Sprint or Oly?

I started out with a VERY small sprint, organized by the local gym. Mostly
relay teams, only 8 of us for the full tri. It was a great, simple way to
get started. Finished a larger, but still small, Olympic a few months later
and was grateful for the past sprint race experience. On the other hand, 6
months is enough to build the endurance for the Olympic as long as you have
a good base in each sport. I would say go for the Olympic. I would
recommend finding a small local sprint distance or duathlon as part of your
preparation. Not sure where you are but many colder climates have a good
indoor triathlon season in the winter. Another option is to make a few of
your workouts mock Sprint races. Layout a towel, set up you gear, the whole
nine yards. Mock races are free, great workouts, and the only way to
actually prepare for transitions. I can get on my bike a lot easier walking
into the garage than I can running up a boat ramp trying to get out of a
wetsuit already a bit winded.

I think if you have built up a good endurance base, you will find very
little difference in the races as long you as you maintain proper nutrition
and hydration for the Olympic distance. You can gut out a Sprint without
slowing down for a gel or water but not an Olympic. Either way, the hardest
part of both races, for me, is a tie between the first 250 meters in the
water or the first mile of the run. The rest is just more of the same.

Best of luck.

AJ

"Dave Hallsworth" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

..... what do you think would make a better first race?

I'm trying to plan something for March time. I'm trying to weigh up the
pros and cons of both. A sprint might be a nice introduction, but then
again I imagine the transitions are proportionally more important in these
races to get a good time, and I'm also a little loathed to travel quite

far

Quoted message said:

and pay a lot for something that lasts about an hour. An oly might be
better, but then again it might be harder to run a decent race with only 6
months training (as compared to a sprint).

Decisions, decisions. What were your first race experiences?

Cheers,
Dave

Here's my take on it.
First off, the first race should be FUN. You're not going to win it, and
you're probably going to make a number of mistakes, so you use it as a
training exercise. With this in mind, sure, fast transitions are more
important in a sprint tri, but that's one of the things that you have to
play with and learn from. If you're not expecting to win, then don't
worry about it.
Second off, a sprint is usually easier, and will likely show you some
training flaws that you've made without making you suffer from them for
hours (and totally embarrassing yourself in the process! <G>😉

So, I'd do the sprint, and then adjust my training for the Oly, and use
what I learned to make that a decent race.

Dave Hallsworth said:

..... what do you think would make a better first race?

I'm trying to plan something for March time. I'm trying to weigh up the
pros and cons of both. A sprint might be a nice introduction, but then
again I imagine the transitions are proportionally more important in these
races to get a good time, and I'm also a little loathed to travel quite far
and pay a lot for something that lasts about an hour. An oly might be
better, but then again it might be harder to run a decent race with only 6
months training (as compared to a sprint).

Decisions, decisions. What were your first race experiences?

Cheers,
Dave

Top Dog said:

Here's my take on it.
First off, the first race should be FUN.

I'd definitely agree with that point. I was so panicked my first race I
was a basket case. I worried through the entire thing over mistakes I'd
made. I sprint for the first is a great idea.
Just go have fun. I have a better time when I view each race as a
learning experience for the next. I'm old, broken, and slow and in
reality will probably never do well except in the swim... I still
compete hard throughout, but for me removing the pressure to be perfect
lets me enjoy the sport a whole lot more. Train hard, race your butt
off, but most of all enjoy it.

Thanks all - definitely gives me something to think about!

Cheers,
Dave

Dave Hallsworth said:

..... what do you think would make a better first race?

I'm trying to plan something for March time. I'm trying to weigh up the
pros and cons of both. A sprint might be a nice introduction, but then
again I imagine the transitions are proportionally more important in these
races to get a good time, and I'm also a little loathed to travel quite far
and pay a lot for something that lasts about an hour. An oly might be
better, but then again it might be harder to run a decent race with only 6
months training (as compared to a sprint).

Decisions, decisions. What were your first race experiences?

Cheers,
Dave

Dave,

The fact is that different races and different race organizers have
different atmospheres and can be either more or less well suited to first
timers. Tell us where you live and the area where you'd like to race and
maybe, just maybe, someone can suggest a race.

I did my first tri in North Carolina (it was the Parris Island sprint
organized by Set-Up Inc). It had a small field of about 120 people, dead
flat course, the swim was in a pool - and most of all the atmosphere was
extremely low key. All in all a great first experience. I'd ask around and
see if you can find a local race that fits the same description.

John

Quoted message said:

The fact is that different races and different race organizers have
different atmospheres and can be either more or less well suited to first
timers. Tell us where you live and the area where you'd like to race and
maybe, just maybe, someone can suggest a race.

Oxford, UK anyone?

Cheers.
D

Yeah, what Top Dog said ...

Some other things to think about... If the swim is in open water, try
to pick a smaller lake to start. My first Tri was a 750M - 33Km -
7.2Km. I can normally knock off those distances in my sleep, but the
swim was in Lake Ontario, cold and the odd whitecap, really threw me
off...and made my bike and run much less comfortable than I
anticipated.

Top Dog <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Here's my take on it.
First off, the first race should be FUN. You're not going to win it, and
you're probably going to make a number of mistakes, so you use it as a
training exercise. With this in mind, sure, fast transitions are more
important in a sprint tri, but that's one of the things that you have to
play with and learn from. If you're not expecting to win, then don't
worry about it.
Second off, a sprint is usually easier, and will likely show you some
training flaws that you've made without making you suffer from them for
hours (and totally embarrassing yourself in the process! <G>😉

So, I'd do the sprint, and then adjust my training for the Oly, and use
what I learned to make that a decent race.

Dave Hallsworth said:

..... what do you think would make a better first race?

I'm trying to plan something for March time. I'm trying to weigh up the
pros and cons of both. A sprint might be a nice introduction, but then
again I imagine the transitions are proportionally more important in these
races to get a good time, and I'm also a little loathed to travel quite far
and pay a lot for something that lasts about an hour. An oly might be
better, but then again it might be harder to run a decent race with only 6
months training (as compared to a sprint).

Decisions, decisions. What were your first race experiences?

Cheers,
Dave