First ever ride :)

[gzoom]

A few years back I used doing a Triathlon as the motivation to learn to swim, and it worked .

I would say don't stress too much about the bike bit, for me it was the run after the bike which was a killer. If you haven't tried transitioning from the bike straight into a run give it a go.......fun isn't a word I would describe it. Masochists I think came up with the idea of a Triathlon!!

There are people on this forum who have done iron mans so they are probably the best people to ask for advice on training. HR zones use to be the aim but these days its all about FTP for which you do need a powermeter. If you are just cycling/running/swimming for fun there is no need for serious training but Triathlons are a different matter. You want each ride/run to build your fitness and for that you need some kind of training program. There is also massive time gains to be had with swimming drills to improve technique.

Maybe post a question on a different part of the forum about Triathlon training?

 

[gzoom]

@tdcadillac Having just said you should follow a training plan, I've just been on a ride north of Cardiff. Had planned a route on my Garmin but almost as soon as the scenery started to look pretty totally forgot the route and just enjoyed the bliss of getting up hill powered by nothing but your legs and the lovely country side.

There is a reason why I've only ever done 1 Triathlon, I simply don't enjoy running the way I do cycling. Spending time in a spinning class cannot come close to the feeling of fun/freedom a good bike ride give you .

 

[RoadRider400]

No need to be so clinical with your distances or times. Simply try to cycle further and dont complicate things. Also be aware that some days you will not be able to go further than the previous ride, it will just not be in the legs.