Triathlon - Why do a triathlon?

A friend of my wife was bragging that her husband was doing a "short" triathlon, and so naturally mine asked why I wasn't doing one ... good gravy ... ugh

Then, since I didn't answer her, she asked: "why would anyone do one". I gave her my guesses at answers, but can you guys list your reasons?

i simply do it because it keeps me disciplined in life with a regular training schedule and eating right. Also during training i get away from the rigours of life and forget about everything for a while whether i am swimming , cycling, or running. It also keeps me in great shape for soccer which i play on a semi pro team. Oh yea and when you cross that finish line its a feeling that i really cant describe.

I do them cause I love to swim & bike. Yeah, I realize that I have to run too, but I just don't think too much about that part...

I find it easy to stay motivated on any given leg knowing that once it's done I can move onto something else.

I swim bike and run now but never even on the same day. How big a jump is it to do one right after the other. How many hours total is an event? How do you nutrify? How do you deal with bathroom breaks or lack thereof. I'm gonna be 50 in 2 months ... 'nuff said.

I swim bike and run now but never even on the same day. How big a jump is it to do one right after the other. How many hours total is an event? How do you nutrify? How do you deal with bathroom breaks or lack thereof. I'm gonna be 50 in 2 months ... 'nuff said.

SPRINT TRI! sprint tris are your best friend! atleast they are to me as getting into as a beginner. you can then decide is a HIM is the next step. the jump from one to another was no joke to me. i thought i was going to be easy but it wasnt at all. training is also going to be your best friend. ifyou decide to do it brick training will help and also practice the transition part to which i didnt do and i fumbled around too much and lost time

I swim bike and run now but never even on the same day. How big a jump is it to do one right after the other. How many hours total is an event? How do you nutrify? How do you deal with bathroom breaks or lack thereof. I'm gonna be 50 in 2 months ... 'nuff said.

I get passed by old guys on my tris (not that 50 is really all that old, I'm talking 60+) and I'm 38. Since they mark the back of your calf with your age, it is very visible on the run, and it is nice to see some guy ahead of you with '20' on his leg, that you are catching up to.

Anyways, i do tris as a part of a healthy lifestyle, and also as part of a life golas list. Plus, they are fun.

I'm getting there. I was talking to my nephews (in their 20s) about doing an unofficial triathlon where we end up at a beach bar. Any suggestions as to what we do first, second and last. I know the bar is last I mean the running swimming, cycling etc.

Free beer at the finish!

TysonB

Chicks dig triathletes.

Ah ha! Someone who speaks my language! :thumb:

I'm getting there. I was talking to my nephews (in their 20s) about doing an unofficial triathlon where we end up at a beach bar. Any suggestions as to what we do first, second and last. I know the bar is last I mean the running swimming, cycling etc.

Do you mean the proper order?


SWIM
BIKE
RUN

I love competition, and something to work toward.

If I didn't do Triathlons I definitely would be too lazy to work out aside from riding my bike here and there.

re: "Do you mean the proper order?"

Yes! Thanks. Too bad running is last, seems like it would be easier on the body to finish riding something with wheels. But maybe that's the point, because it is competitive, to see who's got the kick at the end of it all.

It's done in the order of least difficulity in hurting yourself when tired - you can drown and crash on your bike. All you get from exhaustion running is a skinned knee :)

Ah ha! OK I can see that makes sense.

Free beer at the finish!

TysonB

Seriously? I gotta find some new races.... :p

Why?

I think the better question is Why NOT???

Regarding free beer at the finish.


Seriously? I gotta find some new races.... :p

Tri-OKC (Oklahoma City) sponsors four or five reaces a year with free beer. A local micro-brewer brings a trailer with a variety of kegs of draft. It's very civilized. I thought everyone did this!

But, I think the beer is just a symbol of the friendships and FUN we all have at the tri's. Even the Redman Iron and Half-Iron in the fall is a fun event in a brutal sort of way. I'm a 59-year old mid-pack age grouper and absolutely love everything about the tri's in which our traning group competes. Heck, the training is even fun.

TysonB
Cushing, OK

Both marathons I have run (Marine Corps marathon, and Honolulu marathon) had beer at a couple of points during the race. not sponsored by the race, but there none-the-less

During? Well, what the heck - it's a carb right?

I do it because it's a fun, healthy way to enjoy the outdoors. It's also a great sense of accomplishment to train hard and give it your all. Much preferred than taking the "easy road" any day.

I'm overall not impressed by folks just finishing sprint/oly triathlons, though. It's not hard at all to just finish one of them.

A marathon, on the other hand, requires some dedication to just "finish."

But of course, I give big props to anyone training hard, overcoming adversity, and pushing their limits without fear, regardless of speed.

I swim bike and run now but never even on the same day. How big a jump is it to do one right after the other. How many hours total is an event? How do you nutrify? How do you deal with bathroom breaks or lack thereof. I'm gonna be 50 in 2 months ... 'nuff said.

Not that big a jump;) OK, it will hurt a bit at times but you forget that 5 minutes after you finish. Events vary from enticer/novice events (300M,8K,2K @ 35 minutes) to Ironman (3.8k, 180k, 42.2k between 8 and 17 hours) - choose your poison. Sprints are popular at 750M, 20k, 5k and around 1-1.5 hours.

Nutrify! - cool word :roflmao2: Short races just eat your breakfast and race - maybe take a gel on the bike. Drink as you go. Longer races require a plan.

Bathroom breaks - umm, pee on your bike but make sure you've practiced in training :thumb:;). I've seen photos of people who've done 'explosive number 2s' while running (I'll leave it up to you to decide whether it was intentional:eek:)

I'm 50 and did a sprint yesterday and have an Olympic in two weeks - sadly age isn't an excuse :lol:. Pick a short race and have a go, people are very supportive. Half way through you'll wonder why you're doing it but an hour after the race you'll be planning the next one.

I'm overall not impressed by folks just finishing sprint/oly triathlons, though. It's not hard at all to just finish one of them.
A marathon, on the other hand, requires some dedication to just "finish."

Lighten up mate, they're not doing it to impress you. For some people it takes just as much dedication to finish an enticer as it might for you to do a marathon.

Regarding free beer at the finish.
...



As well the Tobay Sprint Triathlon at the end of August in Oyster Bay, NY always has Blue Point Brewery at the end passing out beer. And they ALWAYS manage to clear every last drop out!

I haven't done a triathlon yet but will do maybe a couple this year. Small ones of course. The main reason I'm doing them. Just to do it. Hell, do you need any other reason?

I'm about trying new things and because of that I have many many many hobbies. Because of that I have mastered none but am accompllished in many.

Why? Just because. To say i'm a triathlete. Despite being only half decent at doing triathlons, simply participating puts you in a very small group of people. :D