Triathlon question

[One Step Beyond]

Guys,

I know there are triathlon groups but this is cycling related so please
allow me.....

I am quite a muscular guy (6 feet 2 and 16 st) and a newcomer to
triathlon - I have not done one yet. I aim to shed about 30lbs and get cut
up and improve my fitness though I am reasonably fit now. I can normally
run 5 miles (35 minutes-ish) and I am working hard at this. I have a great
bike and cycle about 40 miles for training and I keep to the high
cadence/lighter effort method.

My problem. I find that I simply cannot, no matter how hard I try, run
further than about a mile after getting off the bike. My legs are complete
jelly and I feel strange and wobbly. I am not being a big sissy here
either - I am used to sporting effort in soccer and weight training. What
do you reckon here? Do you think that I am simply carrying too much weight
and it'll get better as it comes off? Is it one of those things that you
simply have to grin and bare it?

What do you reckon to weight training in Triathlon? Does it have a part to
play or should I cut it down? I do three sessions a week at the moment.
What about squats/leg extensions?

In short, how should a larger more muscular guy proceed in this sport?

Thanks.

[Iain Robertson]

One Step Beyond wrote:

> My problem. I find that I simply cannot, no matter how hard I try, run
> further than about a mile after getting off the bike. My legs are complete
> jelly and I feel strange and wobbly. I am not being a big sissy here
> either - I am used to sporting effort in soccer and weight training. What
> do you reckon here? Do you think that I am simply carrying too much weight
> and it'll get better as it comes off? Is it one of those things that you
> simply have to grin and bare it?

This seems to be one of the most common 'problems' people have.
Some advice I've found works:

In the last mile or so on the bike, *really* drop into a low gear, and just spin
fast.
Occasionally pedaling backwards for 20-30 seconds or so seems to help too.

When you start the run, don't pay attention to how your legs feel - you'll
always feel
you're going slower than you actually are. Control your pace by your breathing
effort; that's a much better guide to how you're exerting yourself. After a mile
or
so, you should feel that you're getting into your normal runnign rhythm.

Iain

[Helen Deborah Vecht]

Try to get a good boost of carbohydrate a few minutes before you start
your run.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

[Michael MacClancy]

"One Step Beyond" > wrote in message >...
> Guys,
>
> I know there are triathlon groups but this is cycling related so please
> allow me.....
>
> I am quite a muscular guy (6 feet 2 and 16 st) and a newcomer to
> triathlon - I have not done one yet. I aim to shed about 30lbs and get cut
> up and improve my fitness though I am reasonably fit now. I can normally
> run 5 miles (35 minutes-ish) and I am working hard at this. I have a great
> bike and cycle about 40 miles for training and I keep to the high
> cadence/lighter effort method.
>
> My problem. I find that I simply cannot, no matter how hard I try, run
> further than about a mile after getting off the bike. My legs are complete
> jelly and I feel strange and wobbly. I am not being a big sissy here
> either - I am used to sporting effort in soccer and weight training. What
> do you reckon here? Do you think that I am simply carrying too much weight
> and it'll get better as it comes off? Is it one of those things that you
> simply have to grin and bare it?
>
> What do you reckon to weight training in Triathlon? Does it have a part to
> play or should I cut it down? I do three sessions a week at the moment.
> What about squats/leg extensions?
>
> In short, how should a larger more muscular guy proceed in this sport?
>
> Thanks.

I'll start off by saying that I'm no expert in this. I'm a newbie to
multisport just like you. I'm also somewhat the opposite of you as
I'm a smallish lightweight. What I've read about and experienced
during bike/run transitions tells me that there's nothing particularly
unusual about your experience although not being able to run at all
does seem rather extreme. Your running times indicate that you're
quite an accomplished runner so inexperience in this area is not
likely to be the problem.

It is normal to have this wobbly feeling when you start running. When
cycling you use different muscles to running and the length of the
cycling stroke is less than your stride length. The usual advice is
to ignore your legs and concentrate on your breathing. You didn't
mention being out of breath so the problem seems to be this muscular
'malfunction' rather than oxygen deficit or some other problem.

Having said that it might be the case that your muscles are running
out of energy. Do you eat and drink enough on the bike? The bike leg
is the time to stock up on glycogen in preparation for the run.

I wonder if another factor might not be the way in which you cycle.
You suggest that you have a high cadence but don't say what it is.
Bigger, more powerful cyclists tend to have lower cadences than
smaller cyclists. (Lance Armstrong, the great proponent of higher
cadences, is a smaller cyclist than many and has written that many
cyclists will be more comfortable with lower cadences than his.)
Perhaps you would be better with a cadence in the range 80-90 rather
than the 85-95 that I like?

You might also consider having your bike fit checked. It may be the
case that your cranks are too short, encouraging a higher cadence than
necessary and shortening your stroke length.

Another factor might be that you need to ease up a little when coming
to the end of the bike leg. In multisport the winner is the
competitor who completes all disciplines in the minimum total time.
There's no point killing yourself on the bike if you can't run
afterwards. The normal advice is to use the last mile or so of the
bike leg to increase your cadence and spin out your muscles. You
might also want to stretch your calves by pushing your heels down when
coasting and stretch other leg muscles by standing on the pedals. As
a last resort stopping running and stretching before starting again
might help (it does when I get calf cramps).

Finally, I infer that you try to run immediately after cycling 40
miles. Actually this is a longer cycle ride than you would normally
do in your first multisport event. There are sprint duathlons with
run/bike/run distances in the order of 5/20/5 km and these are an
excellent introduction. It could be that you're simply overdoing it
on the bike. Losing weight will almost certainly help you perform
better, provided you don't sacrifice useful muscle in doing so.
Practicing the transition will also enable you to overcome this
problem.

My problem is that I can't change my shoes fast enough, but that's
another thread!

Good luck.

Michael MacClancy

[Cicero]

"One Step Beyond" > wrote in message
...
> Guys,
>
> I know there are triathlon groups but this is cycling related so please
> allow me.....
>
><snipped>

> My problem. I find that I simply cannot, no matter how hard I try, run
> further than about a mile after getting off the bike. My legs are
complete
> jelly and I feel strange and wobbly. I am not being a big sissy here
> either - I am used to sporting effort in soccer and weight training. What
> do you reckon here? Do you think that I am simply carrying too much
weight
> and it'll get better as it comes off? Is it one of those things that you
> simply have to grin and bare it?
>
><snipped>

In short, how should a larger more muscular guy proceed in this sport?
>
> Thanks.
>
==========
You could try 'the shuffle' to start your run or when you hit your 'wall'.
This is a style of running sometimes recommended when energy is low or even
when slightly injured. Basically you take short steps with very little leg
raise. It's something like race walking technique but much less energetic.
It's not very elegant and it's not very efficient but it does keep you
moving until you get through a bad spell.

[Colin Blackburn]

In article >, tinker-
says...
> Guys,
>
> I know there are triathlon groups but this is cycling related so please
> allow me.....
[...]
> My problem. I find that I simply cannot, no matter how hard I try, run
> further than about a mile after getting off the bike. My legs are complete
> jelly and I feel strange and wobbly.

I talked to a couple of triathletes at my (running) club run last night.
The fact that you are new to tri would seem to be a factor. The
transitions can often be left out of specific training but they need to
be included. One guy does what he calls block sessions---I assume it is
the right term as he always buys 220. They sound like intervals which
involve a bike ride followed by a run repeated several times. I don't
know the ins and outs but maybe you could take a look at 220 magazine or
chat to someone at a club. If block sessions are anything like hill reps
they will hurt but they'll build the necessary strength in the right
muscles.

Colin