We're All Beginners
In honor of our Beginner's Open House, which starts on Tuesday, I wanted to take the opportunity to encourage all of you to share your "I'm Still A Beginner" stories with the new folks. Triathlon is a game that requires so much skill, and knowledge and experience that it takes (potentially) a lifetime to get it right...and just when you think you've "got it", you realize you don't. It's part of what keeps us coming back, and back, and back...
So please share your beginner stories in the rest of this thread...
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To kick things off, I can talk about my latest rookie mistake. It just happened yesterday (of course!) on my first local long ride of 60 miles. I had 3x coffee in AM and a handful of almonds. After 2 hours in zone 3, I couldn't feel my legs and realized I should probably eat...but by then it's too late. 
All of a sudden I notice the headwinds and a severe lack of water in my bottles. What should have been a 45-minute ride home was a 1:15 slugfest...at least I had the presence of mind to text M and tell her of my new ETA (don't tell her it's b/c I am a bonehead). 
Comments
Last year while out for a 65 mile ride to a place I have never been before I figured I did not need the cue sheet because I will just follow the pavement markers. This was working well to I got to a section where it had just been repaved and there were no more ground markings. What was going to be 65 miles turned into 85 miles. Luckily I had money and there were stores to stop at to refuel.
Of couse there was the time running out of T-2 with my helmet still squarely on my head. Just in case I fell during the run
Here within EN I have become comfortable as I've been around a little while and am one of the faster members, therefore I kind of forgot what it was like to be the new (and/or slow) guy around.
I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments and fairly confident, but 2 weeks ago I went to a camp with another team I am on this year and it was very humbling. I quickly, before dinner was over the first night, realized that compared to the rest of the team I'm just beginner. There were folks there that were significantly faster, had been in the sport much longer, and just in general knew a lot more than I do about this sport.
I guess my point is, no matter who you are there is always something to learn and always someone out there faster or smarter. Knowing this keeps me coming back to EN and triathlon to continue to improve both mentally and physically.
But enough with the love in.
Ten years ago in my first tri (after about 3 or 4 hours of training) I sidestroked the entire swim during a downpour and small craft warnings, wrecked on the borrowed bike (still have the hematoma scar) and then popped my solius on the run. DNF. Last week I did a 3 mile, average 10% climb with my rear brake rubbing. Lots of other brainy stuff in between.
The race, I think, is going great. Well, I cross the finish line, look up at the clock, and get pissed off - I mean REALLY pissed off, that my time isn't better.
After walking around, being grumpy and unfriendly for about a half an hour, someone asked me if I was in the first wave. I tell them I wasn't, I was about 30mins from the first wave. As I say it, I realize that the clock starts with the first wave, not MY wave.
After the realization that I added in those ~30mins into my time, I was VERY happy with a new PR for the course.
Well I started tri's in 2001and learned about the sport over the next 5-6 years completing sprints, Oly's and one 1/2 and full IM. I broke my leg took 2.5 years off and here I am again starting over and learning a new philosophy and way of training with EN.
So what did I do recently... Two times over the out season I decided that I was He Man and thought I could extend myself on the bike. It was pretty weak effort compared to some but my effort cost me. Each time I had to stand down for a couple days and rest. By the end of the 20 weeks I realized that I just needed to be consistent more than anything. Hopefully I will be smart and won't let this get the better of me as I move in to the IM portion of my training.
On the weight loss side I have been stuck between 215-219 for 8 weeks. My focus on food consumption has been on and off. I really need to just start tracking each day (fitday.com) so that I can see the calories. I have has some success coming down from 252 last summer but I really don't want to ride an IM at this weight. My goal is 190 for August 29, 2010.
I will also relate a story from a previous sport. I still try to follow this advise. Everyone even beginners have somthing to contribute. I took Karate for 6 years and my Sensai always stressed that you should be paying attention even to the new white belts. "Learn how they move, what their strengths are and most of all take what they do good and improve yourself". At the time I started I was 26 and taught by a 15 year old boy that had his partilal black belt. It was also not uncommon to get beat in sparring by a 14 year old girl who had a brown belt.
Ask your questions and contribute your thoughts to enhance the discussion here. I have learned in 20 weeks that here's a great group of people here that want to learn and get better at triathlons.
Gordon
I kicked off my first tri season last year with a sprint, made my way up through a few more, an oly and culminated in a HIM. Admittedly, it was an ambitious season to undertake with little to no experience and I certainly learned a ton of lessons along the way.
I am still yet to have a race where I did not learn a lesson of what not to do by doing it. This ranges from the comical filling my aerodrink to the brim with fruit bunch Gatorade on a bumpy sprint, resulting in both my bike and I coated in a red sticky mess, to the less comical HIM performance which was held in driving-stinging rain and gale force winds where I announced to the world that no awful weather would keep me from riding the bike split that I planned! Fast forward to mile 10 of the run where my legs were cramped so bad that my new race goal became trying to pretend I was still capable of running in front of the spectators at the finish line.
Maybe the day will come when I finish a race and don't have a mistake to learn from, but in the mean time I've accepted it as a pretty healthy and normal part of learning the sport.
The very first triathlon I did, I made a point of going out and buying tri shorts to race in (swim, bike, and run). Well I showed up to the race with everything in hand EXCEPT the shorts! I figured they might look the other way if I tried to race topless, but bottomless was likely going to be frowned upon! My friend (who had convinced me to sign up and do the race with her) happened to have an extra bathing suit in her car- it was a little bit big, and didn't offer much support, but it covered the necessary pieces and parts and so that's what I wore for the race!
Since then I've been a total nut case about having a packing check list for races.
Last year I learned to take a more careful look at the bushes I was peeing on during pit stops on the run. It was a painful lesson-nuf said!
While running at lunch today, I remembered an awesome thing about being a new triathlete -- bopping along and running, just because I could and it felt good and there was an awesome song on the ipod. My form? Had to have been ridiculous when I started. But the spirit? That was in good shape from the beginning. Everything hurts way less when you are having your own private dance party while running.
Shoot, just last week I ran the pool and swam the run course at a tri. Now I need to get a new Speedo.
Seriously though, for all you newbies coming on, you'll find that EN is like the Rosetta Stone of Triathlon. Everyday theres new info on the forum to help guys like me along. I didnt know anything about triathlon when I started and I still survived CDA with EN's help. Now, a year later, at least I know the things I dont know. Best thing is its information from teammates that are here to help each other.
Now, does anyone any Aloe?
Greg
This is only me 2nd year with EN and racing so am still a beginner. I completed a couple sprint duathlons last year and was feeling really good so decided to wrap up the year with a Half Duathlon. The event consisted of multiple races: Sprint & Half Tris and Sprint & Half Du. I should up excited and a bit nervous about completeing this distance. After prepping everything, I decided to step out of transition to use the john and visit with my family for a few minutes.
Just as I was exiting the john I noticed a group of runners taking off. In a panic I ran over the an official an asked, "Is that the start of the duathlon?" Sure is he said, you better get started. So I promptly jetted through transition and started the race. I was now already several minutes behind the group. Again, panicing I ran to catch up with the group, after which I settled into a decent pace. I finished the 5K in around 30 minutes and entered T1.
Took a minute or so to get ready for the ride and took off. In the weeks leading up to the race I had actually ridden the course several times as part of my RRs, so new the course pretty well. About 5 miles or so into the race all of the riders took off to the left, when I knew the course went to the right. Not sure what was happening I continued on the "correct" course.
At this point I was riding completely alone. I knew something wasn't right, but didn't really now what to do. So I continued on riding the race. As I was making my way back from the first 27-mile loop, I started to see some other racers coming towards me. I knew then that I had screwed up some how. Again, instead of stopping I went back out for the 2nd loop of the bike. After 3+ hours on the course I pulled into T2.
Obviously, the officials were amazed at how fast I had completed the course. The first thing I asked was "Which race started at 7:30am?". Of course it was the SPRINT DU. The Half DU started 1.5 hrs later. After spending approximately 10 minutes explaining myself, the graciously allowed me to attempt the run, unofficially.
Unfortunately, I have to say that I did not finish the run that day. I think physically I was able. However, after spending 3+ hours on the bike, alone, and betting myself up for being such a dweeb that I just throw in the towel.
Pete
This isn't a recent story but is well worth revisiting. In my second year of doing triathlons I participated in my first HIM. I simply took in too many calories and not enough water. The result was horrible stomach cramping half way through the run. So painful I could barely walk! The moral of the story is to have a nutrition plan, test it in training and stick to it on race day. I did none of the above.
I've been riding 5000 + miles a year since the mid-90's, every one of them with a helmet, so how I ever left T1 in a duathlon last last year wearing my run cap still mystifies me.
Our sport has so much equipment involved, at least once every 2-3 months I will show up after having driven to a workout site (pool, bike group, run trail, gym) missing some essential element like swim suit, bike shoes, or shorts. You name it, I've forgotten it at least once ... ggogles, bib shorts, socks, bike computer, Garmin watch, etc, etc. Usually, I make do, but if I absolutely need it (like, if I don't have my front wheel!), I just take it as my brain letting me know I need a recovery day, not a workout.
We're all Beginners...you mean like tipping over this weekend 1' into my ride at the corner near my house? Best to not try and out pace the oncoming car, but it helps to unclip before you try and put your foot down. Slooooo-mo clunk with a peloton rolling by at that very moment. That kind of beginner move?
@Al
I pack my gear bags the night before with my various gear for the next day to allow myself every last minute of sleep I can get, among this gear includes my worth clothes for the day. I've lost count of the number of times I've hit the shower, opened my bag and found that I am missing one or more articles of clothing (belt, dress shoes, socks, boxers, undershirt, badge, etc). Just last week I had to go through an entire day at the office in a button down, dress slacks... and neon red Newton running shoes (complete with Ant+ footpod and speed laces!).
But now without further adieu, I present backwards aero-helmet dude:
Last year I forgot my timing chip at home. Quickly went home, but missed the last bus to the start on the point to point coarse. After the race I had to take a $120 taxi back to the start to get my car.
I could have asked a volunteer for a timing chip as they had extras at the start !!!
Had a awesome day in spite of spiking my HR > 180 before the race had even begun.
Last year I had big plans to do my HIM Race Rehearsal #1 on the actual course up in Wisconsin about an hour from my house.
Through a comedy of errors I ended up having my car painted into the garage by a crew that was re-tarring our driveway!!
I was able to improvise another Plan on-the-fly and benefited from borrowing/adapting the template, gears and pacing guidelines in the template Nemo, John Stark, Mancona and Matt Sullivan had developed. I noticed quite a few people messed up their first Race Rehearsall last year, got a lot of good feedback and and then invariably did fine on the second RR and great in their Race.
It's great that at EN we try to make our mistakes during Practice and then have it dialed in for the Race..
http://www.endurancenation.us/en_forums/showthread.php?t=7897
So many- where to start????
Let's see- how about thinking that eating a quart of blueberries the day before a HIM was a good idea? I was literally in the bushes every 1-1.5 miles on the run. Thank goodness it was held in a relatively rural area.
After joining EN, I realized that bike fit was crucial for comfort when ridign 6+ hours. I decided to treat myself to a tri bike for my b-day. 3 weeks later, on a gorgeous, perfect Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, I am riding on an unfamiliar road. The hill is steep and I am in the aero bars flying down, enjoying the moment. Suddenly I think, "This is Massachusetts. There might be pothole or something up ahead, I'd better slow down." Just then I break out of tree cover into the sunlight and realize I am coming up to a 90 degree curve that has a stop sign immediately after. In my panic I lose control and go down hard. Lots of road rash ensues, the bike is rideable but won't shift. I am far from home. Moral of the story- if you don't know the road, use caution.
Of course that didn't stop me from getting a matching set of road rash scars on my other side from a crash last year. I never saw the stick that stopped my bike and sent me almost over the bars but I held on and fell to the side instead.
Last Friday- decided to go to the pool for the first time in 1 year. Last swim was open water at a race in August. I had forgotten how much gear I needed. I couldn't find my goggles or cap. I grabbed the extras that I keep in my racing bag just in case- or so I thought. Got to the pool and did not have a cap, had to buy one. Goggles 2 pairs- 1 leaked, 1 fogged. Just changed them out whenever I got sick of the problem.
Really-running shoes have an "expiration" mile number? I used to wear the same pair until they fell apart.
To date, I have only fallen over on my road bike once. It was at a busy intersection in rush hour. A real "shoot me now" moment. Now my mountain bike is another story...
Of course I am a beginner and always will be because I started a few years ago and have only done 2 races. That being said, my first beginner mistake was signing up for a HIM as my first race, then only training hard until about 2.5 months prior to it (I thought I read somewhere about a 75 day taper), then rode so hard after treading water that with about 25 miles to go I was verbally swearing at the head wind, with people in ear-shot of me, I did run well though (slow) but well.
My next mistake was signing up for an IM before I even was close to finishing PT after my second knee surgery (felt I would be fine a year later). But, I guess I could say my mistake was signing up for an IM AS my second race ever. I figured I had done half the distance, sure I could finish! I let a 12 year IM veteran talk me into it (what the hell was I doing in a 1/2 mile line at 5am anyway, not to sign up?) because really IM isn't that hard. He also told me not to worry about the pre race meeting because I had ridden the course a couple of times and been on the running course plus he answered a thousand questions for me so I KNEW EVERYTHING. Well, he didn't mention that I had to actually bring my special needs bag to their special needs bag area myself (I thought that service was included in my race fee!!!!). So, to my surprise going into my second lap of the bike, I had no nutrition. The aid station food didn't really agree with me (my excuse for running slow/walking most of the time during the marathon). After the race, in the dark, sure as sh** my special needs bags were right where I left them. Can't wait to do my next IM!!!
EN is a place that has so far cleared up a lot about training right, fueling right, and executing right. Plus, this site has been partially responsible for helping me quit my chewing habit that I've been trying to unload for years. I will be in "da Haus" as long as I am dip free because it is a healthier and a cheaper way to live!!! Thanks EN.
Dan