Triathlon · Public discussion

Old Newbie

mad_jesuit · 2005-05-23T18:05:00+00:00

Hi - I'm an older guy (46y/o) and have recently become physically active. I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying with the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k). What sort of things do I need to know? What sort of times do guys like me do? What sort of things should I be doing to get ready (besides lose weight)? I already know that I can swim the distance needed and ride the bike distance (slow... I avg about 10mph). Unfortunately, I hate running. ---The Mad Jesuit

Started by mad_jesuit · 23 May 2005 · Last activity 1 June 2005 · 9 posts · 696 views

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Original section: Triathlon
Published: 23 May 2005
Last activity: 1 June 2005
Original author: mad_jesuit
Posts: 9
Discussion status: Public discussion
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Original post
mad_jesuit
Archived post

23 May 2005, 18:05 UTC #1

Hi -
I'm an older guy (46y/o) and have recently become physically active.
I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying with
the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
What sort of things do I need to know? What sort of times do
guys like me do? What sort of things should I be doing to get ready
(besides lose weight)?
I already know that I can swim the distance needed and ride the
bike distance (slow... I avg about 10mph). Unfortunately, I hate
running.
---The Mad Jesuit

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metallifried
Archived post

23 May 2005, 20:47 UTC #2

Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
What sort of things do I need to know? What sort of times do

guys like me do? What sort of things should I be doing to get ready
(besides lose weight)?
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
These are all very, very broad questions. There are a lot of great
websites that give a lot of great info for newbies.
www.trinewbies.com, www.beginnertriathlete.com, and www.active.com come
to mind.
If you hate running, you might want to try "Aquabike." About a dozen
races this year (and set to increase dramatically, I'd wager) have
started doing races that cut off the last leg of the tri.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/Events/events_news.htm

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Mike Tennent
Archived post

24 May 2005, 12:23 UTC #3

mad_jesuit said:
Hi -
I'm an older guy (46y/o) and have recently become physically active.
Hey, I did my first IronMan at 50. It's never too late.
Quoted message said:
I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying with
the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
"Do or do not. There is no try." Yoda
(A little mental trick. Say you're going to do a tri, not try one.)
Quoted message said:
What sort of things do I need to know?
My personal favorite for trinewbies is www.trinewbies.com. Lots of
good info and support. Run by a friend of mine.
Quoted message said:
What sort of times do
guys like me do?
Forget times. Just have fun and enjoy the experience. Times are for
later.
But if you really must know, middle of the pack for that distance
would be around an hour.
Quoted message said:
What sort of things should I be doing to get ready
(besides lose weight)?
If it's an open water swim, do some of that. Switching from a pool
(where's the lines?) to a lake can be daunting the first time.
Quoted message said:

I already know that I can swim the distance needed and ride the
bike distance (slow... I avg about 10mph). Unfortunately, I hate
running.
Maybe you'll learn to like it. <g>
I've never particularly liked swimming, but to do a tri, you gotta do
them all.
Mike Tennent
"IronPenguin"

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Email address hidden
Archived post

24 May 2005, 15:20 UTC #4

Mike Tennent said:

Quoted message said:
I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying

with
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
What sort of times do
guys like me do?
Forget times. Just have fun and enjoy the experience. Times are for
later.
But if you really must know, middle of the pack for that distance
would be around an hour.
For the distances above don't you mean an hour is front of pack?!
Quarter mile swim in 5 minutes, 15 mile bike in 35 mins, 5k run in 15
mins and 5 mins for transitions would be pretty good going for any
AG....

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mad_jesuit
Archived post

25 May 2005, 04:06 UTC #5

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Mike Tennent said:

Quoted message said:
I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying

with
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
What sort of times do
guys like me do?
Forget times. Just have fun and enjoy the experience. Times are for
later.
But if you really must know, middle of the pack for that distance
would be around an hour.
For the distances above don't you mean an hour is front of pack?!
Quarter mile swim in 5 minutes, 15 mile bike in 35 mins, 5k run in 15
mins and 5 mins for transitions would be pretty good going for any
AG....
Looks like I'm going to need to do a LOT more training to do anything
close to those times! Right now, I can do a quarter mile swim in about
10 minutes, 15 mile bike in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, and I
don't even want to think about the run. I haven't done any running since
1991 (I guess I could finish 5k in about 40 min). So... I'm probably
looking at somewhere around 2 hours or more to finish. :-(

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Steve
Archived post

25 May 2005, 05:10 UTC #6

mad_jesuit said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Mike Tennent said:
>I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying

with
Quoted message said:
>the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
>
>What sort of times do
>guys like me do?
Forget times. Just have fun and enjoy the experience. Times are for
later.
But if you really must know, middle of the pack for that distance
would be around an hour.
For the distances above don't you mean an hour is front of pack?!
Quarter mile swim in 5 minutes, 15 mile bike in 35 mins, 5k run in 15
mins and 5 mins for transitions would be pretty good going for any
AG....

Looks like I'm going to need to do a LOT more training to do anything
close to those times! Right now, I can do a quarter mile swim in about 10
minutes, 15 mile bike in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, and I don't
even want to think about the run. I haven't done any running since 1991
(I guess I could finish 5k in about 40 min). So... I'm probably looking
at somewhere around 2 hours or more to finish. :-(
Don't worry... I probably still be behind you (:
Steve

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Ray
Archived post

25 May 2005, 19:10 UTC #7

It is interesting that an admitted newbie such as yourself can give such
in-depth technical advice on pedals to Helen Rooney as you did.
No big deal, just interesting.
Ray
"mad_jesuit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Mike Tennent said:

>I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying

with
Quoted message said:
>the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
>
>What sort of times do
>guys like me do?
Forget times. Just have fun and enjoy the experience. Times are for
later.
But if you really must know, middle of the pack for that distance
would be around an hour.
For the distances above don't you mean an hour is front of pack?!
Quarter mile swim in 5 minutes, 15 mile bike in 35 mins, 5k run in 15
mins and 5 mins for transitions would be pretty good going for any
AG....
Looks like I'm going to need to do a LOT more training to do anything
close to those times! Right now, I can do a quarter mile swim in about
10 minutes, 15 mile bike in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, and I
don't even want to think about the run. I haven't done any running since
1991 (I guess I could finish 5k in about 40 min). So... I'm probably
looking at somewhere around 2 hours or more to finish. :-(

Report
pam_in_sc
Archived post

30 May 2005, 00:52 UTC #8

mad_jesuit said:
Looks like I'm going to need to do a LOT more training to do anything
close to those times! Right now, I can do a quarter mile swim in about
10 minutes, 15 mile bike in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, and I
don't even want to think about the run. I haven't done any running since
1991 (I guess I could finish 5k in about 40 min). So... I'm probably
looking at somewhere around 2 hours or more to finish. :-(
Ten months of biking and running and 5 months of swimming got me a
finish in just under two hours (a 750 meter swim, 11 mile bike, and 5k
run). I loved it--see
<http://deeplanguage.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_deeplanguage_archive.html#111609638126408152>
I had a lot of trouble with the running--a lot of hip pain when I first
tried running, and later twinges in a knee I injured years ago. So I
decided to build up very slowly: for a month I ran 1/4 mile (on a track)
three times a week, then 1/2 mile for a month, and so on until I had
build up to 2 1/2 miles three times a week. That was the longest I had
run before my first triathlon; I was very pleased to finish the run in
40 minutes.
The triathlon I entered wasn't a particularly beginner-friendly one, but
there were almost 20 people behind me out of nearly 400 participating.
And people were very encouraging--people who were coming back on the run
when I was going out kept saying "good job." There was a big cheer for
the last person to finish. You can find some that are more fitness
oriented and attract more people whose only goal is to finish.
Pam

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mad_jesuit
Archived post

1 June 2005, 00:52 UTC #9

Simple mechanical advice. Anybody who needs to have screws held
in place should know about Loctite. :-) It really has nothing to do with
the pedals.
The Mad Jesuit
"Ray" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
It is interesting that an admitted newbie such as yourself can give such
in-depth technical advice on pedals to Helen Rooney as you did.
No big deal, just interesting.
Ray
"mad_jesuit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Mike Tennent wrote:
>
> >I started bicycling last summer and have recently started toying
with
> >the idea of trying a triathlon (most likely a .25mi/15mi/5k).
> >
> >What sort of times do
> >guys like me do?
>
> Forget times. Just have fun and enjoy the experience. Times are for
> later.
>
> But if you really must know, middle of the pack for that distance
> would be around an hour.
For the distances above don't you mean an hour is front of pack?!
Quarter mile swim in 5 minutes, 15 mile bike in 35 mins, 5k run in 15
mins and 5 mins for transitions would be pretty good going for any
AG....
Looks like I'm going to need to do a LOT more training to do anything
close to those times! Right now, I can do a quarter mile swim in about
10 minutes, 15 mile bike in about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, and I
don't even want to think about the run. I haven't done any running

since
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
1991 (I guess I could finish 5k in about 40 min). So... I'm probably
looking at somewhere around 2 hours or more to finish. :-(

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