CC Trail riders?

[thucydides]

@Certifried 21630 wrote:

Thanks! I plan on it. The “procedure” was an RFA (I’ve mentioned elsewhere). Big needle, raw nerves, lots of heat, destroyed nerves, then after a few weeks no more pain (until they grow back, they’re peripheral sensory nerves, which regenerate after, for me, about 9 months). Not really invasive or something that keeps me more than just sore for a few days. I just bit off too much with the whole carrying my desk on my back thing LOL. I have this crazy idea that I can do a triathlon now, so considering training for the Nation’s Tri in September. Probably something an old arthritic body shouldn’t be doing… (please talk me out of it haha)

Don’t do the Nation’s Tri if this is your first or you’re just getting back into triathlons. It’s fun and I enjoy it but it’s really really crowded. Plus it’s olympic distance. None of the course is particularly challenging from a technical standpoint though if you’re not accustomed to open water swimming the Potomac can be a challenge (unless, of course, the swim gets cancelled again). My advice is to try one of the local sprint-distance triathlons that are part of the Virginia Triathlon Series or the Maryland equivalent. There are lots of them and some even have pool swims for those who aren’t quite ready to try open water swimming, yet. (Hagerstown on July 22nd is a fairly well run spring with a pool.) I like Culpeper in August and one they do at Lake Anna in October. There are lots of choices out there to get started without taking on a crowded beast like Nations.

[jopamora]

New hawks nest South of Fletcher’s Boat house.

[Certifried]

@thucydides 21634 wrote:

Don’t do the Nation’s Tri if this is your first or you’re just getting back into triathlons.

It would be my first, and I’m not in exceptionally good shape. Plus I have all kinds of arthritis issues. I’m not interested in “racing”, I just want to finish one. I’ll take a look around at the VA series or MD ones and see if I can find one that would be more appropriate thanks!

[Tim Kelley]

@Certifried 21644 wrote:

It would be my first, and I’m not in exceptionally good shape. Plus I have all kinds of arthritis issues. I’m not interested in “racing”, I just want to finish one. I’ll take a look around at the VA series or MD ones and see if I can find one that would be more appropriate thanks!

If you’re just out to enjoy the day, and are comfortable with opening water swimming, I think Nations is just fine. As stated before, it is quite large and parts of the bike course can get crowded, but I think the spectacle is part of the enjoyment! It’s coming up soon, so if you haven’t already started training, you better get started!

[Certifried]

@Tim Kelley 21748 wrote:

It’s coming up soon, so if you haven’t already started training, you better get started!

I think it’s likely more than I should take on for my first. I haven’t started training yet, though I’ve been cycling a lot. I need to start running, and my swim skills are not anywhere they need to be. I can swim, but not properly. I’m very comfortable in the water, so hope to learn fast (once I find a swim coach to help me).

I’m looking at doing Waterman’s Sprint Tri in October for my first. I’m a little concerned about the time restrictions since I really want to finish, but it’s farther out (4 months) and only sprint distance. I have a fitting with Clovis on Friday, and am going in for a running shoe fitting this afternoon at RNJ Sports. Avoiding injuries to my already arthritis plagued body is my main concern

[thucydides]

Watermans Sprint is a terrific choice for a first tri. It’s well run, it’s a pretty setting, the swim is nice, the bike course is fun (basically rollers), and the run is not too bad. Plus you’ll almost certainly have cool weather. The only real downside to that — if you consider it a downside — is you’ll probably want a wetsuit. But you can rent one if you’re not yet ready to invest in buying one. Good luck! It sounds like you’re going at it in a very systematic careful way with the bike and shoe fittings. Running is probably your biggest issue as far as injury avoidance goes (especially with arthritis). I’m sure lots of people will tell you this, as well, but my 2 cents is to build your running mileage very slowly. If possible try and limit the amount of time you spend pounding asphalt and cement. We don’t have a lot of flat unpaved trails around here but the high school tracks are generally available for the public and much easier on your legs (though I find running on them tedious).

[Certifried]

@thucydides 22144 wrote:

Watermans Sprint is a terrific choice for a first tri. It’s well run, it’s a pretty setting, the swim is nice, the bike course is fun (basically rollers), and the run is not too bad. Plus you’ll almost certainly have cool weather. The only real downside to that — if you consider it a downside — is you’ll probably want a wetsuit. But you can rent one if you’re not yet ready to invest in buying one. Good luck! It sounds like you’re going at it in a very systematic careful way with the bike and shoe fittings. Running is probably your biggest issue as far as injury avoidance goes (especially with arthritis). I’m sure lots of people will tell you this, as well, but my 2 cents is to build your running mileage very slowly. If possible try and limit the amount of time you spend pounding asphalt and cement. We don’t have a lot of flat unpaved trails around here but the high school tracks are generally available for the public and much easier on your legs (though I find running on them tedious).

Thanks! Great advice, and seriously appreciated. It’s good to hear Waterman’s is so nice, I was a little concerned that it might be more of a “hardcore” or “racer only” oriented tri, but I can relax on that now. I’m definitely looking at a wetsuit, used if possible or an inexpensive one at least, since I won’t be seriously racing. I could see really enjoying this, so buying one could be worth it, but I’ll look at all the options. I did find a really nice swim coach that I start with tomorrow! I’m very excited about that.

I had a LOT of pain in my foot yesterday, so didn’t go to the running store. I get this horrible pain occasionally in the ball of my foot, almost like something is in there. My doctor has said it’s likely just swelling from the arthritis, so I just try to relax and not be on my feet too much. It typically only lasts a day or two, and only happens every 2 or 3 weeks. Fortunately, my cycling shoes are very stiff and do a great job of spreading the pressure across my entire foot, so I can bike without problems. I imagine swimming will be the same, so I’ll still be able to train on these types of days. I’ll just be screwed if it happens on the day of the triathlon The idea about the track is not something I’d thought of, but was like a huge lightbulb going off. What an awesome idea. I’ve run on some of those squishy tracks when I was in the Army, and loved it. I had planned on just running on the road (or Bethesda trolley trail) or a treadmill, so a softer track would seriously help to avoid problems.

[Bilsko]

Hey Certifried – I’m a bit late to this thread – I actually only got around to the WABA forums recently myself.
I’ve been a CCT regular – 5 days a week for the past 5 years or so. Inbound, I hop on the trail at the very end, via the Foundry Branch Valley Park Tunnel, and then at the the end of the day, I take the CCT up to the Dalecarlia and then ride my way back down MacArthur to get home.

Since its my one opportunity for exercise, I’m using trucking pretty hard on the trail – but, as with most other CCT riders, I do my best to give a strong priority to runners/walkers/slower riders.

Over the years, I’ve encountered plenty of foxes, turtles (or is it tarapins), and homeless people camped out at the bottom of the trail (near Georgetown), but I’ve only come across deer a couple of times-both instances within the past few months.

[jordash]

Be careful around sunset on the CC trail. Even if the sun hasn’t quite dipped under the western coast, you’re shrouded by trees making the path very dark. You absolutely need good lights and even then you’ll be forced to go slower than normal. One reward of riding around dusk is the fireflies put on quite a show.

On humid days, gnats are out en masse beginning around dusk. I wouldn’t be too worried about people during weekdays — maybe on your commute home there are runners, walkers, and pedestrians out exercising. On the weekends, the stretch from Georgetown to Fletcher’s Cove is swamped from mid-morning to evening with every kind of rider, pedestrian, and idiot.

Say hi if you see me. I’m riding the single-speed Surly road bike. Cadence varies.

[Author]

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