Friday, March 26, 2010

Steps to Tri!

For about 8 years I have been tempted to try a Tri! As many of you know, I have chose to be pregnant instead! =) Just kidding...but seriously, I barely have time to train for a 5k, before my next kid! So after reading all these blogs, I am so excited to Tri! I do have fears...lots of them. My number 1 fear is the ocean. Which I would only have to address if I fell in LOVE with Tri's and decided to expand my options! My second fear is the bike. Silly I know! I have NO problem swimming or running...but the bike .....SCARES ME!

How scary can a bike really be? I learned to ride one when I was 5...once you can ride a bike you can always ride a bike. Well, that was what I thought until I took my mountain bike on a "bike ride", with my Tri friend about 5 years ago. OH MY GOODNESS, it is hard! I was horrible at it. Those are muscles I have never used! Plus what about crashes? And not to mention the clips? It is just all so foreign to me!

I talked to my husband and told him my crazy thinking! He was so excited for me...he knows first hand how much I have talked about trying one! So step one for me is to buy a road bike and start riding...working those unknown muscles.

What bike do I buy?
How do I know what is good and not good?
HELP ME!!!!!!

14 comments:

  1. I have never considered a tri myself- my fear is the swimming portion. It is going to feel amazing when you conquer that "crazy talk" and kick some booty! I can't wait to read about it- and the type of bike you get! Go get it, sister!

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  2. WOOHOO I am excited for you, just warning you it is a very, very addicting sport!!

    The best way to get over open water swimming is to go practice OWS as much as you can. At least once a week, if possible. See if you have a tri club you can join. They are great with alot of information and should have scheduled training workouts that you can s/b/r train with others.

    As for the bike. Number one rule - get one that fits. A good bike shop will spend about an hour fitting you to your bike. A good bike fit will do wonders to your ride. Your gears should be 105 (followed bu Ultegra then Dura Ace) or better, your shop will know what that means. 105 is beginner race gears. Pedals and shoes are all personal preference. If you want to try some out, you can when you are getting fitted at the shop. The bike will be on a trainer. Very safe to practicing clipping in and out.

    Also, here is a tip. Bikes are like cars, when the 2010 models come out, the 2009 models go on clearance, you might be able to get a 2009 bike for a deep discount.

    When you get your bike, best way to get better, is to ride, ride, and ride. Clipping in and out is easier then what people make it seem to be. If you dont have a trainer at home, practice clipping in and out while holding onto a wall, door way, something sturdy. When out on the road, ride close to the grass in case you do fall till you feel comfortable. If you do fall, your ego is hurt more then your body.

    I hope this helped some, if you have more questions, feel free to email me at tri_diesel@yahoo.com

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  3. I completely agree with everything Big Daddy said. I did my first tri last summer and am by no means an expert, however, I'll tell you what it was like from a newbie point of view. First, I bought my bike on craigslist. I got a great deal and then I went and had it fitted. It was also my first time with using clips, it is scary and you will have your baptismal fall. Most people I have spoke to have had their fall while standing still (one foot still clipping in), you lose your balance and you topple over, but like BD said, it is just your ego that is bruised (I had my fall on a crowded major street in NYC while standing in place, my ego needed lots of ice).

    Swimming. I am still getting used to OWS. I don't mind telling you I had a small freakout in my NYC tri last summer swimming in the Hudson River. Seriously, if the kayakers had been nearby, I'm sure I would have bailed. Instead I rolled over on my back, got myself together mentally, took a couple of deep breaths and then went on. I wasn't the fastest girl out there, but I finished it. You only get comfortable in OW by swimming in OW, there is no other way around that.

    I remember feeling really nervous and scared when I signed up for my first tri (sprint); that is natural and a given. I still have nerves before every race (tri or otherwise, sometimes even for my training when I know the pressure is on to get it right). Just put in the time and training (which isn't too much for a sprint) and you will be fine. I would say just focus on finishing and you will walk away with some knowledge and experience for the next time. Good luck. feel free to contact me as well if you have questions, happy to help Rtisticfxatyahoodotcom.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog, I get so excited to see new people!!

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  4. I can't help you, but woohoo for taking the plunge! Good for you...looking forward to reading how that goes :)

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  5. Exciting! I've never done a Tri, but it's tempting. I'll just have to see how you do first. lol

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  6. You have received some excellent advice. I third BDD and regina. i think craigslist is an excellent newbie bike resource. If you do join a tri club they will help with all your fears. They may also know a guy who can get you a used road bike. I suggest a few months of riding on skinny tires before you try to clip in. Your performance on the bike is much better but you trade that for safety. SAFETY FIRST! A wetsuit is also a must for OWS. They make you significantly more bouyant which means its easier to swim. Its not as hard as you think....Looking forward to reading how your tri career will begin...PREPARE TO BE HOOKED!

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  7. I'm so excited for you!! You'll be fantastic!!

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  8. Hey Sherri--It is great that you are thinking of trying a tri! Have you picked an event out yet? Definitely look for a low-key sprint to begin with. As to a bike--find a good local bike shop and go get fitted. More than anything else, that's the most important. With the swim, try to find a local master's group or an instructor who can give you some guidance. Also look up online training (Gail Bernhardt comes to mind) programs that can help give you guidance. IronGirl is a good place to start also; they have a big list of women's only tris and most of them offer some training rides, runs, etc. locally. Please feel free to email me with any other questions--I did my first tri 13 yrs. ago and have done all the distance up to Ironman.

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  9. Hi Sherri,
    Yea, I am with Anne on this one...I will be no help on the swimming issues.

    I am very excited for you and your desire to try it:) Good for you!! I hope that you have a great weekend:)

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  10. I am so glad I did not attempt to try a Tri before starting my running blog...I would never have known what to do! I love having "friends" to help me along! Thanks!

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  11. Lately I've really wanted to experiment with tris, but I'm terrified of the bike, too! There's just so much to know and it's tough starting from scratch. I look forward to seeing how things go for you and hopefully I can pick up some tips along the way : )

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  12. I have no advice, but just wanted to say - go, go, go! Good for you!

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  13. Thanks for stopping by the blog! That's awesome you are thinking about taking the plunge into tri's. As you can tell from my blog, I am training for my first now too. It's been quite the experience. Swimming has been my ultimate struggle, but it's getting much better. The bike still makes me nervous, but every ride is a step in the right direction. I have fallen twice due to my clips, but like they said above, it hurts your ego more than anything. I went to a local bike shop here in OKC and got fitted and they gave me a few bikes to choose from. I ended up getting a 2009 model this January so I got a pretty sweet deal. Definitely check and see if you can score one on clearance for your first bike. I will have to say it's been a great experience so far and I can tell I will get hooked. Good luck finding a bike and starting your journey. Looking forward to following along!

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  14. I love my bike, I use it for cross training. I have no idea on what to buy though, mine is a mountain bike, not fit for racing!

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