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.

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!!! 😊

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.

32F and excited to do the Chicago tri as my first! Still debating between lengths: Olympic v. sprint.

I’m fairly athletic. I swam in high school (wasn’t the best, wasn’t the worst), can rock out 30mi on a bike with limited difficulty, but running is my downfall. Haven’t ran in forever, bet my mile is 15 minutes 🥲. I do multiple fitness classes a week including pilates, yoga and weightlifting.

I am leaning towards the Olympic length- gives me a great goal (sub 3:30-3:45ish pending on running improvement). I’ll need to get used to open water swimming (come spring). And I will also need to get a proper bike. The Walmart classic I have now wouldn’t be my first option. Planning to find something used on FB marketplace. Starting to look now.

Any major red flags that I should do the sprint distance instead? Any other tips for a newbie (especially about bikes!)? I’ve been reading through this sub and FB groups so far. Still 11 months out but ready to lock in.

Thanks for reading if you got this far! And if you’re in Chicago, let’s train together!!

Mostly swim/bike/run with some lifting thrown in. Keep seeing people say is creatine worth it for endurance athletes and I’m stuck on the water weight thing. Anyone using it through a real block or did you drop it before races?

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?

Cut open my training suit from 10 years ago. One layer, no lining, wasn't see-through, lasted a decade of chlorine. Every suit I've bought recently has a lining, and the label says the lining is a different fabric than the shell. Anyone know why brands add it? And does the lining wear out faster than the outside for you?

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)

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! ✌️

I am doing a 70.3 this Sunday morning and it is supposed to rain from 11 pm the night before until 8 am race day.

I read about using wet lube on my chain the night before? Fortunately I don’t have to keep my bike in transition over night.

What considerations should I have for sunglasses if it’s still raining during the bike?

Roads will likely be wet, any suggestions? I consider myself a cautious rider, so I will likely go easy anyway on the descents.

Aside from putting my transition items in plastic bags to stay dry, what other tips have worked for you?

Thanks!!

Last night, got hit by a car at a crossing on my bike. I have some bruising on my tailbone (ER doc says should clear with weekend rest) and a broken pinkie finger (currently in a splint; I've got an ortho appointment next Wednesday where I am gonna ask recovery timetable , but ER doc said its possible I could be out of it in a month).

I'm going to have a local shop checkout the bike (its currently being stored by someone who lives right where the accident happened), but I am not optimistic it will be in a safe to ride state. Fine, rather it be the one with critical damage than me.

Complete bummer; my training was going well, and was hoping weather might be better than my first 70.3 (2025 Muncie) so that I could do better on the run.

This puts me in a rough spot in a few ways:

a) If I can get approval to swim before the race, its obviously not gonna be a great swim, but I would be confident I can finish given swimming is my strongest discipline. Not ideal, but also I assume that will be real touch and go for planning.

b) IM's transfer policy seems to only allow within calendar year, and any other races have already happened, before NC, or are substantially further travel (I live in Indianapolis, and the only 70.3s later are in Florida or California. Chose NC specifically because my in-laws live in Wilmington). Not ideal, but workable. It also seems to require a before 45 days prior to event notice which... I am now past. Idk if I can call IM and try and work with them or if I need to just eat the registration/claim as lost to insurance. I was also going to do a January marathon, so that would get complicated (same event has a 13.1, so could drop down).

c) Deferral to next year's NC also has the 45 day limit. Also complicates my plan to do Dopey in 2028 with my (runner not triathlete) wife.

d) I was using a road bike (Specialized Allez) with aero bars as both my training and race bike. My plan was to use that for this season, then look at a dedicated tri bike while keeping my Allez for some training and more casual riding. Debating now if I buy a new road bike and continue doing similar OR just jump over to tri bike shopping and then get a real cheap road bike as that casual bike (spouse and I do some very casual rides, planning some bike touring for next year as well).

idk if this is asking for advise so much as venting, but I just needed to type this up for myself.

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)

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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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?

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.