i feel i need an early season goal to motivate me through the next few months, the two options (for 1st week in april) are a local tri (400m swim, 15mile bike and 4m run) or a 106mile sportive in north cornwall.

only ever done mtb events which i quite enjoy the group aspect of an organised mtb ride, not so sure about the roadie scene though. yet the challenge riding 100miles is interesting.

but conversely never done a tri, the routes are all on my doorstep (literally) so i could go in knowing what to expect and the cross training would be more interesting (although i surf i do not swim and i hav’nt run for a few years) that just building up road miles.

anyone have experience of either?

If you can ride 50 miles you can ride 106 so not much of a challenge unless you are aiming for a certain time. You could just go and do it any time, no need for an organised event.

Given that you do not swim (well, you must swim a little to surf right?) then I would say do the tri. Get some 1 on 1 swimming lessons.

depends on how much you like swimming…

La Marmotte. You can call yourself a ‘mountain’ biker then 😉

i may be slightly bias i would go fot the tri,, as it’s a sprint one it’s over in quickly ish and there is always plenty of support

good thing is even if you are not a great swimmer you can make it up on the bike and if it’s a pool swim where everyone is set of in waves there is always someone to chase,
normaly slowest swimmers are set off first

i am a bit diferent swimming is my best part so i get off in the last wave which means i am normaly last home but tri is a a great social sport and you get cheered on right to the end