How have you surprised yourself with this sport?

4 years ago I was partying like a mad man, smoking and eating crap all over the place. I was 20 pounds overweight and I was in the worst shape of my life. 1 year and 5 months ago I decided to make a change in my life and started training and completed my 1^st sprint tri. This year I’d been training VERY hard and I had a great season. So far I had completed 2 marathons, I won my age group at the Holliston sprint and finished 10^th overall; I did my 1^st HIM (Timberman) and finished in 4:56 hrs, I finished 2^nd in my AG in another Oly with a time of 2:10 hrs, I finished 3^rd in my AG and 15^th overall at the Boston triathlon, I had a ½ Mary PR of 1:31, a 10K PR for 36:27 and now I am gunning to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I also made my Race Director debut and managed the 1^st Annual Dash a Bash sprint Tri.

in other words triathlons had awakened a passion for exercise I haven’t felt since I was a teenager. Now I am dreaming to achieve much more and I’ll continue working very hard to achieve my new dreams/goals. I’d found a new lifestyle and I am in the best shape of my life. I LOVE this sport and I am even working towards making it a full time job in some way. Next year I am shooting to organize 3 Tri events and in December I'll getting certified as a USAT Coach level 1. My friends think I am going insane, and maybe there are right, but I am enjoying my life a lot more this year that I had in my previuos 4...

Thank you Tris and thank you BT!

I am an alcoholic and just 22 months sober.  I met a guy about a year ago who was training for IMAZ 2005.  I was ready to think about getting back into shape after about 18 years of alcohol, cigarettes, and fast food.  So I set a goal of doing a HIM in 2005 and was hoping to get in decent shape along the way.  The goal was to simply complete it and say I did it.  At that time, alcohol was a daily battle for me and I had not excercised consistently since I was in high school some 16 years ago.  I, with not nearly as much thought as what should have gone into it, signed up for Buffalo Springs Lake HIM and started training 1 year ago this month.  The first time I swam at the gym I could barely go 1 length of the pool(50 yards) with out being completely gassed and I had not ridden a bike but 1 time since I was probably 11 or 12.  The 1 time was on a drunken dare which ended in road rash.  I would occasionally run but I don't recall ever running more than 3 miles at a time.  But I plugged away.  I ran a half marathon February 12, 2005.  I did my first tri(oly) April 5, 2005.  I did another oly May 22, 2005.  Then the day came.  I completed a HIM June 26, 2005.  Since then I have completed another oly, a sprint, and another HIM(in 6:10).  I have one more oly scheduled in 2 weeks and then I will focus on my first marathon in December.  Alcohol is no longer a daily battle for me because it would interfere too much with my training.  It is still a battle but those battles are much less frequent and more easily won these days.

I had just put this on my blog this morning that I actually miss working out if I don't do it for a few days.  I had taken 4 days off from running due to some tenderness in my Achilles.  This morning I was scheduled to return to running and I actually told my wife last night that I was excited to get to run this morning.  I can't imagine those words being uttered 12 months ago.  It is hard to explain how my life has changed.

Now that is cool.  Well done and congrats.

Wow- these are great stories.  It makes me mad sometimes when people tell me I need to "get a life" or tell me that I'm crazy.  They don't understand that training is more than just being fit- it's something to do to certainly be healthier and better shape, but it's also the best way to get to know yourself in your strongest and weakest moments and recognizing how far you can go if you really push yourself.  It's truly a life changing experience, both mentally and physically.  It's about setting goals and achieving them, making new friends, and sharing great race memories that are unforgettable.  BIt's about getting that feeling of excitement and nervousness before a race that you don't get from anything else. 

But looking back at my tri training experience, I spent a lot of time running for a few years and wanted to do something different after finishing my 2nd marathon. I decided it was time to tri.  I knew it was completely foreign and out of my comfort zone, but that's the best part of it.  When I first started swimming, I could only swim 50 yards at a time.  Now I am training for a 1/2 IM this November, and plan to complete a full IM next year.  I no longer doubt my ability and am fearless- my boundaries are unlimited.  I think that's the best feeling!  Tri training is really my therapy- my way to relieve stress, catch up with friends, etc...I love it and anyone who tells me I'm crazy is the crazy one for not doing it!

My biggest accomplishment- wearing all that darn spandex and being proud and confident of my big muscles tri training has given me!

that's right baby! And as a male to be able to shave your legs! 

Biggest surprise?  I didn't expect this would become a lifestyle.  I approached my first race with the "I want to say I've done it," attitude, but fell in love and here I am!  My complete obsession with triathlon has had such a positive impact on my whole family.  My husband has always been pretty active, but my activity level has had it peaks & valleys in recent years.  Now, our neighbors kind of shake their heads when we head out for a family bike ride (kids are 6 & 9) and they know that means we'll do 15 miles (with our 6 year old as a speedy line leader and mom and dad taking turns doing sprints!) and we'll all come home with smiles on our faces.  Our kids now want to know "is there a kids' race?" with every tri or 5k or 10k I do.  They are even doing a Kids' Marathon when I do my first 1/2 mary in November.  I didn't have time for hobbies or just hanging out before - and now I have even less time, but it doesn't matter anymore because my time feels so well spent and it's so good for me.  And when I face challenges at work, a little voice says, "You're a triathlete.  You can do this."  And I do.  Triathlon is the single most empowering thing I have done as an adult and it's effects are far reaching.

Congrats to all for all you've done!  Keep the tri spirit!

kris