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Can you do a triathlon with an " I just want to finish" attitude? (Read 1655 times)

jingchunyu


    After three marathons, I don't think finish a sprint distance triathlon is that hard but I don't want to go very serious in swimming and biking training. I just want to finish. I don't even want to get serious equipments for swimiing and biking. Will the race organizer and oher serious participants frowm upon me if I enter a triathlon race with such an attitude?
    xor


      Ha. You might be surprised with what you find at your first sprint or oly tri. There will be people on cruiser bikes and the occasional mountain bike, for example. And people swimming breast stroke and back stroke. Edited to add: this is true about *many* sprint and oly tris, though just like with running, there are some races that attract a more serious crowd than others. Will the serious participants frown on you? Only if you get in their way. If you don't, they probably won't even notice you. Unless you wear pink.

       

      protoplasm72


        Of course you can. You'll probably see a lot of people with fancy gear but there are plenty of people that ride Walmart bikes and do doggy paddle or some weird stroke in the swim. I'd recommend looking for a tri with a pool swim. Open water might be hard without enough swim training, you can't just stop and rest. It might also be cold and require a wetsuit depending on your location and the time of year.

        Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson

        jingchunyu


          Will the serious participants frown on you? Only if you get in their way. If you don't, they probably won't even notice you. Unless you wear pink.
          But if I am slow, I become a burden to the race. If I am slow in a running race, the marshall and race staff etc can just ignore me and forget me and I can just run off the road. In swimming, they have to stay there to watch until everyone safely finish or not finish but still get out of the water. In running, you can wear whatever clothese, in swimming you look weird if you wear casual swimming trunk while other swimmers wear those kinds of tights
          protoplasm72


            A sprint tri is usually around 400m swim. No matter how slow you swim you'll only be a few minutes behind the fastest swimmers cause the distance is short. Plus a lot of tri's are wave starts especially if you are in a pool. There will probably be people starting their swims long after you are finished. Not everyone wears tights. Regular swimsuits are fine as long as you don't mind biking and running in it. Sprints don't usually have a lot of places to do full clothing changes.

            Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson


            A Saucy Wench

              absolutely. I did 2 that way. I was in only moderate shape at the time and rode a hybrid bike and no gear and I was seriously mid pack at worst. And my 70 year old mom did one - she was last. Dead last. So last that it was a good thing I was there to help her with the run because the volunteers that told you where to turn were gone. But she still got an AG award and lots of applause. P.S. You wont be that last. She has 2 artificial knees, cant run at all, and swims breaststroke. P.P.S - you may surprise yourself. I think a sprint tri is much easier than a HM - different muscles work. I bet you'll be farther up the pack than you think - I ran my at the time 5K PR at the end of my first Tri.

              I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

               

              "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

              AmoresPerros


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                A sprint tri is usually around 400m swim. No matter how slow you swim you'll only be a few minutes behind the fastest swimmers cause the distance is short. ...
                I did a short club one where I came in a little under 5min and the last person came in around 12min, in the swim leg I mean, so there can be some significant variation on the swim leg even on a short one. However, I've been in last place on the bike leg, and if you're in last place remember you're doing a good deed -- keeping the person in front of you feeling better cause they're not in last Smile Smile PS: I use a road bike someone got from a yard sale I have no idea how many years ago, so I haven't the faintest idea how old it is, so I clearly don't worry about nice looking equipment... Plus, I don't have to inflate my tires nearly as high as the people with real bikes, and I don't have to fiddle with presta valves -- plus, I have a kickstand, which none of them have, hah.

                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                jingchunyu


                  Thanks for all encouraging comments. Now I am loking foreard to a tri. How is timing done in a tri? A chip is also used? or maybe three chips are needed for swimming, biking and running? Is there a bib number for swimming?
                  AmoresPerros


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                    I'm the furthest thing from an expert, but I think they usually write your number on your arm -- or both arms -- and also your calf? Then you swim, and when you get out of the water and go to the transition area to put on your biking stuff, you pull on a race belt with your number on it, that you wear the rest of the time -- or you pull on a shirt that you pinned your bib too. Or you pull on a shirt and then pin the bib on, but you may as well do it ahead of time. What do they do with chips? You wear one chip the whole way, right?

                    It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


                    A Saucy Wench

                      usually if they chip, you have a chip attached to a velcro strap that you wear around your ankle.

                      I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                       

                      "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7


                      Gotta TRI

                        Some tips from another non-expert. First of all in answer to the basic question; yes you can do a tri on just attitude ( or " pure athletic ability " Big grin ) Depending on where and water temp, you can certainly swim without a wetsut. I would personally recommend a tri-suit that can be worn through all three events or at the very least tri shorts. Loose baggy shorts will be a "drag" in the swim and won't offer any cushioning on the bike especially if you have'nt biked in awhile. Speaking of bikes; I'd go with a road bike if possible. It offers a wide array of gearing, can be adapted to tri specific fairly easily / cheaply and is better suited to long rides if you don't want to tri anymore. If you are racing a paved course with any kind of hills you want to stay away from mountain bikes ( though I have seen them ) as the wide tires and weight of the bike make the bike portion a bit more laborous. The key to any tri lies in the transitions, so again, if you have clothing that adapts from one event to the next you'll be quicker, which brings me to my last little bit of advice: stick with "baskets" ( straps) on the bike pedals so you can wear your running shoes on the bike. Most of us use cycling shoes and clips but where it's a first tri this will keep costs down. Warning: Triathlon is very addictive! Big grin Hope this helps.
                        2010 Dec. California International Marathon 2011 Jan. Disney Marathon
                        jingchunyu


                          I need to purchase one-day license for biking, right? If so, do I purchase at the race packet pickup or I do it in advance?
                          protoplasm72


                            I need to purchase one-day license for biking, right? If so, do I purchase at the race packet pickup or I do it in advance?
                            I think you might be thinking of a USAT 1 race permit. It's not specifically for biking and only applies to USAT events which not all tri's are. If the race you are looking at requires it you should read the website for their policy since I've seen it done several ways. Usually there is an on-site option during packet pickup. AmoresPerros - I'd consider 7 minutes a few minutes. Wink

                            Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose; it's how drunk you get. -- Homer Simpson

                            jingchunyu


                              I think you might be thinking of a USAT 1 race permit. It's not specifically for biking and only applies to USAT events which not all tri's are. If the race you are looking at requires it you should read the website for their policy since I've seen it done several ways. Usually there is an on-site option during packet pickup.
                              Thanks. I just registered for http://www.phillytri.com/course.html#sprint I checked one-day USAT or something like that. I also checked three technical tees without much idea of what they are. What are the typical finish time for those who finish last in 0.9 k swimming and 24 K biking? Without any experiences, I now have to use their times as my benchmark
                              AmoresPerros


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                                AmoresPerros - I'd consider 7 minutes a few minutes. Wink
                                Well sure, in the grand scheme of things -- heck, I can probably burn that up in my T1 -- I'm not very efficient at T1 Smile

                                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

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