TriathaNewbie.com: How Do I Know I'm Ready?

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How Do I Know I'm Ready? I'm a gym rat and am in good shape. I put hundreds of miles on my bike, my swim is ok and my running is improving but is tough. I WANT to do a mini-tri and LOVE the thought of doing it but frankly am a little apprehensive. I don't want to win I want to do it and finish. I'm just looking to see what point I should attempt one.. Regards, Marc from Florida --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Marc, Thanks for contacting TriathaNewbie.com! You sound like you are in a good place to begin training for a mini-tri! Sounds like you have your base-aerobic level to the point where you could sustain activity over a 2 hour time-frame, which is the beginning. It also sounds like you are a pretty experienced cyclist! Things you want to look at before entering: Practice cycling on the road if you are only doing spin. Indoor biking is not the same as outdoor biking no matter what they say. Your swimming technique. Although you are allowed to walk during the "run", it's always a courtesy to prepare for the distance. Knowing when you're ready: When you can sustain strenuous activity for about 2 hrs When you can swim 100 yrds more than the length of the swim of your intended race and still have plenty of energy left over When you can complete the running distance When you can easily complete a brick. A brick is a full swim and full run in one practice with no rest in between or a combination of any of the 3 disciplines. It's also good to get hang out with other triathletes at the gym. They'll be able to give you a hand with the day-to-day stuff. You can also get a great book, The Complete Triathlon Book , that gives you basic training programs that are really helpful for the beginner. Please let us know how it goes! If you need assistance finding a race or a training group, we can help you do the research. Be well. Niki TriathaNewbie.com staff TriathaNewbie.com - Guiding new triathletes into the world of mini-triathlons
		Exciting News: TriathaNewbie.com featured in Triathlete Magazine as "Your one stop shop for beginner triathletes". Check it out! Swim - Get the low-down on wetsuits and swim suits, find info on safe water workouts and read tips for training and events. Bike -Learn how to structure bike workouts, find safety tips and read recommendations on great bike gear. Run - Get the ultimate skinny on running sneakers, running gear, safety tips and much more. Transitions are the times between the swim and bike and the bike and run. Any time you are in the transition area, you need to know how to get through it without wasting time. Here are some suggestions: Setting Up Your Transition Spot Triathlon Swim Transition (T1) Triathlon Bike Transition (T2) Triathlon Run Transition - There is no Run Transition, just a Finish Line! Race Day Preparation The Sweat Test Triathlon Race Day Checklist Find a Mini-Triathlon Event Mini-Triathlon FAQ Triathlon Race Day Swim Cap Troubles? Need to Change a Flat? Dealing with Blisters? Indoor Triathlon Swim (video) How to Avoid A Frightening Start: Think Out of the Pack (video)

There are NEWBIES Starting Triathlons Every Day. Today Just Happens to be YOUR day!

TRIATHLON QUESTIONS

TRIATHLON EVENTS

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First Triathlon Story - I am an ex-high school/college athlete, in the 35-40 category, two kids, and I just finished my first triathlon two day ago, it was amazing!

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"Outside the Box", A Total Immersion Program for Success in Open Water by Terry Laughlin - This book is a great tool for those of you who plan to compete in your first open water swim. It gives some GREAT tips that will get you swimming more efficiently with less wasted energy. They recently sent us an exceprt of the book for you to preview.

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