My first Try at a TRI...

[Birdman]

...utter disappointment.

Went out to the shed on Sunday evening to go over my bike, make sure it is in goodish working condition and i find a dead flat. Pump it up and see how it holds...to notice it go down almost instantly. So i take out the flat and inspect the outer of the tyre...nothing? So i put in my last spare tube and pack the bike into the boot.

Got there nice and early at 6am and got my bike out of my car...forgot my joggers. So i drove the 10km round trip home and picked em up.

Set them beside my bike, leaning on a tree as there was something like over 100 other bikes there. Guess what i forgot. My damn helmet. What an idiot. So off again for that.

After dawdling around TRYING to talk to people ( they didn't want to chat back at me either ), the race was preparing. I ended up entering the full distance, soi went in the slower pack of about 30-35 people.

Anyways, i didn't know what to wear so i put on my football skins (didn't want to look like a wierdo with a giantER than it is ass in knicks). But these only came just above my netherregions so i put on a pair of footy shorts too. So i am in the pool with 30-35 others and off we go. 4 laps of the pool they set it out in a square with buoys. I started at the back cause i wasn't confident but i ended up coming out about 15th.

Running to my bike i felt a little dizzy so i sat down to put my shoes and socks and singlet on. I think 2 other people went before me. So i am in about 17th?

I am riding and we did 8kms, turn around after 4km back to the end and turn around to retunr to the start...i overtook a few of my heat and was ovrtaken by a heap of the hardcore racers.

Thats when disaster hit. I was on my way back up the hill after i did my first riding lap and my tyre was flat as a tack. So i pumped it up and off i went, i think 2 people went past.

Then halfway down the hill it was flat again. So i got off and began to run back to the start...a nice 6km's or so. The thing is no-one passed me.

How is it i overtake so many people and noone passes me??? So i ran back with bike in hand. After a scorcher of a run i finally got back to the run leg. Put the bike against the tree and threw in the towel.

Yeah i know i took the cowards way out. But in my eyes i rode further than the rest (i still swear they only did one lap...cheaters), i also ran 2k's further carrying a bike. And i was mentally and physically exhausted.

I went to walk through the finish gate and the guy goes..."Watch out theres racers coming through here your in the way".
To which i reply "Yeah i AM a racer...you think i regularly dress in tights and a singlet and draw giant numbers on my arm and leg "

So overall i am happy that i know i can do it. But i am really disappointed that my bike didn't hold out to prove i can do it better than some.

Anyway, there is another one in a month and there are a few at Singleton and surrounding clubs so i might enter one of those.

Mitch.

[Birdman]

Oh and i might add...

I stopped in at BIG-W on my way out later that day (sunday) and i thought i might give patching a tyre a go. So i picked up a pack of repco tyre patches for $2.95. They don't look too bad. They are all pretty small too so...

I am yet to take out the new damaged tube to see what caused it.

Mitch.

[FatPom]

Keep at it matey, first race disasters are all part of the learning process (remind me to tell about the time I thought it was a good idea to mount my bike with the shoes in the pedals, just like the pros. Only problem was I decided this 20 mins before race start! ) My first race I did an extra lap on the bike

Unusual that people didn't chat. I find triathletes very very social for the most part. Let me know if you have any specific questions, I'm sure I'm not the only one here with tri experience. PM me if you like

[Birdman]

All in all it was a good morning...excepting the flat and the fact i dint actually finish the race.

I thought it was going to happen anyway, i haven't exactly got the best luck when it comes to ANYTHING.

Lets hope next time it is better.

Mitch.

[pugsly]

Hey Mitch,

Good on you for having a go. I've been in three so far, and am very very much a novice. Theres a few things that I do that have helped me so far. Maybe I'm just obsessive compulsive though.

1. Train as you will compete. That is - use the same shoes, nicks singlet etc when training as when competing. It's all nice and familiar then, and you know what will work and what doesn't.

2. Make a checklist and get everything ready the night before. I don't know about you, but my brain just doesn't work at 5am (or earlier). So I have a checklist of all the things I'll need on the day, pack my bag and get my bike ready the night before. Generally (I'm in a relatively secure area) I'll have the bike on the back of the car, my bag in the boot, and my clothes, HRM, timing band etc all laid out to throw on when I wake up. Then I just get in the car and go.

3. Just have fun. I'm surprised that the people at your event weren't talking. I've found most people to be pretty friendly.

Good luck for Singleton. I'm looking forward to the race report.

[Birdman]

The next one in line is the Sparke Helmore Corporate i am doing the swim leg for the guys at work.

In future i will be more prepared. I talked to as many people as would reply to my questions. And along the course you aren't aloud within 7m of the person in front so it was hard to talk but i abolished those rules and rode alongside here and there.

I would have easily finished the race if my tyre didn't blow out thats what makes me disappointed.

The one at singleton turns out is the day after my mates wedding, and also my brothers footy team is playing the knights at cessnock for a trial so i wont be doing anything the following day. May miss it.

Mitch.

[FatPom]

In future i will be more prepared. I talked to as many people as would reply to my questions. And along the course you aren't aloud within 7m of the person in front so it was hard to talk but i abolished those rules and rode alongside here and there.

Ah I thought you meant talking pre race etc in the T area. Riding alongside is a definite no-no. You must pass the person in front of you within 15 secons of entering their 7m 'virtual box'. When you draw alongside and edge in front it is then their responsibility to drop back out of your box. So when when passing, it's all down to you, when in front its all down to them. If you hang alongside you could be pinged for 'blocking' (obstructing someone coming up from behind), or you could be pinged for 'not passing' after 15 secs, which means its down to you to drop back.

[timbo]

I've only ever entered one triathlon, and that was to do the cycle leg in a corporate triathlon.

I slept in, and would have given Michael Schumacher a good run for his money while I was driving to the event site. I only just made it to the start on time, and upon finding my team-mates, gave them the old 'oh, there you are, I've been trying to find you for ages' story.

It actually ended up being a good day, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

[Birdman]

Ah I thought you meant talking pre race etc in the T area. Riding alongside is a definite no-no. You must pass the person in front of you within 15 secons of entering their 7m 'virtual box'. When you draw alongside and edge in front it is then their responsibility to drop back out of your box. So when when passing, it's all down to you, when in front its all down to them. If you hang alongside you could be pinged for 'blocking' (obstructing someone coming up from behind), or you could be pinged for 'not passing' after 15 secs, which means its down to you to drop back.

Yeah i know all that but i only gave a little joke like "Oh so that guy in the ute wouldn't give you a lift upp this hill either...haha" and off i went. I didn't ask em about their kids or bowel movements or anything.

I meant in the T area too. It was really hard to get words out of a few. The older ones were good but the younger ones and the more elite looking ones were on a mission.

I like that 7m box, i made mine 3m's cause if they were too far in front i wouldn't be bothered to continue no-one seemed to care. Even the official i passed. I WAS only on a MTB cruising in an upright position behind a TRIbike.

Mitch.

[mikesbytes]

Bit of disaster Mitch, but hey you enjoyed yourself and that's what really counts.

[toolonglegs]

Come on Mitch...you wouldn't be happy if it went to plan...where would the fun be in that and the report wouldn't make me laugh so much either .
Better luck next time mate!.

[Birdman]

Bit of disaster Mitch, but hey you enjoyed yourself and that's what really counts.

Yeah i had a brilliant time. A really good personal challenge. Cant wait till the next one.

Come on Mitch...you wouldn't be happy if it went to plan...where would the fun be in that and the report wouldn't make me laugh so much either .
Better luck next time mate!.

Thanks mate i am glad my self loathing effort and sadness has given you a good giggle.

Mitch.

[uncle arthur]

Mitch - bloody well done.

I'm now a veteran (Baaahahaha- veteran - I crack me up) of two triathlons, both sprint distance and am training up for Mooloolaba in 6 weeks time.

Its a whole other ballgame to cycling - getting all your gear ready the night before, checking everything is in the car, or in pile ready to go, etc etc etc.

You can pick up proper triathlon shorts (tri shorts) for under $100 - either online, or through your LBS - they make a difference as you wear them for all three disciplines. Setting up your transition is a challenge the first time, and getting through each change gets easier each time you do it.

You won't find much chat during each leg (except perhaps the run leg where the occasional cheery word is a great benefit when you're hurting) but before and after there's a real sense of camaraderie. Working on each individual discipline will make you stronger and fitter over all, besides which, it's definitely a challenge worth completing. Next time you'll know what to expect and be more prepared.

[Mulger bill]

Was only the mechanical that stuffed ya Mitch, not fitness or atitude. You'll bounce back and do it easy next time. Might I suggest setting aside the Friday eve before the event for checking your bike over and packing kit into a milkcrate.

Good luck next time.

Shaun

[FatPom]

One thing I always do is 'flat man packing'. This means make a 'flat man' on the bed of all the disciplines with what you will wear. For instance I wear a tri-suit fo racing. It stays on all day, so that's the first thing that goes on the bed, and everything else is built around that. So it looks like this

Swim cap (if you've been issued already)
goggles
tri-suit
wetsuit
timing chip (if issued)

helmet
sun glasses
tri-suit
gloves (only if its a rough course)
socks
timing chip
cycling shoes

running hat
sunglasses
tri-suit
socks
timing chip
running shoes


So you can see that the tri-suit (and chip if you have one) never move from the bed until you've completed all three 'flat men'. Misc stuff like sunscreen, Body Glide etc get added at each step. I'm a bit pedantic so I always do a 4th flat man for what I'm wearing pre and post race (you have to walk out of T1 wearing something on your feet and something to keep you warm at some races).

All other stuff like bike spares/gels/sports drink/C02/tubes are packed based on a XLS I have made. I have two pack sheets. One for 'fly away' races and one for races I drive to.

[Birdman]

Thanks FatPom, that is a great idea.

Except 1 thing. If i did a flatman as you have given an example below it would look similar to this

BSC (Bodyscience) thigh length tights
Goggles
Timing chip (i haven't got yet)

BSC
Singlet/top
Socks
Joggers
Helmet

BSC
Singlet/top
Socks
Joggers

I am a simple sort of a bloke. I wear essentials. And at this stage in my cycling experience (and budget) i don't have cycling shoes. Glasses i can use but prefer not to. Hat gives me a bigger headache.

It has given me an excellent help though thankyou.

Next time i may try breakfast before the race and maybe some sort of muesli or snack during. I havenever eaten during ANY form of exercise.

Mitch.

[uncle arthur]

Birdman,

Simplicity is a good thing, but there are the flatman approach is actuclly about simplicity in all its complexity.

The first thing you might want to get is a pair of tri shorts - just like bike shorts, about the same price, but with the comfort and convenience of being suited to all three disciplines.

Then everything else changes around them. No need to wear anything else in the swim, and much more modest than budgie smugglers.

Out of the water, onto the bike, and throw a singlet/bike jersey on. Doesn't matter if you don't have proper cycling shoes - you can ride in your runners - saves you time and difficulty into and out of transition.

I would recommend (and have read on many a newbie triathlon recommendations list) wearing sunnies when you ride - nothing will ruin your race faster than a bit of debris from a bike in front or a bug smashing into your eye at 30kmh plus.

Off the bike, into the run, and off comes the helmet, on goes the sweat band or running cap. You already have a nice light shirt (jersey) on, and the pockets mean you can chuck a gu or fuel bar in there too for a pickme up if you need it. Back to the hat - I find a proper light cap is a benefit - it doesn't have to be tight, but they are designed to wick away moisture and in doing so keep your head cooler, and they work nicely at the water stops if you pour a cup over your head.

Other than that - do a few and you'll quickly learn a few tips and tricks, and enjoy yourself along the way.

[Birdman]

Thanks very much Uncle Arthur ill have to remember the hat next time then. I din't think about the water onto the hat, i was never a fan of getting my hats wet.

Mitch.