Triathlon: Five Reasons We Love It!

Triathlon: Five Reasons We Love It!

This sport is our passion. We race triathlon because we enjoy it. The sport – training and racing – is fun. Do not to lose sight of this when we chase a goal.

Sometimes we can lose sight of ‘our why’, when we’re chasing performances or when we are focused on a particular goal. Triathlon becomes all-consuming. We judge ourselves on the numbers we see in front of us. And we feel we must be better than the last session. Pressure builds. And sometimes it isn’t a good feeling.

We need to keep ‘our why’, the reason we do this sport, at the front of our minds. Triathlon is our passion. We do this sport because we enjoy it. Training and racing are both something that we look forward to. The sport is fun. Training is enjoyable. We can see ourselves improving. We get a lot out of it and we feel better about ourselves. Life is better when we’re swimming, cycling and running.

Or at least that’s what it should be.

New Athletes & The Enthusiasm They Bring

I like it when I see new athletes entering the sport. I see triathlon – and all of it’s glory – through their eyes. It’s all new and exciting again. It makes you appreciate the sport and what it gives us all.

Five Reasons

If you ever find yourself with anxiety, dreading a session, worried about not hitting numbers, going through the motions because you think you have to, can’t wait for race day to arrive to ‘get it over with’, doing it just because that’s what you do, or just stuck in a fog of fatigue, please raise your hand and let me know.

I want you to love the sport. Love it like you did when you first started and everything was new and exciting. Love it like those new triathletes do. We have enough going on in our lives. We don’t need to add to the stress. We need some pleasure. Training and racing should give us this.

When we’re feeling a bit bleurgh about the sport, or about some particular sessions, here are a few things I like to think about.

1. Adventure

This sport is just a massive adventure. A journey into the unknown. A journey without a destination or a planned end point. A journey we can take anywhere we want to. It’s exciting!

For this, I turn to Dr Seuss.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes, You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

Live the adventure!

2. Freedom

Even though we often have to make an effort to find time to squeeze training into our busy lives, I find that training gives us time for ourselves. Time to escape and decompress. Time to enjoy our passion. Even if it is for 45 minutes on a rainy Tuesday evening. Personally, I like to feel grateful and appreciate that time.

“I got 99 problems but training ain’t one.”

or …

“We’re just cycling away from our problems”

Of course, freedom is also found in the places the sport takes us. Remember being outside on your bike, finding new roads, going up new hills. Running new routes. Exploring new trails. Swimming outdoors. Admiring the beauty. Racing abroad.

How free do you feel doing these things? You’re winning life.

3. Challenge

Everything about this sport is both a challenge and challenging.

• First triathlon
• Trying to get faster
• Going long
• Trying new race distances or formats
• Racing abroad
• Qualifying for Team GB or World Championship races
• Adventure races

There is beauty in challenging your strength and fitness to take on new adventures.

You don’t need to follow the crowd or do what you’ve always done. There is a whole world of swim-bike-run challenges out there.

4. Self-Esteem & Confidence

For me, the sport helps us develop a belief that we can do anything.

“How hard can it be?”

“I can do that”

“10 miles until we reach our destination. I could run that if I wanted to.”

You see yourself differently. Your identity becomes different. A bronzed God, racing impossible races. Ok, maybe I went a bit far there.

5. Like-Minded People

You find yourself mixing with like minded people. Positivity shines through. Encouragement is everywhere. Adventures and challenges seem possible. Or at least not impossible. You join forces and conquer things together.

---

So when it’s all getting a bit much, remember …

• It isn’t all about watts.
• Or about numbers.
• Or about worrying whether your HRV numbers will allow you to train today.
• It definitely isn’t about comparison with others – or proving yourself to strangers.
• Or about spending your time alone in a garage, staring at your wall, pedalling a bike that doesn’t go anywhere.

Ok, maybe that bit is actually necessary!

If you ever feel like ‘what’s the point’ or ‘I’m not enjoying this’ or ‘why am I training for triathlon’, think of the adventure, the challenge, the confidence and self-esteem it has given you, think about the people you mix with. Think about what still lies ahead.

And above all, remember … it is the most positive sport there is!

Triathlon: Five Reasons We Love It!

• Mail
• Facebook
• Instagram