Good morning!
Last night I got some exercise after all. :) Eric and I took our bikes out for a spin around the block. I am SORE though. Not from my groin muscle, but from sitting on the seat! I think I am going to need to invest in some padded bike shorts! Does anyone have any recommendations? The seat is even padded too, but it didn’t seem to help much.
Otherwise, it was a great bike ride!
Ahhhh…Spring, how I love thee.
Everything is just so fresh.
Including this juice I made…
I had some random things to use up in today’s juice: Celery, beet, carrots, ginger, grapefruit.
Along with a mix of delicious Four O’Clock Japanese Sencha and White loose leaf tea:
Cleaning out the loose leaf steeper is such a pain in the butt! That is why I love this huge loose leaf pot because I can make a huge batch of it at once. The tea gets cold, and yes I drink it anyways. ;)
I made another bowl of delicious Vegan Overnight Oats last night!
Coconut Maple Syrup Vegan Overnight Oats
Last night I threw into a bowl:
- 1/3 cup regular oats
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 mashed ripe banana, leave a few chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 scoop Amazing Grass Chocolate Amazing Meal Powder
- Tiny pinch of sea salt
Directions: Stir the above ingredients and place in the fridge (covered) overnight.
In the morning, throw together this quick and delicious topping…
This is one of my favourite pancake toppings and it is so easy.
Reduced-Sugar Overnight Oats/Pancake Syrup:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Mix together and pour overtop!
I actually enjoy this topping much better than nut butter! It is soooo good. The syrup coats the oats and you get a taste on each bite. I highly recommend it!
Triathlon Talk
Last night Eric and I started to plan out our TRY-A-TRI training. :) We have under 6 weeks until our Try-A-Tri.
The course consists of:
- 375 meter swim
- 10 km bike ride
- 2.5 km run
The course is very hilly (think murder hill), but luckily we can train on the actual course and prepare ourselves.
Now that my groin muscle is feeling better, it is time to get back into the training.
It will be about another month until we are able to do open water swims (and even then the water will be frigid), so Eric and I looked up a local indoor public pool that is about 15 minutes from us.
Confession: Eric and I are both grossed out by public pools. We seriously hate them. I have a huge fear of hair and band-aids and it takes a lot to get me into a public pool! However, we are in this together and are going to support one another! We will get over our fear…
After looking at the Adult Length Swim schedule, we decided on swimming twice per week:
- Monday night, 8-9pm
- Wednesday night, 8-9pm
The days might vary here and there, but we are going to try to stick with Monday and Wednesday nights to have some consistency. There are some great swim drills/workouts online that we can try once we have built a bit of a base up.
I also need to get myself a swimsuit for swimming laps asap. A bikini will NOT cut it.
I was doing some reading on Triathlons last night and I came across the Brick Workout.
The Brick workout “refers to training on two disciplines during the same workout, one after the other with minimal or no interruption in between, just as you would do in a race. Usually when people talk about bricks they refer to a bike/run workout, but bricks could also refer to a swim/bike workout or to a run/bike workout.”
I will likely be incorporating some Brick Workouts into each week. Because I have a half marathon just 1 week prior to the TRY-A-TRI, I will need to make sure that I keep up with my long run each week and then incorporate some brick workouts here and there.
I feel like there is SO much I don’t know about triathlons and I feel like I have a lot to learn. It will be a huge learning curve, but I kind of like the challenge of trying something new!
Today’s question- Have you ever taken up a sport or activity and had a big learning curve at first? What was it?
Updates:
- New reader Green Monster recipes are up!
- Is anyone still having problems posting comments? Eric thinks he fixed the issue, but email me ([email protected]) if you are still having problems.
I’m off to do some bakery training! :)
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{ 102 comments… read them below or add one }
Ugh, I am so grossed out by public pools, too. In college, I worked for a pool/water testing company and I could tell you horror stories – sorry, not make it any worse!!!
ahahaha noooooo stop it stop it!!!
I am the same way – I’m totally cool with open water, but I haaaaate pools! Grossss!
LOL! I am the opposite! Aleady being pretty water-phobic, open water freaks me out. I’ll take a pool any day…but I always make a bee-line for the shower and use extra soap when Im done. And I never shave my legs within 24 hours of attending a pool…not too keen on cellulitis.
I have an unexplainable phobia of hair…in the shower- I tip my head upside-down so it doesn’t touch my body. yes I’m a freak. Swimming pools/Japanese onsens…not helping my fear. BLEH…oh and on the bike seat note Angela- I’m no expert, but my friend is an avid bike racer- yes, he shaves his legs (supposedly if you fall and have no leg hair, you won’t peel off all your skin?!)…he would know…but he said that bike seats should actually be hard (he rides on plastic only! (ouch), but says that too much cushion doesn’t allow blood flow in the butt. However he does have a little padding in the shorts I believe…Like I said, I’m no expert, but I find that after a long winter of no biking, it hurts my butt for a good week- then I’m okay after that! Good luck with your training!!!
I’ve recently heard some horror stories of some the Vegas casino pools. O. M. G!!! Let’s just say you will never find me at the pool at the Hard Rock!!
Not to mention the fact that people pee and poo in public pools like its a giant toilet.
POO?
Haha I have actually seen poop in a pool in person. But! You can usually see it before you get in so… you know, be on the look out. They clean them daily, I hope, so it should be cool.
I just started running, so I’m constantly learning new things about clothes, injuries, etc. It’s exciting! Good luck with your training!
I have been using a public pool for my tri-training and it’s actually super nice and clean! Hopefully you guys will be as lucky.
ughhhhhhhhh pools ew ew ew, I don’t even like the private ones. and don’t even try and get me in a natural body of water because I will shriek like a little girl and run away. I seriously am grossed out by bathtubs even.
As far as the bike I wonder if it would be better to just tough it out? I know when I started spinning I was sore for about three weeks and then it went away and I haven’t been sore since ( a lot of other people say the same thing ) but I don’t know if a real bike is a different game, I’m sure some other cyclists on here will know :)
I have recently taking up swimming and the way I am getting used to it is kind of crazy. (My workout buddy says it’s pretty standard though.) The first time I swam I couldn’t get through 50 yards without need to rest. The second time I felt the same way about 100 yards, and now (after my third swim) I feel that way about 150 yards. :) I try to do 800 yds. for a workout b/c that’s half a mile and I like nice neat numbers.
Soreness after biking is a big issue for me as well. I think my main obstacle to doing a tri is that my bottom hurts SO much after I ride a bike- and I do have the padded girly seat. I am really reluctant to buy a pair of bike shorts though b/c if they don’t work, I’ll have spent the money for nothing. I have a bike, but currently I just use it to get around during Mardi Gras in New Orleans b/c a lot of the roads are blocked off to cars.
the padding on seats is mostly useless (the squishier it feels, the less it will help your bum) whereas the padding on your shorts will make a HUGE difference. you should invest in a pair. they’ve got some cheaper ones out there that you can start with
I have Pearl Izumi bike shorts. PADDED IS A MUST!!! Don’t get cheap shorts either. It makes a difference. Bibs are more comfortable than shorts.
Padded bike shorts are a must! But my crotch still gets sore from all of the bumping. I need to toughen up!
I participated in a century ride a few years ago (100 mile bike race) with no previous cycling experience. I prepared myself by taking spinning classes regularly and rented a race bike a couple of times to do longer (30-40 mile) rides. The race went fine for me and was a great and challenging experience!
I would recommend to let yourself get used to the bike seat before buying padded shorts. They might help a little but your body will adapt to riding and you won’t get sore after a while.
Good luck!
My butt hurts the first day riding of the season no matter what – and I have a really great seat/shorts. You’ll get used to it, but I do think the bike shorts still help a bit.
I think there’s a big learning curve at the beginning for everyone! When i first took up running, I could only go for 30 seconds before feeling like death was imminent. Just last weekend, I ran in a 10 mile race and crossed the finish line feeling like a million bucks!
Recently I’ve taken up Yoga and I am not very flexible so I feel VERY behind the ball about it. But I’ve already noticed some subtle improvements in my flexibility and am looking forward to making major strides over time!
Public pools really gross me out too. I hope you have a good experience though! You are commited so you’ll be fine!
Your butt will get used to the seat. Give it a few times, and then it will be conditioned for seat shape and firmness. But some shorts would probably help and and extra pad on the seat if you don’t already have one on their.
Hair and band-aids are the least of my worries. But I won’t go into why I am freaked out by public pools.
Those oats look great. I love the syrup. It all sounds pretty filling, too!
oh my… I do water exercises 4X a week and I am currently fighting a RASH from the pool! The antibiotics are tearing up my tummy too! :( But I still go to the pool! lol
I knew absolutely nothing about running when I first started. :) I’m so wanting to check out a tri now but I need to learn how to swim and ride a bike first. ;)
Hey,
As a spin instructor, I don’t use my shorts unless I will be on the bike for longer than 1 hour; they help but not as much as you want them too. After a few more bike rides, the soreness will go away! If you do get some, MEC has a good selection. Oh, and a tip, you gotta commando in them or else, you may chafe…
Don’t stree about the public pools!
I lifeguarded at various city public pools in Ontario for 5 years and, honestly, I think the grossness of public pools is a bit overhyped. Public pools are heavily chlorinated so any real bacteria grossness is taken care of, and everything else is mostly psycological.
Try out some padded shorts but I don’t think they make much of a difference! Plus, unless you want to change from bathing suit to biking outfit in the middle of a crowd, padded shorts would be awfully soggy after a swim ;). The sore backside issue eventually just goes away, I think it takes a few days to get used to it. Even with spinning class this happens! Good luck with your training, it seems like you have done lots of great research.
I agree.. those bike shorts can kind of give you a ‘diaper butt’ look. Tri shorts have enough padding without going overboard. And you can wear them while you swim to cut on transition time. First triathlon is so exciting!! Way better than a first road race..
I’m doing my first tri in July! Can’t wait!
My favorite bike shorts are made by Performace and they’re called “ultra”… I like the length, fit and amount of padding (which happens to be pink, plus for this gal HAHA)And they’re on sale right now on the website!! :)
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?storeId=10052&langId=-1&catalogId=10551&productId=1014392&cm_mmc=$(referrer)$-_-Clothing-_-PERFORMANCE-_-10-0634-BLK-L&CSE=GooglePS&mr:trackingCode=92549846-A681-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA
Oh man Angela, I too have a MAJOR hatred of hair. It doesn’t scare me per say but it grosses me out to no end!!!! I hate it so, so, so, so much!!!
That said, I never thought to be weirded out by pools for that reason, but now I’m not sure if I ever want to go into a public pool again… haha thanks for that ;)
yeah, so i think u are so amazing.
I just signed up for my first tri too! It’s one month before my first marathon, eek! I’ve been swimming, but I just bought my first bike, and I cant wait to start riding. …and I’m totally with you on being grossed out by hair & bandaids.ewwwwww.!!
One brick session a week would definitely help you with the ‘dead legs’ feeling you get starting running after the bike. You can also use it to practice your transitions! If I were you I would do a long run, a long bike ride and then a medium bike ride followed by a short run each week, plus 2 swimming sessions.
Hi Angela,
I agree with the above comments that padded bike shorts are a must, especially for long rides (training) and bike racing. However, for a try-a-tri (since this is a short distance), I would recommend Sugoi tri shorts. They have thinner padding, but you can also wear them under your wet suit for swimming and for your running part. You will waste less time in transitions if you wear tri shorts and a tri tank top. This is what I wore on my very first try-a-tri last year.
Good luck with training, and don’t forget the brick workouts, especially bike/run, they really, really work.
You may find my post on triathlon training extremely helpful. Then again, you may not. But you’ve honed in on one of my key training strategies: no bikinis. Because otherwise people will laugh at you.
http://lifeinbalancesortof.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/spring-training/
I’m less than 8 weeks to my Tri. I am officially panicking.
Good luck!
I’ve never done a tri but I have great bike shorts that are actually capris from LL Bean. They help the butt and are stylish.
Since your doing the try a try for padded bike shorts I recommend trying some on at a store, and then hitting ebay up and buying some designed for triathlons. You can get ones that you can swim, bike and run in, the padding is a little thinner, but it saves time on the transitions. You can find them on ebay a lot cheaper (the same pair of shorts at a tri store here were 160 and I found them on ebay for 30)! I’m currently training for a sprint triathlon, and my butt is slowly getting used to the seat. So I would definitely recommend getting bike shorts, but if your going to spend money you might as well get ones you can swim in, since you said you needed a new bathing suit anyway :). You can even find tri shorts that have removable pads. I’ve done quite a bit of research on clothing for tri’s so if you have anymore questions let me know I might be able to help.
The sport with a big learning curve for me was swimming! But now I love it! And try to remind yourself that there is a lot of chlorine in the pools to kill germs. It helped me.
Have fun!
Hey Ange!
I notice that your coconut oil is not virgin or extra-virgin. I know that we should eat extra-virgin olive oil, but I am never sure about coconut oil. I buy extra-virgin just to be safe, but I’ve been wondering about this for a while. Do you know? Or does anyone know who could inform me? :) Thanks!
At first I was grossed out at the thought of swimming in a public pool as well, and had a bad experience in one place, however, I found another natatorium in our area, really close to my job that keeps their pool relatively clean and sanitized. And to be honest, open water is just as dirty, but you just can’t see it. Eeeek! LOL!
Oh yes, “BRICKS”, definitely incorporate those into your weekly training, at least one day. The most important one for me personally was the bike to run brick, as your legs will feel like jello initially coming off of a different type of rotation of your legs. Swim to bike is not too bad, unless you become a little dizzy from being in the water. The distances you guys will be training for are really good for your first. My first was a 500 meter swim, 14 mile bike and a 5k run. You’ll do great, go in with a mentality that YOU WILL FINISH! If you can do well in the bike and run, this triathlon will be a piece of cake! Another great site for swim workouts, www.swimplan.com. Go to www.swimoutlet.com for good buys on swimsuits. I wear the Speedo Endurance one piece, lasts a really long time. I agree with Katie on the soreness of the butt does eventually go away. If you eventually end up getting hooked to Tri’s, you can invest in a trisuit. They come in 2 pieces or all in one. I own a few 2 pieces, where the top is like a running top but easy to swim in and the shorts are awesome, they are made with a pad in them and are like cycling shorts but not so thick you feel like you have a diaper on and can withstand being wet. I have 3 suits, one is made by TYR and the other 2 are Zoot. Look at www.terrybikes.com and you’ll find a few items there too. You’ll also want to wear a swim cap.
A workout I really had to learn was Bikram Yoga, but once I did, I love it when I get the opportunity to go.
I think everyone who tries a new sport has a learning curve! Some may take longer than others.. ;)
When I first joined a swim team, about a year and a half ago, I was verrrry intimidated by the other swimemrs (most of them had been swimming competitively for their whole lives). I had always known how to swim but as for endurance, speed, and stroke technique.. I was pretty much lost.
It became very easy for me to be super disappointed in myself. But I’ve really just decided to stop comparing myself to the other swimmers! I try to concentrate on how I’m swimming vs. other practices instead of comparing myself to someone else. I think this has helped me a lot because I’m actually enjoying getting in the pool again! For a while, I got so discouraged that I’d dread practice because of the workout intensity but also because I punished myself the whole time for being slower than other people. I’ve learned it’s not worth it and swimming is supposed to be FUN!
Eek, that was longer than anticipated! ;)
Good luck with your public pool!
You have definitely convinced me to try the overnight oats tomorrow (or tonight)! I love that you topped them with coconut oil and maple syrup…I read that on Alicia Silverstone’s website and have loved that mix ever since. I feel so clean eating that way and can not believe that people really prefer the fake corn syrup stuff compared to real maple syrup…it is SO GOOD!
I haven’t really tackled a new hardcore fitness event or sport, but I did go sky diving in college in Switzerland…that was amazing! I hope that I can fit a marathon into my life in the next few years though!
You might need to take a week or so to get used to the seat. The soreness definitely diminishes over time. You can also buy padded seat covers that fit right over the bike seat.
PS – Public pools gross me out as well!
skip the padded shorts and invest in a good seat for your bike, butt soreness will be gone in 1-2 weeks depending how much time you spend on the bike!
good luck!!
I am that way with running right now. Lots to learn.
Good luck, I’m sure you guys will do great!
I’ve been a runner for a long time, but I did my first duathlon last year. A duathlon is run-bike-run (no swimming). I did a few brick workouts and felt like they really, really helped. I would do a bike workout and then immediately after do a short run. Actually I would do a little bit of running after almost every bike workout, even if it was only 10 minutes. It takes awhile to get used to running right after biking. Your legs feel really heavy. Practice helps a lot.
I would like to do a triathlon sometime but need to learn how to swim first! Oh and my friends who do triathlons say there are special padded shorts for triathlons as opposed to regular biking. They are thinner so you can swim, bike and run all in the same outfit. Good luck!
Hey Ange –
I’m a swimmer and just wanted to pass on my fav source for good swim suits – www.swimoutlet.com. My favorite inexpensive but good quality suits are the Dolfin Uglies one-pieces (search for Dolfin Uglies). In my opinion, they offer some of the best coverage (they cover your butt and don’t ride up too high on the legs). Take a look at the sizing chart and then order one size bigger. For example, I’m 5’6″ around 127 lbs. and normally wear clothing in 4-6, so that would be about a size 32. I ordered a 34 and it was perfect.
I’ve done a couple of sprint triathlons and actually did a few brick workouts in my Dolfin Uglies suit and wore the suit during the races. I felt it was a good way to try triathlon without spending a ton of money up front. Triathlon can be an expensive sport! But also incredibly fun. :)
HTH!
My recommendations for bike seat comfort are, do not use a padded seat, I know it seems like that would be more uncomfortable but once your sitting bones get used to it you’ll be fine. Also, a good pair of cycling shorts is key! I wear Sugoi. :)
I enjoy Fox Racing Bike shorts, ’cause I have a hatred of spandex & the Fox ones look like board shorts!
i just figure i can always shower after being in a public pool…but i’m pretty oblivious to germs anyway :) you guys can do it!
lol…I don’t mind public pools…although kiddie pools are another story :-)
My bum hurts SO badly after bike rides!!!
I was trying on JEANS yesterday, put my hand into the pocket to straighten them out, felt something and pulled it out… it was a USED BANDAID!!!
I actually laughed when I pulled it out – it was gross, but I kept losing bandaits on an awkwardly positioned cut I had on my finger a couple weeks ago. Someone’s gonna find them! Imagine the bandaid trail around the world! Does everyone of them get found by someone else?
I tried skiing this winter for the first time. It has a huge learning curve, plus the conditions are constantly changing so every run and every day is different. Not to mention all the equipment. But it was worth it!
I think it’s so fun that you and your husband have something so awesome to do together! I’d love love love to do something like this with my hubby.
Re: your bike seat issue, it will honestly get better even without a padded seat if you wait a week or two. Someone told me that before I started spinning and I was so sore the first time I thought it couldn’t possibly be true. But then magically the seat started being comfortable two weeks later.
First of all, that coconut butter/maple syrup combo is DELISH!! I was making homemade granola bars the other week, and licked the melted coconut butter/maple syrup container clean. Sososososo good :-D
As for training, the first time I started running a few years back, I hadn’t ever completed a single mile. Running was simply impossible for me when I was obese. The first mile I completed, I almost jumped off the treadmill and did a back flip at the gym…but decided against it ;-)
I know I still have a lot to learn about running, but simple accomplishments are sometimes all you need to feel great about new tasks!!
I work for a cycling/running company so I know allll about bike shorts and they are DEFINITELY worth the investment (I actually have a friend who had to get plastic surgery on her lady parts because of a bad seat/short combo. Not pretty). The ideal situation is padded shorts and a not so padded seat. There is a reason why the pros have little to no cushioning on their saddles! I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
My butt also ALWAYS hurts when I ride a bike…even if it’s just for 30 mins or so…
Let me know when you find a good pair of padded shorts as I’d like to train for a Tri one day too!
I also have been wanting it take up swimming again and I knew a bikini wouldn’t cut it but I didn’t want to spend a lot on a ‘sport’ swim suit…I ended up getting one at Costco for $24!! It’s a 1 pc, but they also had 2 pc ones at the time…they had about 3 different kinds.
I’m not sure if they still have them, but it’s worth a look for a lot of savings!!
i’m so happy you and eric are doing the try-a-tri, a month ago i decided i was going to do one in the same series (but in August)!! i am feeling very nervous/apprehensive about it because i am not an experienced racer in any sport, but have always wanted to do a tri. i’m also signed up to do my first half marathon (*heart palpitations*) in september, and am also running the TO Women’s 5k! anyways i can’t wait to read about your training and know i am not alone.
also, i have been riding my bike 10k every day for a week and a half (to/from work) and the first week my butt was SO sore, but now its gotten used to it. i guess go with the padded shorts, it seems to be the best solution!
a friend of mine has a pair of those padded bike shorts for riding and she said they make SUCH a huge difference. i would definitely look into it if i were you! :)
good luck with the tri training!!
What do you cover the oats with over night? Plastic wrap? Aluminum foil? Or a lid of a tupperware container?
lululemon just came out with the nicest looking bike shorts I have ever seen! they are called the Zoom bike short: so they make you feel speedy and they do not give that diaper bum from the padding. They are not yet on the website, but the stores have them and they are fab. Just invested in a pair myself and was not sore at all after my first spin of the summer!
Just adjust your bike seat. You probably need to adjust the angle of the seat which is easy to do. You’ll need an allen-wrench to loosen the bolt, tilt the seat a little forward or backward, then tighten the bolt.
I’ve realized that if I don’t do spin class over a period of a few months and then I get back into it that my bum and inner thighs are a bit pained. However, once I attend class a few more times, I must get used to it because the pain doesn’t occur anymore.
Definitely running and bike riding. I’m always learning new things about each and new things about myself.
I REALLY want to do a triathlon, but I feel so lost, more so about how to deal with the transitions and the idea of swimming in open water, than the training. There’s a triathlon club around here, so maybe I just need to get with them.
Hi Angela! I read your blog all the time and I love it! I don’t comment much but I thought I’d tell you that Shebeest has awesome padded shorts for biking! They are the best I’ve ever tried. They have really cute capris for biking too.
Also your oats look so good! I can’t wait to try that combo!!
Padded shorts are a must, but from what I hear, no amount of padding really stops the sore crotch situation.
Hi Angela
I’ve been reading you blog for the last 3 weeks and am very excited to hear you are doing a tri! Congrats! I recently started a company called Swimcation — it’s basically an adult swim camp in a tropical location. This year’s hot spot is Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Would love to offer you some swimming tips or workouts if you are interested in gaining endurance in swimming. Let me know if I can be of any help and check out my site www.goswimcation.com when you get a chance. Keep up the fabulous blogging!
Pretty spring pictures. I made one my desk top background :) Thanks
Love the juice! Beautiful color! I’m freaked out by public pools too…..I never go in them or hot tubs.
Oh, and as for sports for learning curves…..I’ve been surfing for 16 years and I still suck at it. lol
I can’t wait to do some overnight oats when it gets warmer here!
I was a pole vaulter. My first year was absolutely awful, I was the worst one in our bunch, then the next year I broke the school record three times and went to state!
That mug is gorgeous! Yeh, I worked at a Water Park back when I was 15…people are nastayyy.
Your comment about public pools made me laugh out loud! Ever since I was a little kid at summer camp I have always been so grossed out at pools! ESPECIALLY by band-aids and hair – ahhh!!!!
And when I started running not too long ago, I definetly experienced the whole learning curve thing – I used to suck at it and I hated it. Now I run 4-5 times a week and am going to sign up for my first 5K this summer :)
Good luck with the public pool thing- I definitely share your sentiment. I’m very impressed with your determination in training for your TRY-A-TRI.
I think the biggest learning curve for a new sport or activity for me was when I decided to try out (don’t laugh) flying trapeze. I could not lift my arms above my shoulders for 2 weeks!
best of luck. when its all done you will ,it will be a huge accomplishment for you both.
mm the daffodils <3 spring has sprung!
I love swimming. I’m not great at it, but it’s such a stress reliever for me!
Don’t say scary things about the pool!!! I like to live an ignorant life when it comes to the pool germies I choke on!!!
Bike shorts can be a benefit and save your butt. It’s good to get used to how the bike seat feels though. My fave tri shorts are the Pearl Izumi. They have a bit of padding, and they dry really quickly on the bike.
When i started with the tri group, it all took some time getting used to. I wasn’t very active prior to joining other than weight training. I felt very out of my comfort zone, but the other tri-trainees were helpful, supportive and the best cheerleaders! In the two years on training together, we now have 2 people who have actually competed in the Ironman Series and have done fatastically well!!
Keep it up and have fun!!
There are some really good books out there for beginner triathlon training – which include sample training programs. I found them really useful when preparing for my first race – and they also give you lots of useful information re transitions etc!
If it helps at all, I have found after about 2 weeks your body does adjust to the bike seat pain. I learned that one from Spin Class :)
I think it’s so cool that you all are tackling the Try a Tri together :)
good luck and I can’t wait to read about it.
I’m so with you with public pools! They gross me out soooo much. Good luck with them & shahower after! haahah
If you’re serious about riding, forget the padded seat. Your butt will be sore no matter for awhile, then you’ll get used to it.
A good pair of padded shorts are useful to keep you comfortable and blister free if you are going to ride more than 20 mi or so regularly. For a spin around the block (or a regular 10 mi ride), don’t bother.
If you do get padded shorts, splurge. Count the number of panels. Get an 8 panel pair.
And get over your public pool problem.
Ahh I am SO happy a blogger finally made a confession about public pools! They totally gross me out. The gym I belong to has a public pool and I refuse to go in it but I love to swim. I still haven’t figured out how to get over my fear, but if you can so can I :)
Hey Angela! I just wanted to let you know that I saw a link to your post on Fitsugar. Maybe this happens to you a lot, but I am a newer reader and thought it was exciting!
Here is the link: http://www.fitsugar.com/Sarah-Silverman-Fat-Women-8197663
I am an avid cyclist, and I feel your pain. When I first started getting really into cycling, I had the same problem. You do become conditioned to it though. Also, I don’t know if you mentioned having a female saddle (“seat” in bicycle lingo). Female-specific saddles make a big difference!! I also feel that padding on the shorts works much better than padding on the saddle.
Also, just an FYI (you may already know this) please take your road bike to a reputable shop and make sure it is fitted to you properly (seat forward enough, high enough, etc. Hopefully your bike frame is the right size, too). This makes a HUGE difference in your performance, and will prevent you from killing your joints. If you have any knee pain at all during biking, something isn’t adjusted properly. Also, learning how to use your gears effectively and efficiently makes a huge difference.
Again, you probably already knew… but I couldn’t help myself!
Good luck with the gross pool. When we were really little, my brother tottally POOPED on the side of the pool. (he was 4, and didn’t want to miss any fun – so he not-so-discreetly just went in the pool!) I’ve had a bit of an issue with public pools ever since!
Best of luck on your tri! I’m sure you will do AMAZING
Hey!
I don’t think that you need padded shorts. I suppose that you didn’t ride your bike in some time, so your bum isn’t “used” to it, but will get better soon! This at least is my experience. It hurts the first time and maybe the second and then it’s over =)
Oh, and to make you feel better: I never had any bad experiences in public pools.
If you really want to save some money on a swim suit, search for “Grab Bag” on swimoutlet.com. You’ll get 2-3 discontinued suits for around 20 (USD, that is). They will be ugly as SIN (you don’t get to choose, just put in your size and they’ll ship whatever’s available), but they’ll work…I have one that’s bright orange camoflage print and another that’s purple with bright yellow flowers…it looks like something you’d see in a senior aqua aerobics class with a matching swim cap.
Oh, speaking of swim caps–I found a couple great tips for protecting your hair in the pool. Before getting in the water, get your hair wet and work in some kind of conditioning treatment (leave-in conditioner works). After your swim, rinse your hair in the shower with some apple cider vinegar. I usually pour just a couple ounces of ACV in a water bottle, fill the rest with water, and bring to the gym. The smell washes out pretty quickly and trust me, it’ll make a WORLD of difference.
Training for a triathlon was a big learning curve for me! I still don’t have the bike seat figured out- I have a padded seat AND shorts and I swear it still hurts. The more consistent you are about biking the better it gets, but take a couple of weeks off and you are back to serious pain again. What is up with that?
Do you guys have TJ Maxx in Canada? That’s where I got my swimsuit for training, nice and cheap. Not a fan of public pools either, I haven’t swam once since my triathlon last summer oops!
I will be posting tomorrow about all of the new bike gear that I JUST got. I already told you about the shorts, but padded gloves are a must too! I recently bought a swim cap…TYR brand . A good pair of goggles are important too. I had an old pair that left bruises on my face. I have a new pair that I love! The swim cap is REALLY important because my hair would always come out of my pony tail holder and actually drain water into my mouth. It was a pain to get on the first few times, but I love it. My one-piece rocks and was the cheapest at the store I was at. The more expensive ones did not feel good! I’ll talk about my swim gear tomorrow too :)
I’m grossed out by public pools too :/ I know they use a ridiculous amount of chlorine though so they’re probably pretty clean!
Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point has a great page on cycling and all the gear you would ever want!
http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/tips/tips-for-cyclists
Your butt will get use to riding over time! Been there, done that, but it does get easier with time!
Oh gosh, I have SUCH a fear of stray hair(s)… the thought of a strand floating in a puddle of stagnant pool water is making me gag right now. Eeewwwww!
It’s probably been mentioned in earlier comments but here’s another one to gross you out. 3 years ago when I was training for my first triathlon I drove to the pool as usual and found out it was closed. The sign on the door read” Pool closed due to fouling” Found out the next time there someone did a #2 in the pool!
My learning curve was bigger than yours because I crazily signed up for the Olympic distance tri. Lucky for you you’re just doing the tri a tri because you only have 6 weeks till it? Maybe you’re both crazy too :-)
Bricks are great. Definitely try at least one swim to bike brick so you’ll have an idea of what it will be like in your first transition (T1). As for the bike issue – definitely get some bike shorts. I spent about $80 on mine and they’re fabulous. Buy ones with a thick pad! I also found bike gloves to be super helpful. The ones that have ulnar nerve padding helped the numbness in my fingers from long bike rides!
There are so many chemicals in a public pool, that it’s a miracle we don’t all get out pickled. ;) Really, there are some bad pools out there, but most of them (and I’m sure the one you’ll be using), are usually just fine. Good Luck! I’m exciting/jealous of your new challenge.
I’m not entirely sure they ship to Canada, but I think both of these do: performance.com and nashbar.com Both have great deals on bike gear, including shorts!
Yes! While not a fashion statement, padded bike shorts are a MUST, especially if you are looking at any distances over 15 miles! I will caution you, cheap bike shorts are NOT as good. The tush padding is thinner and the spandex can also be thin (aka SEE THROUGH!) and irritative! I have had tremendous luck with Pearl Izumi bike shorts and also Quest bike shorts.
Another thing to consider. Buy the smallest size bike shorts you can wiggle into. When bike shorts are too big, they move around while you bike. There is no need for that padding to make it halfway up your back on a 30 mile ride!! :o) Good luck and happy biking!!
your overnight oats look to die for! I definitely have to try this recipe this week.
The activity with the biggest learning curve that I have ever done was go treeplanting! Hubby and I planted for 2 years before having our baby girl. It is soooo hard at first but we both love it. It’s like an intense workout all day with so much to learn. We hope to make it back into the bush someday.
Your butt will get used to it, but padded shorts do help. Also my entire groin area has gone NUMB on a couple of really long, hard rides, it’s a little weird! lol
Hey Angela, I bought a seat specifically made for a woman from a bike store. It is pretty narrow and not soft at all but it worked! I was still sore for a couple days, but after that it was fine. Good luck!