007-11-23 9:54 PM |
Expert  750    Harrisburg, PA |  Subject: Time between sprint triathlonsA similar question had recently been asked, but as a newbie (45 year old male), I beg to reintroduce the question as it pertains to me. I am training for a local sprint triathlon, my first one, which will be held in late August 2008, consisting of a 0.5 mile swim in a pool w/out lanes (in an attempt to simulate an open water swim), a 15 mi. bike, and 3 mi. run. I just recently discovered another local sprint tri that will be held in early August 2008, with all of the distances being equal to the later one. The only differences are that the earlier tri swim is in a river (which is often low during droughts, which could result in the swim part being cancelled), and the max. entry limits (the earlier one has a 400 person cap, with approx. 230 people having participated last year, and a 40 person cap on the later tri). The earlier one is also on my home turf and I know the area well. The later one isn't very far, but is in an area I have never been to. Would it be possible for a first timer to give thought to both, with a 14 day gap in between, or should I pick one and go with it. I'm open to any suggestions. Granted, I might feel much different after having done one. |
| 2007-11-23 10:15 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons My wife and I did our first two tris two weeks apart (both sprints, the first was longer than the second and a little longer than the two you're considering). FWIW, in addition to both of us being newbies with less than six months tri-specific training, my wife had very little prior experience as a runner and did just fine with the second tri 14 days after the first. My two cents: go for it! |
| 2007-11-23 10:35 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Master 1281 Long Beach, CA | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons You'll probably be okay. I'm a newbie this year and did three sprints, all three weeks apart. Normally you'll be sore for a good 2-3 days after, but should be right back into training after. You'll just barely be getting back into the swing of training, and it will be time to taper again. With my races, I could have bounced back in two weeks, except for one where I had an injury. I say...go for it. |
| 2007-11-23 10:56 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Champion 5575 Butler | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons It really depends on your fitness level but August is a long time away. I would say go for it and just take it easy if you need to for the first one. For me at this point if I feel I could do sprints back to back days and I have only be doing tri's for a year and I really did not train for my first one so a year from now you should be fine. |
| 2007-11-23 11:15 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
| Extreme Veteran 484 El Cajon, Ca | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons I did my first two sprints two weeks apart. I only had about three months training before the first one. When I started training I could barely swim 100m and I had never done an open water swim. On the first race day I had still not done an open water swim, had barely ridden more than 10 miles at a time(the race was nine), and had not run more than the 3.2 miles. I was greatly unprepared for what was happening. I did however finish, not nearly last I might add. The second race, two weeks later, was shorter and went well. I think you will have plenty of time between now and August. I bet you even sign up for some races earlier in the year.  Amy transplant from Pittsburgh, PA Go Steelers! |
| 2007-11-23 11:27 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Master 1603 Connecticut | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons I did my first two sprint tris about 4 or 5 days apart. I thought it worked out OK. I'm with Amy though. I bet you'll sign up for something before then |
| 2007-11-23 11:30 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Extreme Veteran 364 Luray, Virginia | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons Agreed, you'll be fine. Have you thought of doing any non-tri races beforehand? You have a loooong time before you do those tris. Too long. |
| 2007-11-24 11:25 AM in reply to: #1066344 |
| Extreme Veteran 332 Chicago, IL | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons Two sprints in a weekend is possible depending upon your fitness level. And next August...definately doable 2 weeks apart. I went from a HIM to an Olympic in 3 weeks, was it the smartest? Probably not but I felt fine. |
| 2007-11-24 11:27 AM in reply to: #1066344 |
Champion 10668 Tacoma, Washington | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons I'll take a stab here... As long as you're not going beyond your endurance limit on the first race, then it should be no problem to do both. Just make sure you give yourself some recovery time in the week following the first race. |
| 2007-11-24 1:53 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Extreme Veteran 669 Olathe, Kansas | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons Should be no problem. Make sure you allow yourself a recovery period after the first and again a mini taper prior to the second tri. Recovery and taper are very individual and subject to different theories. I will not get into that, however I think a 3-4 day recovery and a 4-5 day taper would leave you with about 4-6 days to continue to prep for the second tri. |
| 2007-11-24 3:55 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Master 1686 Royersford, PA | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons I think its doable. Two weeks should be enough time to recover and if you are still feeling the effects you can just treat the second one as a training day (with a cool T-shirt). Especially since you will have done an OWS and gotten that experience checked off, the pool swim in the later one should seem a whole lot easier. During the summer I frequently race on back to back (to back) weekends. Just don't try and set goals for each race and not try and set a WR each time. |
| 2007-11-24 4:37 PM in reply to: #1066375 |
Master 1281 Long Beach, CA | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons ragingferret - 2007-11-23 9:30 PM Agreed, you'll be fine. Have you thought of doing any non-tri races beforehand? You have a loooong time before you do those tris. Too long. I agree. I trained a year for my first sprint and started to get bored without a race to keep me going. So, I did a few OW swim races and a 5K to help training and keep my interest. Plus, I got over my OW fears in those swims so that I didn't have to deal with that during my tri. It also gave me a better idea of what my pace would be in the tri. |
| 2007-11-24 6:22 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons The year I decided to do a tri, I picked the latest possible one the following year to sign up to allow myself more time to train. Having more time just had me procrastinate more but that was back then. You want to do a tri, why not do a season of them. Pick one a month starting maybe in June. Do one in June, maybe one in July, the two you have mentioned in August. Trust us all you'll be hooked. You may want to pick some running races to sign up starting maybe in February or March. Most areas have 5K's every weekend. I agree with other posters having a race to look forward is exciting but shouldn't be to far ahead. Good luck and enjoy this fun time to building up to your first tri |
| 2007-11-25 3:15 AM in reply to: #1066344 |
Master 1826 | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons I don't know your current fitness level, but I did my first tri last year, an Oly .. Prior to getting onto a tri training program, I had been doing random running, swimming and biking.. I started a tri specific program the first week of August for the race on September 29. I was then going to run a 10 miler a week later, but couldn't due to scheduling.. conditioning wise I felt up to it (will never know that outcome) .. but with the time frame laid out, I would say you should be fine with two weeks between. I would echo other peoples sentiment.. consider an earlier one, I wished I had pushed to do an earlier one so I could hit other tri's before the season ended.. also I am driven by a focused goal and tend to procrastinate the more time I have |
| 2007-11-25 2:44 PM in reply to: #1066344 |
Expert 750 Harrisburg, PA | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons My thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. I realize that these two events are do-able, but as suggested, I will pay attention to the taper and recovery. I know 10 months may sound like overkill, but the whole fitness 'thing' is absolutely new to me. I'm doing things now that I didn't even do when I was young. Also, coincidentally, I met with my 'coach' (a close, dear friend who is a fitness instructor, runner, and swimming instructor/coach) today to help get me going in the water (my weak area), who also suggested I do some running events. So I signed up for my first 5K next week (12/01). Again, my thanks; you have given me some focus and direction, and the much necessary encouragement. |
| 2007-11-26 8:43 AM in reply to: #1066344 |
Expert 1170 Berkley, MI | Subject: RE: Time between sprint triathlons I think that it is totally doable!!!! Lieke veryone has said - just make sure that you feel OK after the first one. Good luck out there! |
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