Iron Man Tips

[The Saint]

K so it is my first Yster Man 70.3 coming up and I want some advice and tips from all you experienced folk.

 

Such as - how different is a sea swim to a pool swim. Should I practice swimming far longer distances in the pool? How much advantage will I gain from body surfing on the way back in ? How much effect will the currents have - are there any?

 

Tell me about transition areas

 

Do you all participate in a tri suit or change into the respective events clothing?

 

Are you allowed to get people to support you on the side of the road or do you have to take in all your fluids and eats in the transition areas.

 

I am sure you guys will think of a few other things.

[pastapouch]

Do Hill training!

The swim is in the harbour area so its quite calm.

 

All info on transition area will be done at the prerace briefing on Saturday.

 

YOu can participate with tri suit, or you can change in the tent into cycling kit.

You may use a westuit, everyone does. Or most, some oaks this year only swam in speedos, and the water was cool.

Not sure about support from family.

[davem]

Buy one on the DVDs and really watch using the pause button. You will learn so much about the race.

 

Check out the course, particularly the start area on Google Earth.

 

No support is allowed at all. You can't even hand your sunglasses to someone.

[Disylizzy]

Practice open water swimming, so you can work on your sighting.

 

 

[The Saint]

How do you know how far you have swam when doing the open water stuff? One of the main reasons I only practice in the pool.

[pastapouch]

Take your time over 100m in the pool and use that as an estimate. In open water you may be a bit faster because you don't have all those turns.

[The Saint]

Grrrrr the Virgin has one of those funny clocks with a black and red arrow by the pool, I don't know what the hell that thing is used for - going to suggest they put up a normal clock by the pool. Also came across this little goodie which should assist in practice - R1200 at Troi Sport R700 from CRC.

[missd]

where are u based? as here in PE every friday the IM meet around 17:00 and swim a 1k loop to pylons and back or further as most people dont like swimming alone in the sea then after all go to Barneys for a drink - great way to end off weeks training, and there are people leaving all the time so if you late you know you will have soemone to swim with

 

maybe you should organise this for your area as im sure there are a few people that are doing IM.

 

c

[Shebeen]

Swim specific watch? How different is that to a bog standard lap timer?

 

Sounds like you've never done a tri before. Suggest you do the energade sprint series,will help with 90% of your queries just through familiarity.

[The Saint]

Sorry yes it is called Swimovate Pool-Mate, got some very good reviews. Features

• Laps

• Time

• Average Strokes per lap

• Speed

• Distance

• Calories

• Set times

• Pause function

• Efficiency Index

• Large Memory

• Alarm and fully functioning stylish digital watch

• Water Resistant to 50m

 

Ja shebeen Iron Man will be my first tri - go big or go home is what I say - Energade series really seems to be a bit of a teny bopper event.

 

Missd I am in Jhb area but it does sound like a great idea to try to get some sort of a training group together.

Edited November 8, 2010 by The Saint

[missd]

the half will also be my first 70.3.from living here in PE i know that lots of JHB people came down for the full IM and some of them couldnt even make it past the 1st bouy so do as much open water training in a dam or anything, get down to the coast its very differnt than a pool session.

[Wheelsuck]

Saint, there is no better way to learn than to do it, I strongly suggest you race before u do IMBC.Not sure where u stay but do the VD Bijl Tri in Dec or even an Energade sprint or Compendium in KZN. U will learn more doing it than asking and trying to remember who said what when u are in race mode.

 

Some advice though:

Get a coach/Training Programme for ur worst discipline. Get Training Partners.

Read the "Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel"

Follow a training programme.

 

10 weeks to go Good Luck

[Wheelsuck]

Oh Yeah the Clocks in VA. The Red and Black arms are basically used for Intervals so u can go on Black 60 Red 30. So then the Black Arm becomes ur timing arm and u ignore RED, and Vice versa. U'll hear guys say to each other in the pool Go on Black 60. Hope it explains it.

[The Saint]

Thanks - any idea of the date of the Vanderbijl one? Is that not also supposed to be a 70.3?

[Wheelsuck]

@Saint here is the link:

 

http://www.spectrumsport.co.za/Prestige_Ultra_Info_20101216.pdf

[The Saint]

Oh Yeah the Clocks in VA. The Red and Black arms are basically used for Intervals so u can go on Black 60 Red 30. So then the Black Arm becomes ur timing arm and u ignore RED, and Vice versa. U'll hear guys say to each other in the pool Go on Black 60. Hope it explains it.

 

Lol yes thanks. I am still going to ask for a normal clock. Would just like to know if I got in the pool at 12:30 and out at 13:15 that I had done 45 mins of training - I don't own a watch.