Caveman Triathlon

No this isn’t some new technology….. A short break from Technical stuff.  A little about me personal.  Yes I am a Triathlete.  The “code” to call yourself a Triathlete is that you have to finish a Triathlon every year to continue to call yourself a Triathlete.  I have completed 5 Triathlons.  Caveman on April 22nd will be my 6th one.

It’s just a short what they call “Sprint” Tri.  That is 275 yard swim in a pool, 13 mile bike ride, and 5K or 3.1 Mile run.  I always get asked why do you do them? Well two reason, one is to have a goal to keep me in shape. I like to exercise, but I always need a goal to keep me motivated, and I sure could use the weight loss that comes with the training.

The second reason is the feeling at the finish. It is hard to describe. Less than 1% of the people in the US have completed a Triathlon. I really don’t race other people. I just try to push myself, there is just 450 people to cheer me on.  The sense of accomplishment is part of it.  It is an adrenalin rush. Yes it’s hard, but not impossible, and no it doesn’t take all day I usually finish in under 90 minutes. For me that’s not a long workout or bike ride.  I know I have written on this blog before about Triathlons, I don’t very often, but hey it’s fun and it’s me!

I also get asked, why do they swim first, then you are wet for the bike and run.  Well, it might be cooler to swim at the end, but have you tried to swim hard after a long bike ride and run?  Keep the swim at the first, that way they have to fish less people out of the pool!  I love the swims and the bikes. I don’t consider myself a runner. I use a heart rate monitor to make sure I don’t go too hard on the “walk/Run”.  If you have nothing to do on a Sunday morning go watch one, you will share in that “feeling” as people finish. Click on the graphic to see several races in the Dallas area.

Update:

I did finish!!!  Probably not as fast as I could have done it, but that wasn’t my goal.  My goal was to finish.  I didn’t train/workout the 10 days before the event and I think that hurt me. I got sick, then spent 6 days in Las Vegas, out every night very late, so I wasn’t in the best condition.  There was 600 people at this event.  I wasn’t LAST.  Yes I can continue to call myself a Triathlete for one more year!