Triathlons: The Best Sport Ever Conceived

This past weekend I participated in my first triathlon. It was an Olympic distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) race held in Kelowna, British Columbia. I’ve competed in a number of sports in my lifetime; including basketball, volleyball, track, football, rowing and running. I can honestly say I’ve never been as happy during a race as I was bouncing around from the lake, to the roads, to the streets of the Okanagan valley. The experience was so amazing; I have no reservation around unabashedly proselytizing the sport. Everyone should try a triathlon at least once in their lifetime.

Before you dismiss my enthusiasm. Consider I only decided to do a triathlon two months ago, I borrow a road bike to train and race, and I am regularly passed in the pool by the elderly and the pregnant.

Despite all this, I still can’t wait for the next race, and cherish all the time I am able to spend swimming, cycling and running.

Perhaps one can gain a little incite into the enthusiasm behind the sport by looking into its origin. According to sports historian Scott Tinley, early triathlons were held as off-beat training exercises for runners in history-rich port towns like La Rochelle and Marseille.

Let’s paint a picture here. You’ve been running along the French coast for the longest time. There’s nothing but pristine beaches, fine wine, ocean-side cafés, and blue skies for miles… I know… total yawnsville. But, you need a little something to shake things up. You look at the pristine blue water and some locals in their haute couture riding to work on their bikes. You think,”Ah oui!… I am going to float around in the water and take a little jaunt along the coastal roads before my run today”.

Et voila! That sums up the total vibe behind a triathlon. It’s all about having fun participating in a race built on three free-wheeling activities in the most picturesque of landscapes. What other sport offers this?

You may be think, "what about the labored breathing and excruciating lactic acid build-up"? The honest truth is: you decide whether you want to push yourself to those limits in a triathlon. You could chose to go out like Simon Whitfield in the Beijing Olympics; pushing your body to extremes only to race across the finish line on pure mental will. However, there is nothing saying you can’t take breaks, enjoy the scenery, and do the entire race with a smile on your face. As sure as the sun rises every morning, there will be others doing the same and feeling absolutely wonderful for their accomplishment.

If you are still not convinced. I simply ask you to give it a try. Join a local triathlon club, pick a race, follow the training and do the race at your own pace. You'll be sure to come out the other end beaming from ear to ear.

Happy racing!
Stephen