It was about this time 7 years ago that I made a resolution to do a triathlon. A few friends had decided to do one in 2011 and I decided I’d try to do one too.
I knew someone in my early 20’s who had started doing triathlons but the thoughts of putting three sports together back to back had at the time seemed way beyond my capabilities. Fast forward 15 years and it still seemed as though it was. I was sure that triathlons were only for super fit marathon runners, people who raced sharks for fun, and super skinny cyclists who cycled up the equivalent of Everest every weekend for the craic.
The triathlon I had signed up for was in May so that gave me a few months to get fit enough and work out what I needed to do. It was a sprint triathlon so a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run.
My training consisted of reading triathlons magazines. I was getting up to running the distance using a couch to 5km plan. I went swimming twice a week just doing lengths and trying to rest less in between and I bought a bike and eventually managed to get up to cycling 20km.
On the day of the triathlon it was the first time I had ever managed to put the three sports all together. The swim was an experience and a shock as I’d never had before as 8 people in a lane raced against each other. The bike was tough as people on bikes with shopping baskets on them sailed past me and the run at the end was the toughest thing I’d ever done as I felt i was stuck in mud as the faster people galloped past me. But I finished the race and it was the best feeling ever and I have been racing ever since.
I joined a club not too long after and things quickly came together as more experienced triathletes took time out to help me. I learned how to train, got involved with running, cycling and swimming sessions and improved a lot.
I think nearly everyone is capable of doing a triathlon. You can do it the hard way and try to learn everything yourself or you can join a club and get advice, insights and assistance on your journey.