Question:

Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!  I was definitely pleased with my time, and also with the fact that I felt like I gave it all I had.  

  Congratulations!  Again, excellent splits and pacing. Great, too, to feel like you’d given everything when (not before) time you hit the finish line. So for the next several months, here’s what I have lined up: July 22 – sprint triathlon (my first) with a 5K run. Definitely don’t expect any PR from this event!

  I think you’re backwards here.  The first time you do an event is a guaranteed PR!  Good luck. — Robert Grumbine http://www.radix.net/~bobg/ Science faqs and amateur activities notes and links. Sagredo (Galileo Galilei) "You present these recondite matters with too much evidence and ease; this great facility makes them less appreciated than they would be had they been presented in a more abstruse manner." Two New Sciences

Response:

Charlotte DeMott spoke the following words of wisdom: : I’ll try to keep this report shorter than that of my first : 5K! Please don’t. There’s nothing wrong with a long report. : Yesterday I ran a Father’s Day 5K, my 2nd race ever. Are you as addicted as I am after your second race? : Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 : (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 : (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!  I was definitely : pleased with my time, and also with the fact that I felt : like I gave it all I had. These are the best runs, aren’t they. Congratulations on your result. Greetings, der Joachim — Computational linguistics student at Tilburg U., the Netherlands http://www.der-joachim.myweb.nl/ Servant of reality my hairy ass! (H.P. Derleth, Hollow One)

Response:

Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!

Great job. Congrats on the PR!  - Jeff

Response:

Nice race Charlotte. It seems that you really managed your race well and found a great way to pace yourself. Tony Mueller – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll try to keep this report shorter than that of my first 5K! Yesterday I ran a Father’s Day 5K, my 2nd race ever.  I ran one of May 5 of this year at 30:12.  For that race, I had no idea what I was doing (I’ve been running since mid March), so my strategy was to go out at about my training pace and then pick it up some in the last mile depending on how I was feeling.  My splits were 10:20, 10:04, and 8:55 (estimated based on final 1.1 mile) and I was passing people the whole time.  In the month since that first race, my pace has increased some, although I’m not doing any official speed work until I’ve been running for about 6 months.  Still, I seem to be pretty good at judging my pace on any given day. So for the race yesterday, I wanted to give it my maximum effort.  I realized that I probably wasn’t quite ready for a sub-27 minute race, but figured 27:30 would be a good goal, with 27:15 being a possibility.  So my strategy was to go out at 8:50-8:55 pace for the first two miles, and to give it some more if I could in the final mile, or slow it down in the final mile if I had to. Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!  I was definitely pleased with my time, and also with the fact that I felt like I gave it all I had.  I was amazed that I actually sped up in the last mile, as each time I told myself to step it up a little, I felt like my legs were saying NO!  Also, I passed almost no one in this race, but was passed by a few people myself.  In my first race, as soon as I passed someone, I set my sights on the next person as my next target.  There was a big gap between me and those ahead of me for much of the race (although I did manage a bit of a sprint the final 100m and passed three people at the end). So for the next several months, here’s what I have lined up: July 22 – sprint triathlon (my first) with a 5K run. Definitely don’t expect any PR from this event! August 4 – 10K, sub-60 is my goal September 30 – a half marathon, probably at LSD pace For the rest of the fall, I’ll start adding some speedwork to my training schedule, and enter some more 5K races, looking to break the 27-minute mark.  My goal for the next year or two is get down to 8-minute miles at 5K distance. Charlotte

Response:

Charlotte, Congratulations on excellent pacing! And negative splits on top of that! And a 3min improvement! And a finishing kick! And… There’s no stopping you apparently. I wish I’d learned to pace that quickly. Good luck for the other races. Daniel – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll try to keep this report shorter than that of my first 5K! Yesterday I ran a Father’s Day 5K, my 2nd race ever.  I ran one of May 5 of this year at 30:12.  For that race, I had no idea what I was doing (I’ve been running since mid March), so my strategy was to go out at about my training pace and then pick it up some in the last mile depending on how I was feeling.  My splits were 10:20, 10:04, and 8:55 (estimated based on final 1.1 mile) and I was passing people the whole time.  In the month since that first race, my pace has increased some, although I’m not doing any official speed work until I’ve been running for about 6 months.  Still, I seem to be pretty good at judging my pace on any given day. So for the race yesterday, I wanted to give it my maximum effort.  I realized that I probably wasn’t quite ready for a sub-27 minute race, but figured 27:30 would be a good goal, with 27:15 being a possibility.  So my strategy was to go out at 8:50-8:55 pace for the first two miles, and to give it some more if I could in the final mile, or slow it down in the final mile if I had to. Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!  I was definitely pleased with my time, and also with the fact that I felt like I gave it all I had.  I was amazed that I actually sped up in the last mile, as each time I told myself to step it up a little, I felt like my legs were saying NO!  Also, I passed almost no one in this race, but was passed by a few people myself.  In my first race, as soon as I passed someone, I set my sights on the next person as my next target.  There was a big gap between me and those ahead of me for much of the race (although I did manage a bit of a sprint the final 100m and passed three people at the end). So for the next several months, here’s what I have lined up: July 22 – sprint triathlon (my first) with a 5K run. Definitely don’t expect any PR from this event! August 4 – 10K, sub-60 is my goal September 30 – a half marathon, probably at LSD pace For the rest of the fall, I’ll start adding some speedwork to my training schedule, and enter some more 5K races, looking to break the 27-minute mark.  My goal for the next year or two is get down to 8-minute miles at 5K distance. Charlotte

Response:

You paced it all very nicely – and I bet it takes a lot less than a year or two to get to sub 8 mins/mile for a 5k – nice going charlie

Response:

Fantastic splits and a great race report! I have yet to run a 5k at negative split pace. Very hard to do, and very rewarding to have power at the end, or at least the grit to produce power where you thought you had none…;-) good job! — David (in Hamilton, Ont) "You can’t burn out if you’ve never caught fire." http://www.angelfire.com/nc/swstudio/racing.html –

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll try to keep this report shorter than that of my first 5K! Yesterday I ran a Father’s Day 5K, my 2nd race ever.  I ran one of May 5 of this year at 30:12.  For that race, I had no idea what I was doing (I’ve been running since mid March), so my strategy was to go out at about my training pace and then pick it up some in the last mile depending on how I was feeling.  My splits were 10:20, 10:04, and 8:55 (estimated based on final 1.1 mile) and I was passing people the whole time.  In the month since that first race, my pace has increased some, although I’m not doing any official speed work until I’ve been running for about 6 months.  Still, I seem to be pretty good at judging my pace on any given day. So for the race yesterday, I wanted to give it my maximum effort.  I realized that I probably wasn’t quite ready for a sub-27 minute race, but figured 27:30 would be a good goal, with 27:15 being a possibility.  So my strategy was to go out at 8:50-8:55 pace for the first two miles, and to give it some more if I could in the final mile, or slow it down in the final mile if I had to. Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!  I was definitely pleased with my time, and also with the fact that I felt like I gave it all I had.  I was amazed that I actually sped up in the last mile, as each time I told myself to step it up a little, I felt like my legs were saying NO!  Also, I passed almost no one in this race, but was passed by a few people myself.  In my first race, as soon as I passed someone, I set my sights on the next person as my next target.  There was a big gap between me and those ahead of me for much of the race (although I did manage a bit of a sprint the final 100m and passed three people at the end). So for the next several months, here’s what I have lined up: July 22 – sprint triathlon (my first) with a 5K run. Definitely don’t expect any PR from this event! August 4 – 10K, sub-60 is my goal September 30 – a half marathon, probably at LSD pace For the rest of the fall, I’ll start adding some speedwork to my training schedule, and enter some more 5K races, looking to break the 27-minute mark.  My goal for the next year or two is get down to 8-minute miles at 5K distance. Charlotte

Response:

I’ll try to keep this report shorter than that of my first 5K! Yesterday I ran a Father’s Day 5K, my 2nd race ever.  I ran one of May 5 of this year at 30:12.  For that race, I had no idea what I was doing (I’ve been running since mid March), so my strategy was to go out at about my training pace and then pick it up some in the last mile depending on how I was feeling.  My splits were 10:20, 10:04, and 8:55 (estimated based on final 1.1 mile) and I was passing people the whole time.  In the month since that first race, my pace has increased some, although I’m not doing any official speed work until I’ve been running for about 6 months.  Still, I seem to be pretty good at judging my pace on any given day. So for the race yesterday, I wanted to give it my maximum effort.  I realized that I probably wasn’t quite ready for a sub-27 minute race, but figured 27:30 would be a good goal, with 27:15 being a possibility.  So my strategy was to go out at 8:50-8:55 pace for the first two miles, and to give it some more if I could in the final mile, or slow it down in the final mile if I had to. Bottom line, my final time was 27:16, with splits of 8:55 (inc. 8 secs to get across starting line), 8:50, and 8:38 (again, estimated from final 1.1 mile)!  I was definitely pleased with my time, and also with the fact that I felt like I gave it all I had.  I was amazed that I actually sped up in the last mile, as each time I told myself to step it up a little, I felt like my legs were saying NO!  Also, I passed almost no one in this race, but was passed by a few people myself.  In my first race, as soon as I passed someone, I set my sights on the next person as my next target.  There was a big gap between me and those ahead of me for much of the race (although I did manage a bit of a sprint the final 100m and passed three people at the end). So for the next several months, here’s what I have lined up: July 22 – sprint triathlon (my first) with a 5K run. Definitely don’t expect any PR from this event! August 4 – 10K, sub-60 is my goal September 30 – a half marathon, probably at LSD pace For the rest of the fall, I’ll start adding some speedwork to my training schedule, and enter some more 5K races, looking to break the 27-minute mark.  My goal for the next year or two is get down to 8-minute miles at 5K distance. Charlotte

Response:

Question:

Cycle Guy,   Right now we have over 70 races listed for California, many in southern California.  Just go to: http://www.trifind.com/ca.html Hope I was of some help, Steve A

Response:

Troy,   Check Triathlete mag., Inside Tri, or Competitor mag.All these have a good calandar section. Competitor deals with the California area. Good Luck and Good Training B.Oliver – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hi, New to tri’s and trying to plan out the races I’m going to run this season. What’s the best site to see what’s coming up in my area? I’ve tried "Active.com" and "Tri-site.com" but they don’t show much of anything happening in the San Diego/Southern Calif. area.  I know that with this being one of the more popular areas this couldn’t possibly be true could it? Is there nothing on the books as of yet? Where would I begin looking to plan the season? Thanks, Troy

Response:

Hi, New to tri’s and trying to plan out the races I’m going to run this season. What’s the best site to see what’s coming up in my area? I’ve tried "Active.com" and "Tri-site.com" but they don’t show much of anything happening in the San Diego/Southern Calif. area.  I know that with this being one of the more popular areas this couldn’t possibly be true could it? Is there nothing on the books as of yet? Where would I begin looking to plan the season? Thanks, Troy

Response:

We have about 16 races listed so far in California: http://www.transitiontimes.com Thanks…..Rob Original Message: Hi, New to tri’s and trying to plan out the races I’m going to run this season. What’s the best site to see what’s coming up in my area? I’ve tried "Active.com" and "Tri-site.com" but they don’t show much of anything happening in the San Diego/Southern Calif. area.  I know that with this being one of the more popular areas this couldn’t possibly be true could it? Is there nothing on the books as of yet? Where would I begin looking to plan the season? Thanks, Troy

Response:

Troy, Here’s a couple to get you started: http://www.triathletemag.com http://www.raceplace.com/index.html For an early season series, check trievents.com. See you at the races, Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, New to tri’s and trying to plan out the races I’m going to run this season. What’s the best site to see what’s coming up in my area? I’ve tried "Active.com" and "Tri-site.com" but they don’t show much of anything happening in the San Diego/Southern Calif. area.  I know that with this being one of the more popular areas this couldn’t possibly be true could it? Is there nothing on the books as of yet? Where would I begin looking to plan the season? Thanks, Troy

Response:

Question:

I just registered on line for the race.  Anybody have an idea of the time the race starts, the location and time of the expo, the course, or any other useful little clues?  This will obviously be my first time at this venue.  Stan Gertler

Response:

I just registered on line for the race.  Anybody have an idea of the time the race starts, the location and time of the expo, the course, or any other useful little clues?  This will obviously be my first time at this venue. Stan Gertler

According to my confirmation letter, the race starts at 7:30am Sun. and the expo is at the north shore boat launch parking lot from 10-6pm Sat. The bike portion is three loops around the park and is kind of hilly. The run is partially on trails and circles the lake. Good luck! Ron Urman —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

According to my confirmation letter, the race starts at 7:30am Sun. and the expo is at the north shore boat launch parking lot from 10-6pm Sat.

All true. You have to pick up your packet and timing chip at the expo on Saturday. It is in the parking entrance just east of the Boat launch entrance on Puddingstone Dr. The bike portion is three loops around the park and is kind of hilly.

There are only two hills, and neither is difficult. It is a three lap course and can be considered pretty fast (20MPH average). The run is partially on trails and circles the lake.

It has 2 trail sections and completes a circle of the lake. It is a very scenic run, if just a bit hilly. Not exactly a PR run course, but a really fun one. Of course I run it at least once or twice a week. See you out there. Mark Rinaldi Inland Inferno Triathlon Club http://members.aol.com/infernotri/home.htm

Response:

Here is the info I have seen/heard: The race starts at 7:00 AM for age groupers (first wave) and 9:30 for the pros. Late registration is Saturday May 22, so I assume that the expo is on for that afternoon at least. The rest of this info is second hand, and it may be completely wrong, but I’ll give it a try.  I have raced at Bonelli Park, but only on the south shore course. (Similar bike course, but starting across the lake from the USTS LA course.)   The swim is from the north shore of the lake and is point-to-point (start at one end of the beach and swim either a triangle or rectangle, finishing at the other end of the beach.)  I’m not sure, but I would expect a run of several hundred meters to the transition area.   The bike course is 3 loops around the park.  It is rolling hills with several turns.  There is a lot of flat riding, but I would estimate no more than a mile of continuous flat space without a hill or turn.  The run is a loop around the lake, and it should be fairly flat, but there are a few decent hills that they could throw in to make it interesting. This isn’t much, but I hope it helps.  Good luck…I’ll be the guy with red hair and a Universal Cycles singlet trying to make up way too much time on the run… John Wildflower ‘99 5:26:07 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just registered on line for the race.  Anybody have an idea of the time the race starts, the location and time of the expo, the course, or any other useful little clues?  This will obviously be my first time at this venue.  Stan Gertler

Response:

Good Luck

Response:

There are only two hills, and neither is difficult. It is a three lap course and can be considered pretty fast (20MPH average).

yes, you’re right about this.  but reminds me a little– in miniature– of the first time we all went to zofingen, and rode its three hills prior to the race, which weren’t too bad, except that we only rode one lap.  on the third lap the third hill was by that time the ninth hill. the bonelli course is sneaky hard if you ride it fast, the hills seem to keep coming. qrman

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Question:

I have seen a poster in gyms and doctor’s offices from Stairmaster that is titled "99 Reasons to Exercise in ‘99" (or maybe the ‘97 or ‘98 versions) (I wonder what they’ll do in 2000, grin).  What I’m wondering is: How do I get a copy of this thing?  Nobody I talk to knows where they got the poster!  I am planning to call Stairmaster on Monday during business hours, but I’m curious to know if anyone here knows how to purchase it using the web, or where to call, etc.

Check out the FitnessWorld web site at http://www.fitnessworld.com/posters/posters.html    -Phil

Response:

First, let me start with the obligatory lurker’s comment that I consider this to be one of the most useful newsgroups out there.  The postings here have been very inspirational, and have kept me committed to running at times when it’s felt painful (e.g. before I learned the importance of stretching!).  I consider running to be a bit complicated compared with, e.g., biking, because I injured myself several times while running before realizing key points such as (1) don’t increase mileage more than 10% per week, (2) follow a slow ten week walking-to-running conversion program (such as Runner’s World Complete Book of Running, 1997, pp. 6-7), and (3) make sure to do many different types of stretches after running to ensure running (or sometimes even walking) is still possible the next day.  I have been running for only 8 weeks now (I am on week #8 of my walking-to-running conversion program), but I have already noticed many physical changes, e.g. more muscle, less fat.  I look forward to my (currently, but increasing) 3 mile run 5 days each week as the high point of my day.  (As an aside, the "Ease into This Running Program" idea consists of a mixture of running and walking.  During week 1, 33% of the time is running.  During week 2, 50% of the time is running.  …… By week 9, 93% of the time is running.  And by week 10, 100% of the 30 minute period is ran.)  So long as I don’t get injured to the point where my doctor tells me to stop running forever, my long-term goals are to complete a marathon and/or a triathalon.  I feel that setting goals like these will help me to continue to be committed to such a healthy activity as running. Now that my obligatory comment is complete, on to my question. I have seen a poster in gyms and doctor’s offices from Stairmaster that is titled "99 Reasons to Exercise in ‘99" (or maybe the ‘97 or ‘98 versions) (I wonder what they’ll do in 2000, grin).  What I’m wondering is: How do I get a copy of this thing?  Nobody I talk to knows where they got the poster!  I am planning to call Stairmaster on Monday during business hours, but I’m curious to know if anyone here knows how to purchase it using the web, or where to call, etc. Any info is appreciated. Have a good one, Eric J. Oman

Response:

Question:

Where is a good place to look? Take a look at www.runnertriathletenews.com/calendar You will have to weed through a bunch of races in other parts of the Southwest, but it’s a pretty thorough list from what I can tell. Vanessa

Try http://www.racedates.com  You won’t have to weed through anything. — Wayne P. Langan                 TEL 973.386.2964 Applications Engineer           Lucent Technologies             FAX 973.386.6503 http://blda.web.lucent.com/~wpl (Inside Lucent Only)

Response:

Where is a good place to look?

Response:

Larry, You can start out by checking out Runner Triathlete News’ website at http://www.runningnetwork.com/RunTriNews.  Look under the race calendar. -Kendall – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where is a good place to look?

Response:

Larry you should know here to look. Karl D. Stewart Pres. USAT/SMW wk 713-853-5979 http://www.runnertriathletenews.com/usat-smw/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where is a good place to look?

Response:

Where is a good place to look?

Take a look at www.runnertriathletenews.com/calendar You will have to weed through a bunch of races in other parts of the Southwest, but it’s a pretty thorough list from what I can tell. Vanessa

Response:

Question:

5th Annual Quintana Roo Ironman Bike Survey, conducted at the 1996 Hawaiian Ironman  Triathlon at the swim to bike transition area the night before the race on October 26, 1996, is snow UP.  It resides at: www.rooworld.com/96survey.html QRman

Response:

5th Annual Quintana Roo Ironman Bike Survey, conducted at the 1996 Hawaiian Ironman  Triathlon at the swim to bike transition area the night before the race on October 26, 1996, is snow UP.  It resides at: www.rooworld.com/96survey.html

One interesting trend on the QR survey was the shift to steeper seat angles. I wonder if this is true for all tri’s or just the Hawaii Ironman.  As I understand, the steeper angles are not as desirable on hilly courses as on flats. Any rst thoughts on this? (as if I had to ask)  What angles do you prefer and why? David

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Question:

   Does anyone know where I can find pictures on the internet of Allen, Welch, Smyers, Scott, Tinley, and other pros?  I’ve got the ones "Triathlete" mag. had but for some reason I can’t find any more.    I’m doing a project on Triathlons and I need pictures. Thanks a lot. Marc

Response:

Hi Tricia, I can’t believe you haven’t heard my response from anybody else!!! I just take the sponge and straw out of the bottle and turn my bike upside down…. Is there something to your question that I’m missing?   Cheers, Rachel

Response:

Cut a 45 degree (angle) slit in the sponge up top, angling the straw to the lowest portion of bottle. It give more options in positioning; and shoves the straw tip to the lowest point. You won’t leave much in there. Rotate bottle in strap to obtain best location.\ Experiment! IronBut

Response:

. s.walltech.com!samba.rahul.net!rahul.net!a2i!bug.rahul.net!rahul.net!a2i!in -

Question:

then you gotta to read our magazine about off-road triathlons. bill katovsky editor fax: 415-331-0523

Response:

I’m going to be doing my first Triathlon in March.  Efforts to borrow a road bike have been unsuccessful due to the popularity of this particular race.   Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?  I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.  I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice? Leslea.

Response:

I’m going to be doing my first Triathlon in March.  Efforts to borrow a road bike have been unsuccessful due to the popularity of this particular race.   Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?  I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.  I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice? Leslea.

Go for it!!! For a first time it’s no problem Obviously your chances of winning the event will be reduced, but what the hell, you’re doing it for fun right?Make sure you have a water bottle with you and pump up the tires as hard as you dare. Even after several years in the sport (hey, I’m not getting better…I’m just enjoying it more) I occassionally get passed by mountain bikers on hill sections. Luckily I have always managed to repass them later on. Triathlon is for fun. Worrying about equipment is for the fast crowd or rich gear hogs. TriDork

Response:

I’m going to be doing my first Triathlon in March.  Efforts to borrow a road bike have been unsuccessful due to the popularity of this particular race.   Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?  I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.  I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice? Leslea.

It depends on your goals and the course. Since you’re not trying to WIN the race, any disadvantage from the bike is not a big deal. You might feel a little intimidated by all the fancy aero stuff around you, but ignore it. Go out and have fun and race at your pace. If it’s a real hilly course, the lower gearing might be to your advantage. I’ve often wished I had a triple crank on some hills. Mike Tennent WebRunner Running Page — Southeast USA Race Calendar 200+ listings. Advertise your race. FTP Race Apps, FAQ http://www.webrunner.com/webrun/running/running.html

Response:

Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?

   Yup. But being a first timer will be a bigger disadvantage. Don’t worry about it. I’m still often amazed at how well some do on mtn. bikes. I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.

   Chances are good that your own bike will be more comfortable and maybe, therefore, as fast as a borrowed road bike which may or may not fit well. I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice?

   As suggested elsewhere, pump up the tires, then be *very* careful in the corners. In case you haven’t experimented with this: Mtn. bike tires can’t hold a candle to road bike tires when it comes to gripping the road, despite the differences in contact patch area. I’ve seen more than one dirt hero go down in a big smear at the paved end of an off-road ride.    Then adjust the bike for as high a seat as you can confortably manage (no pelvic rock), Get the bars down and forward, if possible, and ride a lot before the race with these adjustments. Good luck, Kurian Davis

Response:

I did my first tri on a Trek mountain bike. I wasn’t the only one, but one of only a few. My bike split was nothing to brag about, and I was passed a few times, but you know what? I was hooked! I didn’t care what my place in my age group was, I just wanted to complete a triathlon instead of just training for one. I had a ball. The bike course was 3 loops for a total of 13 miles. Go for it, you’ll never regret it, but get your finances in order because if you’re like me your next major purchase will be a racing bike.   Mark —   As always, we’re tri’n harder. Mark Alan Petersen & Beth Mackey-Petersen            "It is more important to do your best than it is to be the best".

Response:

writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going to be doing my first Triathlon in March.  Efforts to borrow a road bike have been unsuccessful due to the popularity of this particular race.   Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?  I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.  I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice? Leslea. It depends on your goals and the course. Since you’re not trying to WIN the race, any disadvantage from the bike is not a big deal. You might feel a little intimidated by all the fancy aero stuff around you, but ignore it. Go out and have fun and race at your pace. If it’s a real hilly course, the lower gearing might be to your advantage. I’ve often wished I had a triple crank on some hills.

I’ve even seen bikes with racks on the back racing in triathlons. The rules don’t say what kind of bike, just as long as it passes inspection.

Response:

Leslea, I did my first tri three years ago on an old beat-up Specialized Hardrock I borrowed from my son.  Put new K-mart tires and tubes on it, lubed the chain, and rode like he**!! I even outrode my brother-in-law, who’s 10 years younger and was riding a road bike!  Go for it!  (Then, after you’re hooked, get a good road bike). Best of luck. Let us know how it went! John (Faith) Ft. Washington, MD

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I’m going to be doing my first Triathlon in March.  Efforts to borrow a road bike have been unsuccessful due to the popularity of this particular race.   Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?  I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.  I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice?

I did my first tri on a mountain bike.  Sure, it was a disadvantage, but I wasn’t trying to win.   Plus, I wasn’t the only one on a mountain bike, so that made me feel a little better. I’d guess you could average 4mph faster on a good road bike.  If you want to improve your speed, take off the knobby tires and replace them with some slick tires. Dave Wiesenhahn     |               Feel it all with a willing heart IDA                 |                 Every stop is a place to start Alexandria, VA      |  If you know how to play the part with feeling                     |                                           J.B.

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I’m going to be doing my first Triathlon in March.  Efforts to borrow a road bike have been unsuccessful due to the popularity of this particular race.   Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?  I have a relatively new Kona which is very light.  I would like to make a reasonable effort for this event.  Advice? Leslea.

        I did my first Tri (which was an Olympic distance one) with a Nishiki mountain bike. I took me 2 hours and 54 minutes to get to the finish line (today it takes 2 hours) .Then I had hypotermia and hypoglicemia but was stoked ! Brazilian Tri-DOC Founder and Pope of the Eros Witness Church

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Leslea: Yes, go right ahead. I routinely use my MTB. I ride off-road a lot, but on-road too little to make a road bike a sensible expense. You can expect a good 10% to 20% time penalty on the bike leg (more for windy conditions, less for hilly ones) but you may well find yourself passing people anyway. I’ve been in several tris where there was a MTB division; just makes you feel better to be recognized as such. Still waiting for a tri with a real MTB leg… Andrew Duncan Advanced Development Philips Media

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I did my first tri on a Trek 850 mtb.  I put on thin tires, computer and aerobars.  The aerobars made a huge difference since there were 30 mph winds during the race.  The bike was a 35k and I was passed a few times..well really almost everyone passed me….I think I was the only one there without a carbon frame and aero wheels…But I was hooked! Go for it on the MTB and then get a road bike if you are hooked! Good luck

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Will I be at a significant disadvantage on a mountain bike?   Leslea.

Yes!!  but don’t worry the whole object is to have fun and believe me there is nothing as much fun as passing a whole heap of expensive tri bikes while riding your mountain bike. I started tri’s a long time ago with a mountain bike and had a ball. Go out an enjoy the race. while(Fatique != Exhaustion)   {Swim++;Bike++;Run++;Fatique++;} exit(colapse); GREG.J.ABBISS :: Kent, United Kingdom (ex Kiwi) (PGP key available on request)

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Question:

if you would like results please contact us for them or our calendar listing for the rest of 1995. we are lin-mark computer sports of mantua nj

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Newsgroups: rec.sport.triathlon Organization: Netcom if you would like results please contact us for them or our calendar listing for the rest of 1995. we are lin-mark computer sports of mantua nj

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Question:

I was in La Jolla this past weekend for the first time. I never realized it was such a cool place. Anywyas, I noticed several athletes swimming from the cove out to the bouys and back.  Can someone from that area let me know what that distance is?  I’m talking from the cove to the first bouy.  I’de like to try it next time I’m down in the San Diego Area. Thanks, Eric

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Hey,  I live across the street from the cove and if you want the water temp — 62 today — Just e-mail me,  I swim it most every day. The tradition is every friday between 5-6:45 people head down to the cove for a swim.  The triathlon Club of S.D. is there, along with the UCSD masters. Try and make it on a friday if you can, All the best and happy training! Mitch Thrower

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