two days and counting

OK, I'll take the bait and suggest a few "milestones" that would turn you
from a newbie triathlete into a totally-genuine, fair-dinkum,
electrolyte-swilling, iron-willed, home-grown, pavement-pounding triathlete:

1. Completing your second triathlon.

2. Completing any Ironman distance race.

3. DIY major bike repairs and still finishing. Extra brownie-
points for using only tools / parts found on the side
of the road.

4. Your gear is held together with duct-tape from too
many races.

5. Your gear is brand new and paid for by a sponsor
(or several).

6. Hardware (ie. medal / trophy / etc for placing).

7. You think a 5 mile run is the perfect cool-down after a
130 mile ride

8. Your photo adorns a magazine cover.

9. DIY major body repairs and finishing (after a crash or
tripping on the run). Double extra brownie-points for
using only surgical implements / body parts found on the
side of the road.

10. Just turning up at a race looking like and feeling
like a triathlete. You'll know when you're there, if
you have to ask, then you're just not ready to assume
the mantle...

FWIW - I have passed some, but not all of these milestones
myself, but I'm not sure what that means!

Alan.

"onemarathon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:cam_wilson-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be a sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm
as ready as i'll ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say that
i've learned to train smarter, given that my time to train
is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the
newbie point?

any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing
this weekend?

i mostly lurk here, BTW.

Cam

onemarathon said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be a sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as
ready as i'll ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say that
i've learned to train smarter, given that my time to train
is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the
newbie point?

Here's my 2 cents:

Your first season of racing, you're a newbie.

Since it's your second year, I wouldn't consider you a
newbie any more, though you may be a "virgin" to longer
distances. (The term "IronVirgin" means a first-time IM
competitor.)

I'm not sure you can call yourself a "vet" quite yet,
though. Some of Alan's humorous criteria are a good standard
for that. <g>

And no, you don't have to do an Ironman or half IM, or even
an Oly to be a "real" triathlete.

Do the races you like, enjoy the training and racing you
like. If you find yourself attracted to the longer stuff,
fine. Go for it.

If not, don't worry about it. You're a triathlete.

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

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

Quoted message said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be a sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm
as ready as i'll ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say that
i've learned to train smarter, given that my time to train
is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the
newbie point?

any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing
this weekend?

Hi Cam, I'm totally new to this and so I'm just trying a try-a-
tri out this weekend in Ottawa (is it Ottawa for your sprint
tri?) I thought of entering the sprint but I'm really new to
swimming so I wanted to make sure I picked something where
they wouldn't have to fish me out of the water. So hopefully
will be able to do a real sprint later on in the summertime.
I'm bringing a touring bike (so faster than a mountain bike
but slower than a racing bike) but really want to have a
pretty fast time in the bike. I don't care so much about
overall, I just really enjoy biking so want to do decently
at that. Running is pretty new for me as well so I will be
sloooow at it even though its only 2k.

Tanya

In article <[email hidden]>,

Alan Walker said:

OK, I'll take the bait and suggest a few "milestones" that
would turn you from a newbie triathlete into a totally-
genuine, fair-dinkum, electrolyte-swilling, iron-willed,
home-grown, pavement-pounding triathlete:

1. Completing your second triathlon.

ok, so i'm a triathlete then, being on my third race.

Quoted message said:

2. Completing any Ironman distance race.

surely, the many sprint or Olympic distance racers are
considered triathletes, even if they haven't gone IM? but i
think i know what you mean.

Quoted message said:

3. DIY major bike repairs and still finishing. Extra brownie-
points for using only tools / parts found on the side
of the road.

HA! ok, i'm getting there with the bike mtc. never touched
the bike prior to tri, but now i'm stripping it down and
putting it back.... just for fun!

Quoted message said:

4. Your gear is held together with duct-tape from too
many races.

not yet.

Quoted message said:

5. Your gear is brand new and paid for by a sponsor (or
several).

THAT would be a pro triathlete, not just a regular Joe
triathlete.

Quoted message said:

6. Hardware (ie. medal / trophy / etc for placing).

i'll soon be collecting a belated First Time Triathlete
medal for my first race last year.... the organizers took a
while to come up with this idea, but hey, better late than
never. so i'll have a little hardware.

Quoted message said:

7. You think a 5 mile run is the perfect cool-down after
a 130 mile ride

8. Your photo adorns a magazine cover.

hmmm.... not quite that, but my runner cartoon was on a
website for a week. and my marathon story appeared in The
Running Room Magazine, as well as at marathonstories.com.

Quoted message said:

9. DIY major body repairs and finishing (after a crash or
tripping on the run). Double extra brownie-points for
using only surgical implements / body parts found on
the side of the road.

10. Just turning up at a race looking like and feeling
like a triathlete. You'll know when you're there, if
you have to ask, then you're just not ready to assume
the mantle...

i know i need a real bike. i'm faking it on that front. from
a distance it looks snappy with the aeros on and some minor
tweaking that i did on my own, but it's a cheapo cycle that
i've stripped down but haven't put much money into yet. i
may break down and upgrade this summer.

interesting list, Alan. it got me to thinking... i may not
have all the gear (fancy bike) but i feel like a tri guy
inside. i train hard and take it seriously... while having
loads of fun with it all. i live to train and race.

Cam

Quoted message said:

FWIW - I have passed some, but not all of these milestones
myself, but I'm not sure what that means!

Alan.

"onemarathon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:cam_wilson-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be a sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm
as ready as i'll ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say that
i've learned to train smarter, given that my time to
train is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass
the newbie point?

any others out there kinda new to the sport... and
racing this weekend?

i mostly lurk here, BTW.

Cam

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Tanya) said:

onemarathon <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:<cam_wilson-
[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be a sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm
as ready as i'll ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say that
i've learned to train smarter, given that my time to
train is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass
the newbie point?

any others out there kinda new to the sport... and
racing this weekend?

Hi Cam, I'm totally new to this and so I'm just trying a
try-a-tri out this weekend in Ottawa (is it Ottawa for
your sprint tri?) I thought of entering the sprint but I'm
really new to swimming so I wanted to make sure I picked
something where they wouldn't have to fish me out of the
water. So hopefully will be able to do a real sprint later
on in the summertime. I'm bringing a touring bike (so
faster than a mountain bike but slower than a racing bike)
but really want to have a pretty fast time in the bike. I
don't care so much about overall, I just really enjoy
biking so want to do decently at that. Running is pretty
new for me as well so I will be sloooow at it even though
its only 2k.

Tanya

Hi Tanya,

You are doing what I did last year at this event. I did that
same try-a-tri. It's a blast, and I was hooked after that
race ended.... too quickly! I, too, was new to swimming and
yet I managed fine in the pool (a nice place to swim your
first tri, rather than in say, Mooney's Bay).

Oh, and by late July last year, I completed a very
challenging 750m swim in Mooney's Bay for my first sprint
tri. This 500m one will be a cinch. I have improved a lot in
the swim, as will you if you stick with it, and I have
shaved five minutes off my 500m time from last year.

I come from a running background so that usually helps me
catch up to the faster swimmers and cyclists. Hope you have
a lot of fun at the race... and you should for your first
time out.... best of luck!

(Now let's pray that it doesn't rain TOO hard on us
tomorrow)

Cam

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mike Tennent said:

onemarathon said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be a sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm
as ready as i'll ever be. this is my first race of the
season, and i must say that i've learned to train
smarter, given that my time to train is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the
newbie point?

Quoted message said:

Here's my 2 cents:

Your first season of racing, you're a newbie.

Since it's your second year, I wouldn't consider you a
newbie any more, though you may be a "virgin" to longer
distances. (The term "IronVirgin" means a first-time IM
competitor.)

Makes sense. Fair enough.

Quoted message said:

I'm not sure you can call yourself a "vet" quite yet,
though. Some of Alan's humorous criteria are a good
standard for that. <g>

No, maybe in what.... 8-10 years? Sounds like a prison
sentence 🙂

Quoted message said:

And no, you don't have to do an Ironman or half IM, or
even an Oly to be a "real" triathlete.

I'd like to take a stab at the Olympic distance sometime.
Maybe in a year or two after some more sprints plus greater
distances in training.

Quoted message said:

If not, don't worry about it. You're a triathlete.

Why thank you, Mike. I have thusly been christened.

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a
little and then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And
tomorrow after the race: beer and pizza.

Thanks for the words,

Cam

In article <[email hidden]>,

onemarathon said:

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a
little and then kick back with a movie to relax tonight.
And tomorrow after the race: beer and pizza.

For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant chicken
burrito after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but La Bamba
would work, too.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Th-
en it was every other day. . . ."
- Homer J. Simpson

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <cam_wilson-BDB17F.18515921052004@nr-
tor01.bellnexxia.net>, onemarathon

Quoted message said:

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch
a little and then kick back with a movie to relax
tonight. And tomorrow after the race: beer and pizza.

For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant
chicken burrito after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but
La Bamba would work, too.

What's a "giant chicken" burrito? Is that like an
ostrich burrito?

Phil M.

--
"I gotta go. You're killin' me."

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Harold Buck said:

In article <cam_wilson-BDB17F.18515921052004@nr-
tor01.bellnexxia.net>, onemarathon

Quoted message said:

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch
a little and then kick back with a movie to relax
tonight. And tomorrow after the race: beer and pizza.

For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant
chicken burrito after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but
La Bamba would work, too.

--Harold Buck

i ended up having a buffalo chicken burger with a mound of
fries. the beer and pizza will have to be tonight.
mmmmm.....

(oh yeah, i did the tri!)

Cam

In article <[email hidden]>,

Phil M. said:

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <cam_wilson-BDB17F.18515921052004@nr-
tor01.bellnexxia.net>, onemarathon

Quoted message said:

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to
stretch a little and then kick back with a movie to
relax tonight. And tomorrow after the race: beer and
pizza.

For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant
chicken burrito after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but
La Bamba would work, too.

What's a "giant chicken" burrito? Is that like an ostrich
burrito?

Phil M.

you jest?

a giant burrito made with chicken.

but i didn't need to explain, did i? 🙂

Cam

onemarathon said:

(oh yeah, i did the tri!)

Cam

And the report is where?

Let's hear about it!

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mike Tennent said:

onemarathon said:

(oh yeah, i did the tri!)

Cam

And the report is where?

Let's hear about it!

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

Oh, i didn't think we posted race reports in this ng (at
least i don't think i've seen any/many here). i did post it
in rec.running but since you are interested, here ya go:

2004 Ottawa Early Bird Triathlon May 22, 2004 -
Ottawa, Canada Sprint Distance Event: 500m swim /
22.2k bike / 5k run
--

The forecast was for rain, but instead, the skies were just gray, and
the clouds didn't look too threatening. The race went by without a
single drop of rain. Temperatures were in the teens (Celcius) and very
comfortable. A sometimes strong wind on the bike and run kept us cool
and dry.

Got there plenty early so that I could go through all of my pre-race
rituals so that good luck would be with me. I've become a superstitious
sort ever since I started racing. Because the weather is not quite warm
enough for open water swimming yet, this event held the swim in an
indoor pool. Fine by me, but there was still some thrashing and bashing
in the swim lanes. It took me about half the swim to settle into a
comfortable rhythm with all of the confusion in the pool. The seeding
process was not terribly successful, as slow folk were holding up the
fast swimmers at the front, and several supposedly slower people
rocketed past me (near the back of the pack), with feet and elbows
a-flailing. I finished the swim strong, though, feeling like I could
have done another 500m easily.

Then the ridiculously long barefoot run across concrete, asphalt, and
stones to get to the transition area. No mats? It hurt a bit but I
gritted my teeth and moved quickly - I had to make up for my slow-ish
swim on the bike and run.

T1 went without trouble, and I crammed a banana in my mouth as I pulled
on my shoes, then headed off. Headwinds made it a little on the slow
side on the way out (two loops) but at least the ride back was smoother.
Lots of people on the course still, so we had to watch each other to
avoid drafting penalties. On the last loop, my hamstrings started
tightening up on me. I loosened up with a few stretches near the end of
the bike to ready myself for the run, but didn't know what to do about
the hams. So I took plenty of sport drink, and nearing the end, I went
into a lower gear, which seemed to ease the pain.

T2 was quick and easy - I just traded helmet for hat and took off. Now I
was in my element, being a runner first and foremost. I passed many
people throughout the run, and nobody passed me. A good sign. Right from
the start of the run, I experienced a small stomach cramp on my left
side, but I was able to beat that while still moving at a good clip. I
did that old trick of belly breathing, while exhaling as my right foot
hit the ground. Works every time. I recorded my splits throughout the
race, but didn't really monitor the watch very closely. I was just in a
"What the hell" kind of mood today, and hey, it got me through the race
within my time goal.

Overall clock time = 1:29:07
Place overall = 195/339 (room for improvement)
500m Swim + T1 = 18:12 (swim alone was about 15:28)
22.2k Bike = 46:16
T2 + 5k Run = 24:39

I'm pretty pleased with my results, especially on the swim, where I took
about five minutes off of my 2003 500m time. The bike was also a massive
improvement, about 10 minutes off last year's time. The run was a touch
slower but it simply didn't occur to me to push myself the way I
normally do for the last couple of kilometers - puffing on every breath.
This time, I picked it up on the final few hundred metres, and finished
fast but comfortably. No collapsing on the ground at the end, like I
often do.

Well, that's it - the deed is done, and now I must contemplate my next
race. I celebrated with lots of junk food the rest of the day. Yay!

Thanks for reading,

Cam

Cam,

You only needed to pass any one of these tests, and it
sounds like you're a real triathlete. After writing that
list the other night I think #9 is a little scary. Don't
worry about the real bike, there's nothing cooler than
passing some dude on a $5000 bike who's scraping by at
17 mph. Extra brownie-points if you're on a Pee-Wee
Herman Special!

My wife's first triathlon was on a Peugot "shopping bike",
replete with racks, but she's definitely a triathlete now,
having met several of the criteria on my list :-)

How 'bout a race report?

Alan.

"onemarathon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:cam_wilson-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, "Alan

Walker said:

OK, I'll take the bait and suggest a few "milestones"
that would turn

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

from a newbie triathlete into a totally-genuine, fair-
dinkum, electrolyte-swilling, iron-willed, home-grown,
pavement-pounding

triathlete:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1. Completing your second triathlon.

ok, so i'm a triathlete then, being on my third race.

Quoted message said:

2. Completing any Ironman distance race.

surely, the many sprint or Olympic distance racers are
considered triathletes, even if they haven't gone IM? but
i think i know what you mean.

Quoted message said:

3. DIY major bike repairs and still finishing. Extra
brownie-points for using only tools / parts found on
the side of the road.

HA! ok, i'm getting there with the bike mtc. never touched
the bike prior to tri, but now i'm stripping it down and
putting it back.... just for fun!

Quoted message said:

4. Your gear is held together with duct-tape from too
many races.

not yet.

Quoted message said:

5. Your gear is brand new and paid for by a sponsor (or
several).

THAT would be a pro triathlete, not just a regular Joe
triathlete.

Quoted message said:

6. Hardware (ie. medal / trophy / etc for placing).

i'll soon be collecting a belated First Time Triathlete
medal for my first race last year.... the organizers took
a while to come up with this idea, but hey, better late
than never. so i'll have a little hardware.

Quoted message said:

7. You think a 5 mile run is the perfect cool-down
after a 130 mile ride

8. Your photo adorns a magazine cover.

hmmm.... not quite that, but my runner cartoon was on a
website for a week. and my marathon story appeared in The
Running Room Magazine, as well as at marathonstories.com.

Quoted message said:

9. DIY major body repairs and finishing (after a crash
or tripping on

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

run). Double extra brownie-points for using only
surgical implements /

body

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

parts found on the side of the road.

10. Just turning up at a race looking like and feeling
like a

triathlete.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You'll know when you're there, if you have to ask, then
you're just not ready to assume the mantle...

i know i need a real bike. i'm faking it on that front.
from a distance it looks snappy with the aeros on and some
minor tweaking that i did on my own, but it's a cheapo
cycle that i've stripped down but haven't put much money
into yet. i may break down and upgrade this summer.

interesting list, Alan. it got me to thinking... i may not
have all the gear (fancy bike) but i feel like a tri guy
inside. i train hard and take it seriously... while having
loads of fun with it all. i live to train and race.

Cam

Quoted message said:

FWIW - I have passed some, but not all of these
milestones myself, but

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

not sure what that means!

Alan.

"onemarathon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:cam_wilson-
[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday
morning. it'll be

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll
ever be.

this is my first race of the season, and i must say
that i've learned

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.

so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass
the newbie

point?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

any others out there kinda new to the sport... and
racing this

weekend?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

i mostly lurk here, BTW.

Cam

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Onemarathon
In article <[email hidden]>,

Phil M. said:

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in news:no_one_knows-
[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <cam_wilson-BDB17F.18515921052004@nr-
tor01.bellnexxia.net>, onemarathon

Quoted message said:

OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to
stretch a little and then kick back with a movie to
relax tonight. And tomorrow after the race: beer and
pizza.

For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant
chicken burrito after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but
La Bamba would work, too.

What's a "giant chicken" burrito? Is that like an ostrich
burrito?

Phil M.

you jest?

a giant burrito made with chicken.

but i didn't need to explain, did i? 🙂

Cam

Ha, that funny Harold! That is exactly what I had a craving for after my last tri (Chipotle too)!

In article <[email hidden]>,

Alan Walker said:

Cam,

You only needed to pass any one of these tests, and it
sounds like you're a real triathlete. After writing that
list the other night I think #9 is a little scary. Don't
worry about the real bike, there's nothing cooler than
passing some dude on a $5000 bike who's scraping by at 17
mph. Extra brownie-points if you're on a Pee-Wee Herman
Special!

My wife's first triathlon was on a Peugot "shopping bike",
replete with racks, but she's definitely a triathlete now,
having met several of the criteria on my list :-)

How 'bout a race report?

Alan.

Hi Alan,

Heh, no Pee Wee Herman bike here! 🙂

I posted my report yesterday.... oh, but it might be buried
in a post with an unrelated subject line. I'll put the
report up in a sec.

Thanks again,

Cam

onemarathon said:

Oh, i didn't think we posted race reports in this ng (at
least i don't think i've seen any/many here).

Unfortunately, that's one tradition that has almost
died here.

I would never have done my first Ironman were it not for
reading the race reports here by TriBaby, Jason Mayfield,
and others.

Good race.

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mike Tennent said:

onemarathon said:

Oh, i didn't think we posted race reports in this ng (at
least i don't think i've seen any/many here).

Unfortunately, that's one tradition that has almost
died here.

I would never have done my first Ironman were it not for
reading the race reports here by TriBaby, Jason Mayfield,
and others.

Good race.

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

Thanks Mike. I wonder about the posting of reports here....
they are the lifeblood of the running ng. And they are what
inspire me, too, to go on to bigger and better things.

Cam