1st Triathlon (Helvellyn Triathlon) Advise Please

Well it will soon be the 1st September and time to give my first tri a bash. Not sure what to do next week with regards training, do I rest all week or a bit of gentle training. All I want to do is finish without having to walk up the struggle or walk down Helvellyn, not drowning would really set the day off but the wet suit will not sink so I should be okay there.

One of my favourite tris, so good choice! Lovely swim, nice wide start so nice and easy! Take care to sight in building/crag on far side. Then beware weeds as you go round the little rock island – scared the life out of me first time as you come from nice dark blue deep water to man eating plants 2″ from your goggles!!! Ride is quite a challenge. Matterdale climb gets the heat rate up, then fast run down Penrith-Keswick road. Take care on narrow roads in St John in the vale!!! Brilliant fast descent down Dunmail before The Struggle!! I actually think first bit of road up Kirkstone is harder than TS but not the consensus view. Descent is v fast and slightly scary IMO!!! The climb by the burn at the start is hard. Not many run it all!! And the descent is a little loose, I still have the scars several years later!!

All in all a brilliant event, enjoy!!

Think about bike comfort and gearing. I had a triple on y road bike specially for this!!!!!

Do you remember the night before an exam at school? People saying, “If you don’t know it now, it’s too late.” Similar.

Hire a little boat for some crew and have a tri (!) out swim in Ullswater before. Ride Kirkstone to see how fast you dare to ride the descent!!!

Relax now otherwise. Just enjoy the whole thing and fingers crossed for the weather!

I’ve done it four times, and think it’s a fantastic event.
No point doing any significant training in the last 10 days, as you won’t feel the benefit.
Steady swim – it was 11 degrees one year I did it – **** cold.
Save something in the legs for Kirkstone and you’re doing well if you ride it all. The support on The Struggle is great.
I’m not a great runner – so jog up as far as the campsite, march up the big climb, there’s a nice flattish bit along to Red Tarn, then scramble up Swirral Edge. The run from there is lovely – though loose and steep down the zig zags. From the bottom of there though its a nice gradient all the way to the finish.
It’s ACE – you’ll love it. And good luck.
F

I did my first tri last year and loved it (Craggy isle triathlon) the swim was harder than i could imagine but cycle fine ,the run straight off the bike hurt my back but i completed and was so happy/proud .If i had time i would do another, but i would train the swim more and run before the event striaght off the bike.great challenge and makes you feel alive .

Looks like a fun event – probably have a go at that if I ever return to the UK!

Take it easy this week I’d say, a few gentle runs and spins but nothing that will take much out of you. Certainly don’t try and set a full marathon PB 2 weeks in advance of a major event (yup, that’s what I’m doing this weekend 😆 )

Enjoy 8)

Cheers, Rich

Reading T73’s comments reminded me that my back hurt a lot after T2 right through run past camp site. I thought I wouldn’t be able to run but it eaed by the time we got to the proper climb. The bike ride is certainly harder than most tri bike events!!!

I just looked at the Trihard website – that looks like a fantastic race. Have fun next week.

Doing Craggy at the end of the month trevron73, looking forward to it but havent really done the training i should have. What bike did you use? I have my Pitch or my CX and cant decide which to take.

Save your legs for helvellyn. It nearly killed me. The descent made my thighs burn.
Kirkstone isn’t as bad as people make out, I find winnats pass harder. Just take it steady. I found the bottom bit harder than the top.
I managed to get cramp on the swim and had never had it before, which was quite scary. Bit of foot wiggling got rid of it.
Drink and eat at transition(and on the bike) if you can and just remember that it’s a long event.
Good luck. It’s a fantastic event. Enjoy it.

Thanks for all the positive comments, taken the week off work and relaxing, planning on a bit of open water swimming at Three Sisters on Wednesday and then rest. Road bike is geared 34/34 so should be okay on the climb and agree that the first part of the climb is harder than the struggle.

@teamhurtmore, thanks for the swim advice, I will look out the sighting marker. I have ridden the cycle route and just hope I don’t go too fast and ruin the run.
Andy

Managed to get a late entry for this, so really looking forward to this weekend. If only it had a MTB ‘ride’ stage it would be perfect, but I guess the old ROW issues kick in right there..

Pleasure Andy, but to be clear. You have to make your own sighting marker. I am only suggesting the crag and the barn (if the latter exists) but you need to look before you get in the water and when you are in. I haven’t dne HT for a while but last time we were spread out v wide across the lake. Hence your sighting thing will be different from mine!! Hope that is clear.

enjoy whatever, the water is a lovely deep blue (until the man eating weeds!)

So, how did everyone get on?

I found the swim pretty hard (read ‘slow’), but enjoyed the ride and loved the run. Managed 53rd place, which seems ok as I was in 497th place after the swim. I’m thinking that by tomorrow my legs are going to really, really hurt though after that crazy descent off the hill. 🙂