Triathlon Introductions
 

To help get this forum started, I thought it would be a good idea to find out a little about the tri-sport members on BF. Such as primary sport background (biker, runner or swimmer) years of involvement, skill level, course preference (sprint, etc.) and part the country.

For me, I have a running and road bike background (which was rekindled about a year ago after about 10 years off). I then started swimming in a masters swimming program earlier this year. Since I was doing all three sports, I decided I might as well go for it and do a triathlon. I've enjoyed the training for all three sports but unfortunately my business travel and a family vacation have gotten in the way of the two mid-summer triathlons that I planned. My first will be a sprint later in August and I'd like to focus on international distances next year.

:) I have only been in 7 team Triathlon (me on the bike leg) For about 1 year.
Skill level 20 to 45 miles on the bike leg.11 years of riding.
Course preference mountains with some fast downhills.

Hope this helps:beer:

I started college last year in AZ and for the first time in my life had access to a pool year round and also the time to use it. Ive been a runner, track in high school, for a few years. I then picked up an old bike one of my cousins had, which eventually got stolen and made me buy another. Ive done two triathlons, both sprints. My first one I got first in my age group, 14-19. Second one I got first also but because I was the only one in that age group! I had high aspirations for the second triahtlons bike leg, alas it was raining and I experience my first run in with the asphalt. I completed the bike leg with an out of whack rear derailleur in not too impressive a time. Did end up running the 4th fastest time overall though, like I said, Ive been a runner longer than a biker :)
Im actually thinking of trying just cycling for a semester. Watched too many races on OLN! Thats my story anyway.

I did my first triathlon when I was a sophomore in college. I signed up to impress a girl (Duh.). Weird distance: 1k pool swim, 20 mile bike, and 10k run. I was the first guy out of the pool, then had tons of people fly by me on the bike. I had to stop on the run twice to vomit. Wasn't a pretty day but I came in 3d in my age group.

Didn't do another tri for about 10 years. One year I got a big income tax refund and decided to buy a decent road bike. I mostly rode around town and decided that I might like to try tri-ing again. That was '99.

Since then, I've done about 10 sprint triathlons (usu. 1k/25k/5k). This year, I did my first Olympic distance and broke 2:30:00. I was really happy with that, especially the bike leg since I averaged 21.1mph on the bike.

I'd like to do a half IM eventually, but it's probably not going to happen this year due to work demands.

I don't come from a running, cycling, or swimming background. But I've played all sorts of team sports: HS and American Legion baseball, HS football, HS basketball, club soccer and rugby.

I no longer do triathlons but used to do them some years ago while I was in the Air Force. Swimming and biking are my two favorite legs. I managed to get through the running portion.

These days I concentrate on just the riding leg since that's what I like to do the best. I work with a guy who is a 2x Ironman Florida finisher.

Zack

never did a swim, bike, run tri. but when i was in the army i did some of what might be described as adventure racing? swim, run and shoot, or run, water cross and shoot. never any cycling, but always lots of running. did a couple team marathons also.
i recently started a tri training program because i thought it would make for a good all around training program. and decided it might be fun to participate in an actual race. so i may enter one towards the end of the summer. more likely i'll volunteer to help out at one so i can get a feel for what its like, then participate next year. i'm still learning to crawl right now :)

One day I am gonna take the plunge. I run fairly competitively, and just got back into cycling after a 8 yr layoff. I was training with the triathletes in the local area back than. I tried to swim, I sink, and I suck at it. While at the local YMCA they had the masters swim during the week days, and a lot of the guys would encourage me to come out.

I even had the swim coach working with me, but after about 3 mths he told me to hit the track. My legs drag, and I know about pressing my chest down, and so on. I sink so easily, that when I got my scuba certification, we had wet suits on, and I didn't need to put any weights in my belt. My wife is a good swimmer, and she thinks its hilarious. I just don't float very well.

I gotta wait till they have another in my area, where the water is only 4-5 deep. In the Mobile/Fairhope area we do have a lot of competitive triathletes who I do train with, but only in running.

:) I decided to try triathlon this year. I will be racing in my first Olympic event on August 23rd. It certainly takes a lot of organization and preparation to get ready for one of these events. I still have a few trepidations about what to wear, and how to handle the transition phases, other than that I think I have prepared myself as best I can. The biggest difficulty I have found is finding enough time to rest and scheduling enough "brick" workouts into my timetable. Hopefully all will go well and I won't finish last.
Good luck to all triathletes
Hockey

I too decided to try triathlons this year I did my first one in May it was a half Ironman and I sucked so bad at swimming. I wasn't last out of the lake surprising enough. Based on my natural swim abilities I have decided to go strictly with bike racing. I like to run and bike but swim is not my passion.

I've been riding for about 3 years now, running off and on for about 2 years and just started swimming this past February. I've done one Sprint and one Oly and no duathlons. I was going to do a du here in the Dallas area but I found out it wasn't chip-timed and was a little thrown off by the price and the lack of knowing my exact times.

Cycling may always be my first love, but running is coming in a close second. I'm really starting to like trail running a lot too and I may eventually get into some mtb and then some off-road triathlons. I've put off swimming for the rest of the season because it takes so much time and patience and attention to 100 different details at the same time. To really improve I need to swim 3 or 4 times a week and I just can't fit that in right now. I'll hit the pool again this winter. I've done a century ride and I'm doing another one in October in Austin, Tx. I'm also doing a half mary in Dallas in November.