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Newbie to Triathlon
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Hello Slowtwitch!
Allison here... instagram.com/wattage_cottage on IG. Im a cyclist who is venturing into the Triathlon world next season. I have been training hard on my TT bike but my running and swimming will need some work. To be blunt I cant swim! With that being said I am looking forward to this challenge and any advise y'all can give. Currently I excel at longer distance on the bike. 6-12 hour road races(100-200 miles). Should my focus be more on shorter distance (Spirt and olympic) or stick to my wheelhouse of longer races(70.3 or 140.6)
Best,
Allison
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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Welcome! You will hear lots of advice, so I'll start with...take some of that cycling time and put it towards your swim & run (no duh right?)
1) Join a Master's group, to get some coaching (it's social fun too).
2) Maybe join a run group if you can, from a local run store (they often have evening group runs).
3) Watch some YouTube swim videos as well, so you can visualize a swim stroke & proper technique..
4) Get video taped or have your Go Pro camera if you have one, at the end of the lane & watch what you're doing. Possibly have somone video from the side, front & above to see what you're doing...go from there with drills & form correction.
5) Don't get discouraged or overly technical on the details just yet--learn the basics. Then add the details in later. The sum of the details will result in time saving for sure, but just getting the hang of putting a different training regime together is what you'll be challenged with (along with *daily life* stuff.
6) These are all things you can do yourself without a coach...but as a coach, I'm telling you the cheap down & dirty basics without much investment other than what to start with.

THEN get a coach if you're getting stuck & just have a hard time making any progress. But there is much you can do to start out with.
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Rocky M] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Rocky
Thanks for the great advice! I will definatley be taking some swim classes(I need the most work in this area) My running is ok..i ran a 1/2 Marathon last year in 1:45. I think taking it slow, step by step as I ramp up is a great way to go. Good thing is I have time to prepare and make sure I'm ready for my first go at it. I will be getting a coach for sure once I have some of the basics down. I just need pick a race/distance for extra motivation and put it on my calendar.
Best,
Allison
Last edited by: Wattage_Cottage: May 1, 18 10:23
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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Welcome! In my opinion, you should race short and often. Depending on where you live, there are probably great local races almost every weekend. The vibe at those races is always very welcoming to newcomers. Shorter races are easier to incorporate into training than 70.3 and 140.6 at first and the experience you gain from racing is invaluable. Plus it's fun :-).

Coach at TriForce Triathlon Team: https://www.triforceteam.com
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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All I have to say is that despite how hard you imagine learning to swim like a racer is going to be, it's going to be harder than that. Because you already have run and bike standards that will take you potentially years of swimming to catch up to.

So don't throw in the towel when you find you still lag at swimming even after a whole year of hard work.
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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That makes sense for getting my feet wet..start with a sprint and work my way up! After that I think sticking to my wheelhouse(longer distances) versus short course will be better for me.
Last edited by: Wattage_Cottage: May 1, 18 10:22
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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If you genuinely can't swim - why would you set your immediate sights on a half? Start small and see if you can finish without drowning.

If your "I can't swim" is more of an "I'm way slower at swimming than biking/running but I am comfortable doing freestyle" then get your butt in the water and sign up for an Olympic and get a feel for where you are at.
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [edbikebabe] [ In reply to ]
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I meant can't swim in terms of swimming 700-1500 meters comfortably. I can swim I am just not as confident at it yet.
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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I'm no expert but I always tell people to at least start with a sprint just so you get a little taste of how a triathlon race feels especially the swim which for some causes a lot of anxiety. Obviously, you're already in bike shape and you've run a half marathon so you're no where close to starting from scratch. My first year I did 3 sprints and 1 Olympic distance but I wasn't starting from the bike background you have. If you can afford a coach, especially for the half and full distance, I say do it. Good luck.
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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Then for sure start with a sprint/Olympic and see how it feels.
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Wattage_Cottage] [ In reply to ]
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Ha, you've shown up in my explore before. Will give you a follow now that you're a triathlete. ;) So I have to know, did you steal "Wattage Cottage" from Phil Gaimon or did he steal it from you?

I wouldn't focus on the races at the moment. Just focus on becoming a better swimmer & triathlete. Take a long term view of it. And when there's a race in town, do it and have fun!!
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Re: Newbie to Triathlon [Sean H] [ In reply to ]
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I’m looking forward to the new challenge! I think it’s a great step for me.

Hana im not sure..I have used the name for years and have it trademarked. But I’m not saying I was the first to ever use it!
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