Wandering Dawn

A California girl exploring the world

beginner triathlon

My First Sprint Triathlon

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Feeling the pre-race anxiety!

On July 24, 2011, I woke up before the crack of down to race my first sprint triathlon – Solana Beach! My goals going into the race were simple:

1. Don’t drown during the 400m ocean swim.
2. Don’t fall off the bike during the 9 mile ride.
3. Run as fast as I can during the 5k.

I’m happy to report that I accomplished all those goals!!  I didn’t spend too much time training for my first sprint – approx 5 weeks – but it went really well.  Below is a little bit about each leg along with my split times.

Leg 1: 400m Ocean Swim in Fletcher’s Cove (14:27)

I’ve never been a swimmer.  Before I started triathlon training, I rarely even went into the ocean past waist deep.  Just ask my friends that went to Rio with me earlier this year.  Even in the scorching heat, I was a sand girl all the way.  Waves and current were simply not for me!  Part of the commitment I had to make with my triathlon training, however, was getting over my fear of open water swimming.  I literally dove right in and did my first two races in open water (bay and ocean) with very little training.  Needless to say I am much less afraid of open water swimming, and neither experience was traumatic. I love swimming in a wetsuit. I feel like it keeps me safe and warm!  (It essentially acts as a floatation device making it easier to swim.) I felt good getting out of the water knowing I had conquered my fear.  I finished the swim portion of the triathlon behind all my friends, but I was happy I wasn’t the last one out of the water (and that I didn’t drown).

Exiting the water during Solana Beach

Leg 2: 9 mile bike ride on the 101 (36:23)

I entered the transition area to change from swim to bike and felt a little light-headed when taking off my wetsuit. I think my body was still getting used to all the swimming, so hopefully the swim dizziness will subside the more I train.  I successfully got on my bike and clipped in without falling (success!) and was on my way for the 2 loop course.  I worked on pedaling as fast as I could and not getting passed. I’ve been getting more and more comfortable on the bike over time, and the best thing is that there is a lot of room for improvement. It’s important that I get my speed up before my Ironman. The faster I go, the less hours that my booty will be on the bike! During Solana Beach, I started gaining ground and passed several girls in my age group that were out of the water before me. My legs were pretty strong after marathon training and P90X.

Finishing the bike ride with a smile

Leg 3: 5k Run (23:41)

I was very excited for the final part of the triathlon because it’s my strongest area of the triathlon.   I just completed a full marathon 6 weeks earlier, so I wasn’t worried about a 3.1 mile run.  It was definitely a weird feeling running immediately after riding a bike, but that didn’t stop me from finishing strong and passing more girls in my age group! I finished with a time of 1:14:31 and placed 34th in my age group.

Happy Triathletes

Solana Beach sprint triathlon is a very good race for beginners looking for a little extra challenge with the ocean entry swim.  I had so much fun the entire time I raced and was fortunate enough to have my family there cheering me every step of the way. I’m so happy they support my crazy fitness endeavours, and I bet they can’t wait to join me in Coeur d’Alene for my full Ironman next year!  Until then, I will be ramping up my training and rewarding myself with a cerveza or cupcake every now and then.

Celebrating a successful race

Beginner’s Triathlon

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Preparing for my first open water swim

First Time Triathlon Finishers!

SWIM, BIKE, RUN!  One day I’d like to complete an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run).  There is nothing wrong with setting ambitious goals!  I believe this is attainable if I train hard, but first things first…I need to complete a triathlon!  After I completed my first marathon on June 5, I signed up with the Tri Club of San Diego (TCSD) to start training.  I highly recommend this organization if you are looking to get into triathlons or if you’re already a triathlete.  One of the club’s many perks is the free races they put on each month.  In June a short two weeks after my marathon, I completed a Beginner’s Practice Triathlon hosted by TCSD.  How did I get there?  Well I essentially dove right in because aside from running, I had put in no triathlon training!  That’s the beauty of a beginner’s triathlon.  It’s manageable, and all the experienced triathletes are there to help you.

The Swim: 300m

I have a fear of open water swimming.  I am not a strong, comfortable swimmer, and I am rarely in the water. (Typically I’m laying out in the sand!) I see the swim as the biggest challenge for me, so I am going to put in the most time focusing on this area. On the day of the beginner race, I put on my wetsuit and found a swim buddy.  A swim buddy is someone who will stay with you throughout the course of the swim. She can help you stay straight and on course, provide words of encouragement, and just make you feel better knowing that someone is there watching you in case you freak out!

~85 Swimmers

My First Transition

My first open water swim went much better than I thought it would.  I didn’t drown!  Accomplishment!  I couldn’t do freestyle the entire time because my breathing was too laborious, so about halfway through, I started switching up my stroke and did breast stroke, back stroke, and freestyle. Better than not completing it, right?

The Bike: 7 miles

I don’t have cycling experience, so I was a bit apprehensive about the bike as well…especially because I had 2 days to practice using clips! I was sure I’d fall!  Luckily, I didn’t.  I borrowed a friend’s road bike for the race. (Actually I borrowed ALL bike elements including shoes for the clip-in peddles!) I was towards the back of the pack getting out of the water (which was expected), so I tried to pass people on the bike.  (This wasn’t supposed to be a “race,” but I’m too competitive to go easy on myself.)

Getting Ready for the Bike Portion of the Race

I wasn’t sure how hard to pedal because this was the first time I had ridden a bike that far. My bike experience is limited to about 2-3 times on a beach cruiser per year. Now that I’ve been practicing more (on my own new bike!!), I am starting to understand how hard to push myself.  This part of the beginner’s triathlon was pretty straight forward. I almost even got bored since I didn’t have music or anyone to talk to. That was a new concept for me.

Coming off the Bike

The Run: 2 miles

I went out hard and fast on the run.  This is my only area of expertise in the triathlon after all!  My legs felt a little weird after having spent 7 miles on the bike, but they weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be.  I found out when I finished that I was doing about 7 minute miles which is very fast for me!  It felt great FINALLY passing large groups of people the beat me in the swim or bike.  At least I know I can finish strong!

Running with my hair down - No time for a pony!

Finishing strong!

Final Thoughts

If you are a beginner wannabe triathlete like me, I highly recommend doing a practice/beginner-friendly triathlon before your first race, if possible.  It made me more confident and really excited. I honestly had so much fun!  The support system at the race was also amazing.  Triathletes seem to be very supportive of each other.  I cannot wait for the Solana Beach Sprint Triathlon!  My first official race is only 2 weeks away (7/24)!  Solana Beach is a 1/4 mile ocean swim (yikes!), 9 mile bike, and 3 mile run – aka a “sprint” triathlon.  You’ll be hearing all about it. Until then, it’s back to training! I need to get ready for my sprint so I can eventually be an Ironman.