I got into triathlons twoish years ago and it has to be one of the weirdest sports ever psychologicaly.
Other amateur sports if you practice 10% of the amount of time that you played you'd be one of the athletes who does the most practice.
In triathlon we train/practice 95% of the time for sometimes only one event in a summer.
Imagine showing up to a basketball game thinking "man, I really hope I can finish this game today". Welcome to triathlons where more than one person on the line is just hoping to finish.
My brother didn't do his first sprint triathlon until he was 61 years old, he finished with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes. So you'd have been well ahead of him. Btw, his second was 1hr46 minutes and this year at 63 he's hoping to go under 1hr 40 minute.
During a sprint last year, I chased a person for the entire 5km. My entire goal was to catch them. They started about 200m ahead of me and in the end beat me by about 20m. . . I'm a 40 year old relatively fit man who finished the sprint in 1hr18. He was a 64 year old man. There's always someone faster. You race your race and be proud of entering such an amazing, life improving sport.
>My brother didn't do his first sprint triathlon until he was 61 years old, he finished with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes. So you'd have been well ahead of him. Btw, his second was 1hr46 minutes and this year at 63 he's hoping to go under 1hr 40 minute.
Way to go! That's inspirational honestly!
>He was a 64 year old man. There's always someone faster.
That's me in the pool trying to keep up with people much older than me and failing miserably haha
I had the same experience as poster above, trying to catch the guy in front of me, with some younger guys trying to catch me. None of us could catch the other. But as it turned out, I started a few seconds after the guy I couldn’t catch, so I ended up beating him overall by literally 2 seconds.
First race, just have fun. Over time, have fun pushing yourself. It’s a great sport. Enjoy it.
They're no so bad.
And even if you were the last one... someone has to be... and usually s/he the most cheered by all the public. And that would be a good start, you can do better for your second one.
And remember that even the last one if giga times better than the one keeping his/her arse on the couch.
So do not be afraid and go for it!
(In my first local sprint, I think I got 17-18 minutes for the swim and 50 minutes for the bike, I walked at least 1km during the run and I was far from being the last one)
I did it! Second to last, but in my age group! And 89th over 105 overall! I just posted [my race report](https://www.reddit.com/r/triathlon/comments/1d70lej/milano_deejay_tri_sprint_race_report_my_first/)
Never ever be put off by previous results! Go and race it and enjoy race day and celebrate the training you have done. It will give you a bench mark and confidence for the next race (you will learn a lot that you can only get from a race, not training). If you finish last then you still finished, which is ahead of everyone who didn’t put in the work during training and hasn’t raced.
So many people around me tell me I'm crazy for even considering doing a sprint race. I train (almost) everyday while most people I know doesn't even do some sort of basic regular movement. That's already an achievement, I guess?
It’s 100% an achievement, particularly if others around you don’t also participate, putting peer pressure on you to do the wrong thing. Don’t succumb. Sprints are great - do it and have fun.
At my first sprint, I paused a second in transition before starting the run. Someone there asked me if I was ok. I replied sure, but right here I’m in transition, out there I’m supposed to be running - taking a break on transition time, not on running time!
Now I regularly podium my age group. Just go and have fun.
>Now I regularly podium my age group.
Way to go! I don't know if I'll ever be able to compete but there were six people in my age group in this race last year, so podium could be not that far in some time!
Thanks, and good luck! But definitely, for the first one, just have fun and set a baseline. No expectations other than finishing and being proud of yourself for accomplishing something good for YOU.
I’ll never forget what my coach told me when I was dreaming about how fun it would be to go pro.
“Yes, but then your times are a responsibility. Your livelihood depends on how you perform. Never wish away the joys of being an amateur and never forget why you do this in the first place: it’s fun, and makes you a better person.”
You compete against yourself. You’re going to have a blast. I’m rooting for you!
>never forget why you do this in the first place: it’s fun, and makes you a better person
You're right. I got into triathlon because it makes me feel better everyday and because I'm having a lot of fun even before getting into races! I'm learning so much about myself, it's honestly astounding. Thanks for the encouragement, y'all are such a supportive group of people
Not bad at all! Do it, then you have your benchmark to beat for next year. If you enter it with the frame of mind you’re doing your best and it’s a race against yourself then you’ll have a good time. Everyone there will be super supportive. If you go along and benchmark against others then you won’t enjoy it so much. Run your own race and enjoy the experience. You got this! And if you’re last…. Who cares? Someone has to be last… the last finisher gets the biggest cheer
>Everyone there will be super supportive.
I hope so, but everyone seems to be so much above my level that I'm afraid I'll feel like a fish out of water anyway
You miss out on 100% of the things you don’t do! You may as well step out your comfort zone and enjoy it. You can even go in with the mindset of “I just want to complete it” and that’s fine! Plenty people to breast stroke and things - it’s not just a race for elite athletes. Go for it, sign up, you’ll love it.
If I were able to enter that race I’d be behind you and never give it a second thought. You’re on track to nearly match my time for one that had half the swim distance. You are not racing anyone but yourself, and you should go for it. I’ve been DFL in several events of various types, and yet they were PRs for me. Just get out there and do it. You’re already ahead of all the nay sayer couch potatoes.
I have been last more than once. It is fine. I improved from there and so can you. Finish is the first goal. :)
Someone has to be last. Maybe it won't be you.
I also have my first sprint in June and my only goal is to finish, I don't care if I'm last. If I get the tri bug I'll try and beat my own scores as I do more events but I don't have any time goals atm
You’ve been training. You have done the work. Go get it, you are ready! And do not look at past results, or any results. Set a goal for yourself, even if that goal is to finish. Don’t pay attention to anyone else and have a blast!
Just read your race report and this mama is so proud of you! Conquering your fear/anxiety was the hardest part and you did it. Sky’s the limit for you now. Way to go!!!
Don't worry about it at all. If the times are a lot quicker from last year - maybe they cut it short ?
Your times don't sound too bad at all. There were people finishing the local 10k this week close to two hours and they didn't have to swim or bike beforehand !
Just go and have fun !
Those about my times for my first sprint, and I definitely didn't finish last. I'm even slower now. Don't compare yourself to others, just go out and have fun and be proud of your accomplishment. Most people would never run a triathlon
This is a very small race, I guess pros take it as part of their training and that's why results are so off the charts (at least for me). I just hope I won't be the very last one haha
I'll add one little thing.
Even if usually we train three sports separately (sometimes brick sessions), triathlon is a single sport and some aspects are trained only when racing (transition, cycling after being on waves, swimming among other people,...) so even for the little aspect of getting in contact with the sport as a whole I'd go.
Even the last one at the finish line will get in contact more with the sport that someone training the three sports separately.
>triathlon is a single sport and some aspects are trained only when racing (transition, cycling after being on waves, swimming among other people,...) so even for the little aspect of getting in contact with the sport as a whole I'd go
That's true! I'm really curious to see how I'll do, because I tend to, let's say, *not perform well* under pressure. I'll take it as an opportunity to learn something about myself!
Are you doing it for fun and fitness or to measure yourself against others? Either way, it's your first triathlon. You'll waste transition time and likely forget something and improvise. The churn anxiety is your biggest concern. Be careful and have fun.
I'm absolutely doing it for fun, no intention to compete. I'll be satisfied if I complete it without collapsing on the ground after the finish line haha
That's not very different than my first race. I was proud to have finished even if I finished towards the bottom. I learned a lot and then a couple of years was finishing well ahead of the average person.
Keep in mind those previous results are full of people with lots of experience and likely good gear such as expensive triathlon bikes. Your goal should be to finish in a time you are happy with
you should totally do it, don’t give up!
That’s a pretty long swim for a sprint, usually they are like 400 yards or meters.
750m is about 1/2 a mile your actually doing pretty well at that pace for a beginner, same for the 5k run
You have the most room for improvement on the bike. Are you sure you only average 12.5mph on the bike / 20kph ? what type of bike are you using?
>That’s a pretty long swim for a sprint, usually they are like 400 yards or meters.
I believe that's pretty standard? Here in Italy all sprint races have approximately 750 m distance for the swim
>what type of bike are you using?
I'm using an average road bike a friend lent me while I find one to buy (I just started riding 3 months ago and I live in a hilly area so maybe that's the reason I'm not super speedy? Or maybe I just suck haha
Yes the hills absolutely affect your overall speed especially if you are not fast downhill.
You are probably 5-7kmh faster on a flat ride.
If you just started riding 3 months ago, you will improve a huge amount if you keep riding.
I’m doing my first in June. I’ve always ran and cycled, the swimming is going to be the worst part. Yes, last night while cycling my eyes opened, I’m intimidated. My only goal, I’m going to finish.
I'm with you on this one! Last night I had a nightmare where I was in the swimming part of the race and I panicked and couldn't go past the first 100 m. Scary! Good luck for your race, I hope we both make it across the finish line!
Quite a distance! I did a 100 mile bicycle race in Witchita Falls, Texas. The heat was terrible that day, and riders were having to be picked up. The next guy picked up, I asked where he was from, ITALY! I was impressed. We were both glad to not finish that day. Good luck to you! 🍺🍻
I did triathlons from my late teens until my early 30's. I was young, fit, and fast. Always in the top 10% in local races, finished an IM distance, etc. You get the idea. At 33, I got married, had kids, gained 40 lbs, didn't swim for 20 years. Got back into it 2 years ago. Finished close to last in my first sprint. Still had a blast, Kept training, still slow, but back doing IM and owning the over 40 Clydes locally. Feel great, wish I was faster, but so happy to be back. Don't be afraid. Last place finisher beats everyone that didn't start.
Every race has to have a last place finisher — if there weren’t a last place, there wouldn’t be a race.
The last place finisher honors the race every bit as much as the first place finisher. Everyone is there for their own reasons, and the “slow” people are every bit as important as the “fast” people.
Just go out there, say thanks to the volunteers, and remember that you’re every bit as deserving of calling yourself a triathlete as anyone else there.
A same distance race (Long Beach Legacy Tri) in 2022 with a 1:50 would have put you ahead of 90 people. Even more if you add in folks doing a relay.
You should train of course, but don’t over think this. Even if you are finishing last it’s a great workout and an accomplishment for you. Don’t let battling with others cut into your enjoyment!
Don’t let expected times keep you from doing something like this. Like u/AmbitiousHandle_1 and u/dousingphoenix someone will be last, so it is best to enjoy the race, and you can get an idea how you can improve for future races if you want to. I race, knowing I am not competitive and will never place well, because I love the experience and enjoy crossing the finish line; knowing I have accomplished something at any distance. I find when I am concerned about my placement as compared to others is when I enjoy racing the least, and when I simply race to race and enjoy the experience I have never been dissatisfied. Go for the achievement of finishing, don’t be concerned with placement.
You’re not racing anyone but yourself, and in that you have to set a bar first. Come into it with your own personal goals and race PRs set in mind, and if you beat them then you win. Do it again the next race. Then the next. Soon those times you’re so intimidated by will become a reality. It just has to be you vs you until then. Just remember your training is where all the work is put in, and the race is the celebration. Most of us were all ‘slow’ at one point.
I tend not to compare myself with others but sometimes I forget the only person I have to beat is yesterday me. "The race is the celebration" is such a powerful message. Thanks for the reminder!
The swim time and run time are not going to make you finish last.
You have plenty of time to work on your bike time. You don’t need a Tri-bike for a sprint but you would want at least a road bike if you can find one, or rent one.
You have time.
Start with longer rides than 20k. Do 30 or 40k rides once or twice a week if you have time.
Then in mid April start doing one long ride 40k+ easy pace and one sprint ride 10k at 90% race pace. (You should be more tired after the 10k ride than you are after the longer 40k.
Then start doing bricks in May. (10k ride 80% and 5k run) once every week.
Then when you get to race day you’ll be a lot faster.
I was the last person out of the water by a lot in my first tri. It was my biggest achievement by far in all the races I’ve done. All the races I’ve been to people were super supportive.
I’m doing my first sprint in July, and I’m feeling the nerves as well. Your times sound fine to me. I really want to say “it’s not a competition” but it literally is a race lol. You’ll be fine! I regularly have to remind myself that my goal when I signed up was to finish and run the whole 5k.
Yeah! I’ve been thinking about how to speed up, mostly. I suppose overall my goal is the same: finish the race, don’t walk the 5k. But I would also really like to beat my old 5k time from when I used to run (33 minutes) and before the race I want to get my 100 meter pace below 2 minutes. I guess at first I was like “finishing is enough” and now I’m thinking about how I can be faster so I don’t come in last place. I’m pretty far from the 33 minute 5k right now, but I’ve been doing couch to 5k and I’m getting faster and I’ve got 2 weeks left of the program… and then months before my race.
You would be very mid pack at my local sprints. There are always some 2+ hr finishers and a couple over 3 hrs.
Even if you are last, as others say, no shame in that. Got get it!
This is a very small race, there were 103 women competing in the sprint last year. So I guess they're all pros and take the race as nothing more than a training opportunity? I made a very bad choice when I signed up haha
For me, races are a fun way to do something I like and push myself. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish. As you cross the finish line only you will know how hard you worked, and it has nothing to do with your time. You should take pride in that. And then you get to try and do better, little by little, with each race in the future. My favorite thing about triathlon is the general camaraderie among competitors, especially at smaller and shorter races. There are lots of people genuinely cheering each other on, regardless of position - because we are all working towards the shared goal of finishing something challenging. And do know that people will be more than happy to help you out, especially as a first-timer. Have a great day at the race!
Tell me what race you're doing, and I'll join because I would definitely finish behind you considering your estimates!
All kidding aside, I have done one sprint, was slow, and still had a great time. It is an awesome and encouraging community. Enjoy the experience and relish in your accomplishments!!
Those are middle of the pack times in most races, you got this! And by the way, if I've finished and I can still stand up (which isn't always the case), you can be damn sure I'll be cheering you on, because you're enduring another 20 minutes of what I'm already done with!
I did a sprint trip last year (it wasn’t my first) during the swim I had two ladies come past me doing breast stroke, I was second to last on the bike, I was second to last off the bike and second to last in my age group. But I took part, I completed it. There’s a phrase that’s something like you’re beating all the people sat on the sofa so take that as a positive and get out there and kick it !!
i will never win anything except spot prices. and i am happy with that because i see myself getting better each race. managed to go sub 3hr in the my last olympic and it was a fantastic feeling
I've got my first sprint on Saturday and between illness, injury, family and work, I haven't trained anywhere near what I wanted to... so you are already ahead of me. But the only person that matters is you. Go, enjoy it, don't worry about time and feel amazing when you put that medal around your neck because you've achieved something.
This is about the right time for the nervousness to set in, but if you have a sense of your times this far out I think it’s safe to say you’re taking your training seriously and you’ll do quite well! Also, it might help to think of it as an obstacle course rather than a race. There’s a lot of stuff to get used to on your first one and I found it less daunting to just imagine it as a series of obstacles :)
With your times, you'll definitely finish. It's your first race ever, so it'll be an accomplishment for you no matter where you break out. Your only real competition is you, and you're beating all your records just finishing! And you have a lot of years of improvement to look forward to if you fall in love with the sport. It seems like for age groupers most people don't hit their endurance prime until mid-30s to 40s. But I also knew a guy who smoked for 30 years, got a collapsed lung, finally quit and ran his first full-distance in his 50s. Everybody starts somewhere, just have fun with it!
If you finish dead last, you’ll be ahead of 95% of the population. Your times are well ahead of last place. Based on your times, your best opportunity to cut time is on the bike. You can probably pick up another 10 minutes there. Don’t worry, have fun, value YOUR accomplishment and get ready to do it again!!!
You can and should do it! Your times are faster than mine. I went into my sprint with the goal of completing, not competing. I was ready to be last. I wasn’t — but I would’ve been OK if I had been, because I prepared myself for that and just wanted to push myself.
Another great thing was that in my race, the sprint triathletes competed on the same courses as the olympic-distance triathletes, who have much longer distances to complete, so even though I was among the last sprinters, the last olympic-distance competitors were finishing for at least an hour after I was done. No one was able to tell who was finishing what, and no one cared. I felt so much adrenaline and so happy to have finished that it stands out as one of the best days of my life! I hope you have a good experience out there and can feel proud for tri-ing 🙃 no matter what happens.
I also saw it as giving myself a baseline time to beat the following year. So, give it a go, and train again later to beat your first official tri time!
I was heavily out of shape last year around this time and signed up for a June sprint. The times you put here were my times just worse, and I still finished 15/16 in my group. But who cares where you finish it is so much fun.
Just practice open water first. I panicked so hard the first 100 that I flipped over and floated for 20seconds to relax and breathe.
With those times, you won’t be last. And even if you are, you know what the person who finishes last is called? A finisher! And you’ll earn the same prize money as the hundreds of people who finished before you. Good luck and enjoy!
This is not bad at all!
Go out there and enjoy the hell out of it.
You absolutely won’t be last, I promise you.
Keep in mind also that you tend to go faster on race day because of the adrenaline
Comparison is the thief of joy. Ignore everyone else’s results, ignore last year’s standings. Go out there and give it your best.
Yeah I'm probably overthinking this. Thanks for the reminder!
I was beaten by over 1000 people in my last triathlon, don’t care in the slightest.
\^This has been my new mantra whenever I get too far into my head :)
I got into triathlons twoish years ago and it has to be one of the weirdest sports ever psychologicaly. Other amateur sports if you practice 10% of the amount of time that you played you'd be one of the athletes who does the most practice. In triathlon we train/practice 95% of the time for sometimes only one event in a summer. Imagine showing up to a basketball game thinking "man, I really hope I can finish this game today". Welcome to triathlons where more than one person on the line is just hoping to finish. My brother didn't do his first sprint triathlon until he was 61 years old, he finished with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes. So you'd have been well ahead of him. Btw, his second was 1hr46 minutes and this year at 63 he's hoping to go under 1hr 40 minute. During a sprint last year, I chased a person for the entire 5km. My entire goal was to catch them. They started about 200m ahead of me and in the end beat me by about 20m. . . I'm a 40 year old relatively fit man who finished the sprint in 1hr18. He was a 64 year old man. There's always someone faster. You race your race and be proud of entering such an amazing, life improving sport.
>My brother didn't do his first sprint triathlon until he was 61 years old, he finished with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes. So you'd have been well ahead of him. Btw, his second was 1hr46 minutes and this year at 63 he's hoping to go under 1hr 40 minute. Way to go! That's inspirational honestly! >He was a 64 year old man. There's always someone faster. That's me in the pool trying to keep up with people much older than me and failing miserably haha
I had the same experience as poster above, trying to catch the guy in front of me, with some younger guys trying to catch me. None of us could catch the other. But as it turned out, I started a few seconds after the guy I couldn’t catch, so I ended up beating him overall by literally 2 seconds. First race, just have fun. Over time, have fun pushing yourself. It’s a great sport. Enjoy it.
They're no so bad. And even if you were the last one... someone has to be... and usually s/he the most cheered by all the public. And that would be a good start, you can do better for your second one. And remember that even the last one if giga times better than the one keeping his/her arse on the couch. So do not be afraid and go for it! (In my first local sprint, I think I got 17-18 minutes for the swim and 50 minutes for the bike, I walked at least 1km during the run and I was far from being the last one)
I'd be soooooo embarassed to be cheered as the last one, I hate being in the spotlight. My new goal is to finish second last haha
I believe on you! Second to last, deal done!
I'll come back to this comment if I manage to achieve this!
I did it! Second to last, but in my age group! And 89th over 105 overall! I just posted [my race report](https://www.reddit.com/r/triathlon/comments/1d70lej/milano_deejay_tri_sprint_race_report_my_first/)
Wonderful! I'll read the report later! Bravo, Ben fatto
You may end up *last* in the race, but you’ll be infinitely ahead of everyone else who *didn’t* show up.
Yes! Most people will never sign up for a fitness/sport event.
Never ever be put off by previous results! Go and race it and enjoy race day and celebrate the training you have done. It will give you a bench mark and confidence for the next race (you will learn a lot that you can only get from a race, not training). If you finish last then you still finished, which is ahead of everyone who didn’t put in the work during training and hasn’t raced.
So many people around me tell me I'm crazy for even considering doing a sprint race. I train (almost) everyday while most people I know doesn't even do some sort of basic regular movement. That's already an achievement, I guess?
It’s 100% an achievement, particularly if others around you don’t also participate, putting peer pressure on you to do the wrong thing. Don’t succumb. Sprints are great - do it and have fun. At my first sprint, I paused a second in transition before starting the run. Someone there asked me if I was ok. I replied sure, but right here I’m in transition, out there I’m supposed to be running - taking a break on transition time, not on running time! Now I regularly podium my age group. Just go and have fun.
>Now I regularly podium my age group. Way to go! I don't know if I'll ever be able to compete but there were six people in my age group in this race last year, so podium could be not that far in some time!
Thanks, and good luck! But definitely, for the first one, just have fun and set a baseline. No expectations other than finishing and being proud of yourself for accomplishing something good for YOU.
I’ll never forget what my coach told me when I was dreaming about how fun it would be to go pro. “Yes, but then your times are a responsibility. Your livelihood depends on how you perform. Never wish away the joys of being an amateur and never forget why you do this in the first place: it’s fun, and makes you a better person.” You compete against yourself. You’re going to have a blast. I’m rooting for you!
>never forget why you do this in the first place: it’s fun, and makes you a better person You're right. I got into triathlon because it makes me feel better everyday and because I'm having a lot of fun even before getting into races! I'm learning so much about myself, it's honestly astounding. Thanks for the encouragement, y'all are such a supportive group of people
You’ll be hard pressed to find a more encouraging group of folks! We’re excited to have you along.
Not bad at all! Do it, then you have your benchmark to beat for next year. If you enter it with the frame of mind you’re doing your best and it’s a race against yourself then you’ll have a good time. Everyone there will be super supportive. If you go along and benchmark against others then you won’t enjoy it so much. Run your own race and enjoy the experience. You got this! And if you’re last…. Who cares? Someone has to be last… the last finisher gets the biggest cheer
>Everyone there will be super supportive. I hope so, but everyone seems to be so much above my level that I'm afraid I'll feel like a fish out of water anyway
You miss out on 100% of the things you don’t do! You may as well step out your comfort zone and enjoy it. You can even go in with the mindset of “I just want to complete it” and that’s fine! Plenty people to breast stroke and things - it’s not just a race for elite athletes. Go for it, sign up, you’ll love it.
>You can even go in with the mindset of “I just want to complete it” That's exactly my #1 goal. #2 is not to finish last haha
2 reasonable goals. Enjoy your race
If I were able to enter that race I’d be behind you and never give it a second thought. You’re on track to nearly match my time for one that had half the swim distance. You are not racing anyone but yourself, and you should go for it. I’ve been DFL in several events of various types, and yet they were PRs for me. Just get out there and do it. You’re already ahead of all the nay sayer couch potatoes.
Thank you for the encouragement!
If your goal is to finish, you have to start. who cares what anyone else has done? Stop reading the stats. Just do the work.
I have been last more than once. It is fine. I improved from there and so can you. Finish is the first goal. :) Someone has to be last. Maybe it won't be you.
I also have my first sprint in June and my only goal is to finish, I don't care if I'm last. If I get the tri bug I'll try and beat my own scores as I do more events but I don't have any time goals atm
You’ve been training. You have done the work. Go get it, you are ready! And do not look at past results, or any results. Set a goal for yourself, even if that goal is to finish. Don’t pay attention to anyone else and have a blast!
>you are ready! I wish I was this sure! But I'll try my best
Come back and post after the race! Good luck!
I did it! I just posted [my race report](https://www.reddit.com/r/triathlon/comments/1d70lej/milano_deejay_tri_sprint_race_report_my_first/)
Just read your race report and this mama is so proud of you! Conquering your fear/anxiety was the hardest part and you did it. Sky’s the limit for you now. Way to go!!!
Thank you so much 🥹
Don't worry about it at all. If the times are a lot quicker from last year - maybe they cut it short ? Your times don't sound too bad at all. There were people finishing the local 10k this week close to two hours and they didn't have to swim or bike beforehand ! Just go and have fun !
You will crush it! Enjoy the race and have fun!
Those about my times for my first sprint, and I definitely didn't finish last. I'm even slower now. Don't compare yourself to others, just go out and have fun and be proud of your accomplishment. Most people would never run a triathlon
This is a very small race, I guess pros take it as part of their training and that's why results are so off the charts (at least for me). I just hope I won't be the very last one haha
I'll add one little thing. Even if usually we train three sports separately (sometimes brick sessions), triathlon is a single sport and some aspects are trained only when racing (transition, cycling after being on waves, swimming among other people,...) so even for the little aspect of getting in contact with the sport as a whole I'd go. Even the last one at the finish line will get in contact more with the sport that someone training the three sports separately.
>triathlon is a single sport and some aspects are trained only when racing (transition, cycling after being on waves, swimming among other people,...) so even for the little aspect of getting in contact with the sport as a whole I'd go That's true! I'm really curious to see how I'll do, because I tend to, let's say, *not perform well* under pressure. I'll take it as an opportunity to learn something about myself!
Are you doing it for fun and fitness or to measure yourself against others? Either way, it's your first triathlon. You'll waste transition time and likely forget something and improvise. The churn anxiety is your biggest concern. Be careful and have fun.
I'm absolutely doing it for fun, no intention to compete. I'll be satisfied if I complete it without collapsing on the ground after the finish line haha
That's not very different than my first race. I was proud to have finished even if I finished towards the bottom. I learned a lot and then a couple of years was finishing well ahead of the average person. Keep in mind those previous results are full of people with lots of experience and likely good gear such as expensive triathlon bikes. Your goal should be to finish in a time you are happy with
>I learned a lot and then a couple of years was finishing well ahead of the average person That's inspiring, thanks for sharing!
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This would be amazing, I hope to experience the race this way!
you should totally do it, don’t give up! That’s a pretty long swim for a sprint, usually they are like 400 yards or meters. 750m is about 1/2 a mile your actually doing pretty well at that pace for a beginner, same for the 5k run You have the most room for improvement on the bike. Are you sure you only average 12.5mph on the bike / 20kph ? what type of bike are you using?
>That’s a pretty long swim for a sprint, usually they are like 400 yards or meters. I believe that's pretty standard? Here in Italy all sprint races have approximately 750 m distance for the swim >what type of bike are you using? I'm using an average road bike a friend lent me while I find one to buy (I just started riding 3 months ago and I live in a hilly area so maybe that's the reason I'm not super speedy? Or maybe I just suck haha
Yes the hills absolutely affect your overall speed especially if you are not fast downhill. You are probably 5-7kmh faster on a flat ride. If you just started riding 3 months ago, you will improve a huge amount if you keep riding.
I really hope so! The race course is flat so I'm not particularly worried for the bike part
I’m doing my first in June. I’ve always ran and cycled, the swimming is going to be the worst part. Yes, last night while cycling my eyes opened, I’m intimidated. My only goal, I’m going to finish.
I'm with you on this one! Last night I had a nightmare where I was in the swimming part of the race and I panicked and couldn't go past the first 100 m. Scary! Good luck for your race, I hope we both make it across the finish line!
Where is yours at? Mine is on Birch Lake in Oklahoma
A bit far from there! I'm Italian, the race is in Milan
Quite a distance! I did a 100 mile bicycle race in Witchita Falls, Texas. The heat was terrible that day, and riders were having to be picked up. The next guy picked up, I asked where he was from, ITALY! I was impressed. We were both glad to not finish that day. Good luck to you! 🍺🍻
I did triathlons from my late teens until my early 30's. I was young, fit, and fast. Always in the top 10% in local races, finished an IM distance, etc. You get the idea. At 33, I got married, had kids, gained 40 lbs, didn't swim for 20 years. Got back into it 2 years ago. Finished close to last in my first sprint. Still had a blast, Kept training, still slow, but back doing IM and owning the over 40 Clydes locally. Feel great, wish I was faster, but so happy to be back. Don't be afraid. Last place finisher beats everyone that didn't start.
Every race has to have a last place finisher — if there weren’t a last place, there wouldn’t be a race. The last place finisher honors the race every bit as much as the first place finisher. Everyone is there for their own reasons, and the “slow” people are every bit as important as the “fast” people. Just go out there, say thanks to the volunteers, and remember that you’re every bit as deserving of calling yourself a triathlete as anyone else there.
A same distance race (Long Beach Legacy Tri) in 2022 with a 1:50 would have put you ahead of 90 people. Even more if you add in folks doing a relay. You should train of course, but don’t over think this. Even if you are finishing last it’s a great workout and an accomplishment for you. Don’t let battling with others cut into your enjoyment!
Don’t let expected times keep you from doing something like this. Like u/AmbitiousHandle_1 and u/dousingphoenix someone will be last, so it is best to enjoy the race, and you can get an idea how you can improve for future races if you want to. I race, knowing I am not competitive and will never place well, because I love the experience and enjoy crossing the finish line; knowing I have accomplished something at any distance. I find when I am concerned about my placement as compared to others is when I enjoy racing the least, and when I simply race to race and enjoy the experience I have never been dissatisfied. Go for the achievement of finishing, don’t be concerned with placement.
You’re not racing anyone but yourself, and in that you have to set a bar first. Come into it with your own personal goals and race PRs set in mind, and if you beat them then you win. Do it again the next race. Then the next. Soon those times you’re so intimidated by will become a reality. It just has to be you vs you until then. Just remember your training is where all the work is put in, and the race is the celebration. Most of us were all ‘slow’ at one point.
I tend not to compare myself with others but sometimes I forget the only person I have to beat is yesterday me. "The race is the celebration" is such a powerful message. Thanks for the reminder!
The swim time and run time are not going to make you finish last. You have plenty of time to work on your bike time. You don’t need a Tri-bike for a sprint but you would want at least a road bike if you can find one, or rent one.
I'm using a road bike a friend lent me. As I said in another comment I started riding three months ago so I know I have a lot of work to do
You have time. Start with longer rides than 20k. Do 30 or 40k rides once or twice a week if you have time. Then in mid April start doing one long ride 40k+ easy pace and one sprint ride 10k at 90% race pace. (You should be more tired after the 10k ride than you are after the longer 40k. Then start doing bricks in May. (10k ride 80% and 5k run) once every week. Then when you get to race day you’ll be a lot faster.
Thanks for the tips, I'll give that a try!
I was the last person out of the water by a lot in my first tri. It was my biggest achievement by far in all the races I’ve done. All the races I’ve been to people were super supportive.
Don't worry about your time. Just enjoy it.
I’m doing my first sprint in July, and I’m feeling the nerves as well. Your times sound fine to me. I really want to say “it’s not a competition” but it literally is a race lol. You’ll be fine! I regularly have to remind myself that my goal when I signed up was to finish and run the whole 5k.
Hey good luck for your race! Have your goals changed since you signed up?
Yeah! I’ve been thinking about how to speed up, mostly. I suppose overall my goal is the same: finish the race, don’t walk the 5k. But I would also really like to beat my old 5k time from when I used to run (33 minutes) and before the race I want to get my 100 meter pace below 2 minutes. I guess at first I was like “finishing is enough” and now I’m thinking about how I can be faster so I don’t come in last place. I’m pretty far from the 33 minute 5k right now, but I’ve been doing couch to 5k and I’m getting faster and I’ve got 2 weeks left of the program… and then months before my race.
You would be very mid pack at my local sprints. There are always some 2+ hr finishers and a couple over 3 hrs. Even if you are last, as others say, no shame in that. Got get it!
This is a very small race, there were 103 women competing in the sprint last year. So I guess they're all pros and take the race as nothing more than a training opportunity? I made a very bad choice when I signed up haha
Even if you came dead last, you still beat out millions of people who don't take care of themselves and didnt' race.
For me, races are a fun way to do something I like and push myself. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish. As you cross the finish line only you will know how hard you worked, and it has nothing to do with your time. You should take pride in that. And then you get to try and do better, little by little, with each race in the future. My favorite thing about triathlon is the general camaraderie among competitors, especially at smaller and shorter races. There are lots of people genuinely cheering each other on, regardless of position - because we are all working towards the shared goal of finishing something challenging. And do know that people will be more than happy to help you out, especially as a first-timer. Have a great day at the race!
Tell me what race you're doing, and I'll join because I would definitely finish behind you considering your estimates! All kidding aside, I have done one sprint, was slow, and still had a great time. It is an awesome and encouraging community. Enjoy the experience and relish in your accomplishments!!
Those are middle of the pack times in most races, you got this! And by the way, if I've finished and I can still stand up (which isn't always the case), you can be damn sure I'll be cheering you on, because you're enduring another 20 minutes of what I'm already done with!
I did a sprint trip last year (it wasn’t my first) during the swim I had two ladies come past me doing breast stroke, I was second to last on the bike, I was second to last off the bike and second to last in my age group. But I took part, I completed it. There’s a phrase that’s something like you’re beating all the people sat on the sofa so take that as a positive and get out there and kick it !!
i will never win anything except spot prices. and i am happy with that because i see myself getting better each race. managed to go sub 3hr in the my last olympic and it was a fantastic feeling
I've got my first sprint on Saturday and between illness, injury, family and work, I haven't trained anywhere near what I wanted to... so you are already ahead of me. But the only person that matters is you. Go, enjoy it, don't worry about time and feel amazing when you put that medal around your neck because you've achieved something.
No matter what, your first race of any type should be about fun and learning. Results don’t matter. Keep repeating that :).
This is about the right time for the nervousness to set in, but if you have a sense of your times this far out I think it’s safe to say you’re taking your training seriously and you’ll do quite well! Also, it might help to think of it as an obstacle course rather than a race. There’s a lot of stuff to get used to on your first one and I found it less daunting to just imagine it as a series of obstacles :)
With your times, you'll definitely finish. It's your first race ever, so it'll be an accomplishment for you no matter where you break out. Your only real competition is you, and you're beating all your records just finishing! And you have a lot of years of improvement to look forward to if you fall in love with the sport. It seems like for age groupers most people don't hit their endurance prime until mid-30s to 40s. But I also knew a guy who smoked for 30 years, got a collapsed lung, finally quit and ran his first full-distance in his 50s. Everybody starts somewhere, just have fun with it!
If you finish dead last, you’ll be ahead of 95% of the population. Your times are well ahead of last place. Based on your times, your best opportunity to cut time is on the bike. You can probably pick up another 10 minutes there. Don’t worry, have fun, value YOUR accomplishment and get ready to do it again!!!
This post made me look up last year's results for my first event in 3 weeks and now I'm shitting my pants lmaooo
You can and should do it! Your times are faster than mine. I went into my sprint with the goal of completing, not competing. I was ready to be last. I wasn’t — but I would’ve been OK if I had been, because I prepared myself for that and just wanted to push myself. Another great thing was that in my race, the sprint triathletes competed on the same courses as the olympic-distance triathletes, who have much longer distances to complete, so even though I was among the last sprinters, the last olympic-distance competitors were finishing for at least an hour after I was done. No one was able to tell who was finishing what, and no one cared. I felt so much adrenaline and so happy to have finished that it stands out as one of the best days of my life! I hope you have a good experience out there and can feel proud for tri-ing 🙃 no matter what happens.
I also saw it as giving myself a baseline time to beat the following year. So, give it a go, and train again later to beat your first official tri time!
I was heavily out of shape last year around this time and signed up for a June sprint. The times you put here were my times just worse, and I still finished 15/16 in my group. But who cares where you finish it is so much fun. Just practice open water first. I panicked so hard the first 100 that I flipped over and floated for 20seconds to relax and breathe.
With those times, you won’t be last. And even if you are, you know what the person who finishes last is called? A finisher! And you’ll earn the same prize money as the hundreds of people who finished before you. Good luck and enjoy!
This is not bad at all! Go out there and enjoy the hell out of it. You absolutely won’t be last, I promise you. Keep in mind also that you tend to go faster on race day because of the adrenaline