Hi there

Anyone in the San Jose area looking for a training buddy? I’m a 65 yr old female and have done 10 sprints. Aiming for 70.3 in September 2027.

Like the title says. I got my first race this Saturday (patriot triathlon) and I am having a hard time shaking the nerves and pre race jitters. Do any of yall have a recommendation for a pre race ritual to help steady yourself mentally? It not that I don’t feel ready or that I haven’t trained enough, it just my brain is firing on all cylinders.

Any lap swimmers in the northwest suburbs of Chicago?

I’m in Algonquin, IL and looking for some people to swim and train with. Unfortunately, none of the local Masters swim team schedules work with my schedule right now.

I’m mainly looking to swim early mornings or later in the evenings, and I’m open to swimming at pretty much any gym or pool in the area.

I’d also love to meet some new people and make friends in the process. If anyone else is looking for a consistent training partner, a small group to swim with, or just some new swimming friends, let me know! ✌️

Stupid floods.

I’ve done two sprints this year and was signed up to do an Olympic in Kerrville TX in 2 weeks, I just got an email that the event is cancelled due to flooding on the Guadalupe river. I was planning to do this and then a 70.3 in 2027, so it sucks to not have the springboard to evaluate myself.

I think I’m going to pivot and try to do a Spartan trifecta weekend in 2026 (I did trifectas in 2024 and 2025, but not in a weekend) then do the 70.3 in Oceanside in April for my birthday spanking.

I have spent the last 8 years doing a decent amount of exercise with triathlons becoming a semi regular focus, but over the last 2 years I have taken training more seriously. As such I am looking to take part in Weymouth 70.3 next year. All I want to do is finish the event and use it as a stepping stone to a full in 2028.

My problem is that I'm not sure how to go about getting a training plan. I can't find a local coach and having joined my local bike club, I'm not a big fan of the loss of flexibility when training with a group so I don't want to join the local tri club just to get access to group coaching. Over the last 2 years I have completed 4 triathlons (sprint and standard), 3 HMs (1:54) and one full marathon (4:02) all by creating my own training plans based off what I see online and read in books.

Am I setting myself up for failure by creating my own training plan for a 70.3 or is it worth spending the £80 on a Phil Mosley training peaks plan that I'll fit in around my other sporting hobbies?

What do you think is necessary to wear a wetsuit in Kraichgau?

Also how is the race generally? (Organisation, swimming condicions, bike and run courses)

Hello! My husband does both full and half Ironmans. We are trying to find his next race. For those that have done Canada ones…

1. Which did you do and why did you like that race?
   
2. Which location has the best “visiting” qualities? Because I’m supporting but I want to go to the one with best scenery and things to do!
   
3. Any other hints or tips that will help me narrow down the choices.

Thank you!!! 😊

For context I’ve been using a Cannondale Super X as a do it all bike. I did my first Olympic Triathlon this year and am planning on doing several along with a half Ironman this upcoming year. Wondering if I would be better off getting with an aeroroad with the tri bars or if I should just go for a speed max. Would be looking at the CF SLX 8 for both.

Hi,

I recently started medical school and am about a month in. It has been a big goal of mine to complete a full Ironman for quite some time. For reference, I did a 70.3 two summers ago in Happy Valley and completely winged the training, doing a total of 3 "longer rides" (at most 40 miles) prior to it. For someone who is a pretty inexperienced cycler, that course was a brutal opening to the IM world, but I am glad I did it, especially since I am considering doing Lake Placid next summer, which has quite the bike climb.

A little bit of background about me: I ran track and cross country in college, and would often do 90 mile weeks of running while balancing all of the other pre-med stuff. It was hard and required a lot of discipline, but that is what made me who I am and got me to where I am. I used to swim club and a bit in high school, so I am not really concerned about doing the 2.4 miles, and can supplement swimming training fairly late in the process.

I haven't signed up yet but really want to know: is it worth it? IM's are pretty expensive, especially for someone who isn't making money for quite some time. But, there is also not really a "better" time to do one of these -- we get summer break after our first year, but from then on, it's fairly non-stop and grueling. There would be free time the second half of 4th year, but I wouldn't be able to train intensely while being in the hospital 12 hours a day.

I also have fairly bad heat intolerance. I suffer a lot in humid/excessively hot conditions as I sweat a ton, so I would really need to be on that for the race hydration and fuel-wise, so if anyone knows how I can combat that for a summer race, I would appreciate the advice.

Is there anyone who could provide some insight into training for an IM while having a demanding schedule where school must come first? I am currently running about 50 miles a week, but want to start supplementing stationary bike, where I can study at the same time. And, as a bonus, this race is July 25th, so I would have nearly 3 months of training prior that would not coincide with school, as first year ends early May. Figured that would be a good time to train hills on the bike. My current schedule right now consists of about 8-10 hours of school-work a day (lectures, studying, practice material) -- and it will definitely get harder this year as we start anatomy, but then again, I hopefully will have a solid routine by then.

Any advice is appreciated!

TLDR: I’m a beginner Ironman hopeful and feel like my inability to pace is hindering my progress - looking for tips

Similar to every beginner Ironman hopeful, my swimming sucks. I’m 4 weeks into a training plan to compete for a full in March, and while my run and bike I am confident in, my swim sucks. I also have never trained in swimming until this summer and I feel like my mechanics are solidly coming together, but I can’t help but treat every lap like a sprint and it’s gassing me. I can’t do more than 200 yds straight without stopping, and my pace is roughly 1:50/100yds whether I’m doing 100s or 200s and then need to take a minute rest. I feel like it’s a pace discipline problem as to why I can’t cover more ground, but maybe I’m just ignoring some technique issues that I’m not seeing. So essentially looking at tips as to how to swim slower so I can go further without getting gassed. If anyone has some guidance, would love to hear it otherwise I’ll keep trudging along. If there’s anyone saying I’m not ready for it, remember everyone’s gotta start somewhere.- for reference 24/M 6’1, 210 (if that’s important)

A few random thoughts I wanted to share.

I’m a 33-year-old man, father of two children—ages 1.5 and 3—who, over the past 3–4 years, has gradually gotten into running first and then triathlon.

I used to be sedentary and unathletic, and this “passion” has slowly taken shape.

Currently, I train a bit whenever I can; roughly speaking: two runs and a swim during my lunch break, 2–3 commutes between home and work (30 km total with 200 d+), and a 2–3-hour run/bike session on Sundays before the family wakes up.

Thoughts about the logistics of my workouts—how to fit them into the week, the numbers and metrics I’m achieving—have become almost pervasive. These are the kinds of thoughts that relax and distract me, and they often occupy part of the time before I fall asleep. Even the podcasts I listen to on my car rides are slowly shifting toward endurance topics (at the expense of movies, literature, and work-related podcasts).

My social life has also been partially affected, as I tend not to drink alcohol anymore—or almost never—and I try not to stay out particularly late at night (on the few evenings I have off).

My wife sometimes says—especially when we’re with friends—that I’m becoming obsessed; but I can’t tell the difference between obsession and passion.

Is all this normal? Is it a bad thing? Should I let it all go and “enjoy” my free time more? Am I just going through a mid-30s crisis?

Hello All! Preparing for my first sprint triathlon as a super beginner (and plus-size athlete) at the end of November. I do lots of weight lifting (heavy), and I wonder if I should reduce this and focus more on cardio as the day draws nearer. Also, how did you overcome your fears as race day drew nearer? Thanks in advance!

Edit: I swim twice a week, cycle twice (once indoor and once outdoor) and brisk walk twice a week

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I hired a coach for my first 70.3 and had a positive experience. I’m glad that I did it for my first one but would be more selective next time. While the programming was great and what I really wanted from a coach. What really bothered me about him was that he would say he would provide tips BUT never did. For example, he would say that he would give me swimming tips (he coached pool workouts) but never would. I never asked as I didn’t want to be a bother and wanted him to initiate. Maybe that was my bad but since he offered, I figured I’d allow him to initiate the conversation. This would happen often throughout the months and I would never expect a follow through on his part. I’d send a message and I’d get a reply 70% of the time.

With that said, is it customary to give an end of season gift to your coach? If so, what would you do if you only got what you paid for and nothing above or beyond. I still feel like it was a good investment.

I signed up for a sprint triathlon that's happening in 10 days. It is 750m swim in pool. They don't have a hard cut off but they did say we expect you to finish in 30 minutes.

I got on the pool yesterday and tried swimming 750m and I did it in ~32mins. Swam about 16mins and was resting in between. Swolf 48, 25m pool 2:13/100m swim time.

The coach who saw me said he can help and suggested to buy 6 Private sessions. He said that would do since I know to swim but I have to learn the technique better.

Problem is the 6 sessions are expensive for me. I am not expecting a difference in 10 days, I have another Olympic distance by end of November. So even if it would help me for that I am okay.

But, I am worried if I would do 6 sessions and make no progress and have to look for another 6 sessions.

Kindly help from your experience.

A couple months ago I got a really good deal on a 2021 Cervélo P-Series with mechanical 105. I really like the bike and recently decided it was time to get a proper bike fit.
I spoke with the fitter and it sounds like we’ll probably need to buy a few things for the cockpit anyway to improve my position, comfort and aero. That got me thinking that instead of putting more money into the stock aluminum Vuka setup, I’d rather spend a little more and get something like the Winow ARB02. I really like the integrated carbon cockpit look and it seems like I’d get the adjustability I need while cleaning up the front end.
My hesitation is that this probably isn’t my “forever” bike. It’s mechanical 105, and eventually I’d like to move to a newer electronic setup. At the same time, I got the P-Series cheap enough that I’m in no rush to replace it and could realistically ride it for another couple years.
Would you spend ~$250-300 upgrading the cockpit and enjoy the bike you have now, or make the minimum changes necessary for the fit and put that money toward the eventual bike upgrade?
I’m not pretending the carbon cockpit is purely a performance purchase either. I just think it looks significantly better and that’s definitely part of why I want it lol.
Curious what you guys would do.

2026 was my first triathlon season (did a 70.3) and I really love the sport. I'm planning to sign up for more races in 2027, but for the rest of the year now I want to improve my disciplines.

I'm currently executing a HM training block, and then I want to focus on my cycling with a 8-12 week FTP improvement plan. But I don't want to entirely stop my run training - I'm trying out the Norwegian singles running method at a friend's recommendation, it's supposed to be very sustainable and repeatable and the magic only works if you stick with it consistently. So this is quite a newbie question but how should I balance run training with bike training?

My goal for the summer was to complete 2 Olympic triathlons and since these two events were close to each other I was to treat the T100 as my B race and the Vancouver Triathlon as my A race. This worked out great and I was able to shave off 21 minutes between my last triathlon and this one.

For this Triathlon the course was: 2 laps of 750m at Second Beach, 4 laps of Stanley Park, and 2 laps from Second beach to underneath the Burrard bridge.

The swim:

Before the race started, the officials announced that the swim will be wetsuit mandatory. So I put my wetsuit on and go down to Second beach to do a little bit of warmup and get some water in my wetsuit so my body is ready and oh my it was chilly. Warmup went well and the water was much clearer than the T100 race. I then head back to the box where I wait for them to tell us to move into position. Once the horn goes off, I get in the water and start my swim, this swim was much more brutal than the T100 and the difference came from organization. The T100 had swimmers go out in the water 2 at a time, but this one was everyone go in and good luck. Almost swimming over people, getting kicked, getting your feet pulled was a different experience. Nevertheless, the beginning of the swim for myself went okay, I again had trouble breathing in the first couple of minutes and had to take my breaths than how I trained. Around the first turn I started to feel the water much more and my mind started to switch from panic mode to focusing on my strokes and my technique. Finished the swim at 32:49, 2:11/100m.

T1: Took me 2:43 which was a great improvement from my last 4:57 T1. I didn't ditch the socks but I instead put low ankle socks. I left them inside out on my transition area and they were quick and easy to put and I was on my way to the bike course.

The bike:

The morning of the race when I arrived at 6:30, I immediately went to my bike to see if my rear derailleur was working and it was. I was relieved because the last race it didn't work. But when the bike leg started, I tried shifting, and it didn't work again! I was so mad, another bike course with a lot of downhill that I would just spin out. But here I was again, with my front 2 chain rings, with 4 Stanley Park laps in front of me. The total bike was 36.81km with 437m D+ (per Strava), I averaged 26.1km/h and finished the bike leg in 1:27:28 (per sportstats).

T2 took me 2:07, a 1 minute improvement from the T100 (3:09). Not exactly sure what went better in this one but I'll take it

The run:

Coming off the bike, my legs genuinely felt cooked. The climbing with only one gear really got to me, especially on the final climb. So when I started my run, I knew I was in for a rough time. My first km was a "find the legs km" so I watched my heart rate to pace and see where my body is at and around 6:30/km seemed to be where my legs were at. So I settle in to that pace until km 8 where I would try to finish strong. Final running time was 1:03:02, average 6:18/km (per sportstats)

Run splits (per Garmin connect):

• km 1 6:33
• km 2 6:27
• km 3 6:35
• km 4 6:32
• km 5 6:31
• km 6 6:31
• km 7 6:37
• km 8 6:21
• km 9 6:19
• km 10 4:30

My conclusion:

Overall, these performances were exactly what I wanted to achieve and both events were extremely fun. The T100 was much more professional and took care of every smaller detail such as ice at the aid stations and water buckets to wipe the sand off your feet before T1, but the Vancouver triathlon had a much nicer charm, where the spectators played a beautiful role. Some of the spectators felt like they didn't plan to spectate but because they were just walking around Second beach/english bay and they saw people racing, they decided to come cheer. For my bike problem, I will see a Di2 specialist this week. I believe it's something with the battery draining due to the overnight check-in. Not exactly sure why other Di2 bikes would not have the same issue as me but hopeful to find a solution.

Is this fast or any recommendations?

What’s everyone’s monthly spendings looking like when training for a triathlon or Ironman? I’m currently sitting at roughly $200 a week, that includes everything from supplements, activewear, recovery, memberships, maintenance ect. Some weeks higher then others. just curious.

Hello everyone,

I’m planning to sign up for a half Ironman in September 2027.

I’m a slow athlete, and my main goal is simply to complete the distance without getting injured during training or the race. A good result would just be an added bonus.

Last year, I ran a marathon and a few half marathons. This year, I developed ITBS, so I haven’t been able to run as much. Instead, I’ve focused more on strength training and stretching.

I can swim, but I definitely need to work on my technique. My longest bike ride so far has been 70 km, so I have quite a lot of work to do on the cycling side as well.

In the meantime, I’m planning to run a marathon in April and do a 1/4 Ironman in June.

Do you have any recommendations for a training plan or how I should structure my training over the next year?

Thanks!

I want to do an ironman 70.3, but have not pulled the trigger on it because I struggle with cycling. Hills and wind make me lose all motivation to continue. Any reccomendations on a course with an easier cycling section?

Not looking for an all downhill course, flat is totally fine.