Is it the 100 lapper?… If so, it’s still there… I just replaced mine a few weeks ago… After storing the splits, the average should be the first value recalled.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi last night I got an Ironman Triathalon, had one 3 yrs ago but has since gone to watch heaven. This ond did not have a manual with it. The only question I have is I did my mile splits this am and gives you best and each split, didn’t it used to have an average also??? If so how do you see it?
Hi last night I got an Ironman Triathalon, had one 3 yrs ago but has since gone to watch heaven. This ond did not have a manual with it. The only question I have is I did my mile splits this am and gives you best and each split, didn’t it used to have an average also??? If so how do you see it?
Hi last night I got an Ironman Triathalon, had one 3 yrs ago but has since gone to watch heaven. This ond did not have a manual with it. The only question I have is I did my mile splits this am and gives you best and each split, didn’t it used to have an average also??? If so how do you see it?
http://www.timex.com Choose ‘Watch finder’ and select your watch. Then click on PDF icon to get the manual. — __o o _`<, < _^o_ (_)/(_) /|
Are there any restrictions that would prevent someone from using a recumbant for an Ironman or half-Ironman? You’d give up some speed, but if you’re just there to finish, your legs, back, neck, and butt would be much fresher for the run. Any thoughts or sightings of such? Dave Before you buy.
Are there any restrictions that would prevent someone from using a recumbant for an Ironman or half-Ironman?
Recumbents are specifically banned from USAT sanctioned events. Charlie Crawford USAT Commissioner of Officials
Hi Dave, in Germany recumbants are not allowed in the bike leg of any triathlon. Best wishes Ulrich – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are there any restrictions that would prevent someone from using a recumbant for an Ironman or half-Ironman? You’d give up some speed, but if you’re just there to finish, your legs, back, neck, and butt would be much fresher for the run. Any thoughts or sightings of such? Dave
I have never seen one in use in an Ironman, but in any event here are the USA Triathlon rules regarding bikes. 5.11 Bicycle Specifications. All bicycles and bicycle equipment used in USA Triathlon sanctioned events must conform to the specifications set forth in this Section. Any participant using a nonconforming bicycle or otherwise violating this Section shall be disqualified. (a) Length cannot exceed two meters, and width cannot exceed 75 centimeters. (b) The distance from the ground to the center of the chain wheel axle must measure at least 24 centimeters. (c) A vertical line touching the front most point of the saddle may be no more than 5 centimeters in front of and no more than 15 centimeters behind a vertical line passing through the center of the chain wheel axle, and the cyclist must not have the capability of adjusting the saddle beyond these limits during competition. (d) The "front-to-center" distance, which is defined as the distance between a vertical line passing through the center of the chain wheel axle and a vertical line passing through the center of the front axle, must measure not less than 54 centimeters and no more than 65 centimeters, except that in the case of bicycles for taller participants (where the distance between the center of the chain wheel axle and the top of the saddle is greater than 80 centimeters), the front-to-center distance cannot exceed 68 centimeters and, in the case of bicycles for shorter cyclists (where the distance between the center of the chain wheel axle and the top of the saddle is less than 71 centimeters), the front-to-center distance cannot be less than 50 centimeters. Applicability of the two foregoing exceptions is determined by measuring from a point on top of the saddle which is 14 centimeters behind the front most point of the saddle. (e) There must be no protective shield, fairing, or other device on any part of the bicycle (including frame, wheels, handlebars, chain wheel, and accessories) which has the effect of reducing resistance. Aerodynamic carriers for food, water, and or cycling provisions may be attached to or be an integral part of the aero-handlebars if they meet the following guidelines: (i) the carrier can pass from front to rear, through a rectangular loop with dimensions of 10 inches (25 cm) in width and 8 inches (20 cm) in height. (ii) The front of the carrier is behind the cyclist’s hands when the hands are placed in their customary position on the end of the aerobars, and (iii) The length of the carrier is no greater than 10 inches (25 cm) front to rear. When the carrier is an integral part of the aerobar, this integrated unit must be able to pass through the rectangular loop defined in (i) above and the carrier portion of the unit must meet criteria (ii) and (iii). In the event that compliance with this section is in doubt with respect to any particular carrier or integrated unit, a member of USA Triathlon may submit the carrier or integrated unit to USA Triathlon for evaluation. (f) No additional equipment, whether it is worn under the competitor’s clothing, over the competitors clothing, or is otherwise attached to the athlete’s body, which has the effect of reducing wind resistance is permitted. An exception is the use of safety helmets as described in Section 5.9. Such helmets may have the effect of reducing the wind resistance of the head only. (g) Except as otherwise determined by the race director in the interest of safety, the front wheel may be of a different diameter than the rear wheel, but the front wheel must be of spoke construction. The rear wheel may be either spoke or solid construction. Wheel covers shall only be permitted on the rear wheel. (h) No wheel may contain any mechanism, which is capable of accelerating the wheel. (i) Handlebars and stem must be fashioned to prevent any danger. All handlebar ends must be solidly plugged to lessen the possibility of injury. (j) There must be one working brake on each of the two wheels. (k) All aspects of the bicycle must be safe to the user and to other participants in the event. Minimum safety standards include, but are not limited to, properly glued and sealed tires, tight headset and handlebars, and true wheels. 5.12 Untraditional or Unusual Bicycle Equipment. Any unusual bicycle construction or equipment to which the specifications in Section 5.11 cannot easily be applied shall be illegal unless prior approval is received from the Head Referee before the equipment is used in the event. Any violation of this Section shall result in disqualification.
still trying to catch up on RST after a week away… I love reading race reports! A great race report — newbie or not.
Great report! Congratulations and welcome to the very addicting world of triathlon! As others have mentioned, don’t be ashamed of sprints. Thousands of people complete 5K runs every weekend. But how many could do that after swimming and biking??? Re: NYC Central Park is beautiful. I’ve been to NYC twice (both trips were for the Corporate Challenge championships — our team was first in Atlanta) and I still don’t like the city. But, that park is an exception! It sure is fun to run or walk through. David / FEY2K – IMCAL (remove spaces) at att dot net
Congratulations Debbie! Noticed how you snuck your announcement in here. It should get a post of it’s own. How’d you do? What did you feel? Gonna do it again? What did you like best/worst? Come on, give us a race report! you earned it. SlowIronMike – proof that you don’t have to be fast to earn the title "Iron", just determined
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Todd! Congrats on your 1st tri! I also just completed (today) my 1st in Cranberry Township, PA, also a sprint distance. Don’t let anyone downplay a sprint-tri or any tri; you and I have just joined the ranks to title ourselves TRIATHLETES!!!!! Your commentary on your race was hilarious, I LOL’d many times. I also saw alot of similarities in our experiences. Thanks for a great posting! Debbie Morgan, tri-newbie — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.
Hey, Todd Really enjoyed your report — and congratulations. I used to live full time in NYC and spent A LOT of time running in Central Park. Now I get there only infrequently and really miss it. Your report brought back so many images and memories. Thanks! I did my first tri about a month ago, and share your enthusiasm. See you at the races!
Todd! Congrats on your 1st tri! I also just completed (today) my 1st in Cranberry Township, PA, also a sprint distance. Don’t let anyone downplay a sprint-tri or any tri; you and I have just joined the ranks to title ourselves TRIATHLETES!!!!! Your commentary on your race was hilarious, I LOL’d many times. I also saw alot of similarities in our experiences. Thanks for a great posting! Debbie Morgan, tri-newbie — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.
(stuff snipped) Do you really need to quote the entire 10k post that your were praising? JT Visit http://www.jt10000.com/ Cycling, Food and Stories
Thanks for the race report. I will tackle my first race on Sept. 12th in Dallas. I’m getting really nervous since my swimming isn’t so great, but I might as well give it a try. Hope to meet you there and good luck. Derek " Never bet with anyone who has a deep tan, squinty eyes, and a one-iron in his bag."
Awesome racr report. Don’t denigrate the distance. You said it yourself; you’ve got to start somewhere. More important than the distance, you quickly understood the essence of the sport. I hope you have many more years of similar enjoyment. –howard solomon
Great job, Todd! We respect anyone that can muster up the ambition and committment that it takes to do that first race. Glad you enjoyed it. Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DISCLAIMER: I’m a newbie. This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs. (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?)
Great post, Todd! I’ve got my first tri coming up in just few days ,and was getting, uh, well, very nervous. Your post reminded me that the most important thing is that I get out there and *do* it and have fun! Thanks! Amy — Amy Snyder Hale, GSR Dept of Geology & Planetary Science
I enjoyed reading your description of your first tri. Mine will be coming up next month in Alcatraz. I especially liked your point about everyone being on the same team. "…And they say this isn’t a team sport. I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants. The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success." -Frank the first timer
Todd: Congrats on your first race but am I right in thinking that the swim took place in the Central Park Reservoir. I think you deserve a medal for bravery. I would think that the monster of the Lake Placid movie would have nothing on what may lurk in those waters. Stephen – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DISCLAIMER: I’m a newbie. This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs. (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?) BACKGROUND: I’ve been cycling since junior high (USCF licensed 2 yrs in high school), running very casually and swam for one year in high school.(really stank at it, but had a blast!) After spending years enjoying riding in the hills of "Floyd’s Knobs" in Southern Indiana, my cycling took a back seat to pulling all-nighters in college in central Indiana for five years. I’ve spent the last year and a half enjoying cycling once more in the Texas Hill country! For the past may months, I’ve been preparing to enter the world of triathlon, appeasing yet another long-standing masochistic tendency. (Others include, cycling, rowing and a degree in engineering) After many bricks and other workouts in 95+ degree temperatures here in Austin, I registered for the 12th Annual Central Park Triathlon, a modified sprint distance event(shorter swim, longer run), in New York City. I know what you’re thinking, "What kind of an idiot would travel from Texas to NYC for his first triathlon?!" Having a couple friends from college in the city, I figured such a trip could serve multiple purposes. Despite my extensive planning, I still underestimated the hassle of successfully transporting a bicycle via airplane.(In retrospect, there was nothing that the Houston airport could screw up that the folks at Laguardia couldn’t more than make up for. Believe me, Houston tried! Contrary to popular belief, EVERYONE I dealt with in NYC was GREAT! Friendly, helpful, funny, etc. Houston, not so much.) To my dismay and confusion, I was faced with some very strange fatigue, dizziness and a fever for about two weeks, just prior to the race. I had been reading RST for a while to catch various tips, etc. and decided to take first-hand advantage of the resource. Thanks to Tri-Baby(Tricia), Sunraze(Spencer) and Sea2river(Bob) for your helpful input and suggestions. A last-minute trip to the doctor confirmed that such discomfort was simply my body fighting off some obscure virus. Doc told me that aside from discomfort, there was no serious risk, so, "…on to The Big Apple!" I was SO psyched!! I LOVE reading all of the great accounts of IMs and other events posted on RST!(So, please take this "rookie report" with an appropriately-sized grain of salt.) By Friday at noon, the adrenaline-powered butterflies in my stomach masked almost all of my other ailments. REGISTRATION: Consistent with what I’ve read and experienced here on RST, the people I met at registration perpetuated the very friendly, fun-loving, helpful attitude that has made it so easy and so much fun to experience such a great sport for the first time. I was a little nervous to learn that I was seeded in the first of 4 waves for the swim start the next morning. After registration, my friends and I enjoyed some carbo-rich pasta at "Paesano of Mulberry Street" in Little Italy. (GREAT food and service!) RACE DAY: After a semi-restful night’s sleep, I lugged my bike and equipment through the streets of the city that never sleeps to the subway at 5 in the morning. Yes, I got some strange looks from those still finishing their Saturday nights as I walked through the subway with smooth legs and a bicycle. By the time we reached Central Park, I was awake enough to realize that despite the almost triple-digit temperatures of the past few weeks, New York City was experiencing an acute cold snap this weekend. As I nervously prepared my transition area, I introduced myself to some others in my area. Once again, everyone was super friendly and helpful. SWIM: Now, I’ve raced in bike races while snow and ice were falling from the sky… but THIS WATER WAS COLD!! Of course, in a bike race, we at least had sleeves, shoes, gloves, hats, etc. With air temps around the high 60’s and a breeze at 7am, jumping into chilly water in a Speedo is an entirely new experience! It was almost comical to see all the race marshals trying to get us all in the water to start the race. I could quickly feel my ears doing strange things in such cold water. And my muscles were really tight the whole time. I finished the swim only about 15-20 seconds slower than I had estimated and headed to T1. T1: Battling my body’s tendency to shiver and shake, I clumsily donned my singlet, shoes, gloves and helmet and headed out for the bike. During the last moments of the swim, I began to worry about wind following such a cold water experience. I think the excitement alleviated those concerns soon after I reached the saddle. BIKE: For the first couple of miles of the bike, my right calf twitched with each pedal cycle, threatening a monster cramp, no doubt just one of the remaining effects of my recent polar swim. I could envision unrolling about a foot and a half of duct tape, holding one end and bouncing the remainder of the roll on the other end, just waiting for any two adhesive surfaces to randomly join, creating a great big useless wad. Eventually, things calmed down and I really enjoyed what was the strongest stage for me. What a way to see Central Park for the first time, huh? It was absolutely beautiful, even at racing speed! The first of the two laps of the park was somewhat of a mystery to me. On the second I was able to really let loose and use the terrain more efficiently. Race marshals, weekend runners and spectators provided encouraging cheers and motivation. At one point, I rode past a small family; two adults and two small children, roughly 6-10 years old. When they saw me coming, the adults started clapping and cheering and the little kids started jumping up and down and yelling, "GO TRIATHLON!!!" WOW!! I was fairly well prepared for the physical challenge(except for the COLD water!!); but I had really underestimated the emotional effect of such an event. (I know, the experience of a spring distance is certainly NOTHING compared to IM!) These people were cheering for ME?! I was able to use some tips learned here on RST to facilitate a smooth T2. I stayed on the big ring and got out of the saddle during the last few minutes to get my legs used to supporting all my body weight again. T2: Very uneventful. In retrospect, however, this was actually a key moment in the race. For it was during T2 that I hastily removed all my cycling gear, including my *BELOVED* Oakley Eyeshades that I’ve had for a good 10+ years. At some point, said eyewear found their way out of my "transition region", never to be seen again. (Oh, the humanity!!) RUN: Of course, the first few steps were a little heavy, but all in all, the run was fine. I’ve never been a particularly swift runner, so I didn’t expect to gain much time here. I did, however, once again enjoy the incredible beauty of Central Park. I also found myself marveling at the incredible camaraderie of triathletes as well. It seems that each person who passed or was passed offered some sort of encouraging word. I figured either a.) triathletes were, indeed, just intrinsically good people, or b.) my facial expression appeared so pained that a little verbal encouragement was the least that others could offer in the interest of my well-being. I’m pretty sure that the former is more accurate. Even the spectators were excited! I fell asleep last night still reveling in the awesome feeling of running through Central Park amid the cheers and excitement! For once in my life, I was more than happy to be identified by a number. For number 41 was a means for anonymous spectators to personally direct sincere encouragement to a total stranger! "Go 41!!! You’re doing great 41!! Keep it up!!" I’ll never forget what that was like! There were tons of other runners in the park that weren’t part of the race. As such, I was running very close to a bunch of other people at times. At least 10-15 runners offered a word of encouragement as we passed. It was GREAT! At one point, a couple of older guys were jogging the opposite direction and as they passed, with a warm smile, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "You’re doin’ great 41! You go on, son!" Just something in the way they looked at me as he said that really thrilled me!! …And they say this isn’t a team sport. I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants. The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success. While running the last few hundred meters I remember passing a couple of girls who were working as course marshals. As I approached, they cheered me on and pointed me in the right direction. As I passed, I overheard one saying to the other, "WOW!!! That’s SO GREAT! He looks so happy!! They all look so happy!" I know that I was probably smiling pretty big by that time, but that didn’t even begin to express how elated I was at that moment! I can’t even begin to describe it! THE FINISH: For my first race, I was happy to finish 11th in my age group (25-29). Yet ANOTHER great feeling was had when some of those same folks who were
… read more »
DISCLAIMER: I’m a newbie. This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs. (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?) BACKGROUND: I’ve been cycling since junior high (USCF licensed 2 yrs in high school), running very casually and swam for one year in high school.(really stank at it, but had a blast!) After spending years enjoying riding in the hills of "Floyd’s Knobs" in Southern Indiana, my cycling took a back seat to pulling all-nighters in college in central Indiana for five years. I’ve spent the last year and a half enjoying cycling once more in the Texas Hill country! For the past may months, I’ve been preparing to enter the world of triathlon, appeasing yet another long-standing masochistic tendency. (Others include, cycling, rowing and a degree in engineering) After many bricks and other workouts in 95+ degree temperatures here in Austin, I registered for the 12th Annual Central Park Triathlon, a modified sprint distance event(shorter swim, longer run), in New York City. I know what you’re thinking, "What kind of an idiot would travel from Texas to NYC for his first triathlon?!" Having a couple friends from college in the city, I figured such a trip could serve multiple purposes. Despite my extensive planning, I still underestimated the hassle of successfully transporting a bicycle via airplane.(In retrospect, there was nothing that the Houston airport could screw up that the folks at Laguardia couldn’t more than make up for. Believe me, Houston tried! Contrary to popular belief, EVERYONE I dealt with in NYC was GREAT! Friendly, helpful, funny, etc. Houston, not so much.) To my dismay and confusion, I was faced with some very strange fatigue, dizziness and a fever for about two weeks, just prior to the race. I had been reading RST for a while to catch various tips, etc. and decided to take first-hand advantage of the resource. Thanks to Tri-Baby(Tricia), Sunraze(Spencer) and Sea2river(Bob) for your helpful input and suggestions. A last-minute trip to the doctor confirmed that such discomfort was simply my body fighting off some obscure virus. Doc told me that aside from discomfort, there was no serious risk, so, "…on to The Big Apple!" I was SO psyched!! I LOVE reading all of the great accounts of IMs and other events posted on RST!(So, please take this "rookie report" with an appropriately-sized grain of salt.) By Friday at noon, the adrenaline-powered butterflies in my stomach masked almost all of my other ailments. REGISTRATION: Consistent with what I’ve read and experienced here on RST, the people I met at registration perpetuated the very friendly, fun-loving, helpful attitude that has made it so easy and so much fun to experience such a great sport for the first time. I was a little nervous to learn that I was seeded in the first of 4 waves for the swim start the next morning. After registration, my friends and I enjoyed some carbo-rich pasta at "Paesano of Mulberry Street" in Little Italy. (GREAT food and service!) RACE DAY: After a semi-restful night’s sleep, I lugged my bike and equipment through the streets of the city that never sleeps to the subway at 5 in the morning. Yes, I got some strange looks from those still finishing their Saturday nights as I walked through the subway with smooth legs and a bicycle. By the time we reached Central Park, I was awake enough to realize that despite the almost triple-digit temperatures of the past few weeks, New York City was experiencing an acute cold snap this weekend. As I nervously prepared my transition area, I introduced myself to some others in my area. Once again, everyone was super friendly and helpful. SWIM: Now, I’ve raced in bike races while snow and ice were falling from the sky… but THIS WATER WAS COLD!! Of course, in a bike race, we at least had sleeves, shoes, gloves, hats, etc. With air temps around the high 60’s and a breeze at 7am, jumping into chilly water in a Speedo is an entirely new experience! It was almost comical to see all the race marshals trying to get us all in the water to start the race. I could quickly feel my ears doing strange things in such cold water. And my muscles were really tight the whole time. I finished the swim only about 15-20 seconds slower than I had estimated and headed to T1. T1: Battling my body’s tendency to shiver and shake, I clumsily donned my singlet, shoes, gloves and helmet and headed out for the bike. During the last moments of the swim, I began to worry about wind following such a cold water experience. I think the excitement alleviated those concerns soon after I reached the saddle. BIKE: For the first couple of miles of the bike, my right calf twitched with each pedal cycle, threatening a monster cramp, no doubt just one of the remaining effects of my recent polar swim. I could envision unrolling about a foot and a half of duct tape, holding one end and bouncing the remainder of the roll on the other end, just waiting for any two adhesive surfaces to randomly join, creating a great big useless wad. Eventually, things calmed down and I really enjoyed what was the strongest stage for me. What a way to see Central Park for the first time, huh? It was absolutely beautiful, even at racing speed! The first of the two laps of the park was somewhat of a mystery to me. On the second I was able to really let loose and use the terrain more efficiently. Race marshals, weekend runners and spectators provided encouraging cheers and motivation. At one point, I rode past a small family; two adults and two small children, roughly 6-10 years old. When they saw me coming, the adults started clapping and cheering and the little kids started jumping up and down and yelling, "GO TRIATHLON!!!" WOW!! I was fairly well prepared for the physical challenge(except for the COLD water!!); but I had really underestimated the emotional effect of such an event. (I know, the experience of a spring distance is certainly NOTHING compared to IM!) These people were cheering for ME?! I was able to use some tips learned here on RST to facilitate a smooth T2. I stayed on the big ring and got out of the saddle during the last few minutes to get my legs used to supporting all my body weight again. T2: Very uneventful. In retrospect, however, this was actually a key moment in the race. For it was during T2 that I hastily removed all my cycling gear, including my *BELOVED* Oakley Eyeshades that I’ve had for a good 10+ years. At some point, said eyewear found their way out of my "transition region", never to be seen again. (Oh, the humanity!!) RUN: Of course, the first few steps were a little heavy, but all in all, the run was fine. I’ve never been a particularly swift runner, so I didn’t expect to gain much time here. I did, however, once again enjoy the incredible beauty of Central Park. I also found myself marveling at the incredible camaraderie of triathletes as well. It seems that each person who passed or was passed offered some sort of encouraging word. I figured either a.) triathletes were, indeed, just intrinsically good people, or b.) my facial expression appeared so pained that a little verbal encouragement was the least that others could offer in the interest of my well-being. I’m pretty sure that the former is more accurate. Even the spectators were excited! I fell asleep last night still reveling in the awesome feeling of running through Central Park amid the cheers and excitement! For once in my life, I was more than happy to be identified by a number. For number 41 was a means for anonymous spectators to personally direct sincere encouragement to a total stranger! "Go 41!!! You’re doing great 41!! Keep it up!!" I’ll never forget what that was like! There were tons of other runners in the park that weren’t part of the race. As such, I was running very close to a bunch of other people at times. At least 10-15 runners offered a word of encouragement as we passed. It was GREAT! At one point, a couple of older guys were jogging the opposite direction and as they passed, with a warm smile, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "You’re doin’ great 41! You go on, son!" Just something in the way they looked at me as he said that really thrilled me!! …And they say this isn’t a team sport. I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants. The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success. While running the last few hundred meters I remember passing a couple of girls who were working as course marshals. As I approached, they cheered me on and pointed me in the right direction. As I passed, I overheard one saying to the other, "WOW!!! That’s SO GREAT! He looks so happy!! They all look so happy!" I know that I was probably smiling pretty big by that time, but that didn’t even begin to express how elated I was at that moment! I can’t even begin to describe it! THE FINISH: For my first race, I was happy to finish 11th in my age group (25-29). Yet ANOTHER great feeling was had when some of those same folks who were strangers earlier that morning before the arctic swim noticed me after the race and we shared stories about our quests! If I may, not unlike sharing these kinds of experiences with you guys on RST! I hope to get to meet some of you in person as we all continue our triathletic (is that a word?) careers! Suffice to say, I’m still on cloud nine, having completed my first triathlon, short though it was. I can’t wait to set my sights on an IM someday! Until then, I’ve got a date with another sprint-distance on September 12th in Dallas. Anyone else gonna be there? Thanks for your sharing and for lending an ear … read more »
Hey – GREAT first race report! Congrats and welcome to the clan. Stop poo-poo’ing sprint distance races! Many people think they’re tougher than longer races due to the higher intensities present in each event. (I’m not in agreement with that – having just completed my first Ironman). Every one of us started out at short distances, and some people (Hug – you listening?) even specialize in them. I firmly plan on doing nothing but sprints next year, I love them! I’m really looking forward to being called a sandbagger! Sorry to hear about the Oakleys. Brian Wagner can probably find you the best deal on new ones <g. I decided on the way home from my first race that someday I’d do an Ironman. Sounds like you did too. Have some fun with shorter stuff first. Great race, great report! Triathletes are a friendly bunch, and it’s been my experience that the longer the distance, the friendlier they are, but the excitement surrounding a whole race full of first timers is nothing short of spectacular. SchwingDing – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DISCLAIMER: I’m a newbie. This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs. (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?) BACKGROUND: I’ve been cycling since junior high (USCF licensed 2 yrs in high school), running very casually and swam for one year in high school.(really stank at it, but had a blast!) After spending years enjoying riding in the hills of "Floyd’s Knobs" in Southern Indiana, my cycling took a back seat to pulling all-nighters in college in central Indiana for five years. I’ve spent the last year and a half enjoying cycling once more in the Texas Hill country! For the past may months, I’ve been preparing to enter the world of triathlon, appeasing yet another long-standing masochistic tendency. (Others include, cycling, rowing and a degree in engineering) After many bricks and other workouts in 95+ degree temperatures here in Austin, I registered for the 12th Annual Central Park Triathlon, a modified sprint distance event(shorter swim, longer run), in New York City. I know what you’re thinking, "What kind of an idiot would travel from Texas to NYC for his first triathlon?!" Having a couple friends from college in the city, I figured such a trip could serve multiple purposes. Despite my extensive planning, I still underestimated the hassle of successfully transporting a bicycle via airplane.(In retrospect, there was nothing that the Houston airport could screw up that the folks at Laguardia couldn’t more than make up for. Believe me, Houston tried! Contrary to popular belief, EVERYONE I dealt with in NYC was GREAT! Friendly, helpful, funny, etc. Houston, not so much.) To my dismay and confusion, I was faced with some very strange fatigue, dizziness and a fever for about two weeks, just prior to the race. I had been reading RST for a while to catch various tips, etc. and decided to take first-hand advantage of the resource. Thanks to Tri-Baby(Tricia), Sunraze(Spencer) and Sea2river(Bob) for your helpful input and suggestions. A last-minute trip to the doctor confirmed that such discomfort was simply my body fighting off some obscure virus. Doc told me that aside from discomfort, there was no serious risk, so, "…on to The Big Apple!" I was SO psyched!! I LOVE reading all of the great accounts of IMs and other events posted on RST!(So, please take this "rookie report" with an appropriately-sized grain of salt.) By Friday at noon, the adrenaline-powered butterflies in my stomach masked almost all of my other ailments. REGISTRATION: Consistent with what I’ve read and experienced here on RST, the people I met at registration perpetuated the very friendly, fun-loving, helpful attitude that has made it so easy and so much fun to experience such a great sport for the first time. I was a little nervous to learn that I was seeded in the first of 4 waves for the swim start the next morning. After registration, my friends and I enjoyed some carbo-rich pasta at "Paesano of Mulberry Street" in Little Italy. (GREAT food and service!) RACE DAY: After a semi-restful night’s sleep, I lugged my bike and equipment through the streets of the city that never sleeps to the subway at 5 in the morning. Yes, I got some strange looks from those still finishing their Saturday nights as I walked through the subway with smooth legs and a bicycle. By the time we reached Central Park, I was awake enough to realize that despite the almost triple-digit temperatures of the past few weeks, New York City was experiencing an acute cold snap this weekend. As I nervously prepared my transition area, I introduced myself to some others in my area. Once again, everyone was super friendly and helpful. SWIM: Now, I’ve raced in bike races while snow and ice were falling from the sky… but THIS WATER WAS COLD!! Of course, in a bike race, we at least had sleeves, shoes, gloves, hats, etc. With air temps around the high 60’s and a breeze at 7am, jumping into chilly water in a Speedo is an entirely new experience! It was almost comical to see all the race marshals trying to get us all in the water to start the race. I could quickly feel my ears doing strange things in such cold water. And my muscles were really tight the whole time. I finished the swim only about 15-20 seconds slower than I had estimated and headed to T1. T1: Battling my body’s tendency to shiver and shake, I clumsily donned my singlet, shoes, gloves and helmet and headed out for the bike. During the last moments of the swim, I began to worry about wind following such a cold water experience. I think the excitement alleviated those concerns soon after I reached the saddle. BIKE: For the first couple of miles of the bike, my right calf twitched with each pedal cycle, threatening a monster cramp, no doubt just one of the remaining effects of my recent polar swim. I could envision unrolling about a foot and a half of duct tape, holding one end and bouncing the remainder of the roll on the other end, just waiting for any two adhesive surfaces to randomly join, creating a great big useless wad. Eventually, things calmed down and I really enjoyed what was the strongest stage for me. What a way to see Central Park for the first time, huh? It was absolutely beautiful, even at racing speed! The first of the two laps of the park was somewhat of a mystery to me. On the second I was able to really let loose and use the terrain more efficiently. Race marshals, weekend runners and spectators provided encouraging cheers and motivation. At one point, I rode past a small family; two adults and two small children, roughly 6-10 years old. When they saw me coming, the adults started clapping and cheering and the little kids started jumping up and down and yelling, "GO TRIATHLON!!!" WOW!! I was fairly well prepared for the physical challenge(except for the COLD water!!); but I had really underestimated the emotional effect of such an event. (I know, the experience of a spring distance is certainly NOTHING compared to IM!) These people were cheering for ME?! I was able to use some tips learned here on RST to facilitate a smooth T2. I stayed on the big ring and got out of the saddle during the last few minutes to get my legs used to supporting all my body weight again. T2: Very uneventful. In retrospect, however, this was actually a key moment in the race. For it was during T2 that I hastily removed all my cycling gear, including my *BELOVED* Oakley Eyeshades that I’ve had for a good 10+ years. At some point, said eyewear found their way out of my "transition region", never to be seen again. (Oh, the humanity!!) RUN: Of course, the first few steps were a little heavy, but all in all, the run was fine. I’ve never been a particularly swift runner, so I didn’t expect to gain much time here. I did, however, once again enjoy the incredible beauty of Central Park. I also found myself marveling at the incredible camaraderie of triathletes as well. It seems that each person who passed or was passed offered some sort of encouraging word. I figured either a.) triathletes were, indeed, just intrinsically good people, or b.) my facial expression appeared so pained that a little verbal encouragement was the least that others could offer in the interest of my well-being. I’m pretty sure that the former is more accurate. Even the spectators were excited! I fell asleep last night still reveling in the awesome feeling of running through Central Park amid the cheers and excitement! For once in my life, I was more than happy to be identified by a number. For number 41 was a means for anonymous spectators to personally direct sincere encouragement to a total stranger! "Go 41!!! You’re doing great 41!! Keep it up!!" I’ll never forget what that was like! There were tons of other runners in the park that weren’t part of the race. As such, I was running very close to a bunch of other people at times. At least 10-15 runners offered a word of encouragement as we passed. It was GREAT! At one point, a couple of older guys were jogging the opposite direction and as they passed, with a warm smile, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "You’re doin’ great 41! You go on, son!" Just something in the way they looked at me as he said that really thrilled me!! …And they say this isn’t a team sport. I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants. The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success. While running the last few
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My regards to the group.. A legitimate question and not a single nasty post in the bunch. I really think that is the key to it all, those who know something helping those who ask.. I love it! Buck
My regards to the group.. A legitimate question and not a single nasty post in the bunch. I really think that is the key to it all, those who know something helping those who ask.. I love it! Buck
Well, personally I thought that there were at least two posts that rated somewhat "jerky"…maybe not nasty…I will let anybody interested decide which two posts they were…
This is a friendly group that takes special care of newbies. You won’t see flames for questions that are asked in good faith. Where you will see flames is when someone states something false as if it were true. Authoritative guessing or recounting of folklore as fact gets my attention and that’s where I usually add a little combustion when I respond. The groups that I frequent all follow these same principles. The difference is in how much latitude there is in determining whether someone is trying to give a good-faith answer or pontificating. I’m one of the chief pontificators around here, but I’m a MOPP (middle of the pack pontificator) in other groups. That tells you where we stand. I’m still trying to figure out which two responses in this thread were snotty. You want snotty–go to rec.bikes.anything and post a message unscrupulous marketers in cahoots with a paternalistic government" or "I ran into a tree and my helmet saved my life." Then you will get snotty responses. My regards to the group.. A legitimate question and not a single nasty post in the bunch. I really think that is the key to it all, those who know something helping those who ask.. I love it! Buck
Rick Denney Take what you want and leave the rest.
Thank you everyone for your help. That’s what I was wondering, whether or not I’d be embarrassed showing up at a triathlon with a mountain bike. The people on this newsgroup are as helpful as rec.running. Dave Kennedy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yes — you need a "street bike" to compete. No — you do not need a "street bike" to participate! :) Awright, awright, don’t go confusing the newbie! That’s actually a very accurate answer, but to be less flippant and more straightforward: No, you are not required to ride a "street bike" in a triathlon. You are more than welcome to participate using a mountain bike, and you will surely see quite a few other folks out there on mountain bikes. Go out and have fun, don’t worry about the equipment! Good luck– Tri-Baby _ - o ‘ – __o – </_ ` ‘ – < – __/ /o_ – (()) (()) - / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie
Dave- The best advice I could offer would be to take your Mountain Bike, and go do an off-road or Mtn. Bike Triathlon…. Skip the road tri altogether and have fun in the dirt.
No kidden graham. I did my first two tris on a mtn bike. I had a great time both times. My times kinda sucked relative to everyone else but hey, I still had a blast. I’ve now got a decent tribike and am into the sport fairly heavily 
Had I not done those first races I probably woudn’t be into the sport right now. I say go for it. If you’ve got a bike with 2 wheels try it.. If you like it invest more into a bike if you can. If you don’t like it then you haven’t lost anything. Byron – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dave- The best advice I could offer would be to take your Mountain Bike, and go do an off-road or Mtn. Bike Triathlon…. Skip the road tri altogether and have fun in the dirt. That is not always an alternative. There are very few mtn bike triathlons or biathlons here in this part of the country. A person doing a tri on a mtn bike may learn to love the sport..new competitiors should be encouraged, not discouraged…DAVE what part of the country are you in? If you can get to my race in north Alabama, you have free entry..contact me at
Dave- The best advice I could offer would be to take your Mountain Bike, and go do an off-road or Mtn. Bike Triathlon…. Skip the road tri altogether and have fun in the dirt.
That is not always an alternative. There are very few mtn bike triathlons or biathlons here in this part of the country. A person doing a tri on a mtn bike may learn to love the sport..new competitiors should be encouraged, not discouraged…DAVE what part of the country are you in? If you can get to my race in north Alabama, you have free entry..contact me at
I’m a runner and only recently started cycling. I’m interested in getting into triathlons. I only have a mountain bike and just had slick tires put on it to make street riding easier. My question is, do you need a street bike to compete in a triathlon? Dave Kennedy
Yes — you need a "street bike" to compete. No — you do not need a "street bike" to participate! :)
Awright, awright, don’t go confusing the newbie! That’s actually a very accurate answer, but to be less flippant and more straightforward: No, you are not required to ride a "street bike" in a triathlon. You are more than welcome to participate using a mountain bike, and you will surely see quite a few other folks out there on mountain bikes. Go out and have fun, don’t worry about the equipment! Good luck– Tri-Baby _ – o ’ – __o – </_ ` ‘ – < – __/ /o_ – (()) (()) - / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie
Yes — you need a "street bike" to compete. No — you do not need a "street bike" to participate! :) — Mark
So, people do regularly participate in triathlons with mountain bikes on a street course? Thanks for your input. Dave Kennedy
I’m a runner and only recently started cycling. I’m interested in getting into triathlons. I only have a mountain bike and just had slick tires put on it to make street riding easier. My question is, do you need a street bike to compete in a triathlon? Dave Kennedy
No, you don’t HAVE to have a street or road or tri bicycle whatever you wish to call it to compete in triathlons. I have seen many races with several people on mtn bikes. I think Team Magic in Birmingham AL has even occasionally had a fat tire division…as you said, put some road tires on it and do your best..if you enjoy triathlon’ing, you will find yourself wanting to upgrade to a road bike and thus increase your speed..have fun…
Yes — you need a "street bike" to compete. No — you do not need a "street bike" to participate! :)
Although many triathlons and duathlons have "specialty" divisions for mountain bike competitors. While the divisions are usually small, there are others out there to compete against. Depending on your biking skill, you’ll be giving up around 3mph compared to riding a street bike. On a 20 mile bike course, that’ll put you about 9 minutes back going into the last run, which would keep you well behind the top guys, regardless of your swim or run times.
Yes — you need a "street bike" to compete. No — you do not need a "street bike" to participate! :) — Mark – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a runner and only recently started cycling. I’m interested in getting into triathlons. I only have a mountain bike and just had slick tires put on it to make street riding easier. My question is, do you need a street bike to compete in a triathlon? Dave Kennedy
Charles Garabedian writes: I am trying to buy a wetsuit for the May 17 Columbia triathlon and I need lots of help? Here are some of my questions: Does water get into your wetsuit while swimming ? What do you where in the wetsuit ? How hard is it to get in and out of ? Do I buy a full wetsuit or a slevless wetsuit? 3mm or 5mm of thickness?
Charles, I suggest you consider renting a wetsuit first. The shop who rents the majority in the DC area is Bonzai Sports and they charge $25 for the weekend. You should contact them soonest since they often rent all that they have. They can give you a recommendation on the style and size you need based on your height, weight, swimming proficiency, etc. See their webpage at www.erols.com/bonzaisports/rentals.html. Phone (703) 280-2248. Water does get into the wetsduit and your body warms that water and that is what keeps you warm. You can wear biking clothes under the wetsuit as many others do. It is fairly simple to get in and out of, but your speed improves with a little practice, if you have a chance. Bob Williams
I am trying to buy a wetsuit for the May 17 Columbia triathlon and I need lots of help? Here are some of my questions: Does water get into your wetsuit while swimming ?
A little, but if the suit fits the water stay there and keeps you warm (you don’t get much throughput) What do you where in the wetsuit ?
Stuff you want to wear on the bike/run. Normally tri-shorts (or trunks) and a race vest How hard is it to get in and out of ?
Getting out is not too bad. Putting baby oil on the cuffs (arms and ankles) before the start will help without corroding the suit. Getting in can be harder but the timing isn’t so critical. Do I buy a full wetsuit or a slevless wetsuit?
Depends how warm the water is. If the suit fits the sleeves shouldn’t be too restrictive (but the buouyant arms can be strange – practice in the suit first). In the UK, sleeves are de-rigeur. 3mm or 5mm of thickness?
Most suits have a variety of thicknesses from 2-5mm on different parts of the body. Normally 2mm where flexibility is needed (shoulders) and 5mm body panels for buoyancy. Good swimmers may want less leg buouyancy than poorer swimmers. Anything else would be extremly helpful
Make sure you get all the oil off your hands before touching your goggles! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Charles Garabedian
I am trying to buy a wetsuit for the May 17 Columbia triathlon and I need lots of help? Here are some of my questions: Does water get into your wetsuit while swimming ? What do you where in the wetsuit ? How hard is it to get in and out of ? Do I buy a full wetsuit or a slevless wetsuit? 3mm or 5mm of thickness? Anything else would be extremly helpful Charles Garabedian
I am trying to buy a wetsuit for the May 17 Columbia triathlon and I need lots of help? Here are some of my questions: Does water get into your wetsuit while swimming ? What do you where in the wetsuit ? How hard is it to get in and out of ? Do I buy a full wetsuit or a sleeveless wetsuit? 3mm or 5mm of thickness? Anything else would be extremely helpful Charles Garabedian
I have been running for quite a while, and I am not sure how much of a base you have. I do 800’s at 2:20 to 2:25 with 90secs of rest. For a 10k workout, I do 6 to 8 repeats. The 1200’s I run at 3:40 3:35 with 2:30 of rest. I do 4 to 6. Remeber to tame down the interval times if you have not had alot of running experience. You said you were a newbie, but I am not sure if that was to each discipline of Tri or the combination. Hope this helps.
– Keith A. Folske
Don’t try and run as fast as Keith here. He is some phenominal freak of nature if he can run 2:20 800 intervals with only 90sec rest. I come from a strong running background and I don’t think I could do more than 2 maybe three reps like that. A little more realistic times for some one starting out are around 3-3:30 with about 90sec-2min rest. Take a set break of about 3mins after 4 reps and then do four more. Work up to it. If your not from a running background it is not a good idea to jump right in and start running fast long workouts. Start with four reps and build up to 8. Ezra (sorry no catchy tri nickname.)
When doing intervals of this nature……what is the proper procedure for 800 and 1200 m intervals…..I am thinking in terms of time pace for interval, how long a rest period between and how many to do? I am still a newbie and trying to get a handle on all this stuff. Any help is greatly appreciated!
On a similar note: when I ran in x-country in high school, we used to do 400’s and it was an all out effort (it actually turned into sprints, and the loser had to do an extra couple at the end). Anyway, this is basically how I’ve been doing mine since anything else feels, well, kinda too easy. If I followed the "slightly faster than your 10k pace" rule of thumb, I think I’d be running 400’s at a 6:30/mile pace or so (ain’t got the speed I once had), but this still seems pretty slow (1:40 per 400 or so). I can still do pretty quick 400’s, but I wonder if going too fast is not doing any good. Aside from the increased risk of injury, am I actually hurting myself from a physiological perspective? Does running closer to race pace raise an AT/LT more than running all out? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks in advance joel falk Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. USA
I have been running for quite a while, and I am not sure how much of a base you have. I do 800’s at 2:20 to 2:25 with 90secs of rest. For a 10k workout, I do 6 to 8 repeats. The 1200’s I run at 3:40 3:35 with 2:30 of rest. I do 4 to 6. Remeber to tame down the interval times if you have not had alot of running experience. You said you were a newbie, but I am not sure if that was to each discipline of Tri or the combination. Hope this helps. — Keith A. Folske
When doing intervals of this nature……what is the proper procedure for 800 and 1200 m intervals…..I am thinking in terms of time pace for interval, how long a rest period between and how many to do? I am still a newbie and trying to get a handle on all this stuff. Any help is greatly appreciated!
I’m not fast and I’m certainly no expert, but I know what some of the running books say: – Don’t do intervals until you have established a good base (you should probably have at least one year of running under your belt, and should have a base period in your season of 12 or so weeks before starting speed training) – Don’t do speed work more than once or twice a week. The majority of your running should be done at 1-2 minutes/mile slower than 10 k race pace. Speedwork is very tiring and increases the likelihood of injury. – You can go for unstructured speedwork by incorporating "fartlek" ("speed play") where you just accelerate to 10 k race pace or thereabouts for a couple minutes during a run. Do this a few times during your workout. – For more structured speedwork (intervals)try this: Warm up for 1-2 miles, then do the following : One 440 yd interval at 10k race pace or slightly faster. One 440 yd interval at VERY slow pace (recovery interval) Repeat three times. Over several weeks you can build up to 8 sets total, or you can increase the speed and recovery intervals to 880yds each. This is just one example. Check out some of the running books for more details. Jeff Galloway’s Book on Running is several years old but it has good info. — Regards, Matt Pope
What are better for improving my 10k times, 400 meter or 800 meter intervals?
800 meters, and 1200 meters
I would even do some 5minute or 10minute intervals. — Keith A. Folske
When doing intervals of this nature……what is the proper procedure for 800 and 1200 m intervals…..I am thinking in terms of time pace for interval, how long a rest period between and how many to do? I am still a newbie and trying to get a handle on all this stuff. Any help is greatly appreciated! Ryan a.k.a. "Tri-Max" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I would even do some 5minute or 10minute intervals. — Keith A. Folske
: just feel like it. My time: 1 hour, 36 minutes, 30 seconds. Well done! That’s a great time for your first half-marathon. (And, more importantly, you clearly enjoyed yourself!) You can be proud of how far you’ve come in the past 9 months. Nick
After posting my year in review, I have received many requests to report back after my debut race. So here goes. I ran my first race on Sunday, the San Diego 1/2 Marathon. First, I must say that I had the time of my life. I can NOT emphasize that enough. After all that time running alone I was surrounded by kindred spirits.
I’ve run this race twice and have immensely enjoyed the combination of spectacular scenery, friendly people, and perfect weather. Now that I don’t live in that area anymore, I’ll have to enjoy your experience vicariously… —
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – After posting my year in review, I have received many requests to report back after my debut race. So here goes. I ran my first race on Sunday, the San Diego 1/2 Marathon. First, I must say that I had the time of my life. I can NOT emphasize that enough. After all that time running alone I was surrounded by kindred spirits. I’ve run this race twice and have immensely enjoyed the combination of spectacular scenery, friendly people, and perfect weather. Now that I don’t live in that area anymore, I’ll have to enjoy your experience vicariously…
Little did you know you were running with some world class lady triathletes…. From Triathlete Digest, at the San Diego Marathon & 1/2: Julianne White-Empfield 2:54:44 Melissa Spooner 2:56:20 Liz Downing 3:13:55 and the 1/2: Katja Schumacher 1:24:39 Chaz
After posting my year in review, I have received many requests to report back after my debut race. So here goes. I ran my first race on Sunday, the San Diego 1/2 Marathon.
Whoah! Major achievement and a super time. Way to go, man. Mike "TriBop" Tennent Remove "nospam." for email reply IMC ‘98 IronVirgins Website http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/imc_iv.htm WebRunner Running Page and my Model Railroad page http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – After posting my year in review, I have received many requests to report back after my debut race. So here goes. I ran my first race snip vicariously… Little did you know you were running with some world class lady triathletes…. From Triathlete Digest, at the San Diego Marathon & 1/2: Julianne White-Empfield 2:54:44 Melissa Spooner 2:56:20 Liz Downing 3:13:55 and the 1/2: Katja Schumacher 1:24:39 Chaz
I saw a couple triathlon butts-O-steal go by me early. I bet I could have spotted the 1:24:39 had I known
After posting my year in review, I have received many requests to report back after my debut race. So here goes. I ran my first race on Sunday, the San Diego 1/2 Marathon. First, I must say that I had the time of my life. I can NOT emphasize that enough. After all that time running alone I was surrounded by kindred spirits. At 6:00 AM I came over the hill of El Camino Real toward the valley (I live here so I use the side roads). As far as I could see looking west when I crossed highway 78 was a stream of headlights winding to the 5 and then south. I had no idea. My wife said softly "oh my god". It is not that we did not know it would be a lot of people, I just had not imagined the logistics that would lead up to the racing. After parking and coffee we watched the early marathoners leave and it was inspiring. So I went to get in line. I was right up front, had been there at the starting line for 30 minutes when we finally left. I ran a bit too fast out of the gate. I had made a cheat sheet and stapled it to my waist band to check my time at the 1, 3, 6, and 12 marks to see if I was over or under my targets. My cheat sheet had three columns, the "goal run", the "hope to run", and the "wouldn’t it be neat" run. At one mile I was too fast. I was even ahead of the "wouldn’t it be neat". I knew I may be in trouble so I tried to drop a notch or two. I had no idea how many people were in the race, so I had no perspective of where I was and I never looked back. Leaving in the front of the line left for only one experience. Lots of folks were passing me and I was passing no one… and now I was supposed to drop it down a notch. That was hard to do. This went on consistently for about 3 miles… running forward and getting behind more and more people. Was I discouraged, no! I was amongst friends and I was having a blast trying to figure out the mind games and pace myself. Around mile 5 fewer people were passing me and those that did passed slower. I even passed a few. I knew I had entered my place in the pack. At mile 6 I checked my time again. I was still ahead of my best expectations but not so much now. I felt good and I was able to really start to relax. My face already hurt, literally, from smiling. And those people along the sidewalk clapping, they love to see that smile and clap harder. We had a silent agreement, I would smile if they would clap; so we did. When I hit the 1/2 way mark I made a u-turn to the north bound side of Coast Highway. Then I saw the sea of people behind me, and it was a sea that went a long ways. Now I damn near broke my face with that smile. Around mile 9, I hooked up with a few people that were running my race and "hung out". We ran most of the rest near each other. We made jokes about the winners already being on their second beers since they finished long ago. Somewhere around mile 11 they got about 15 strides ahead of me. At mile 12 I checked my chart again. I was still ahead of my best expectations and I felt good. I started to get a side-ache so I dropped a notch again and waited; it passed. Around 12.5 I tried to figure when I should burn whatever I had left. I did not want to go too early. As a result, I waited a bit too long. I gave everything I had with about a quarter left to go. When I can around the corner for the last 75 yards I swear I was gliding. I felt better in that moment than I had in the last decade save my wedding day and the births of my children. I hit my stop watch at the line and was amazed. It was not a world record, it was not a course record. It was only my first race. But for a guy that 9 months earlier went out one night 40 pounds over wait and only 3 months from his last cigarette to try to run a mile, it was amazing. I had made a commitment to myself that I would not tell anyone my time. I did not want to be compared to some obscure table of runners. I wanted to make sure my feeling of success was not deflated; I would need the motivation later and it was after all only my first race. My goal 4 months earlier was just to finish it without walking. When asked, I would just answer that I made my goal. Now I am going to break that promise and tell you my time. Why? three reasons. One, my pride is stronger than anticipated so I don’t feel at risk. Two, I learned in the last 12 weeks that runners of meeting runners that they are much more likely to compare their own results to some table then they are to compare yours. And three, I just feel like it. My time: 1 hour, 36 minutes, 30 seconds. That experience solidifies it, I am a runner.
hi maile, great run ,great feeling. congratulations. chad
Hello All, If this has been covered already, I apologize in advance. I’m doing some races that require me to fly with my bike, and am interested in the experiences you all of had with different brands, models, etc. of hard and/or soft shell cases. I fly quite often for business, and never-ever carry enough that it requires checking baggage. I can only imagine that flying with a 100 lb. bike case is not the most enjoyable thing in the world. Any help is greatly appreciated, Frank
We have the Tri-All-3 bike case. Its a hard case and rolls on wheels. We have the double case which is only slightly bigger than the single but will hold two tri-bikes (minus two wheels). If you travel with one bike you can put extra stuff in the case and its very easy to pack up. Also, you can put any of your extra luggage on top of the case and wheel it around the airport very easily. It has worked great for us. Julie and Geoff
i use the trico ironcase. i purchased it this year after some recommendations from rst. it does take awhile to disassemble and reassemble my softride, but it does an excellent job of protecting the bike and is pretty easy to carry (or roll) through an airport. i would definately recommend a hard shell case. frank d.
I’m putting together my Christmas list for Santa and am interested in any feedback on the different Travel Cases for sale: Trico, Tri-all-3, etc. Thanks. RLTW, Erik
I have a Trico case. It is great for my mountain bike, 7-12 minutes to put into case and 7-12 minutes to assemble. No problem. My triathlon bike is another story. It is a 30 minute ordeal with alot of wrenching to get it into or out of the box. The aero bars are a pain. In terms of protection, Trico is great. I watched an airline worker drop my case 4′ and no problem, the case took the blow instead of my carbon fibre y frame. For travel, the wheel and handle make it like a carry on roller. I was so thankful for the wheels especially on international flights where you have to claim your baggage for connections. It has paid for itself (~$250) many times over. I would not skimp on your travel case. Good luck – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m putting together my Christmas list for Santa and am interested in any feedback on the different Travel Cases for sale: Trico, Tri-all-3, etc. Thanks. RLTW, Erik
Please post all of your sponsors so that we will know who to boycott. thanks, david
David, I think you wanted to send this to Murray B. See the post before mine. Dr. T
Please post all of your sponsors so that we will know who to boycott. thanks, david
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – St. Anthony’s Response to Draft-Legal Professional Race This year, and only this year, St. Anthony’s Triathlon management has acceeded to the USA Triathlon (USAT) request to permit legal drafting, FOR PROS ONLY, on the bike portion of the annual race. With only the Pro wave being draft legal, the top five American pros from the St. Anthony’s Triathlon will qualify for the 1997 Professional World Championships later this year in Australia. This will be the only race to qualify and it will also offer athletes an opportunity to strengthen their performance for world-wide and future Olympic events which allow drafting. St. Anthony’s race was selected because it is a well-run, established, high-profile and early-season race with a significant prize purse. Voted "Race of the Year" in 1995 by the Race Directors Commission (RDC) of USAT, St. Anthony’s race management is committed to offering a high-quality triathlon to as many athletes as possible. St. Anthony’s Triathlon does not and has never supported drafting in the amateur race! Case in point, in the 1996 St. Anthony’s Triathlon, 107 penalties were assessed; many for drafting. This was a difficult decision for St. Anthony’s race-management to make. By agreeing to accomodate USAT, we have an opportunity to give the U.S. athletes a better chance to perform well at the World Championships, and the Olympics. For more information about this years race, or to receive an application, call 813-825-1271, or visit our web site at http://www.stanthonys.com/triathlon. The site will be on-line by the end of January. We hope to see you in April! Murray Beairsto St. Anthony’s Triathlon / We’ll pass! /|| / || Dr.T ||
|| David, I think you meant to post this to Murray Beairsto. See the post before mine. Dr. T Gregg Trent
the top five American pros from the St. Anthony’s Triathlon will qualify for the 1997 Professional World Championships later this year in Australia. This will be the only race to qualify
As I said in an earlier post, I’ll defer to the good judgement of pros like Karen Smyers and Jim Riccitello, and if they believe this is a good idea I’ll support it. But I don’t see how you can claim that your race is a world championship qualifier. Maybe you can explain that. QRman
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – St. Anthony’s Response to Draft-Legal Professional Race This year, and only this year, St. Anthony’s Triathlon management has acceeded to the USA Triathlon (USAT) request to permit legal drafting, FOR PROS ONLY, on the bike portion of the annual race. With only the Pro wave being draft legal, the top five American pros from the St. Anthony’s Triathlon will qualify for the 1997 Professional World Championships later this year in Australia. This will be the only race to qualify and it will also offer athletes an opportunity to strengthen their performance for world-wide and future Olympic events which allow drafting. St. Anthony’s race was selected because it is a well-run, established, high-profile and early-season race with a significant prize purse. Voted "Race of the Year" in 1995 by the Race Directors Commission (RDC) of USAT, St. Anthony’s race management is committed to offering a high-quality triathlon to as many athletes as possible. St. Anthony’s Triathlon does not and has never supported drafting in the amateur race! Case in point, in the 1996 St. Anthony’s Triathlon, 107 penalties were assessed; many for drafting. This was a difficult decision for St. Anthony’s race-management to make. By agreeing to accomodate USAT, we have an opportunity to give the U.S. athletes a better chance to perform well at the World Championships, and the Olympics. For more information about this years race, or to receive an application, call 813-825-1271, or visit our web site at http://www.stanthonys.com/triathlon. The site will be on-line by the end of January. We hope to see you in April! Murray Beairsto St. Anthony’s Triathlon
We’ll pass! Dr.T
When converting times from one course to another, swimmers usually add one second for every flip turn that you DON’T do. That explains the 32 second difference between Sanson’s SCM (short course meters) and LCM (long course meters) times. It’s not the rest so much as the push-off. A swimmer with a good push-off and good streamlining comes off the wall at about TWICE their fastest sprinting speed.
As always, Chip knows what he’s talking about when it comes to swimming. One caveat, however, is that the good push-off and streamlining is often hard to find in a triathlete. Many would appear to actually lose some ground on their turns as compared to a straight open-water swim! For someone like Sanson, the 32 seconds difference between short and long course 1500’s is about what one would expect (at least for someone with decent turns, as many distance swimmers have poor turns). As for preparing for an Ironman, go do a couple 2.4 mile swims in the pool (preferably a 50 meter pool). Try to stay on a rock steady pace per 100, as this will force your to relax and lengthen your stroke. Navigating is not normally a problem in Hawaii because there are so many people and boats, plus the water is as clear as it gets. Boredom will not be a problem, after all the adrenalin from IM Hawaii last for more than the swim portion! Marty Marty Miller Proprietor of The Triathlete’s Web http://w3.one.net/~triweb
[stuff deleted] PS: If you really want to calculate, I practiced doing 1900M swims 3 or 4x a week before Wildflower and averaged 38:00 to 40:00 in the pool but did a rotten 45:00 in the lake because I navigate so poorly. Plus, in a 25 meter pool, I think you get a break from pushing off the wall. So add 5-10 percent to your 25-meter pool time. EXAMPLE: Benjamin Sanson’s best 1500M time in a 50 meter pool was 15:32. His best in a 25 meter pool was 15:00. So extrapolate. If you swim about 30:00 for 1500M, add a minute or two.
When converting times from one course to another, swimmers usually add one second for every flip turn that you DON’T do. That explains the 32 second difference between Sanson’s SCM (short course meters) and LCM (long course meters) times. It’s not the rest so much as the push-off. A swimmer with a good push-off and good streamlining comes off the wall at about TWICE their fastest sprinting speed. Converting yards to meters, they usually add 10% to their time. (A yard is 36 inches, a meter is 39-point-something.) I liked the suggestion that you just go and swim 2.4 miles in a pool. Concentration (and knowing what to expect) plays a big role in long swims, and the typical interval-training workout that swimmers usually do doesn’t prepare you for that. Of course, problems with course measurements (I swam a "mile" in 8:30 once), water conditions, getting a draft from faster swimmers, and your own navigational abilities make times pretty irrelevant anyway. Good luck! Chip Zempel
I’m fairly new to swimming and will be competing in the Great Floridian at the end of October. How can I estimate my swim time based on, for example, my 500M pool time. I’ve been doing the bike and the run for long enough to have a pretty good idea, but in the water I’m clueless. Thanks- -Darrin
I’m fairly new to swimming and will be competing in the Great Floridian at the end of October. How can I estimate my swim time based on, for example, my 500M pool time. I’ve been doing the bike and the run for long enough to have a pretty good idea, but in the water I’m clueless. Thanks- -Darrin
2.4 miles is just over 4200 yards, or 3800m. Why don’t you just do a 1900m pool swim, double the time, and that’s your estimate? It’s also good training. It would be hard to estimate from a 500m time, since you can usually really crank it up for this short a distance. You could also do 3×600m with 30 sec rest and use the total time as your (half-) estimate. The 1:30 rest makes up for the missing 100m. The other thing to keep in mind is that it’s really hard to make the swim course the proper length. 100m difference over 2.4 miles (under 3% error) means 1:20 – 3:00 slower or faster swim time. You can’t worry if you missed your swim goal until you get splits and see how fast everyone else went. hope this helps myke — Tellmesomethingidontknowtellmesomethingicanusepushthebuttonconnectthegoddam ndots
:I’m fairly new to swimming and will be competing in the Great Floridian :at the end of October. How can I estimate my swim time based on, for :example, my 500M pool time. I’ve been doing the bike and the run for :long enough to have a pretty good idea, but in the water I’m clueless. : :Thanks- 
arrin : : :2.4 miles is just over 4200 yards, or 3800m. Why don’t you just do a :1900m pool swim, double the time, and that’s your estimate? It’s also :good training. It would be hard to estimate from a 500m time, since you :can usually really crank it up for this short a distance. You could also :do 3×600m with 30 sec rest and use the total time as your (half-) :estimate. The 1:30 rest makes up for the missing 100m. If you swim 3×600 with 30 sec rest, the total rest is only 1 minute, don’t you think? — Ulrich Porsch Wer spricht vom Siegen, "Ubersteh’n ist alles
How can I estimate my swim time
Do say 4x 500 with 15 to 30 seconds rest in between, then average your time then extrapolate to 2.4 miles. That would be the best time you can do. Luis Vargas
I’m fairly new to swimming and will be competing in the Great Floridian at the end of October. How can I estimate my swim time based on, for example, my 500M pool time. 2.4 miles is just over 4200 yards, or 3800m.
My personal experience has been: (1500m pool x 2.5) + 15-20min Fudge = Very Conservative Estimate of IM Swim BUT, Don’t worry if you take a few min longer than this or don’t get overly excited if you blow this away. The swim is nothing more than a warmup for the IM distance – you’ll be out there a LONG time & those minutes that seem so precious to you at 8:15am will seem trivial at 8:15pm. 
Good luck – I’ll be doing the Great Floridian as well!
:2.4 miles is just over 4200 yards, or 3800m. Why don’t you just do a :1900m pool swim, double the time, and that’s your estimate? It’s also :good training. It would be hard to estimate from a 500m time, since you :can usually really crank it up for this short a distance. You could also :do 3×600m with 30 sec rest and use the total time as your (half-) :estimate. The 1:30 rest makes up for the missing 100m. If you swim 3×600 with 30 sec rest, the total rest is only 1 minute, don’t you think? Ulrich Porsch
Actually, just to be argumentative, I don’t think. I think 1 minute rest would be 3×600 with 30 rest between. It’s only a estimate anyway. myke — Tellmesomethingidontknowtellmesomethingicanusepushthebuttonconnectthegoddam ndots
Estimate Ironman swim time? Look, if the Greater Floridian allows wetsuits, pick an outdoor pool and swim it with a wetsuit. The whole 2.4 miles. No time off. It’ll be good for you. What’s with these intervals to calculate time? I cannot see how a 1:15 minute to 1:45 minute swim can be bad for you if you stare the same thing in the face in a few short weeks? In fact, you need to do it, if only for your mental health. Preferably in a 50-meter pool if one is available. Or better, in alake if you can set the distance accurately. If all you have is indoors, it is too hot for a wetsuit for that long a swim. Either swim it without aids if you are a good swimmer. Or use a pull buoy, which gives very similar flotation to a wetsuit. Your time should be almost exactly equal to a wetsuit swim. Again, treat it like a race — or at least the time trial it is. Hydrate well before you start, warm up SLIGHTLY then go. No time off to clean your goggles, no time off to catch your breath, just hit a nice steady pace, think about your stroke and go. To mak it more like an Ironman swim, practice lifting up your head to site every lap or so. Try to alternate breathe if you can. If you can’t do it in the pool, you can’t do the race. I am sure you can do it. Just do it. Timothy Carlson PS: If you really want to calculate, I practiced doing 1900M swims 3 or 4x a week before Wildflower and averaged 38:00 to 40:00 in the pool but did a rotten 45:00 in the lake because I navigate so poorly. Plus, in a 25 meter pool, I think you get a break from pushing off the wall. So add 5-10 percent to your 25-meter pool time. EXAMPLE: Benjamin Sanson’s best 1500M time in a 50 meter pool was 15:32. His best in a 25 meter pool was 15:00. So extrapolate. If you swim about 30:00 for 1500M, add a minute or two.
Andy: I haven’t received official Reston results yet, but I did compete in the race. The bike course was shorter and faster this year after the Hunter Station hill was cut out. The course this year consisted of three loops (Twin Branches-Glade-Soapstone-Lawyers-Reston Parkway-Colts Neck-South Lakes-Twin Branches). As you can imagine the finishing times were much faster. My source is the Reston Local Newspaper Sports section (9/13 edition) which is not 100% reliable. Also there was some difficulty in tabulating the results the day of the race — the awards ceremony started about one hour after the last participant crossed the finish line. Eric Sorensen won the race in 1:51:42 vs. his last year’s time of 2:00:38 followed by Tim Morris 1:57:26 and David Cascio 1:58:21. As you can see, Eric smoked the field. Kim McLaughlin was the first woman in 2:05:40 followed by Nancy Slayden 2:06:39 and Beth O’Connor 2:08:45. The swim and run courses were the same as in previous years. The Bike Course: Coming down the 3 mile South Lakes Drive stretch you could easily go over 30 mph most of the time. The comparison for me was in my average speed this year (23.5mph )vs. last (22mph) on the bike. I wouldn’t be surprised to see faster run times too since legs weren’t pushed as much on the bike. My run was actually a little slower than last year. Race Management: I heard no complaints about the management of the race which is usually a sign that it was run very well. Kudos to Race Directors Bunny Bonnes, Jim DeRosiers, Mick Toman, Paula Lembke, et al. There was enough Papa Johns pizza for everyone to have a box to themselves. Other goody hand outs: water bottle, singlet, long sleeved denim shirt. While waiting for the awards ceremony some of the local gals (aged 3-5) entertained the crowd by throwing keychains supplied by a local radio station to just about anyone who wanted them. Swim: The swim was seeded according to self predicted swim time with about 75 per wave. I think this worked out very well — with less people getting plowed over (like last year when all women were in the first wave including last finisher overall, Marge Stahl (64) who probably didn’t appreciate getting swamped by many swimmers. There was some congestion near the exit of T1 onto Twin Branches. As the fastest bikers were coming down the hill, at the bottom of the hill, later starters were entering the race.and almost immediately there is the 90 degree right turn onto Glade. A special lane was coned off for protecting those just beginning the bike. Apparently there were no accidents other than two guys knocking each other over as they both came out of T1 together. I heard no reports of runners going off course through the woods, so the marshalls there must have done their jobs well. The shaded run and great weather also decreased the need for multiple aid stations on the run and bike although these were both there in sufficient numbers. Overall, I