Do you have a bike trainer? I just started training this past December and picked up a cheap smart trainer. I only had a few 20-30 mile leisurely rides under my belt at the time, maybe 3-4 months of inconsistent running, and zero swim training. Started on TrainerRoad half distance tri plan and my ftp went from 180 to 260 as of a few weeks ago. I finally was able to have a ride outside last weekend and averaged 19mph for an hour at 75% max hr, a 3mph increase in a little over 3 months training. Your run is much better than mine. I think you'll see the biggest improvement with some structured bike training.

Thanks guys.

Yes I actually got a trainer about 2 months ago, that's where most of my bike training is done now actually. I still see a lot of potential in myself there luckily, but gosh can it get boring. Structure is super important I'm learning, trying to be as efficient as possible, and not to fall victim to any "garbage" miles like people talk about.

This really is good advice. When I started into triathlon I had a goal of making AG podiums and when I did ( with an AG win no less) it was strangely unsatisfying, because I hadn't executed the race I wanted to. Similarly, last year I only raced twice, getting a 2nd and a 4th. Guess which race I was happier with? Having a mediocre race against a weaker field isn't nearly as gratifying as nailing it against some tough competition.
To this day the happiest I've ever felt after a race was the first time I broke 20 minutes for a 5k, because when I started it seemed like such a long term goal. My placing in that race is irrelevant - I would have rather finished in 35th place and cracked that 20 minute barrier than win the whole race in 20:01.

Without a natural gift in any of the disciplines, I think you need to be closer to 10 hrs per week to sniff an AG podium.

YMMV.

In case the OP doesn't know -

USAT Triathlon calculates scores for your results in races, which allow you to compare your performances between different races on different courses. Someone else can clarify the math, but it's based on how well/poorly everyone else does in the race and compared to their prior year performances, but at least for me it seems pretty legit, meaning if I train and race better, my score definitely goes up compared to my scores in other races (even if the other races are easier or I place higher against a weaker field.)


I find it really helpful for assessing progress with races as you get better, otherwise it can be hard to compare given the differences between races.


https://rankings.usatriathlon.org/RaceResult/AthleteResults

X2

find First Annual events, preferably a long way from big cities.

Oh, and be older (60-69 AG)

-- has worked for me, but it has taken 21 yrs of mediocre times to get where I am, so stay the hell away from my area. :-)

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RayGovett
Hughson CA
Be Prepared-- Strike Swiftly -- Who Dares Wins- Without warning-"it will be hard. I can do it"

I wouldn't worry about podiums for a while yet as you are very much in the "I've just started" phase.

You've got very modest numbers at the moment, still well above the average Joe but you're racing against other people who are also making a lot of effort to get fast. You're still very young so you can be very fast. You need to think of a sub-20min 5K as a baseline. You also need to be able to bike 50 miles easily enough. Swim is a mystery to me - i can swim a few miles easily enough but my 100m times are slower than my 12 year old kids'.

I started from scratch about 3 years ago aged 45, initially just running then biking and swimming and it progressed up to IM. I put a LOT of energy into reading and learning as much as i could as there is a lot to learn. Broadly i was doing 3 or 4 runs a week including hill reps, intervals, a long run and a tempo run. I would swim 2 or 3 times a week, 2-3km each time, and i would spend about 5 hours a week on the trainer (Get TrainerRoad, it's a no brainer!). That got me to a 19:30 5k (40min 10k) and and FTP of 330W. I could get to the pointy end of a local Oly and a 10th (AG) at a 70.3 IM on this. That's nowhere near the podium - those guys were much much faster.

I had a ton of fun though and i'm not bothered about the podium, i'm the fastest Me i can be.

Enjoy! Seriously, enjoy it.

Agreed! I started triathlon in 2014 and always do a 350 personal local sprint

/humble brag

2014 - 44th overall
2015 - 25th overall
2016 - 18th overal
2017 - 8th overall
2018 - 2nd overall

You can do it! Sport is about SLOW AND STEADY progress (or you may risk burning out)

Just focus on your own improvement - it may come quickly or slowly, but if you have the motivation and the willingness to push yourself, it will come. (And it will come much faster if you can manage more than 5 hours a week ;-)

As others have said, setting finishing position targets isn't always the wisest approach. If I enter a local duathlon, there's a pretty good chance I'll take the victory or at least stand on the podium. However, that feeling doesn't even come close to last month when I beat my 4-year old marathon PB by three minutes at the ripe old age of 41 and having been running the best part of twenty years. My finish position for the marathon: 35th (exactly - who cares about that?! Only me)

Take the long term approach, and you'll have a lifetime of satisfaction and development. Enjoy the journey and good luck!

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http://www.howesgreg.com