Some Things I Want to Know About Doing My First Triathlon
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1) How should I choose my first triathlon?
2) What are some other shorter, local races?
3) Which events do I get a club discount?
4) Should I wear SVTC club clothing?
5) I want to sign up for an Ironman Race!
1) Will I need to buy a tri-specific bicycle to race?
2) Will I need to buy a wetsuit?
3) What else do I need to buy?
4) How do I utilize club sponsor discounts?
How should I choose my first triathlon?
We see a few people who want to do an ironman as their first race. (Some even do this successfully.) We recommend, however, doing a local sprint race as your first race. Many of the NTTS people start with one of the 'Tri for Fun' races held in Pleasanton in the summer. You don't have to start with a full triathlon either. There a re all sorts of local running races and for the past few years there have been 'splash and dash' swim/run races in the summer. The Catfish openwater swim is also a good race to try for your first open water swim. The nice thing about all of these races is they are very informal with lots of newcomers.
What are some other shorter, local races?
You probably next want to try a sprint distance triathlon. These typically have something around a 750 meter swim, 16 mile bike ride, and a 3K meter run. Most people finish these races in one to two hours. SVTC has a close affiliation with local event companies like Firstwave Events, USA Productions, TriCalifornia. You will see a surprising number of SVTC members at their races. We have people who volunteer at many of these races and for many of them we receive a club discount on entry fees. Check the SVTC list of events early in the spring to plan your racing season.
Which events do I get a club discount?
One of the benefits of SVTC membership is discounted race entry fees, guaranteed slots, and reserved club bike racks for USA Productions (formerly J&A), Firstwave Productions events, and other local events. Visit our Membership Perks page for more detailed information. Sometimes these discounts arrive at the last minute. It's worth asking around (e.g. in the Yahoo Discussion group) before entering a race. TriCalifornia does not discount their races, but the club does get a refund for club members who enter the Wildflower races. Be sure to sign up for those as a SVTC member.
Should I wear SVTC club clothing?
When you decide to buy triathlon racing jerseys we recommend you buy SVTC clothing. Aside from helping to publicize your club, it looks cool and you will find more people cheering you [Go SVTC!] as you race and more people coming up to talk to you afterwards.You are more likely to get your picture on the SVTC website if you are wearing a club jersey. Club clothing makes a good icebreaker, but the decision is up to you.
I want to do an Ironman Triathlon
I was not sure just where to put this question (?). There are lots of people in SVTC who do the Ironman races. At some time you will probably start thinking about one yourself. A recommendation would be to take at least three years to learn and train for this kind of race. Work up to it by doing all the shorter races. Just my opinion, but the work and training to get there is more rewarding than the race itself, but you have to do it. Do go ahead and dream. You can probably do it.
Will I need to buy a tri-specific bicycle to race?
Many people will use a mountain bike in their first sprint triathlon. And there are mountain bike triathlons including the challenging Xterra series. For NTTS and most of the other SVTC rides and the majority of races people use road or tri bicycles. An expensive lightweight $5000 road bike will not benefit someone just starting. And a tri-bike might feel uncomfortable and hard to control if you are not used to riding 20-50 miles in aero position. The recommendation would be to start with a mid range road bicycle. If it fits you it should give you years of use. Please talk to a lot of people before buying your first bike.
Eventually yes. Most of the races around here are in the ocean or lakes with water temperatures in the 60's or below. Besides keeping you warm today's triathlon wetsuits will make average swimmers faster. You will float wearing a wetsuit making making your swims safer as well. Triathlon wetsuits have also become very expensive in the $200 to $500 range and above. There are, however, several available options to rent suits for a week. A surfing or diving wetsuit will keep you warm but will be pretty restrictive for swimming. But for a 750 meter sprint race, go for it if you have one. One way or another try to swim in open water before your actual race. (These are of course famous last words.)
Between the cost of races, travel, equipment, clothing and all the other things associated with this sport everything can put a strain on your pocketbook. Along with your bike you will need shoes, a helmet, clothing, tools, spare tires, a pump. Swimming will add the wetsuit, goggles, swim aids and pool fees. Running will require a good set of running shoes although it's still the cheapest part of the sport to start with. Costs are all the more reason to start gradually just to make sure the cost is matched by your comitment to do the sport. Many of the items you acquire will last many years and again it is good to carefully make your purchases so you don't end up with a bike that does not fit, for instance.
How do I utilize club sponsor discounts?
Check the SVTC sponsor pages as well as the Membership Perks page in the members area to obtain merchandise discounts and discount codes. SVTC sponsors have a long standing tradition of providing top notch equipment, good prices and good service to SVTC members. Print out a membership card to show when you are making purchases.
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