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

If you don’t already check out Lachlan Earnshaw on YouTube, Aussie ametuer Ironman guy who’s pretty quick and thinks up some crazy training challenges. Inspiring me to do a triple brick workout next weekend if the expected snow and ice arrives up north

Sorry for the long post in advance...

Hi all, new to triathlon and would appreciate some advice from others. I did the full on rookie move signing up to an IM (Midnight man - Aug 2023) without having done a competitive triathlon. Poor excuse but this summer is the last I can fully focus on training for various reasons.

I was already doing around 8-10 hours of running/cycling a week before signing up and started swimming back in September.

Currently swimming 2x a week ~19.5mins 1km TT without breaks, although my technique + breathing is definitely holding me back, not fitness. Intend to join the local tri club soon to help train this.
Done a few half marathons as part of training (slow - 1h45-2h), only limited by ongoing knee issues (under control with a strength plan currently). Current 10km ~43min
Can jump on the bike and do iron distance, slowly (~27.5 I imagine, it has been a while since I did a full 6h stint), though am limited by setup. I will have a bike fit at some point soon.
Doing 3x a week strengthening for the next 4-6 weeks before transitioning to maintenance.

I'm aiming for a decent time, not just to complete it. Currently reading + planning using Joe Friel's book Triathlon Bible, but would appreciate if anyone could recommend some resources aimed at IM distance specifically - the half resources @Retro_Bastard linked looked like they would help?

Also, if anyone is based near Kingston, I'm always looking for training buddies!

Firstly good luck💪 i had the the Triathlon Bible it's really good covers everything and all of the advice and methods are proven and it's only at the real marginal gains end that ideas have changed a bit since. If you could only buy one book for triathlon that would be it. I've got the Chrissy Wellington book which doesn't really have training plans in it but it's full of stories and tips and tricks which are definitely useful and its all iron distance specific. I've got the big swim smooth book and a USB from another swim system i can't remember which and you can have any or all them if you want? I recommend Effortless Swimming on YouTube and Triathlon Taren is good especially for completers and faster AG finishers. Most ironman youtubers are either pros or aspiring pros so apart from the odd modified single workout and some inspiration i certainly don't get much out of them don't try and copy what Lionel Sanders is doing. I tried first lockdown because why not I've got nothing better to do so went from 15 to 25-30h a week ironman training and lasted about 3 weeks 😂 Harry Palmer is probably the best of the semi/pro youtubers i still find him relatable even though he's pretty much a full time athlete and seems honest about the roller coaster of iron man training and racing.

Thanks for the swimming tips, will have a look on YouTube. Certainly wouldn't mind looking at the others so I'll PM you.

Definitely won't be using pro training plans! Really looking at 10-15h a week max.

I'm 6"4, 78kg, current FTP is ~285W (likely higher but I stopped twice during the test due to traffic for ~1min), run pace is 4:20/km at threshold and swimming 19.5/1km. Never trained with a structure before, just pushed harder/faster.

By good time I'm realistically looking at <12-13h and the course is quite flat. Is this completely unrealistic given that it's still 8 months away?

In prep for Ironman this year and bearing in mind the last few long distance tris I’ve done I’ve run terribly off the bike I booked myself into a bike fit with Matt Bottril, was a great experience despite the long trip up there, feel like it’s a great blend of getting biomechanics right and heading in the right direction aerodynamically, only slight gripe is the way he puts on some pretty expensive parts on your bike without that much consent in terms of how much you’re spending,

Changes for me were a change of extensions, a slight dropping of my hands, I chose to switch to single button di2 as I want to take the broken ones off and cannibalise them for another project, new cleat position and shims under one foot and then a move of the saddle up and forwards. He also suggested buying a new helmet as the met drone looks to compliment my body position better…

In the couple of weeks since I’ve noticed a big difference in comfort of the bike - managed a pretty solid hour in position on the turbo at the weekend, something I’d never managed before.

In other news training is going ok, but work travel for the last two weeks has meant I didn’t have as much time on Saturdays to do a long ride, as I’ve been making up time with the family, no travel for a few weeks now so I’m looking forward to getting some longer rides in the next few weeks!

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Midnight man - Aug 2023

Bloody hell, so this still exists! And one of my old mates won it last year. Did the first one of these on my fixie, and that was the last tri I did. Been thinking recently I might do another, but would like to do it on a penny-farthing, if I could get my hands on one. An offbeat event like Midnight Man would be more likely to let you do that...

I have no doubt that any conditioned individual could lap me on a penny farthing. Give them a message, maybe see you there! I'll probably be able to tell who you are ;)

I'll be the gangly guy with mismatched gear on my steal of a second hand Cervelo 2012 P2 - not quite the above hah - very jealous

A couple of cheap and a couple of free swim bits here
https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/383682/

Any recommendations on a good base bar/aero bar combo? Atm I’ve just got the fairly basic vision cockpit that came with the boardman air tt bike I bought, which offers zero adjustability. Sounds fairly fussy to put it in writing but I’d like something that’s fairly aesthetically pleasing where the risers bold directly to the aero bar - as opposed to just getting new aero bars for my vision base bar and using the clamp extenders

There are a few Chinese options out there or companies like pdq who bring them into the Uk… if you’re after a more affordable option the zipp vuka bars are pretty good, especially the number that come off mid range tt bikes and go on eBay…

Then money no object there’s always tririg alphas.

Money very much an object. Was looking at the Dolan ones initially

Just picked up a set of the Vukas on ebay for well under RRP, they are lovely + decently adjustable, but I'd never spend RRP when comparing to the Decathlon set, unless you know you need to raise them.

Speaking of - does anyone nearby London happen to have any Zipp vuka / profile T raisers I can buy/borrow for a weeked to test? I have no idea how much of a raise I'll need, but it'll likely be hefty (5-7cm).

I have no issues buying them but would rather not have to buy + test multiple sizes

I've got the PDQ bars from Ian Cammish but they have a uk website now as well slightly cheaper than the Alpina bars but very similar. Matt or gloss with or without logos but only a 25° extension option. I sold my poles on here and swapped out for some higher rise 45° 3t extentions. The PDQ are really popular with the Testers and are really easy to adjust with extra spacers and bolts available pretty cheap. I had aerocoach angles on my other bike which were great and the only reason I'm not running them on my main TT bike is because there not compatible with my beloved Torhans BTA i paid £90 for the alu angles but the current carbon ones for £115 seem very good value especially compared to something like the D2Z classic extensions. If the 25° PDQ extentions work with your position the are very light. 3t and Zipp do come up online pretty much half price occasionally but Zipp spares are harder to get hold of and can be expensive

Thinking about testing within my training plan, would you do tests in all 3 sports in one week- probably would need to be a week 4 recovery week on that basis, or would you do one each week so could be done any week?
I’m only doing sprint and oly so training load is not excessive. Most sites suggest do one per week but I wonder if doing tests in a week whilst fatigued is more realistic?

I do have a full set but I’m holding onto them for a friend at the moment, hadn’t realised how much they cost till I looked them up just now… will push him to see if he actually wants them when I see him at the weekend, and let you know

That'd be ace thanks.

Equally if they're not new and he doesn't mind me using them for a weekend before he takes them then that would be almost as good!

These look like exactly what I’m after, thanks!

I’m on a coached 70.3 plan through training peaks, and the first 2 weeks were dedicated to testing. Copied them below to give you an idea on how it was structured but obviously scale it back for Olympic.

Monday: swim test and easy 6km run
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: easy swim (5x200) and 7km tempo run
Thursday: 1 hour z2 turbo
Friday: rest
Saturday: run test
Sunday: 40km z2 bike
Monday: swim (8x100) and 7km easy run
Tuesday: 1 hour z2 turbo
Wednesday: I skipped a run due to a slight calf twinge I didn’t want to risk injuring, but was prescribed 7km tempo
Thursday: swapped my prescribed swim for a hard coached session, 1 hour z2 turbo
Friday: rest
Saturday: ftp test
Sunday: easy 10km run

Should note that my ftp was already fairly spot on (within 1w of the ftp test), so I was more keen to see the swim and run test results in week one, and my bike sessions were already accurate enough.

+1 for the PDQ bars, I really like them too. Well, these are branded selcof but its the same model. If you want to have your extensions at an angle, you can buy this fixing.

While I'm here: Where do you all buy your foam padding for your arm rests?

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good TT bike fitter Southwest London (Kingston)/nearby?

Ideally one with a 2 bike service as need the my everyday bike setup as well.

Have some old knee injuries so would be helpful if they were able to work around these.

I presume you’re looking for someone who has some aerodynamic knowledge too, there’s a whole thread of more general bike fitters but freespeed have a good rep and are in Teddington. Most place will be happy to set two bikes up for you… but usually with an accompanying cost!

Yeah sorry, was thinking with aero knowledge although looking for a more relaxed fit for distance!

Looks like they've closed sadly. I'll check out the places they recommend.

Looking for an old swim/triathlon watch if anyone’s getting rid of one: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/383769/#comment16864927

Matt bottril was very good, but he’s near Leicester…