Race Report 09

A review of the races I went to in 2009

Feb 15 Last Chance for Boston Half marathon. I enjoyed this in 08 but ran an extra lap. My friend Sean, who ran it with me last year, had to bail on this this year. My wife is going to watch in the miserable weather predicted. I would like to get a PR.

My wife sacrificially got up at 6:20 to support me here - and I am a race premadonna with lots of special needs and particulars. THANKS. I saw Rita once during the race and once right after I finished- she was lookin good- as always. Great job Rita! I didn't see anyone else I knew.
This race is cheap at $35. Like last year parking and packet pickup were easy. Nice shirt (Amanda took it). The weather, which was forecasted to be worse, was very pleasant. It was in the 30's no precip, 5-10 mph winds. This was nice to run in but Amanda was not liking it on the sidelines. Restrooms were sparse but this didn't seem to create a problem. The race started on time. The half seemed like it was less competitive from the start. Results showed this to be true.
Again it was a little crowded on the course. I wish they would eliminate the 5k. It just adds to congestion and doesn't seems to have a real purpose. The other complaint I have is lap counting. last year I didn't count and counted on them. They also didn't count. This year I had Amanda post signs for me each lap and verify goal splits. At the end of my 11th lap they told me I had finished 10. This is worse than saying nothing. I stopped at the real 13.1 and there results match but it was very frustrating. I was passed by someone in the last half mile which helped pull me in to a PR finish. I ran a 1:28:45 and I finished first in the 40-49 age group. Last year they messed up the distribution of awards - they may have done it again this year but it didn't affect me. We grabbed some post race treats which were nice (no coffee though) and headed out.
Resuts:
overall place 7 Brue Hoyt 41 M Columbus OH 1:28:45 (unofficial mile one 6:05 + 39 tenth) 1: 6:44 2: 6:39 3: 6:38 (5k 20:00) 4: 6:51 5: 6:49 6: 6:54 (10k 40:32) 7: 7:00 8: 6:57 9: 6:59 10: 6:55 11: 6:56 12: 6:55 13: 6:35 total 1:28:45


Mar 8 Arnold Pump and Run - this was my 5th year. It is also the 5th year I have been seriously running. Each year I have improved my bench but my run hasn't improved significantly since 06. I wanted to max the bench (30 reps) and run a sub 18 5k.
Well another year and no change in my run time. I pushed hard to edge out the first female in 18:17 -man is she tough. The big deal was that even though I was not able to drop weight I still maxed the bench press. I weighed in at 143 and had to bench 130x30.
It was an especially fun race because friends came in town the night before. We ate pizza and drank PBR and watched clips from Pumping Iron then watched Vision Quest. -maybe the pizza and beer hurt the weigh in???
I rode my bike down early. I talked with a lot of competitors at the event. My wife and kids came down to watch. Jacob, Brian and I buzzed through the expo in about an hour.
Man, what a great day. My splits were 5:32, 6:03, ~6:00

Arnold 5k - a couple of friends are running this. they did it 2 years ago. Amanda, Jacob and Bryan had a bit of a rivalry but the gap is widening with Jacob in the lead.
Amanda decided to just watch. -she has been running more but wasn't into it. Brian and Jacob set PRs around 24 and 25 minutes respectively. PS - since then they have both smashed these PRs

Apr 5 Athens Half Marathon - I am doing this because Sean wants to get in an early half and had to miss LCFB. I have heard it is a good race - and it is cheap if registered by mar 15th.
I don't plan on racing - just pacing Sean to a 1:44 half.

Sean changed his goal to try to set a PR under 1:40. We tried to to run a 7:30 pace (1:38:19). I had a blast running this. Ran with a friend. The course is very nice. The weather was great. I didn't have to kill myself for a PR.

Sean struggled a little in the second half. My fault -I set a pace too fast in the beginning. I also encourage him to sprint 400 meters too early (I didn't realize there was another full lap on the track.) Sorry Sean.

We finished 1:42:21 Overall it was a great day.

Only $35 -even for the full. The race shirt is unique. Post race snacks were sparse. I would do this again. Maybe run it next year for a PR.

Apr 18 Miami Student Foundation Triathlon.
I got a new bike and was excited to try it out. I wanted to finish in just under 1 hour.

I went down with a friend and met in person a few people from an online Tri group at the race.
I injured my shoulder 5 days before it and worried about the swim. The swim was ok but a week of motrin every 4 hours caused my stomach to get trashed during the race. This race had KILLER hills.
I mentally was not into the race leading up to and during the race - Results were posted really really late and split times were lost- my time was about a 1:09 for a 450yd pool swim, 12.75mi bike on hills, 5k flat run. I need to make some adjustments to my new bike.

Apr 25 Fisher 5k
Amanda didn't want me to run with her so I went down after she left. I pushed the jogger to the race. I went to where Mile one was the past 2 years. They changed the course. I ran toward where I saw people. They were walkers/slow joggers so I ran along the course until I thought I could head her off. I went to what I figured would be mile 2 or so. We waited and waited and waited. Finally we saw her run by. I threw the kids in the jogger to see her as she snaked through campus. Whoops I was about a tenth of a mile from the finish and only saw her after she past the line. She was dressed a little warm for the 70 degree race but managed to stay under 28 minutes. My friend Kristi finished a little ahead of Amanda. We got pics with Brutus and walked home. Nice race through campus. Nice day. Avg T shirt and food. Timing was up immediately! The male finishers were slightly slower b/c heat but the women's race was considerably slower than last year.

may 9 Coffman Y Springboro mini sprint 300y 11mi 5k HFP I got there early to get a god bike spot. i seeded myself to low in the swim and wound up stuck behind a guy who would not let me pass. i was weak on the bike - i still need to make adjustments and i need to train on this bike. my run was ok. i did it in 58:33. 15/239 overall 2/19 age groupthey had coffee and donuts after the race!!! a couple friends were there and mostly i enjoyed it. i would not do it again because of the distance to get there and the crowded swim.


Davis Y Youngstown Sun may 17 sprint 500y 14.5mi 5k 1:15:35 8/117 overall 1/14 age group. i drove up the day before and stayed with my sister. the swim went well. I FROZE on the bike which slowed my bike time, killed my T2 time and slowed my run time. the temps was 30 degrees colder the the day before and i made no accommodations for it. poor race planning. i would probably do this again next year. good snacks, awards announce day of. I had adjusted my handle bar height before the race and didn't tighten it correctly which made for an even more difficult ride.

May 23 Xenos Cambodia 5k this was my third time doing this event. I won it the first two years they held it. It is a trail race and not measured or timed real accurately so I am not setting a time goal. Amanda and Sean will probably do this too.
Amanda and sean decided not to run but My sister, her husband and son ran. It surprisingly shrank in participants a little this year. they had fewer sponsors and prizes as well. It was warm and there were a few guys running at a faster pace than last year. I was able to kick for the last quarter mile for the win. it is a hilly trail race but a very fun course. My nephew said he loved the course. My sister was second female. there were shoe gift certificates for 1 and 2.

Tri Tech (Rudy proj) triathlon may 31 880yd 13 mil 5k The swim wasn't really a half mile -probably 700 meters. the run to the transition area was 200 meters. I swam decently. I was the fastest throug T1. I rode my bike slowly again. T2 was pretty good. I past ALOT of people on the run. The race was nice overall - I need to train harder. I was shocked how warm the water was at Caesar creek. Shirt and snacks were great. I was 3/17 AG 26/216 OA. I knew one other guy who was racing (he won the whole shabang)


Wendy’s Triathlon June 14th 880 swim 18.6 mile bike 5k run this is the longest sprint tri of the year. I finished under 1:30 - I had a good time at the event. Unfortunately I had to be home right after it. I finished 2/24 AG 15/225 overall. I trained through this one but still felt strong at the event.


Alum Creek Fat Rabbit Intl’ Tri sprint - Jun 28
i had a blast at this race . got to hang out with friends and my wife and kids made it up just after the race ended.

i got to bed late and then couldn't sleep. that was pretty much the only thing that went wrong.

i was relaxed, smooth, on course and strong in the swim
i blasted through t1 -only slowing when walkers from earlier waves were in the way.
i kept pushing hard on the bike and was pretty much flying
i cruised through t2 without any problems
the run is my strong suit and this race was no different - just pass people.

i finished 10th overall and 1st in the largest age group.

more importantly I was able to measure performance improvement. this was my first tri last year.
2009

the difference and the reasons:

2008 13/190 1:15:48 first tri in a decade - only run training
2009 10/225 1:09:02 training + mental attitude

2008 swim 15:00 too long since swimming in open water
2009 swim 13:24 more training - more determination

2008 t1 2:33 totally lost
2009 t1 0:37 practice and simplification

2008 bike 36:26 -20.5mph 2007/8 schwinn prelude dept. store road bike
2009 bike 33:58 -21.9mph 2008 schwinn prologue tri bike - more training and mental effort

2008 t2 1:04 confused
2009 t2 0:52 yanks laces, practice

2008 run 20:45 had to stop to tie shoes mid run
2009 run 20:13 less run specific training in 09 but great mental effort.

so to make a better triathlete training + practice + mental attitude (and the right equipment helps)

Jul 19 Youngstown Triathlon Last year I finished second behind Jim Ferraro and this year -same result. I did improve my time by a minute. I didn't feel like I was working that hard but the week after my body is saying I did. I took a wrong turn on the bike that wasted 20-30 seconds. My Sister and her son watched the race.

July 26 Delaware Tri My wife, 2 girls and my nephew went with me. I had a strong swim less than 1:30 per hundred. The bike was pretty good - about 22 mph for 15 miles. My run was not exceptionally fast but was good enough to overtake alot of people including the guy I beat for 3rd overall who had a half mile head start. We swam at the lake a litlle afterward.

Aug 15 Dash for Donation half -I wanted to be below 1:27 - Well, it was HOT. Start at 70º. I also had been battling allergies and a cold. Even so, I tried to hit 1:27. After 7 miles I pretty much died. I hung on to finish at 1:31:20. I was still hurting 4 days later. Sean went with me. I think he was happy with his race. We road bikes to the event. This is a nice and CHEAP race. I think I will try the Spirit of Columbus half instead next year

Aug 29 Great Ohian tri. (I thought) This was the same course as the Delaware Tri.

Correction - The swim and bike were the same. the run was a very technical trail run after a hard rain.

I improved my swim and bike over Delaware tri and my run considering conditions and course was good.

I didn't prepare my equipment far enough ahead of time and couldn't find my tri shorts - so I wore a speedo. it was kind of funny kind of a bad idea.

Swim was 1:19 per hundred yards for .4 miles, bike was 21.88 mph for 15 miles, 5k trail run was 21:29 took 1st Age group

talked to several people I knew and headed home.



Sep 27 Deer Creek ½ iron man (first ever 1/2 IM for me)

It was dark and raining while I set up my stuff. The sun came up and the rain stopped. I talked to several friends who were competing. I started my race around 9:30.

The swim was comfortable. I met my goals. The first transition was sloppy.

My biking was smoth. I met my goals. I did have a bike repair the week before and didn't test all equipment before the race and wound up with an annoying problem with the way the water bottle fits in the aerobars as a result. My computer also decided not to work. The second transition was OK.

The first mile of the run was hard - I needed to pee, my shoes weren't situated right and i was feeling fatigue. At the mile mark I stopped for about a minute and a half to pee, drink, and adjust shoes. The next 4 or 5 miles felt good then the bottom dropped out. i was slowing down. I was hungry. I was really tired. Blisters and crampis were getting to me. i had to will myself to keep running at a pace that would give me a shot at my sub 5 hour goal. I wound up finishing the half marathon in 1:41:59.

the race time was 5:05:02 (2nd in age group). I as still pretty happy with my race. on my drive home i got stuck behind a really pitful parade in mt sterling for 20 minutes. I took a week of easy training afterward. then went to disney and overate and undertrained.


Oct 24 pumpkin run 5k (I set my PR here last year 18:03) I really really wanted to break 18. I will be in costume

I ran this in my new costume: Iron Fist (70's 2nd string Marvel character). The sash, cllar and mask were hinderances. I felt like lead and was having bathroom issues. even so i lined up still wanting a 17:59 or better. I talked to several people I have run with before. Several people also asked me about my costume. I was still talking about Marvel comics 200 meters into the race with another runner. 400 meters in I knew this was going to be tough. Hal a mile in a couple guys that were in front of me should have been behind me. Mile split time volunteers were in the wrong place and it seemed like my first mile was REALLY slow (not sure what it really was) I saw to clock hit 18:00 well before I got to the shoot - I finished in 18:17 -this was the first year they had timing chips. This is the 31st year for this event it is my 5th time doing it. I need to put in more miles and increase interval workouts.

So I started the season with an 18:17 and ended with an 18:17 - not much progress there.

Most bang for your buck: bike

You lose energy in shocks so use a bike with no shocks unless your are riding off road.

So you have your bike. What can you do to make it faster? What is this most cost effective way?

Things that make you faster - aerodynamics that cheat the wind, friction reduction on moving parts and from the road, weight, not losing power in energy transfer. <--of these weight is the least important.

Here are some suggestions:

New tires - if you reduce friction between you and the road, you will go faster. If you are using mountain bike tires and you aren't on trails -GET RID OF THEM. road tires can be bought for as little as $20 pr. On road bikes you want tires that have minimal road contact - use the minimum tire width for your rim, a high profile center and a high max pressure. Decent 700cm road tires start at $20 ea.

Getting your bike fit properly for you. I'd recommend havng a more experienced cyclist give you pointers and then do some trial and error. It is free. You can also pay for professional fittings for $100-$250 but I don't recommend this unless you have disposable income and are a front of the pack cyclist.

Keep your bike clean and tuned up - $15 for a bike maintenance book and $3 for some WD-40 will be your best purchase.

Latex tubes are faster than butyl tubes. Why? I don't know. They just are.

Clipless pedals will help you go faster but that is $30+ for pedals, $60+ shoes and if you need help getting it all together there is labor cost too. The cheap and effective alternative and it is a MUST if you aren't clipless is to get some basket toe clips. $5-$15 at Target. Screw them on, adjust them for your favorite riding shoes and your off. Ideal shoes for biking are lighter and have a stiff sole - so pick the pair of your shoes that best fits that description.

An Aero Helmet - you'll look like a tool but the claim's are fantastic. In order to realize the benefit it must be one that covers your ear. These can sometimes be found for $50 on sale. Or you could just get a nice normal helmet that has good aerodynic flow $35+

The number one thing to make your bike go faster is the most effective tool and it's free. It is you. Train properly and get to your ideal weight.

Shoe Inserts

SO it has been a LOOONG time since the last post.

I was talked into a pair of Superfeet running shoe inserts. I put them in my Mizuno Wave INspire 5's - they hurt. I took them out and the shoes felt great. I stuck the inserts in a lesser pair of shoes New Balance 1140's I thought the shoes were bad. I took the inserts out and voila! the shoes are fine. INSERTS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY.

Eye wear.

My wife has apair of $75 sunglasses - they are light and comfortable run with.
They do not fit comfortably with my bike helmet.

I have friends who have glasses much more expensive than that.

I have a pair of check out counter sunglasses from Dick's $18. The are also comfortable and light. And I can wear them with my bike helmet.

I find that using yellow lenses during cloudy days is best for me. I have pair of $3.99 hunting glasses from Wal Mart I wear for these rides. They are light, comfortable and fit well with my helmet.

I am thinking about buying a pair of $50 glasses that have multiple lenses I saw at Northland Cycle. Maybe it is a bit extravagant but what the hey!

Other glasses I have worn on the bike - safety glasses from Home Depot and hand me downs and lost and found glasses.

I wear minimal prescription eye glasses and when I get a new pair I make sure they are comforable and have a decent size lense so I can use them in poorly lit conditions.

Biking Shoes

Well i put these off for years. I did 6 triathlons, a 450 mile bike tour, a mountain biking trip, and approximately 10,000 miles of pedaling without investing in these.

They aren't cheap.

New shoes start at about $70.

I wanted Tri specific ones that were right for me so I wound up spending $119 on a pair of LG's.

That is about $20 more than a pair of running shoes. It will long outlast a running shoe. I am hoping to get 5 or more years out of them. Only about a third of my miles are on my racing bike.

I go through 3 pairs of running shoes per year at nearly $100 apiece. So in 5 years I spend $1500 on running shoes (plus a pair or 2 of racing flats). Comparatively the biking shoes are a good deal.

I have used them twice now. I am getting used to clipping in and out. I think they are making me faster.

triathlons aren't cheap

I am fortunate to have had gainful employment and that my wife currently makes enough to support our family comfortably.

Unfortunately there are a lot of great thriathletes out there that will not be able to compete at a high level due to cost constraints.

You can do them and enjoy hte fitness and social benefits and go for PR's with very little money but if you want to be competitive on a higher level you need a better bike, separate shoes to bike in and some other junk.

The minimum to enter
•Swim suit $0 (you have something now)
•goggles ($0-$10 if you don't have any you can get them for under 10)
•bike $0 (again you have access to a bike)
•shoes $0-$50 (either you have a pair of running shoes or you can get some Cheap)
•helmet 0 or $10-$25 if you don't already have one
•optional shirt, shorts and socks $0 (you have these)
•$35 entry fee to a non USAT sprint tri.

So start up cost is $35 <---this is how I did my first 4 Tri's only entry fee was needed - I had the rest.

to improve or be an age group competitor you'll want
•a close fitting swim suit that you feel comfortable wearing on the bike and run $10-$50
•decent goggles $10-$15
•an entry level road bike (not a Huffy type department stoare road bike) $200-$400
•helmet $10-$50
•good running shoes $60-$120
•optional technical shirt 0 or$10-$20 or number belt $5-$10
•race entry fees $35-$50 +$10 for USAT license srint or olympic distance

So intermediate cost is about $500
- I had some stuff and got a good deal on a bike so it ran me about $250 to go to this level- obviously your cost per race goes down as you reuse the same equipment. My second one cost $35.

If you really want to compete at an amateur level you'll want

•a close fitting swim suit that you feel comfortable wearing on the bike and run $10-$50 or a tri suit $200& up (I don't use this)
•nice goggles $10-$20
•a nice road bike or entry level tri bike $500-$1500
•helmet $30-$100 (mine is actually still a junky $10 cap)
•good running shoes $60-$120 AND biking shoes $80-$150
•number belt $5-$10
•race entry fees $35-$50 +$10 for USAT license srint or olympic distance more for longer distances

so at this level it costs about $1350
-it cost me $1130 to make this jump

at an elite level a better bike and tri speed suit and top end equip are called for THIS COULD COST OVER $10,000 FOR EVERYTHING. the funny thing is I saw guys who spent this kind of money coming in way after me in tris when I was at the $250 level. At $1380 I am able to compete with any non professional athlete.

Remember to spend the amount that is appropriate for your level and Consider the amount you will use the stuff.

Gloves for cold weather.

Just coming off the cold I was thinking about gloves as I put away my Ski gloves. I wear ski gloves while riding in sub 30º weather.

For running I wear the kind of gloves you buy at the hardware store for gardening or cold weather building. They are about $2 a pair. The ones with the little dimples on one side are sweet for biking in 35 - 45º weather. Dollar stores often have gloves too. Or you could stop at the sporting goods store and drop $25 on a pair of running gloves.

Maybe a little gross but if you run in cold weather you can appreciate this- The cheap gloves are easier to wipe the snot with. If it is under 20º you don't want to take off your pretty gloves and fumble for your tissue (where are you keeping it anyway?)

For Races that are between 30-40º I wear an old pair of cheap gloves or socks on my hands. I know I will not want them the whole race so I just toss them once I am warm.

A friend of mine makes the shells that go over gloves to provide extra warmth, wind and water protection. buy a remnant piece of gortex or use a worn out gortex item. Cut a thumbless mitten, sew it together inside out. put it over your gardening gloves. Pin it at the wrist so you can remove and not lose them if you get too warm. This kind of all weather layered glove can cost $50. You can have some for $3.

Cost to race.

Most races are pretty standard for your area. I have noticed a corelation: the bigger the city, the higher the cost. though it is the population density that is a bigger factor. So check out those rural races. They are unfortunately harder to find. They are not on some big race organizers website and they may not even have a website of their own.

Here in Columbus Ohio we have 750,000 people ranking 15th in the country. A 5k costs $27 from one of he race promoters. The Columbus Marathon costs $75.

City difference - NY marathon $171, Athens Ohio Marathon $35
It costs more to shut down a bigger city.

You can shop around for races in your area. I have done 5k races for as little as $3 as a guest for a rural roadrunners club and $5 (a non promoted charity run) and $33 (promoted, late entry, plus CC service charge). I try to keep a 5k to $20 unless it is something really cool. It was a mistake payin $33. I top out at $27 now.

A great deal here in Columbus is the Dash for Donation Half Marathon. $35 which is good but if you are a registered organ donor it is only $15. Run on Columbus Downtown bike path. Another great deal is the Columbus Running Co's Mile Dash Bash. $7 include a free beer, cake and drawings for prizes. it draws a great field of runners and some wacky costumes too.

Ask at local running stores. Check in with libraries, rec centers and big churches. Ask around. Google it. Don't be a slave to overpriced races. Expect what you pay for. If they aren't giving your money's worth -pass.

One of the worst priced races in our area is the Columbus Distance Classic a John Penguin Bigham race. It costs $60/$70. The race is not very special. There are several other halfs you can run for $35. The 5k is $30/$35 and draws very few competitive runners. I suppose if you run a 20 minute 5k and want to win a race it is appealing.

Make sure you know when entry fees go up. You usually need to register a month before your event.

For triathlons I am finding that $40 is pretty standard for sprints. I am going to be doing some longer races this year and I'll post on fees then. Don't forget that is it says it is a USAT sactioned event you need to add $10 to the fee. If you are doing 4 or more USAT races buy a membership.

Nutrition

Supplements, protein shakes. diets, energy bars, gels and all that jazz - UNNECESSARY

Start your day with a Bowl of cereal with fat free milk. I eat Total Raisin Bran.
Have 8oz of Fortified OJ. Other cereal and real fruit juice substitutions are fine.
I can't get by without 16 oz of coffee. Half of that is good for you.

Drink water.

Keep healthy snacks in plain view. If you have to open the snack drawer you are likely to grab a Ho Ho instead of an Apple. I keep Multi Grain Fig Newtons, Quaker peanut butter granola bars, fresh fruit, and dried fruit on hand. Later in the day snacks include Peanuts, Cheese and Wheat Thins. If you can do unsalted nuts or seeds of any kind -eat up!


Drink Water

For lunch I have 6-8 oz of low sodium V8 and fruit juice (I vary it up - pomegranate/blueberry, cranberry/raspberry. grapefruit juice, and others). I eat a sandwich or pizza or whatever - just don't stuff yourself. Don't have high fat, high sugar or high salt foods

Drink Water

Healthy snack

Drink Water

Eat a variety of foods for dinner. Make sure to get veggies, fruit, good carbs, and protein for dinner. I eat lean meat - usually chicken. I always buy 85 - 92% lean beef. I make sure I have fresh fish at least once a week.

my after dinner/before bed routine is very unhealthy but because my body is getting the nutrients and excercise it needs - I process this junk quicly. I have a couple of beers, a couple servings of doritos and often something sweet as well. I don't recommend this last section of my diet but I am a weak man - I need my junk food.

Pre-exercise I will drink gatorade (I use the kind I mix myself). Post exercise I have a homemade recipe -
1/4 cup chocolate carnation instant breakfast, a banana, 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup ice cream, 12 ozskim milk - blended. MMMMMMMM
(a cup of chocolate milk will do. - If your still hungry grab a healthy snack)

My race day diet is a little different. Covered in a later post.

A note on calories - CALORIES ARE GOOD! A calorie is a unit of energy. You need energy. Don't avoid calories. Just eat the right foods and excercise.

There is a lot of talk about carbs being bad. -UNTRUE! You must get carbs - just avoid simple carbs (usually white eg - white bread, white rice, enriched pasta) get whole grain non enriched carbs. If you are working out you need alot of carbs.

Also Your body NEEDS fat, sugar, and salt - you just don't need to go out of your way to get them - your food has plenty in it already.

A little caffeine and Alcohol and NSAIDS are fine. The problem people have is overdoing it.

Cigarettes, illegal drugs, fad diets, sarvation, and steroids will destroy everything you worked for. If you are using these now - SEEK HELP from people who love you and professionals.

Use perscriptions as directed by your doctor.

How much $ needed to get strated in triathlons?

If you own running shoes, a swim suit and a bike - nothing.

If you are thinking about doing a tri, you should start with what you have. If you like it then you can spend some money on upgrades.

What is a running shoe? It is a shoe made specifically for running - not a pair of cool looking athletic shoes. It should be a pair that offers the support and cushion uniquely required for you. It should not have more than 400 miles of combined running and walking miles on it. If you run in worn out shoes or the wrong kind of shoes or shoes that don't meet your needs - you will get injured. Medical bills cost more than shoes. Buy some. Ideally you should go to a running specialty store to get the right shoe for you. It will cost more (~$95)than at a department or sporting goods store (~60). But you will save your self injuries and set backs in training. You will be a stronger , faster runner. You can get your next pair at a discount store. Just buy the same shoes. trust me the extra $30+ is a good return on your money.

Can you ride your 1995 Murray mountain bike? Yes! But if that is all you have, try to borrow a bike for a few training rides and the race. A friend of my wife's tried to ride a full suspension Huffy on a 30 mile tour. The bike had to weigh 50 pounds. It was brand new but every component was garbage. She would have done as well to run. She was unable to finish the ride. My wife used a 5 year old Giant Boulder (pre suspension) weighing 35lbs with high quality components. I had also swapped the over sized knobby mtn tires for road tires bought at Target for $10 each. It was an easy ride for her. My friend Vicky used this same bike for her first Triathlon last year. She couldn't believe how much nicer it was than the department store mountain bike she was trining on. A bike like that used $50. An entry level bike that can be used for multiple purposes (niot just Tris) is the Schwinn Super Sport at about $400.
If you want a road bike Target sells mass consumer level Schwinns. I used a Schwinn Prelude ($178) last year and loved it. A friend of mine borrowed it for a Tri as well. They are available at Target and Amazon for a little over $200 now. It was a little big for me and I am getting serious so I ....well, I'll get to that in a later post.

Put simply train on what you have. Borrow a bike if need be for the event.
You probably will wear the same shoes on the bike and run (until you upgrade to clipless pedals)
Oh, and if you don't have toe clips head to Target and get some >$10 - it is a HUGE difference.

What kind of swim suit do I need? What evere you have. woman's one oiece or men's trunks.
I bought a triathlon specific swimsuit srom Club Swim for $10 - they are like biking shorts but they don't come down as far and have less padding. The are swim suit material. I train in really big baggie swim trunks - please fellas - leave the speedo at home when you go to the city pool.

Helmets

Why buy a helmet? It is $10 to $200 you can save. You look cooler without it and it is cumbersome.

A: Medical bills cost a lot more than a Helmet. Brain Damaged is often irreversible. Death is bad. If you don't wear one your kids won't either. Do you want them riding without one?

Do you need a $200 helmet? No. Unless you are a professional bike rider.
How about a $100 helmet? No. Unless you ride a lot, do races or tours and have money to waste (but if you are just wasting money send it here)
A $50 Helmet? This is pretty normal. You can get a cool (as far as helmets go) looking, comfortable (in fit and cooling) one, aerodynamic one for this. These Usually have built in reflectors.
A $10 helmet? Yep. Mine is 10 bucks. Same safety rating as a $200 one. It didn't have cool colors or designs so I painted a Bat emblem on the front and put a reflective Flash sticker on the back. This price range doesn't give you a very adjustable helmet so be sure it fits well as is.

So save money by buying an inexpensive helmet. Don't skip it altogether.

Old Triathlon Results

This isn't really about being cheap but I wanted to share:

I found my results from the 80's! Not in any publication - they were in a file folder here at home.

I did these when I was younger than I thought.

1st at age 16 in 1984 - 2nd at age 16 in 1984 - 3rd at age 17 in 1985.

they were longer than sprints and shorter than olympic distance.

I had been swimming competitively since age 12. I would get out of the water in the first few people.

I rode my considerably taller brother's steel Schwinn Varsity with basket clips. I got past by a lot of people.

The first year I was sucking wind in the run. I had only started running that year. The second one in the first year I got massive cramps on the run - it was HOT and I was under hydrated.

the distances and times are :

Canton Bud Light Jun 9, 1984 2:06:00 <---This was the best I would do until I was 40 years old.

(splits are approximate)

1000m (.6 mile) ows 16:00 includes T1 ~1:15/100yds

33k (20.5mile) bike 1:05:00 includes T2 ~19.5mph

10k (6.2 mile) run 45:00 ~7:15/mile

Shenango Triathlon Aug 18, 1984 2:06:07

1000m (.6 mile) ows 15:56 (includes T1) ~1:15/100yds

25k (15.5mile) bike 1:00:05 ~ 14.3 mph Really SLOWWW

10k (6.2 mile) run 50:06 (includes T2) dehydrated /cramps ~7:53/mile even Slowererer

Canton Bud Light Jun 8, 1985 2:18:13

1000m (.6 mile) ows 13:25 ~1:22/100yds

34k (21.1mile) bike 1:25:30 (bike include both transitions) ~15.75 mph SLOWWWWW

10k (6.2 mile) run 40:18 ~6:29/mile

My bike time was MUCH slower than the previous year - it includes both transitions and an extra .6 miles. I also probably pushed too hard on the swim.

My transitions for these involved wrapping a towel around me, taking off my swim suit, drying, putting on my biking shorts, putting on a shirt, rinsing and drying my feet, putting on socks and shoes I tied, putting on sunglasses and just puttsing too long. I would guess I spent 4 minutes in T1 and a full minute in T2 even though I didn't change shoes.

My next Tri was somewhere around 1999. I met a guy who said he was doing Wendy's at Alum Creek. I figured - Why Not (even though it had been 10 years since I had done any training.)

I haven't found the results for it but they are fairly irrelevant.

I did the Sprint.

I got kicked in the face HARD on the swim. I still got out toward the beginning of the pack.

I used my old 4 minute routine at T1

I jumped on a nice newish Raleigh road bike (nice for a guy 4 inches taller than me.) I it bought from a friend. I got a flat tire with about 5 or 6 miles to go. -No repair kit, CO2 -nothin.

I ran pushing the bike to T2. I was past by some kids, seniors, Huffy's and Murrays. My wife encouraged me to see how many people I could pass on the 5k. I didn't worry about getting out of T2 fast. i took a good drink and set out to pass 50 peopl.

It was actually very easy to pass 50 people because by the time I started the run even the casual tri enthusiasts had past me on the bike.

When I got home and went to eat some fresh baked peanut butter cookies I was reminded of the kick to the face.

I do have to say that a nicer bike would cost more but certainly would help.

Bikes

I have ridden bikes for daily transportation since 1987. A bike should not cost thousands of dollars.

I did some triathlons in the late 80's on my brother Schwinn world road bike. It was too large for me and weighed well over 30 lbs. I still was competitive.
In 2008 I decided to try the tris again.

I searched for a reasonably priced road bike. Bike shops and name brand bike start at $400. However I found Schwinn sold to Pacific cycle a mass producer from China. They still produced worthy bikes in all categories for $500 and up sold at bike shop BUT they also produce mass consumer models sold at Target, Wal Mart and Amazon. These bikes come with lower grade compoments at a fraction of the cost. You also lose the benefits from a local bike store with service. I found the Schwinn Prelude MSRP $235 was retailing at $199 at Target and Amazon. I went to Target to try it out for sizee at get a close look at it since very little info is available on line. Thes consumer bikes are not even listed on the Schwinn website. The bike fot, it looked well made with decent components and it was on sale for $178. I took it home. PS It has a lifetime warrantee on parts.

On this bike I finished 13th in my first Tri (overall) 1st in Age grou and 2nd overall in the next tri. I find that the biggest factor for the bike is the weight and VO2 max of the rider. The weight of the bike and components is second.

That said you can waste your money by buying a CHEAP bike. Department store brands (other than the schwinn often look like their expensive counterparts but are just REALLY heavy poorly constructed bikes. Gettin a full suspension Murray Mountain Bike is absolutely pointless. You will not be able to use it for it's intended purpose.

My other bikes that I got new:
- a 2001 Schwinn Mesa GS MTN bike with rear suspension, luggage rack, trunk, lights, computer $200 (marked down ffro $449)
- a 1994 Giant Boulder (no suspension) $200 that I pull a 2008 Instep double stroller $149
- a 1978 Ross cruiser - christmas gift

I laso have a Used Schwinn Tandem ~ 1958 given to me I spend $100 making it nice.

I am in my first year of serious triathlons so I am buying a new Tri bike - more to come on it soon.

A place to swim

I was a competitive swimmer in high school. I know that doing laps will help my overall fitness.

The problem: where do you swim once you are out of school?

The summer time is easy. The city pool is open and has designated lanes for laps and rest periods for kids. The state park lakes are warm.

My city pool is half a mile from my house and fluctuates free/25cents/50cents and free year to year. Alum Creek state park is 15 miles away and FREE.

Spring, fall and winter are harder - the outdoor city pool is closed. The lake is cold and/or closed.

The city (of Columbus) has an indoor pool with limited hours for 50 cents. Suburb pools and private pools that offer kid lessons often let parents swim laps during kids lessons. Guest passes and trial memberships at gyms are great. <--I have used these options.

A health club membership can be a good investment IF the club has a pool. No pool = no reason to join. The Y is a good place to look for inexpensive membership.

Join a Masters Swim Club. You gain access to the pool AND get workouts and friends.

For me an additional problem is finding someone to watch my kids while I swim laps. that's a story for another day.

Save some gas.

Well I am trying to get the ball rolling on this blog.

One of the biggest ways I save money and time is by using running as transportation.

When I started running this meant running a mile to get lunch at McDonald's or to ship a box at the post office. I would run to the movies or the bar or a friend's house - if it was withing 2 miles and I didn't have to carry a ton I ran.

Travel reimbursement was at 31 cents a mile and i think it comes to more than that when you consider repairs and a new car payment -so by using running for transport I saved a couple hundred dollars the first year. I also saved a ton of time because I would have been getting to the car, driveing and parking the car anyway. If parking costs or is far - the savings increase.

These days I bike (often pulling a double trailer) and run (pushing a double jogger) everywhere I can. I Use biking and running as transportation over 1000 miles per year. That is worth about $500 to me. If i worked out separately I would cost me and additional 100 hours per year.

first post

So here I am. I have been a competitive runner since 2005 . I was a high school runner and swimmer. I continued dabbled in triathlons, water polo, softball, basketball and weight training after high school. Each year I would do less. At age 36 I was 30 pounds overweight. It hurt to run. It was time to start running regularly again.

Needed to get started: Shoes.

A friend had given me a pair that weren't right for him.
This is cheap - it isn't the best thing.

I bought shoes from department stores. This saves money too but it is not smart money. If your shoes do not give you the proper alignment, cushion, and support you need then injuries are on the way. I was lucky- I got away with only shin splints.

Spending the extra money to get the right shoes from a professional running store will cost more up front but will save you money in the long run - you won't need another pair right away like when shoes you got from kmart weren't right, you will get more bang for your race entry fee, you won't hurt as much, you may save money at the doctor, chiropractor, and massage therapist.

Front Runner, Road Runner sports and Second Sole here in Columbus offer a good selection and the service needed to get the right shoe. Ask about discontinued shoes. Ask about other discounts for running clubs or teams.

You can save money on your SECOND pair of shoes by getting the same or similar shoe at a department store, closeout or online.

Here in Columbus you can get the SECOND pair at Sports Authority or Kohl's. You can save up to $50 a pair.

You need to get a pair from a real running store at least every 3 years.

Typical high quality running shoe from a running store: $80-$110
Life of a running shoe varies greatly on type of runner, type of running, type of shoe and more. A shoe should last at least 100 miles. I would not recommend ever exceeding 400 miles in a pair.

I wear mine about 300 miles (less for flats).

It is best to buy the next pair of shoes halfway through the life of the first. I rotate shoes until the first is at 300 and the second is at 150. Then the first become daily walking shoes. A new pair is rotated in. once that walking shoes get ugly they becoming the lawn mowing shoes. And the cycle continues.

I go through 4 pairs of running shoes a year.