The newbie questions begin

brent said:

I'm a marathoner looking to change things up a little bit. I know nothing about tri's so here are
my first fewbie questions.

1. Obviously every tri is not an ironman legnth event. What are the common distances? Which of
these are finishable by a reasonably trained newbie in 5 hours or less?

Your first question is easiest. Common distances (in reverse order):

Ironman: 2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2 mi run
1/2 Ironman: 1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13.1 mi run Olympic: 1500 meter swim, 40k bike, 10k run
Sprints: These vary the most, they usually fall somewhere around 500-800 yd swim, 10-20 mile
bike, 3 mi run

As Frank noted, you'll find exceptions to every rule.

You'll get lots of debate about finishing times, but for an average, middle of the pack newbie a
sprint will generally take somewhere between 1 and 1.5 hours depending on distance. An olympic will
fall somewhere around 2.5 to 3 hours.

For 1/2 IM and IM, times of 6 and 12 hours respectively are considered an accomplishment for an
average athlete. (I'll say again, I'm generalizing here - so no flames please).

Most people recommend starting with a sprint event, but with your running background there is no
reason why you couldn't go longer if you feel comfortable on the swim and bike.

Quoted message said:

2. Ballpark - how much should I expect to lay out for my first tri bike?

Depends on whether you really mean "Triathlon Bike" or simply a bike you can use for a triathlon.
You can find a nice, entry level road bike for around $1000. A true triathlon bike will typically
run a little more - starting around $1500 (and their usefulness is a hotly debated topic). Of
course, if you want to track down a used bike, you could find a servicable one for $300. It all
depends on what you're after.

One piece of (often repeated) unsolicited advice. No mater what kind of bike you buy, or whether it
is new or used. Find a good local bike shop that knows how to properly fit a road/triathlon bike and
pay them to do it. (Hint: standing over the top tube and checking clearance under your crotch is NOT
the right way to fit a bike). This is a whole different thread, but a properly fitted bike will save
you a TON of pain and suffering later.

If you tell us where you live, someone in the group may be able to recommend a shop.

Welcome to the club - have fun.

John

Quoted message said:

Thanks in advance.

Brent

and I would love a suggestion on a bike shop and/or training groups -thanks

John Hardt said:

brent said:

I'm a marathoner looking to change things up a little bit. I know nothing about tri's so here
are my first fewbie questions.

1. Obviously every tri is not an ironman legnth event. What are the common distances? Which of
these are finishable by a reasonably trained newbie in 5 hours or less?

Your first question is easiest. Common distances (in reverse order):

Ironman: 2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike, 26.2 mi run
1/2 Ironman: 1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13.1 mi run Olympic: 1500 meter swim, 40k bike, 10k run
Sprints: These vary the most, they usually fall somewhere around 500-800 yd swim, 10-20 mile
bike, 3 mi run

As Frank noted, you'll find exceptions to every rule.

You'll get lots of debate about finishing times, but for an average, middle of the pack newbie a
sprint will generally take somewhere between 1 and 1.5 hours depending on distance. An olympic
will fall somewhere around 2.5 to 3 hours.

For 1/2 IM and IM, times of 6 and 12 hours respectively are considered an accomplishment for an
average athlete. (I'll say again, I'm generalizing here - so no flames please).

Most people recommend starting with a sprint event, but with your running background there is no
reason why you couldn't go longer if you feel comfortable on the swim and bike.

Quoted message said:

2. Ballpark - how much should I expect to lay out for my first tri bike?

Depends on whether you really mean "Triathlon Bike" or simply a bike you can use for a triathlon.
You can find a nice, entry level road bike for around $1000. A true triathlon bike will typically
run a little more - starting around $1500 (and their usefulness is a hotly debated topic). Of
course, if you want to track down a used bike, you could find a servicable one for $300. It all
depends on what you're after.

One piece of (often repeated) unsolicited advice. No mater what kind of bike you buy, or whether
it is new or used. Find a good local bike shop that knows how to properly fit a road/triathlon
bike and pay them to do it. (Hint: standing over the top tube and checking clearance under your
crotch is NOT the right way to fit a bike). This is a whole different thread, but a properly
fitted bike will save you a TON of pain and suffering later.

If you tell us where you live, someone in the group may be able to recommend a shop.

Welcome to the club - have fun.

John

Quoted message said:

Thanks in advance.

Brent