From yesterday:

The bike started at 1:52 pm, finished at 4:28 pm, the run started at 4:38 pm and ended at 6:41 pm.

The bike and run were in downtown DC so a fair amount of pedestrians to move around.

Maybe nutrition during the race. Not as critical for a 70.3, but you'll need to get some calories down on the bike.

Oh, and the rules about drafting and blocking on the bike. Getting a penalty because you weren't aware of the blocking rules would be a drag.

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I cannot get pics to upload 😬

Ride?

Welcome-Seems that you have got the bug! We do have lots of fun.

@m----n

I've read, and now re-read the rules. I'm a bit confused on the drafting one some resources on IM say 4 bike lengths and 20 seconds to pass and others 5 bike lengths and 25 seconds to pass. Ive also read some of the scenarios of what happens when you pass but then end up in the next person's up draft zone. And that's where I think I might screw up.

Whats a good way to learn/practice what it looks like to be x number of bike lengths back from another rider?

Also it seems like there's only one potential penalty for running and that's "abandonment"/littering?

Seems like, especially in windy conditions drafting while running could be beneficial/unfair.

Welcome! I suspect you are going to get a lot of input. My two cents based on your OP.

Have fun. Stretch and maximize flexibility. Make sure you fit well/are comfortable on your bike. 56 miles is a long time to be in the saddle, especially with this being a new discipline. Keep up the Brick workouts where you run immediately following bike work outs. Need to understand what your legs are going to feel like those first few miles.

When you do line up at the start, kick ass! But, don't hesitate to pull the plug if it is not going great. Not worth risking an injury. Will only motivate you to dial in for the next one. You will be back.

EDIT: I am just seeing your strava pics. Great start.

EDIT 2: oh yeah, and don’t use EPO. Lol

Great start!

My two cents: You'll be fine on the bike and the run if you put the time in. For the swim, make sure you are comfortable in a crowded, possibly cold, body of water. Swim panic is common among both newbies and experienced people. It is a stressful situation. Try to do some open water practice swims with a group if possible. That being said, it is hard to train for the fear and stress of a swim start.

Welcome to the sport. 6 weeks isn't a ton of time but I love the attitude! I would focus on just getting in the volume over the next couple of weeks. Make sure you can swim 40ish minutes, bike 3ish hours, and run 2ish hours. Wherever you think you'll fall time-wise in the disciplines. Get as comfortable as you can with them. If I'm seeing the Strava right you did a pretty big bike & run on the same day. Even training for a 70.3, you really don't have to cover 13.1 in a brick session. Just try once or twice a week to get in a short/easy run (maybe 30:00-45:00 range) after two of your harder bike sessions. Build to maybe 60-70 minutes the weekend the you're 2 weeks out: 3hr ride + 1hr run. Something like that. Practice nutrition in training. Find a gel you like and a carb drink you like. It's a calorie game in triathlon. You should be able to put down 2-3 bottles on the bike & a handful of gels. You should be able to fuel during the run. That's how you have a good race day.

Between now and the race, think about gear. You don't need expensive gear to be good or just to have fun. You can get a lot of stuff used or discounted. Then think about race logistics. There's more pre-race prep to be done in triathlon compared to doing the disciplines individually. Lastly think about transitions, often referred to as the 4th discipline. Do you want to get through transition as fast as you can or use that time to collect yourself & get in fuel/hydration? Can you get into/out of the wetsuit? Can you clip in/out of bike pedals with ease? Etc.

Love this run along the GT canal pathway.

Best of luck. You’ll have a blast.

Welcome to the sport No Grit. you'll get plenty of good training input i'm sure.

my only bit of advice here is to find a sprint tri down your way, there's plenty. 1hour+ of drilling it is fun too, and it will get you up to speed on what to expect. maybe even find an olympic after that. i think you'll be glad you did, works out all the issues to expect and you'll be an 'old hand' by the time you do your half.
Good luck!

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http://www.PatGriskusTri.com USAT Certified Race Director
2024 Races: USAT State of CT Age Group Championship/State of CT HS Champs/ CT Club Championship - Sat June 15th (Oly/Du/Sprint) Hopkins Vineyard Tri at Lake Waramaug Saturday July 13th http://www.HopkinsVineyardTri.com

How did you hear of "us" at Slowtwitch?

Keep having fun.

Don't take any of this stuff too seriously.

95% of the folks in this sport, are really cool people, don't care about that other 5%.

Part of the fun CAN be the equipment and messing about with it.

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http://www.fitspeek.com the Fraser Valley's fitness, wellness, and endurance sports podcast

I would hire a retired triathlete as a coach, young if possible with a couple of big wins in his resume...left at the top of their game.

Tends to utilize non traditional methodology and boosters

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Check out Joel friels triathletes training bible to figure out training. Use polarized training. Eat 100g of carbs per hour during your race and drink water based on your sweat rate for the environment. Shave your body hair. Get a good position on your bike most importantly.

I'll argue the biggest piece of advice for newbies are the points that will help with your health and injury prevention. Learn how to balance easy and hard training. Learn how to not run too much too soon. Get a professional bike fit ASAP. Learn about nutrition for training and racing. Every training session should begin with 10 mins of easy effort to warm up, and 5-10 mins easy at the end to cool down.

Joe Friel's book Your Best Triathlon really helped me understand how to structure training at a serious level.

Alex Harrison is active on here and gives good nutrition advice. His Youtube channel.

Have fun! Good luck :D