Danskin Triathalon

[nd93]

Hello,

Has anyone here done the Danskin triathalon? Or training for it? Now before some of you start laughing at me, it's an all women event, and it's supposed to be more about accomplishing personal goals/self esteem/empowerment than being some super athlete. It's a "light" triathalon, not the Ironman one you see on TV. They say any woman can do it. They even have a special group for cancer survivors, and after last year's I read in our local paper about these 70+ year old women who did it. If they can, why not me (and you!)? My neighbor did it a couple of years ago and has got me thinking about it. What better way to get rid of this remaining baby weight! It's a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run, usually on flat easy terrain. I'm not a runner at all so I figure worst case I could walk the run portion!

Just wanted to put a feeler out there. Maybe some of us could join up and support each other! (If I decide to go through with it. I'm still a bit chicken!)

For more info:

http://store.yahoo.com/danskinonline/triathlon.html

[alleyoop]

Hmmmmm.....I might consider it! It is the biking that really worries me. What city are you in??

[alleyoop]

OK, I have thought and thought about it, and I am game if you are! The swimming workouts are going to be hard to work into my schedule (read: I will have to wake up at the butt-crack of dawn!) but I think that I can do it. I was thinking about how good I felt when I finished my first 5k on New Years Day... Boy, it would feel amazing to have accomplished a mini triathalon!

Anyone else? Please, please, please....

[nd93]

I am in the Seattle area. You?

[erbono]

I have completed 3 Danskins. Two pre baby #1 and one post baby #1. I have a 5 month old and am planning on doing the Danskin in June. I live in Austin, TX. Used to live in Seattle...I miss it so much!!!

The race is awesome and it is true anyone can do it! I did it in 2003 with very minimal training. I figured if I could do one of all the events once a week I could do the race. I was right. It is a very empowering event.

I am totally game!

Erica

[jesseandgrace]

I'm in. I signed up last year, but never did it. This year i would really like to do it! I am in horrible shape right now IMO, so I am starting from scratch here. I'm in San Francisco Bay area.

[JulieL]

GOOD FOR YOU GALS!!!

Man I would LOVE to have a chance to do this. But I live no where near the cities participating. Oh yeah and I haven't biked since I was 12... so maybe I couldn't do it... but I can pretend I could ;-)

[lizamann]

I haven't done Danskin, but I have done a few other triathlons. I am such a non-athlete and finished in the bottom quartile, if not the bottom 10%. Seriously, a lot of those 70 year old ladies are much faster than I am. But it was an absolutely amazing experience! I think that Danskin especially would be a fabulous first-time event.

Do it do it do it! It was such an accomplishment for me in so many ways. It turned me into an exerciser, made me feel like an athlete, and, more importantly, it was one of the first times that I stuck with something that I was absolutely horrendous at. Usually I drop something the instant I realize I'm no good at it, so that was a great growth experience for me.

But FYI, I didn't lose any weight AT ALL until I really modified my diet. I thought that 1.5 hours of cardio a day would melt the fat off, but after 7 months of training (for Olympic distance, which is about 2x as long as Danskin) I hadn't lost an ounce. Then I changed my diet, lost 10 lbs. really quickly and did my fastest race ever (still a snail's pace LOL!)

Now I did all this pre-child and can't really imagine doing it now, but I loved every minute of it back then.

I highly recommend joining a training group. Mine met 2x a week, and it was invaluable to my success. I loved having an exact training schedule to follow, too, complete with days off. I kept telling myself that very smart people designed the training, and all I had to do was follow it to the tee to be successful. It was really great. Hmmm, maybe I need to look into this again...

Edited to say that I am seriously considering doing the Danskin near Chicago in July. What a great motivator that would be. How are you moms going to fit in the training? I can run with the jogger, swim with baby dropped off at the Y's childcare center, but what about biking? I don't want to tow dd in a trailer because I don't think they're safe for the crowded conditions/traffic I have around here.

[erbono]

I think the longer distances make it more difficult to lose weight because you need to extra fuel (food) to go the distance. But the Sprint distance I think is a good way to help lose the weight.

Before my first I ran 2 marathons and did the Danskin a couple of months after the last marathon. During marathon training I did not lose any weight. After the marathon I began training for the triathlon and modified my diet. I lost 10 pounds and was in great shape. I think the triathlon training really works all parts of your body which I love.

Diet is key in losing weight. I recently realized it is a lot easier to cut 250 calories from your diet than to exercise 250 calories off! So I am doing weight watchers for nursing moms and then work on the exercising for the triathlon and to get me in great shape. Afterall, I want to be skinny and toned.. not skinny and flabby. :-)

I haven't done a marathon since (2001) and probably won't for another 2 years, if ever.

I also highly recommend joining some kind of training team if there is one in your area. I did and it was great. It got me on the bike and out there once a week on hills which wouldn't have happened without the group.

For bike training I highly recommend taking a spinning class. This is what I do. Biking is a dangerous sport with all the cars. And I am in Lance Armstrong country but the drivers are still not extremely friendly. Spin for most of your workouts but make sure to get out on the bike several times before the race. You want to be comfortable on your bike!

[nd93]

Thanks to everyone who replied! I'm wondering too how people fit in training. I have 3 kids 5 and under. Also, for those of you who've done this before, what equipment did you buy/find essential? Should I get a sports watch? I have a bike but it's not fancy, would it do with a tune up or should I look for a new bike? How did you find others to train with? I'm a little creeped out about swimming in Lake Washington, what's it like to swim in open water like that?

I'm really interested in doing this. It's been so long since I've done something for just me. But I definitely need to get started. I have not admitted to anyone that I'm even thinking about doing this. Thanks for all of the great info!

[erbono]

When I lived in Seattle I used to ride the Burke-Gilman trail to work and back home. It just worked out that I could use it. My address was in Bothell. I lived on top of a hill just northeast of Lake Washington. I would ride the trail to Redmond, past the brewery. You have such great biking areas there! Could you get a trailer and go to the trail to ride on the weekends? I am not sure how far you are from the trail.

You don't really need a watch unless you want to time yourself. I like using my watch but it isn't key. I love the basic Timex ironman watches you get at drugstores.

If your bike has more than 3 speeds (a 10-speed or so) then your bike should be adequate. I do recommend getting a tuneup if it has been sitting in your garage forever. I always get my bike tuned up about a week or two before the race. I did Danskin with a mountain bike and a road bike. I got the road bike at a garage sale. :-) Either works.

There definitely should be training groups in Seattle for the Danskin. Ask some of the local bike/run/sport shops. See if you can locate a triathlete group in Seattle. They usually sponsor beginner triathlon workshops. Do a search on google to locate some.

Swimming wasn't tough for me because I love to swim but I hear it is the toughest event for people to get over phobia wise. I recommend trying open water swimming several times before the race. I never had a problem with it. Oh, and you will probably need a wetsuit. Lake Washington is pretty cold!!! I have Barton Springs here in Austin to swim in for training which is 68 degrees year round. Brr... but good for getting used to open, cold water. How cold is Lake Washington?

Time to train....whenever I can squeeze it in! This year I will swim with a Masters swim group in my neighborhood (fortunate enough to have one here). My dh will watch the kids when I swim. The last time I did Danskin there was no group so I swam in the city pools whenever I could squeeze it in (leaving early in the morning for work to swim before, on Mother's Day my dh said to go do something so I went swimming, etc....). I run during my lunch hour at work and/or take a spinning class. You will eventually want to add 'brick' workouts where you bike/run or swim/run or swim/bike. Last time I just did shortened workouts of the two to get the 'bricks' in. Like I would only run 10 minutes. Just important to get used to the feel of the transition from one sport to the next.

Erica

[alleyoop]

Erica,
I live in Austin, too! I am just gearing up for starting the swim training this week. About 6 years ago I did the Masters program at St. Eds, but now I am up north, near the Y on McNeil. Do you happen to swim at that location? I was planning on just following the Masters workout on the board instead of paying the extra $$ and clogging up a lane with my slow behind. There always seems to be room in the lanes next to the masters when I go (around 6am). I am not sure if that is going to be enough, though.

You said that you did each sport one day a week and still survived the race? Right now I run 30-35 minutes 3X a week. I was thinking of increasing my workouts to 4X a week, with 2 being runs, 1 swim and 1 bike. I guess that I am not too worried about the swim part (though venturing out to Barton Springs is a good idea, as I have never done open water swims), but I am a clod on a bike. Is the course pretty flat, or should I train for hills? This is the part that scares me!

I guess I just need to find one of those training groups to really do this right. Off to RunTex.com to see what I can find!

[JulieL]

Beth & erbono

Now you guys can't just say you lost 10lbs and not give us some pointers! What did you ellimate the most? Give us the dibs!

[erbono]

How exciting!!! I live in your area! If you know where Pond Springs Elementary is you know where I am.

They have revived the swim group at Rattan Creek pool. If you are in the MUD district it is cheap for you! I'm not in the MUD so it is like $50 a month. Ouch. But the workouts are great. Outdoor pool though. They are closing the pool in Feb so I probably won't start swimming again (swam Nov and Dec) until March timeframe. How much is the Y? I am not a member there. I think following the program online would be enough. Just make sure you do at least one distance swim before the race.

The course is hilly!! I thought it was tough the first year but then in 2003 it wasn't as hard as I remembered. Definitely do the bike course before the race so there are no suprises. Even if you train on hills it is a good idea to do the course. I will do it again before the race.

It sounds like you have your running under control. I just ran 45 minutes 5 min walk/ 5 min run in this horrid weather. My goal running wise is to do the Cap 10K.

Perhaps if we ever get a chance we can train together.... At least the swimming part. Then we can go biking also. Do you have a mountain bike or road bike? There are biking groups out of REI and Cycle 360 off of 183.

I did the Runtex training group the first year and it was awesome! I don't know if I have the time to commit to it this year though. Now I just try to squeeze workouts where I can...you know what I mean? They are usually around my neighborhood or work area.

Erica

[erbono]

Ok...if you want to know. Just don't laugh! After the marathons I decided it was time to lose 10 pounds. So I did the Victoria Principal's Bikini diet: http://diet.ivillage.com/plans/0,,8h95,00.html It is low calorie and 30 days long. I figured I could do anything for 30 days. So I did. I also began hitting the weights pretty hard and was training for the triathlon. Kind of shocked my system into losing the 10 pounds down to 130.

Then I got pregnant! Gained 58 pounds. Went onto Weight Watchers and got down to 137 pounds. Pregnant again. Gained 55 pounds! I am now around 155 pounds.

I am nursing so a low calorie diet is not a good idea. Neither is losing weight really fast. So I am doing Weight Watchers on my own (no meetings). I have lost about 9 pounds since starting Jan 1st. It is a great program! And if you are nursing it really isn't that restrictive.

That's what I did. Other things to consider: drink lots of water, eat lots and lots of fruits and veggies, limit your splurges to once a week, eat breakfast, eat snacks, eat smaller meals, keep a food journal.

Hope that helps!

Erica

[lizamann]

I liked having a sports watch. I loved my Timex Rush. Really inexpensive.

http://www.rypsports.com/sports-watches-womens-timex-rush.html

I used my dh's 10-speed from jr. high, which I don't recommend! When we were loading the team's bikes into the truck, the helpers couldn't believe how heavy it was - much heavier than a modern mountain bike. So that's my excuse for being so slow LOL! But it just illustrates that you can get the job done with any bike, except maybe a Huffy. DH was training at the same time, so somehow this behemoth of a bike ended up with aerobars on it, which is a complete joke! Not necessary at all.

As far as other equipment goes, I had fun picking out a cool outfit for race day. I had good shoes to train and race in. You'll want a water bottle holster on your bike. Maybe a little bag under your seat for a spare tire, and a pump, unless you don't mind being derailed by a potential flat. And yes, probably a wet suit depending on the likely temperature of the water. They make the swim easier, too, by adding some buoyancy. Nice goggles, swim cap. And I got addicted to Bodyglide http://www.sternoff.com/skin/skin.html which also happens to be fantastic for strappy sandals!

Like anything, you can go nuts buying stuff, or you can just get by with what you probably already have.

I trained with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. But of course that meant that I had to raise about $3000 for the charity. There are probably local groups that you can join up with for free, or more professional groups that will charge you a fee and provide some level of coaching.

I loved the open water swims. It was a little weird getting used to swimming over plants (one of the lakes had a huge problem with this), but I LOVED swimming in the wee hours of the morning with the sun glinting off the surface of the lake...

[lizamann]

Well, huh, I don't really remember what I did back then. But WW has been very successful for me post-partum. Now if only I could keep this last 10 lbs off!

[jesseandgrace]

OK, I did have to laugh at the name of that diet, but if it works, it works! You weigh exactly the same as me, and gained exactly the same amount of weight as I did for both pregnancies, and basically lost the same - too wierd! I hope you aren't 6 feet or something, LOL.

[erbono]

I am only 5'3" so I would love to get down to 125 actually!! I just heard People magazine said Renee Zell 'ballooned' up to 140 for Bridget Jones' Diary!!! And she is 5'4"!!! Unbelievable our media is.

Erica

[jenmcadams]

Enjoy your training. I'm one of those people who can honestly say the sport of triathlon kick-started all of my dormant athletic tendencies and changed my life for the better. I had run competitively in college and played on the varsity basketball team (NCAA Div III, so just a step up from high school), but after college, entered the world of consulting, put on 15 lbs and rarely worked out for about 10 years.

My husband had done triathlons for a few years and had even competed in several ironmans and I decided that I had to do this triathlon thing (despite my fear of swimming). The Danskin races can fill quickly (the Denver one normally sells out on the first day), so I just decided to go for an Olympic distance race in Boulder as my first race in August of that year (my dd was just shy of 1 year old). I trainded for about 7-8 weeks (not what I would necessarily recommend) and finished the race (my goal) and loved every minute of it and was hooked. Even though I hadn't worked out a ton (aside from an occasional spinning class) prior to that first tri, I decided to make a huge jump to the 1/2 Ironman distance and traveled to FL to do a 1/2 Ironman with my husband a few months later. In between the first two races, I upgraded and traded my old mountain bike for a mid-range road bike and trained pretty hard for 11 weeks and finsihed the 1/2 IM. In between those first two races, I also did an incredibly crazy thing that resulted in one of the best experiences of my life...I signed up for Ironman Wisconsin 2004 (you have to sign up a year in advance to get in to most Ironman North America races).

Ironman was my ultimate goal and all I wanted to do was finish. The race was in September 2004 and I spent a year going to Masters swimming (basically swim team for adults...they're nice to you even if you're really bad like me), biking in the snow and rain and running when my knee would allow it. Training for an ironman is tough with kids, but my DH was so supportive. Ultimately, I finished...not fast, but with a few hours to spare and it was an incredible experience.

Having watched a Danskin tri and having seen the women who train for it, I think it can have a similar impact on your life. Finishing a triathlon is such an accomplishment...no matter what the distance. Training doesn't have to be insane...you should be able to finish the race with 4-5 days/week training, one activity per day. I only trained 4-5 days/week on average for IM and I'm a big fan of not overtraining. The great thing about tris is b/c you're training at each of the 3 disciplines, you tend to avoid overuse injuries common to any one of the sports by themselves...it's the ultimate in cross-training.

I am by no means an expert in tris, generally I'm lucky if I finish in the top 2/3 of my age group, but I'm happy to help our or answer any questions for people who are new to triathlon (I didn't work out for a few months after IM and then got pregnant and I'm just starting to feel like I could be active again at 17 weeks, so I'm in serious tri-wthdrawal and I miss hanging out with my training buddies and working out). There's also a great site (www.trinewbies.com) which has a good forum and links to training plans, articles, etc. that can be helpful (just keep in mind that most training plans overdo it in my opinion).

Good luck and keep us posted.

[lizamann]

That's an inspiring story! But I had to laugh at your short training times in the beginning - I don't think I could even do a 5k with 8 weeks of training! In fact, I think I gave myself 12 weeks before my first race ever (yes, a 5k.) But I was NEVER an athlete, and 10 minute miles send my heartrate through the roof (11 is more my pace - yes, those 70 yr olds and 200-pounders zoom past me). That's pretty frustrating, actually - it's amazing how different we all are. But I didn't let that stop me. And at my pace, workouts can be so time consuming to cover the distance.

An Ironman - wow. That's such a committment. Very impressive. And I'm sitting here on the fence about signing up for Danskin (registration opens in a few days and I know Chicago sells out fast, too.)

Let's all just do it! (not to quote any shoe companies...)

[jesseandgrace]

I read the same thing about Rene, i can't believe the people they call chubby! I am 5' 4", my goal is also 125, but I would love to be at 118 to give me some leway, but I think those both might be a little ridiculous!

[nd93]

Thanks to everyone for their great stories and advice! Ok, I'm excited now! First things first, I'm taking my bike in for a tune up. Second, when do the sign ups start? I know the Seattle one is extremely popular. Third, I need to find some people or a program in my area to get my training started with. I tend to be a "budget" type of person, always looking for sales when I shop, but if I need to spend a little money to join a gym or a program of some type I think I'll just have to do it for this. As a typical mom, I don't spend much on myself anymore and I deserve this!

[jenmcadams]

(1) Good idea on the bike tune-up. What type of bike do you have? If you're like I was for my first tri and only have a mountain bike, I highly recommend you get some slicks (smoother tires) for training and the race. Also, while you're at the bike store, look into whether or not they do any free bike maintenance clinics. My bike shop in CO does ones specifically for women where they teach you how to change a tire, lube your chain, etc. While flat tires are less of an issue in a sprint triathlon like Danskin b/c of the shorter distance, you're bound to need to change a tire on a training ride at some point. Also consider what you want to carry with you on your bike for changing a tire. The most common thing to do is to have a small under seat bag/pouch where you keep an extra tube, some tire irons, a set of allen wrenches (good for adjusting your seat, pedals, etc.), CO2 cartridges/valve (for inflating your tires, or carry a small bike pump attached to your bike frame somewhere). Finally, if you're new to biking and don't bike with bike shoes, I highly recommend at least getting some pedal cages -- you can wear your regular running shoes and cinch them down and they help you have a more efficient pedal stroke....bike shoes/clipless pedals are an even better solution, but they take some practice and aren't necessary for the novice rider/triathlete.

(2) The sign-ups are different for each race. I checked out the website for Seattle today and it doesn't look like the registration date is posted it yet. They do have an info 800# and an email and I would write (or call) and ask when they'll open up race day registration. My guess is you'll want to be on your computer, credit card in hand and ready to register in the first few hours it's open. Also, keep in mind that there are probably lots of other sprint distance triathlons in the Seattle area this summer and you might want to keep an eye open for other races you might want to do earlier in the summer.

(3) As far as finding people to train with, I don't think you need to join a gym (a gym is nice for things like lifting and spinning classes, but basically you can do everything on your own and you just need to find somewhere to swim). Even though triathlon is known for being an expensive sport (b/c of all the gear and stuff), I think you can approach your first season without having to spend too much $$ and still have tons of fun. If you're a novice swimmer, I'd recommend finding a masters swim team (http://www.usms.org/). The whole concept of Masters is truly swim team for grown-ups. There are former college/high school swimmers, senior citizens, and people like me who couldn't swim more than a couple lengths without stopping before my first tri. Definitely talk to a few coaches and see who's most welcoming to newcomers. If you can't at least swim 100-200 yds without stopping, they might recommend you take a lesson or two, but most teams are very welcoming to newcomers. Masters is a great place to meet people to ride and run with. Another is to ask at your local bike shop or your local running shoe store (not the Footlocker type, but the independent, understands running type store) if they know of any triathlon training groups. You can also post on sites like www.trinewbies.com asking if anyone knows of any triathlon clubs that have newcomer training groups in your area. Finally, keep an eye on the danskin website and see if they're offering any pre-race workshops. In Denver, they offered a few training seminars a few months before the race and they also hosted some open-water swimming sessions at the race venue in the months leading up to the race.

(4) GEAR: You didn't ask this, but I saw some other posts about this and thought I would give a few recommendations. In addition to the bike gear mentioned above (slick tires, tire changing stuff, pedal cages), you should also make sure you have some comfortable running shoes that are right for your body type. Most good independent running stores do gait analysis ... sounds more high tech than it is, but they basically ask you to get up on a tread mill and they watch you walk and run (some video tape it) and based on how your foot strikes, the impact of your foot strike, etc., they can help you find a good pair of shoes, in your price range that works with your running style (even if you don't think you have a running style :)). I highly recommend spending the extra $20-$30 you might pay at one of these stores vs. a big chain for this service alone. For running clothes, whatever's comfortable as far as shorts, t-shirt and sports bra (I love moving comfort running shorts and bras, and coolmax t-shirts). On the swimming front, you need a decent swimsuit (TYR, Speedo, Nike are all good), a pair of goggles that fit you, and a swim cap. That should get you started...

Feel free to ask me any questions or email me. As is obvious by the length of this post...I miss triathlons :)

Jen

[jesseandgrace]

Thanks for all the great iformation. I got a good laugh out of the "sprint" triathalon. Um, not a sprint for me :).

[jenmcadams]

:) Sorry...that's just the term for the distance (triathlons are either designated sprint, Olympic/International, 1/2IM or IM...just the nomenclature)...definitely not meant to imply it's not a challenge. Any triathlon is a huge challenge and just toeing the starting line (much less finishing) is a huge accomplishment. Good luck with your race and training. I'll look forward to reading all of your updates as I sit at home getting larger and larger with this prenancy (completely OT, but I can't believe I'm on track to gain 50 lbs again...need to start doing something)

[nd93]

I signed up! So I suppose I'm committed now! Fortunately the Seattle one is not until August so I have lots of time to train. DH thinks I deserve a new bike, so Jen what kind do you have/would recommend? I'm kind of partial to Trek, but would consider anything. Their hybrid ones look nice. I don't think I want a true road bike as I don't see myself doing tris all the time. Also looking at the timex rush watches, thanks to another suggestion!

[jenmcadams]

Congratulations! You'll have lots of fun...and the cross training is great...you won't get bored and you'll avoid injuries.

As for a bike suggestion, it kind of depends on what you want to spend, but mostly depends on what fits your body type correctly. Even if you don't think you want to do tons of tris, I would strongly urge you to consider a road bike (sales of road bikes have actually started to exceed sales of mountain/hybrid bikes in the last few years)...assuming you already have another hybrid/mountain bike that you could ride on trails if you're looking to do that.

As far as fit goes, the only way to truly find out what fits your body right is to do a professional bike fit. If you go to a good bike store in your area (one that's used to serious cyclists and triathletes) they could probably help you approximate what size bike you'd need by looking at your height, ratio of torso to lower body, etc. But, if you're going to spend some money on a new bike, it might be worth spending an extra $100-150 on a professional fit session. I currently have a Specialized Allez Dolce which is their middle of the road, road bike for women (I'm average build and about 5'3"...so I needed a small bike...my official bike size is a 48, but bike sizes vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer and even among lines). Turns out, my mountain bike which I had bought a few years earlier and did my first tri on was also a Specialized. In addition to determining the size bike you start with, a professional fit also includes setting up the bike with specific tweaks (adjusting the seat to the right height, adding or removing spacers from your stem, adjusting your pedals, etc.) None of this is vital for shorter course triathlons, but if you're spending the money on a new bike it's something to consider.

Other important things to consider in purchasing a new bike are things like the component class (e.g. Shimano has different quality grades of components - gears, brakes, etc. - high quality components last much much longer), the frame material (aluminum, steel, carbon), etc. Finally, make sure you like the bike shop and feel comfortable with the staff. If you go for a professional fitting, ask about their training and approach (most professional fitters I know use the serotta fit cycle system)...also make sure they're willing to help you make adjustments after you've ridden for a while. I had my bike adjusted about 6 months after the first fit and the adjustments took as long as the first fitting and they were great about it.

If you end up going the road bike route and want to talk specific models, etc. in your price range, let me know. I'm not an expert, but I've seen what my friends have and might know someone who has what you're considering. You can get some good, entry level road bikes for much less than $1000 (Giant makes some nice models), but generally middle of the road/entry level bikes from manufacturers like Specialized, Trek, etc. are priced around $1200 - 1500 and then they go way way up from there.

Good Luck and keep us updated on your training!

[jenmcadams]

I got an email today that registration starts today for the 2005 Danskin races...they tend to fill quickly, so sign up soon:

"Registration for the 2005 DanskinWomen’s Triathlon Series is now available. You may register online at www.danskin.com or download the entry form from the website and fax or mail it to the address indicated on form."

[lizamann]

I signed up, too! Gulp! Even though I've done them before, I feel a little daunted by the training. I guess I needed an excuse to start exercising again. Now we have to keep each other honest. The Chicago one is in early July.

I need to get a bike, too. And join the Y. And put together a training plan that goes 4 days a week, though I probably need 5. I think that will be manageable.

And I'm wondering if I should sign up for one or 2 more rades. As long as I'm training, might as well get in a few! Hmmm...

[alleyoop]

I did too! I printed out the trinewbies 10week training for a first time sprint length tri...

http://www.trinewbies.com/tno_10wSp.asp

Looks pretty reasonable, esspecially initially. Austin's race is on June 12th, so I think I will start the 10week program soon so in case I get sick or hurt I can have the extra weeks of slop. I am going to have my hubby put some slicks on my cheapy mountain bike to start. Hopefully that will be enough, as I don't want to spend too much money!

I am a little worried about the transitions, and what to wear! I am not the "just wear a swimsuit" the entire race kind of person. YIKES! Nobody wants to see that!

Anyways... any other DH's that seem just a little TOO supportive?? I think he thinks that I might end up looking like the chic on the cover of last month's Runner's World. Yeah, right!

Edited to try to update my Avatar.

[jenmcadams]

Slicks on your mountain bike will work great. I did my first tri that way and it worked out fine (my long bike post above was for someone thinking about a new bike). If anyone's interested, I'm happy to have people email me (or we can post here) and I'd be happy to answer questions about transitions, race clothes, etc. ... I feel so sloppy, out of shape, and large this pregnancy that it's fun to live vicariously through you guys and your first tri experiences.

Have fun with the training and feel free to ask questions if I can help...my email address (without spaces) is jenmcadams @ yahoo . com

Jen

[jenmcadams]

I would definitely look for another race or two later in the summer. My training partner in Denver had recently relocated from Chicago and she got started in tris there and said the tri community is great and there are tons of races (in Chicago and in Wisconsin) all summer long. Given you've done tris before, you might even look for a late season Olympic Distance Race as a stretch goal for the end of the summer, beginning of Fall.

Good luck,

Jen

[nd93]

Your Runner's World comment is too funny!!! I'm still laughing. Thanks for posting the trinewbies link - I'm going to print that out too that looks great! I agree with the "wear a swimsuit" comment too. I plan to have shirt and shorts at the transition to put on, that's for sure! My neighbor who has done this the last 2 years said that last year they got wetsuits, not because of water temp (although in Seattle it is a little chilly) but to help with buoyancy.

Jen - thanks for the bike recommendations. There is no way I can spend $1000 on a bike though. A store near me has a lot of 2004s on sale so I hope to go this weekend and talk with them and see what I can find.

Thanks to all who have posted. It is amazing how encouraging just a few emails can be! I am really excited right now - I hope that feeling stays!

[jesseandgrace]

Maybe we can start our own yahoo group? does anyone know how, it seems really easy? I'll look into it, but I think there are people that probably already know.

Thanks everyone for all the good information. I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I am strangely intimidated by going to buy a new bike. I have a decent one, but it is at our house in Boston and we are in California right now and I can't figure out how to get it out here! So, I have to buy a new one, but this is such a biking town that it just seems embarrasing to go into the bike store knowing nothing. Its like going to a computer store, lol. I would love to know what I should look for, I don't want a really fast bike, just something that can be used to ride with my 4 yo, but also in the triathalon.

Also, I bought a book that has so far been really good. It is called SLOW FAT TRIATHLETE. It is basically a woman who doesn't consider herself the typical athlete, and how she has gotten in to triathalons. She talks about what you need, how to train, how to transition, etc.

The LA race is early June, OUCH!!!!! I had better get cracking, and yes I expect to be absolutely last but I don't care!

[nd93]

That's a great idea about a yahoo group. Yahoo must make it pretty easy to create one. One thing I've seen from other groups - we should probably make it limited to members (rather than completely open to the public) because otherwise people tend to get a lot of spam. It would be a great place to share training ideas/places to buy equipment/photos/etc.

I know what you mean about being intimidated by the bike stores. My DH stopped by 2 yesterday when he was out and talked to them a little and got some catalogs. I figure it may take more than one trip even. One to go and see what's there, what the sales people recommend for me. Then I'll go home and think about it/research on the web and then make a final decision.

For the experts out there (like Jen!) - there is a bike swap being held in my town in a couple of weeks. Do you think a place like that is a good place for a newbie like me to get a deal on a bike, or is it more for people who know what they are doing and looking for? Would I be better off buying from a shop that I could then build a relationship with? http://www.pazzovelo.com/events/bike_swap.shtml I need to be economical in my purchases, yet considering that the bike is probably the most expensive thing I'll be buying I want to get that right.

[nd93]

Oh - one other thing Jennifer - you will NOT be last! One of the women who helped start the Danskin series, Sally Edwards, runs all of the races in each city and she is always last to finish.

[erbono]

It's real easy to set up a Yahoo group. I could get one started if you guys would like me to set it up. What should the name of the group be? Any ideas?

Erica

[jesseandgrace]

OK, I think maybe the name should NOT be limited to triathalon - but maybe some kind of beginning workout group? How about BBB GET FIT or something stupid like that. I don't know. And, I definitely agree that if we will get spam we have to limit it. How about like 50 posts? If someone really wants to join they could get to 50 posts w/out much trouble!

Do we need a moderator? I can volunteer, but does it matter that I will be away from the boards and computer for 10 days in march? Or, were you volunteering? Even better :).

[jesseandgrace]

I DID IT: New Yahoo group:

[email protected]

Come join, and lets post about out workouts leading up to the danskin or other, our equipment purchases, etc. Hopefully we can encourage eachother and keep this up without clogging this board. I'm sorry for the cheesy name, but I guess it makes sense......

[nd93]

Ok, I clicked on the link and sent an email. Who receives these? I can help with moderating/owning (seeing as how I started this thread!). Let me know if there's anything I can do.

Thanks for creating this!

[jenmcadams]

A bike swap isn't a bad place to go if you get an idea of what you're looking for first. Sometimes local shops will even have booths at a bike swap, so you can also find someone to service your bike and work with you later. I totally understand the being economical part of this and think that if you can find a used bike that seems to fit you about right (I'll look for some links on finding a bike that fits, but you could also do a little recon at local bike stores and ask some sales guys what size bike they'd put you on), you could always go to a store and ask them to tune it up and give you an idea of whether you have it set up correctly (i.e. are the seat and handlebars at the right height). Ultimately, you want to establish a relationship with a shop that treats you well and most good shops know that if they work on your first bike (whether it's a used one or you bought it from them) and you grow to love cycling, you'll buy your next bike from them.

Also, good idea on the Yahoo group...even though I have no plans to do any real exercise until this baby is out and nursing, I'd be happy to join to follow everyone's progress in preparing for danskin.

[jesseandgrace]

I don't know, but I do know that I would be a BAD moderator, I am not consistent enough with checking it, so we should try to make you the moderator! So far there are are only 4 of us I think, so if we can get up to about 10 plus then we should try to give it a go, but if it stays at 4 I think we can bag it and just post here :). I think I am the default moderator beause I started it, but I think that should be easy to change!