Triathlons

[qwerty123]

Having read an article by Paddy Heaney in the Irish News last Thursday (I think) about an amatuer triathlete, I am thinking about doing a sprint triathlon myself, I have never done, however any road running (I use the treadmill a lot for pre-season training though) or cycling and have only swam in the pool- about 10/15 lengths is my max.

Any suggestions about how to go about this, are they any thriathlon clubs that would be willing to take a novice?  I would rather go there and get a taste for it, rather than go and spend a lot of money on a decent bike and swim gear etc to find out that it's not for me!

What kind of preparation/times/distances need to be covered to become better?

Also, are there any sprint triathlons coming up in our wee country?  From the limited searches I've done on the Internet it suggests that you need to take a 13 week program. 

Thanks in advance for any hlep, and I apologise if this topic has come up before on the forum.

[Mayo4Sam]

Any tri club will take you but even without a club it's very doable on your own.
I'd say start with swimming, take lessons to improve your stroke,the swim isn't far but beginners struggle the most with it, it can take a lot out of you.
Cycling, if you did 40-50k at the weekends you'll be grand, make sure to go for a short run everytime you get off the bike, even 200m, you need to get ur legs used to the transition from cycling to running.
As for the running, three times a week, one long run, 10k at an easy pace, one reps, 10x200m, 10x400m, switch it around, go flat out and then have a recovery, last run should be maybe 4k at the pace you want to race at.

[Mayo4Sam]

Oh and swimming, get as much open water swimming as you can, brings you on no end

[qwerty123]

Thanks.  What about swimming, I understand swimming in the pool is far easier than swimining open water but what kind of lengths should I be aiming for in a session and how should I build the number of lengths up - any good sites for training schedules?

Heard swimming is the best of the 3 to get the weight down, would this be right? 

Which is the quicker way to get fit/lose weight - long distance + slow pace or short distance sprints i.e 60-100m sprints?

Also does cycling shorten the hamstrings?  I heard this from our football coach and so he told us not to be doing too much cycling for training?

Thanks again.

[Mayo4Sam]

Personally I'd say nothing beats running for knocking off the weight.
As for cycling shortening the hamstrings I don't know if there is any facts to back it up but from personal experience, no in fact this is the first year in a while I've had no trouble and I cycled Sandymount to Enniscrone in a day earlier this year.

Not sure about swimming websites but I'm sure there are some, I bought a book called total immersion and completed changed my swimming style over the last winter, did wonders for me. I'd say pyramid training, 2 laps, 4 laps, 8, 16 up to maybe 24 and back down, thats 80 laps in a session, more than enough, anywhere round that is plenty. Or alternatively 8 front crawl, 4 back stroke, 8 front, 4 breast, 8 front etc

[qwerty123]

Thanks for that -appreciate the feedback and sorry for all the hassle!  The one worry I have about running is that I may lose whatever pace I have left, I'm worried that if I start doing longish but slow runs that the last remnants of my power/pace will be gone!  I've been doing 16 x 100m sprints to keep sharp and maybe shed a pound or two, but it only seems to be making my legs bigger lol! 

[Mayo4Sam]

Sure we'll give this a go again, just wondering who else on the board is competing/completing races these days.
Was out for Tri-Laois myself a couple of weeks back, did it on a brand spanking new BMC TT bike, set up was all wrong, back was killing me. Swim in the pool was embarrassing, was in way too fast a lane and was lapped twice by three (of five) people. Wa happy with a 23min run for 5.5k.
Hoping to break the top 10 for Joey Hannon next weekend

[Milltown Row2]

Sure we'll give this a go again, just wondering who else on the board is competing/completing races these days.
Was out for Tri-Laois myself a couple of weeks back, did it on a brand spanking new BMC TT bike, set up was all wrong, back was killing me. Swim in the pool was embarrassing, was in way too fast a lane and was lapped twice by three (of five) people. Wa happy with a 23min run for 5.5k.
Hoping to break the top 10 for Joey Hannon next weekend

Aye I'm going to do a few of them this year hopefully, Did a sprint one in Newtownabbey Sept. As you say the pool is deadly if there are fast ones in it so looking forward to doing one in open water (I think) I need to get some practice though in the open water. I'm getting a new bike soon so hopefully I'll make up some time on that score.

What would be the best ones to do in Ireland

[Mayo4Sam]

I've never done it cause our club runs it but the Dublin city Tri is meant to be excellent, won best Tri last year.
Sprint wise The two provinces in lanesboro was excellent and Ballina is always good, quick course and fast swim!
Kilkenny had a great buzz also

[el_cuervo_fc]

I signed up to the Crooked Lake sprint triathlon in Camlough on June. It'll be my first time competing so it should be a good experience

[Milltown Row2]

I signed up to the Crooked Lake sprint triathlon in Camlough on June. It'll be my first time competing so it should be a good experience

Aye if it's not booked up I may go for that one, its the open water stuff that I'm not fussed on

[Mayo4Sam]

Think crooked lake is sold out

[Milltown Row2]

Doing the Letterkenny sprint triathlon in July, anyone done it before?

[JimStynes]

Doing the Letterkenny sprint triathlon in July, anyone done it before?

No, but I might do it. Would do the one in Camlough this saturday if my swimming was better. Bike and running are fine but my swimming is terrible and I have never swam in open water before. 800 metres today in the pool and it took me nearly 25mins ffs. Anyone know where to rent out triathlon wetsuits?

[Milltown Row2]

Doing the Letterkenny sprint triathlon in July, anyone done it before?

No, but I might do it. Would do the one in Camlough this saturday if my swimming was better. Bike and running are fine but my swimming is terrible and I have never swam in open water before. 800 metres today in the pool and it took me nearly 25mins ffs. Anyone know where to rent out triathlon wetsuits?

Went out for open water swim today in Browns Bay, what da fcuk have I let myself in for, first open water triathlon in two weeks and I thought I was an ok swimmer, re-think required, will be in the pool every chance I get this week, was hard going and the intake of salt water was way too much, water was cold at initially but grand once you get going.

As for the wet suits I picked up one for £50 (reduced from £200) quid in Chain Reaction, they are damaged ones and for the length of time that you'll actually use it it's the better option, you'll need the trisuit under it for when you get out of the pool and on to your bike.