Tri / Triathlon / Triathlons - do they float your boat?

I know its a bit early, but it seems that now is the time to be signing up for these types of things (the Blenheim one is already waitlisting).
I'd describe myself as um, sub-novice but I'm going to give the Dextro (olympic) in hyde park (24-25/7) a crack. Any southies getting involved in this kind of thing who are up for a bit of swim/cycle/run training? Also I want to do a sprint before the real thing - suggestions of events that are a) flat, b) easy to get to from London would be welcome. Ta, now flame away.... or sign up.

Sailing, cycling and running?
Hyde park pedalo as first leg of tri?
Of which boats do you speak?

Sorry, I'm bored at the moment

Sailing, cycling and running?

Na, Cycle to Pub, Eat Food, Drink Beer. Thats a real Triathlon.

Kattiep, have a look at the calender of events here, easy to get to, but a little expensive.
http://www.humanrace.co.uk/event-calendar.html

the kingston breakfast run is completely flat - 8 or 16 mile course in april
good luck

the hampton triathlons are very good early season tri's. you'll be lucky to get a place though. search thames turbo triathlons and you should find them.

mmm, loads of them are sold out all ready. Not only are these people fit, they're also organised.

I'm doing the Windsor Olympic and Thames Turbo Sprint on the 3rd of May as a sort of warm up. Never done one before so not really sure what to expect.

I'm south so will be up for some training if you want, I've been going out running with the Clapham Chasers (Terrible name and kit) and hopefully going to start swimming with them soon, seems like a good club with alot going on.

i like the idea of them, but fuck swimming before riding and running. especially if its open water. im a strong swimmer but theres no way id be able to ride or run straight away as it completely rinses my body.

mmm, loads of them are sold out all ready. Not only are these people rich, they're also have their secretaries do the bookings.
.

You're doing a full one before a sprint?

i like the idea of them, but fuck swimming before riding and running. especially if its open water. im a strong swimmer but theres no way id be able to ride or run straight away as it completely rinses my body.

Yes, water will do that...

You wear a wetsuit and just kind of float along... it really really helps.

Yes, water will do that...

hah comedienne.

Nah the sprint is in May and the Olympic one in in June. The sprint also has a shorter than normal swim (400m) which is good as I'm pretty bad at swimming.

If you're new the triathlon DEFINITELY do one the the Thames Turbo ones - go here to enter on-line. Cheap as chips compared to all the big name events too.

We run 4 events on the morning of each bank holiday monday. There are still places available.

The swim is in hampton open air pool (12 lengths, circa 430m), first swimmer off at 7am. Swim is in two waves and is seeded so there's as little biff in the water as poss - you just need a reasonably accurate 400m swim time.

Bike is a pan flat course (21Km) and the run is a pan flat 5Km trot around Bushy Park. Atmosphere is friendly and NOT elitist.

Kit:
Swim: Goggles and either a full tri suit or at the very least padded tri shorts (no nudity in transition) so you'll be wearing whatever you swim in. You could do speedos and pull shorts over them in transition.

Bike: Bike, helmet, number belt*, shoes and probably 1 bottle of water. If you're not wearing a tri suit (all-in-one) you'll need a top of some kind. It can be cold so maybe gloves and a windstopper top too. *(number belt - buy one for a fiver or make one out of inch wide elastic with a plastic buckle then pin your race number to it)

Run: Running shoes, number belt

I could go into specifics of other stuff you could use, but if you're just wanting to have a go, you really don't need shed loads of kit. As well as the fast boys on TT bikes with pointy hats, LOTS of folk do the Thames Turbo races on hybrids or clunkers and still have a great experience.

The only thing you can't use is a fixed wheel bike, single speed is ok, but not fixed.

As far as training goes the club runs a free 2 week trial where you can try all the sessions (contact membership via the website). 1 core strength session, 2 swim sessions, 1 group turbo session, 1 track session, 1 group run (1-1.5hrs), 1 group ride (3-6hrs depending on time of year) each week.

(obviously i'm involved with thames turbo)

hah comedienne.

Back at you, straight man...

i like the idea of them, but fuck swimming and running.

+1

I do agree about the running, but seriously swimming is fun! Just like splashing about in the tub.

in aberdeenshire they run duathlons in winter , its run-bike-run , some of the events they do novice and expert distances , did my first one last august , and hopefully get another 2 this spring , the bikes ranged from full on carbon TT bikes to my full suspension mountain bike , i can 10 out of 15 in my category , very nice atmosphere as well with them , so keen to improve upon my results , might even buy a road bike in the future

I've signed up with 4 friends for the Blenheim triathlon. Our individual skills are as follows:
Me) Riding a singlespeed (need higher GI) I can swim and haven't run ever. Smoker
Dan) Doesn't own a bike yet, runs regularly and can swim a bit.
Greg) Runs marathons, cycles with a club at weekends and does 3 -4 hours a day and cannot swim.
Steve) Doesn't own a bike yet, doesn't run and can swim a bit.
Dai) Doesn't own a bike yet, can swim as well as me and is a fat chef who can't run. Smoker.

Perhaps we are being a bit ambitious, but we have a winner takes all bet, so it should be fun. I hadn't realised how much effort and cost is involved in doing one of these.
Anyone in East London want to coach / train with me?

@ crimsonape; that is brilliant! I think that why triathlons appeal as everything evens out by the finish line.
I HATE running, but you force yourself to get out and do a couple of laps of your local park when you have to (then you kind of start to enjoy it).
I did the London sprint last year (1st ever) and I surprised myself by coming in the top 20%.
I didn't find it that hard.... I was a smoker at the time (had cut back though) and I didn't follow a training program. Basically each week I was doing 1 pump (weights) class, a 2.5km swim (indoor pool), a 5km run and maybe 5 laps of regents park on the bike. My mates who weren't even doing the tri loved 'taking me training round the park' over the summer - that followed by a few pints on the way home is swell.
I'm shitting myself having to do double everything this year, but its early days!

I can't stand them. I think it's the whole 'Jack of all trades/master of none' thing about Tri's I don't like.
Broken down into their individual components the diciplines are great, but Tri organisers seem to host so many in hell holes. Foe example I did a full Ironman and had to cycle 112 miles around Peterboroughs finest bypasses!
So I do speak from experience.

I can't stand them. I think it's the whole 'Jack of all trades/master of none' thing about Tri's I don't like.

+1
as a runner (and recreational cyclist) i get asked this all the time. i thus stick to what i do best and thats running.

I've just ponied up the cash to do this
http://www.humanrace.co.uk/more-info-on-eton-supersprints-%28sunday%29-393.html

as a warm up for the real thing
http://london.triathlon.org/enter_now/

It ain't cheap, so now I guess I have to put some effort in.