first triathlonites 2006-07

[tygab]

Ok, now a proper reply...

I have a goal of doing my first this coming year as well. I was a cycling newbie in March with the goal of riding a 2 day charity ride in my area. I had to learn pretty much everything about cycling (well there is still a lot I don't know, but you get my drift). I was out of shape. I thought I was crazy, and when I first started biking I didn't even enjoy it (the huffing, the clipless pedals, the cars, the hills, the speed etc). Sometime in mid July I began to get it, and I finished my charity ride feeling elated and yet humbled by the experience of my summer and the event.

I needed a new challenge, so I decided to do a tri after my long ride & seeing the athletes of Ironman Lake Placid up close this year. It was very inspirational to realize the vast majority were normal people (normal in the sense of having jobs, famillies, and other stuff in their lives - not that it's 'normal' to decide to run a marathon, ride more than a century, and swim a couple of miles in a day ), and as I rode my bike among them I was asking myself if I could enjoy triathlons (and more the fitness that results from the training). When I found out more about them, I realized it was great all around exercise and sprint tri's were good short distance events.

Started running in Sept (after a long cold boo), and did my first duathlon last weekend! Yay what a trip! I am presently a very slow runner and decent (probably average in competition) cyclist. Swimming tho will be my biggest challenge. I can swim but I haven't been in a pool to lap swim since college, and even then it was not anything I did regularly. At least I used to run, and have a cycling foundation beginning. I can also for sure say I will stick to lakes for these.

I have to pick out my first event but will probably be june 07. I do belong to a gym, and just got a new suit, goggs, and swim cap... and no immediate training goal, so all that's left is for me to go and try it out. But after my du I have had a raspy throat for 2 days, so I am hoping I'll miss another cold (grrr too many of these!!). I'll know in a few days I guess. I have been hitting the bike and run pretty good tho, so I know that'll come along just by doing it.

I know you will be able to do this. Please keep us posted and motivated as well! Think about how it will feel to be able to say 'I am a triathlete!'

I too agree that much of the appeal is the combination of disciplines. I do not have the patience to be a single sport person I think. Even in my biking this summer, I was missing variety of other activities, but I knew I had a big goal to achieve. Now, for some strange reason I am more excited to train for a 5k that is a leg of something than I probably would for be for a 5k alone. Go figure. And I also don't feel like I have to bike every time out, because I will get gains from cross training in other sports.

well, got to get to sleep.