I am looking to get into Iron Mans. I have a friend that is Pro who told me Triple T would be an easy/good race to find out what its all about. How hard is Triple T?
i’ve never done a full IM, so i have no idea there, but its a rough weekend.
the combination of getting ready to race multiple times, in combination with the course make it even more fun;-)
I have a friend that is Pro who told me Triple T would be an easy/good race to find out what its all about.
In my experience, there is nothing easy about the TTT. Well, I suppose day 1 is pretty easy…
Jodi
I would suggest that Triple T is actually more difficult than Ironman. I’ve never done Triple T myself but we have significant numbers of customers who have. Based on their experiences the course is extremely difficult and the order of events means you have to be very systematic about your nutrition and recovery strategies. When people book the cabins as a group I’ve often thought they should approach the event like a bicycle stage race such as the Tour de France by having a soigneur (massage therapist) and a team mechanic along with their group. One year one of our fellows was hired as a team mechanic for a group in a cabin. He serviced their bikes after every stage and then became an ad-hoc soigneur by helping prepare meals, carry the athlete’s luggage, load vehicles and basically allow the athletes to attend to the task at hand: Having a good race.
I woud suggest that Triple T is a very different race fro Ironman in that it poses seperate, and more complex, logistical challenges. The degree to which an athlete can moderate these challenges will have a significant affect on the quality of their experience at this very demanding and unique event.
Ironman, on the other hand, is largely about your athletic preparation (training) and about your race/nutrition plan. It is less about race logisitics- although those play a crucial role in a good Ironman experience. It is the stage race format of DeSoto Triple T that places an emphasis on logistics, and that makes the event very demanding in a unique way.
I found the Triple T to be basically like an Ironman with some rest along the way. If you are not a quick recoverer from hard workouts, you will suffer. It’s basically doing Iron distance, but stretching it out over 3 days. For me, Ironman was a bit tougher, at least the marathon portion, but the Triple T is by no means easy. You have to drag yourself out of bed on day 3 after having done two Olympic distance races the day before and a super-sprint the day before that, and face a half ironman with serious hills. That half IM on day 3 was the toughest 1/2 IM course I’ve ever raced, and having to do it on tired legs after two prior days of racing required serious HTFU. Don’t take it lightly, but yes, it would be great training/prep for moving into the IM distance.
I’m with tri bodybuilder in that Triple T is easier than ironman, but i’m hesitant to use the word easy. The courses are hard, very hard. If you truely race the 2, oly’s on Saturday, sunday will be rough. Hell even when you don’t race them, sunday was rough. I treated Saturday’s efforts as steady but hard training efforts, but a good bit below the effort I would put into racing a stand alone oly. You still wake up pretty stiff and sore sunday, there is no way around it. Once you loosen up though, at least for me I felt good on Sunday. I steadily moved up in every race over the weekend and had a good run in the half on Sunday. The easier part is you do get rest and can re fuel between races plus you get a night’s sleep friday and saturday. You definately need some long course experience in my opinion to do triple T in the form of lot’s and lots of HIM, and or an IM or 2. The field is always very strong and competitive at TTT. If you look at the starting list you recognize a lot of age group studs and a pro or 2 now and then toeing the starting line. One thing I will say TTT is FANTASTIC training for an IM and a very fun weekend.
I have never done an Ironman (and don’t want to after the triple T for that matter) but in my opinion the triple t is probably on par with an ironman. each requires you to take it one part at a time. The two difficulty factors my teammate and I had to deal with 1. the overall intensity was higher than an ironman (especially in the run and bike when drafting is allowed) and 2. the course is HARD. I was living in the appalachian mountains at the time so climbs were no stranger to me but that course was pretty damn brutal on the last day. nutrition played a huge factor moreso in between races. I ate a ton and it didn’t matter what. The race provided massages and all the food i could eat which was really nice. I also stayed in a hotel about 20 minutes away and i recomend that because there was air conditioning which was nice when it was 90 degrees on race day.
I did IMLP and Triple-T last year. Triple T is wicked hard… Both mental and physically. The morning of the day 3 race is a test of how late you can stay in bed and still make it to the starting line. It’s fun to see the comparison of everyones pre-race on prologue vs. the Half. For the prologue, everyone is in transition an hour ahead of time, everyone is doing their jog and swim warm up. On the Half IM on day 3, it tough to get everyone out of transition and down to the water for the race start and most people go as far as ankle deep for their swim warm-up.
But overall, it’s a great weekend. Lots of time to meet people from around the country. It’s a super stacked field and a great way to get ready for that summer IM.
Scott
plasma,
That was a funny point you made. It was even funnier to see all the people who were doing the Half that was going the same day (start time was just after the triple t) as us. Those guys were all there warming up, getting their transitions set up, tweaking their bikes, while us tt’ers showed up as late as possible. I was in transition 20 min before start time and there were only about 6 other people there. everyone was walking in wheeling their bikes, wetsuit over one arm backpack over the other shoulder with their heads down. No one was talking they just had blank stares in their eyes, myself included. also, the food at the halfway in the bike was funny. all the half people were doing gels and bars, all the tt’ers were loading up on oreo’s and other “normal” food after 2 days of gels. :-). It was a GREAT experience though. Unfortunately my teammate and I had just planned on doing it for fun, but ended up in second place. So, it went from just something to do to really pushing it to maintain our place (1st wasn’t even within reach). I was thrashed for about a month+ afterwards due to lack of training prior. Definetely something i would not take lightly beforehand again!
All,
I’ve done the Triple T every year since it’s inception. I’ve also completed a couple of Ironmans here and there. There is one conclusion that I can make about both races…THEY ARE BOTH HARD. Now, I do agree with Tom in regards to the Triple T being a bit harder from the fact that you have to “get up” four times to race. At least with an Ironman you’ve got some momentum (well, that might even be questionable) going throughout the race.
I know that getting up for that last half ironman is one of the mentally toughest things I’ve ever done in my triathlon career. I have nightmares about that 13.2 mile run course as May starts to draw near. I know that anybody else who has done this race probably has the same nightmares. I am very much in awe of those people that tackle this race solo. I honestly don’t know if I could do it.
Now, I am sorry to say that my streak of Triple T’s might be coming to an end. I had every intention of competing this year with a new partner named Ian Ray. But, as luck would have it, racing might not be in the cards. On Tuesday I was diagnosed with Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism (PE). This was the result of a bike crash that happened one week before Christmas. I had been feeling the affects of the PE for about three (3) weeks before my body said, in no uncertain terms, it was time to go to the ER. I did and my diagnosis was clear. Right now I am taking Lovenox shots in my stomach twice a day until Tuesday. I will also be taking Coumandin for the next six (6) months. I don’t know where my racing season stands.
The reason I am telling you all this is because there are times where we don’t listen intently to what our bodies are trying to tell us sometimes. I just blew off the pains I was having in my ribs and chest as “everyday aches and pains”. Don’t make the same mistake that I made. Although I am alive and my long term outlook are good things could have been the complete opposite. If you look at the statistics you’ll notice that 33 percent of people who have this affliction pass away. So, do me a favor and PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU…that’s all I ask.
Thanks,
Bruce Gennari
I did Triple T for the first time this past season. I remember my thoughts about the results I had seen posted from previous years. With times like those, I ought to do well I thought.
When we were lining up for the first race, my buddy who also was a Triple T rookie commented, : Man, this is a FIT crowd!" What that meant compared to the results I had previously seen did not fully sink in until Sunday morning. I had never seen so many fit people so reluctant to start a race.
I actually thought this was harder than an IM because at least in an IM you get it all over with in one day.
bruce,
very sorry to hear that and i hope everything turns out well.
To the OP, one of the things that many dont take into account as to why this race is so hard is that unlike an IM,
there is very little to no spectator support (see none on the bike course)
you can go for a long time on the bike and not even be sure of you are on course, not see a person, house, anything
with the exception of the half way point on the half bike, you carry anything you need
most people, because it is split up, race the first three races too hard and pay on sunday.
very few people are ready for the course, and underestimate what the hills there are like
the run is just sick (i actually like the run more than the bike though).
the weather can be brutal, from close to freezing when you start, to high 80s in the afternoon.
I thought it was harder than IMMoo and IMFL
jaretj
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LOVED Triple T!!! One of the best weekends of all time. Just when I thought the bike courses couldnt/wouldnt be any harder; I was proven wrong. The people were all wonderfully motivating & I will never forget the two teams that took time out of their half iron races on sunday to help me change a flat (will never ride w/o a hand pump & patch kit again)! Cant wait to get to race day again this year! I did IMPlacid last year as well and found the marathon in placid to be more difficult than the half ironman at the end of triple t. Incredible, overall experience…recommend it to anyone who is interested.