For those of
you who have never attempted a triathlon, you might be wondering how much work goes
into training for a race. Well I can tell you how much went into my first race.
Very little.
OK, I might
want to clarify this for those seasoned triathletes who are shaking their heads
right now. I mean very little compared to how I train for races now. Like most
of my musings I decided to start triathlons on a whim, a year after my initial inspiration. I searched “sprint triathlons” on
the web in April 2010 and just happened to come across a race called Girls Tri Too. It was a women’s only series across Ohio that had the
distance 250 yards swimming, 7 miles cycling, and 2 miles running. Less than a
sprint, but more than a super sprint race.
PERFECT!
The only problem
was I only had about 6 weeks to train. I signed up anyway. I figured that the
worst that could happen is I did not finish the race. At least I would be a
little healthier than when I started.
 |
| Finishing the swim leg. |
Training
Like most
new triathletes I consulted the web to find sprint distance training
plans, most of which recommended having at least 8 weeks to train. Bah! I scrapped
the traditional training idea and said “what do I really want to accomplish?”
The truth is I just wanted to finish even if it meant walking my bike if I
could not ride anymore or walking the entire two miles of the run. So I decided to
jog and cycle at least twice a week each to meet that goal.
The initial
training was admittedly a struggle. When first starting I could barely run the
quarter mile stretch on the street I lived. The first week I did a total of
maybe two miles of actual jogging. Cycling was not much better. But I kept
extending the distance each time I jogged or cycled until eventually I could do
a decent distance, even if that meant walking.
 |
| Map of the first place where I trained for the run leg, just over half a mile in distance. |
About two weeks before the race,
I was able jog-walk a 5k and ride about 15 miles without stopping. And given that I am a swimmer by background, I knew I could do 250 yards without even breaking a sweat (though at the race I would find how heavy my legs would feel getting out of the water before doing the bike leg - a good reminder to practice transitions and bricks during training). I was ready
for Girls Tri Too!
Equipment
Used in the Race
To complete
a triathlon, there are only a few pieces of equipment you actually need (the
first two items in the list). My first race, I was somewhat minimalist compared
to what I race with now.
- A CSPC certified cycling helmet
- A bike that satisfies USAT rules (sanctioned races) – Schwinn hybrid bike
- Tri suit – a simple swimsuit could have sufficed
- Sports bra – tri suits alone do not provide much support
- Swim goggles
- Tennis shoes
- A pair of socks
Results
After minimal training, I was able to
finish this race. I was dead last in my age group, but this race was the
catalyst for me realizing I love triathlons and that I wanted better equipment (particularly
a road bike) for future races.
 |
| About to finish my first triathlon. |
Overall
Rank: 60th place of 75
Age
Group Rank (25-29): 12th place of 12
Swim
Time: 5:42 (13th)
T1:
2:13
Bike
Time: 35:28 (64th)
T2:
1:20
Run
Time: 24:56 (63rd)
Total:
1:09:42
(Note: Because this race is no longer
offered and because I wanted to focus more on the preparation for this race, I
have decided to forego a full race review, but feel free to ask questions on
the blog page or the blog’s sister Facebook page – under the same name.)
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