Ask yourself these three questions:
Are you having trouble getting motivated to get your health and fitness under control?
Are you easily bored with just doing the same old thing over and over and over and over?
Do you want to start training for fun but have the chance to do more over time as you progress?
If you answered yes to these then I have a simple solution, Triathlon.
Q.) What is triathlon?
A.) A triathlon is a race that combines swim, bike, and run (in that order) to allow you to work the whole body, get a mental challenge in the water, feel speed on the bike, and obtain the glory of finishing a hard run and crossing the finish line.
Q.) Ok Dustin, but that’s too hard! I can’t train for those super long races. Don’t those people stay out there for like 17 hours? Isn’t that the Ironman?
A.) Great question and you will love the answer. Actually, Triathlon comes in TONS of distances. There are Sprints, Olympic, Half Ironman, and Full Ironman. I will break them down below.
Sprint Distance Triathlon – 1/2 mile swim, 12-14 mile bike, 5k run (3.1 miles)
Olympic Distance Triathlon – 1500 meter swim (.93 miles), 40k bike (24.85 miles), 10k run (6.21 miles)
Half Ironman Distance Triathlon – 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
Full Ironman Distance Triathlon – 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 run
Q.) Why should I pick Triathlon?
A.) You will never be bored. When you are bored with swimming, you can bike, and when you are bored with the bike, you run, and when you get bored of the run, you swim! It’s a great thing! I love training for triathlon because it keeps my whole body trained, it keeps me mentally stimulated and excited about learning all three disciplines to the best of my ability. Triathlon has become such an important part of my life. Since there are so many distances to race I never get bored and I can always challenge myself to do more. Also, since you are training swim, bike, and run you can participate in solo events of all kinds. If there is a 5k, 13.1, 26.2 race then jump in! A 25, 50, 100 mile bike tour? Go ahead and ride! An open water swim? Have at it! If you only run then you can only do races involving running. This gives you unlimited training, racing, and FUN opportunities!
Q.) Ok, This sounds cool… But how can I afford all this stuff? Won’t I need to buy a TON of stuff just to train?
A.) Yes, you need stuff but NO it won’t cost you an arm and a leg… You need a bike (any kind will do for starters.. Mountain, Road, Hybrid, etc), goggles, a pool or any body of water, bathing suit, running shorts, and some running shoes. That’s it! Keep it simple at first until you start learning about the sport. I am a 2X Ironman Triathlete and I still use an old road bike that I traded some junk for on craigslist, it’s a $175 bike. Yes, people spend a lot of money on expensive race stuff but you don’t have to get that stuff to do these races. Use the K.I.S.S method, Keep It Simple Stupid! This method saves you money, time, and if you keep it all simple you won’t over think things. It’s a swim, a bike, and a run, that’s it!
Q.) This sounds like it’s going to take up a TON of my time… I don’t think I can commit to that kind of grueling schedule.
A.) Whoa, hold on there cowboy! Who said you had to commit to ANY schedule. Even if you do ONE swim, ONE bike, and ONE run per week it’s probably WAY more than you are doing right now. So don’t worry about putting together a crazy schedule that you cannot stay with. Remember, you are trying to change your lifestyle, have fun, and get your health and fitness in check. Don’t over do it!! Too far, too fast, too much, too soon = Injury. I would rather you take it nice and easy and keep it FUN!!! Ideally you want to do 2 swims per week, 2 bike rides per week, and 2 runs per week. I don’t care what distances you cover at first, just get out there and get moving 🙂
Have more question? Let’s get you outside and moving. As a Team Naturade Athlete I am here to answer your questions FREE anytime. Just contact me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account. Cheers and Happy Training!
I’m Dustin, and this is my son Boston… First, I’m a dad before anything else, after that I’m a 31 year old vegan expatriate Hoosier living right outside of New Orleans, LA.
On June 12th, 2011 I had a bit of a wake up call and began my road to the ironman 140.6 mile endurance event and after that I’ve got some big plans, so it won’t end there… This is my outlet to vent, rant, promote, and let everyone know what’s up.
You can connect, ask questions, or get tips from me at www.RunDustin.com, @DustinHinton (twitter), @RunDustin (Instagram), or Facebook.com/TheDustinHinton. Cheers!
