Why do you Tri?

Ego.  I've always associated completion of a triathlon with being bad .  I started doing them to be bad .

Eventually, I'll really be bad and will finish a full triathlon.

So far you been like stopping halfway through the bike or something?

Every triathlon is a full triathlon. I think what you're referring to is an Ironman distance race.

Because I enjoy sports, and have always been good but not great at every sport I've participated in.  Triathlon rewards those who are well-balanced between the three disciplines.

Because I look so hot in spandex.

I wanted to do something different after 30+ years of running. Two people in my marathon training group were triathletes and they talked me into doing a sprint. It was such an amazing experience. Also humbling, since I'd never swam before and it took me 14 minutes to swim 500 yards! I remember crossing the finish line, my tri friends and family were waiting, and I couldn't stop smiling. I swam! I biked! I ran! That was the coolest thing ever!

I drank the cool-aid. Two years later here I am training for Lake Placid and on the board of my tri club. Triathlon is a sport of personal challenges shared among great friends. Suits me perfectly.

I sort of fell into it thru the back door, started riding the bike during running injury recovery, found out I liked riding so signed up for some duathlons, completed those and saw all these people doing tri's at the same time. I knew I needed to get better on the bike so I signed up for some bike classes that just happened to be run by the local Tri club, of course they wanted to know why I wasn't doing tri's and I told the that at 57 I couldn't swim a lick of freestyle, to which they responded OH well we can FIX that, and they did they taught me how to swim at the local Y over a couple of months for the huge cost of $60 bucks I had 2 certified tri coaches availible to teach me for 8 weeks twice a week for an hour by spring I could do a few hundred meters without croaking, so I signed up for thier  weekly OWS Splash and dash series they do, found out I really liked OWS... Bad thing LOL. I discovered I loved training off all 3 sports, being able to do something almost ever day even if something does hurt somewhere I can always train one of the 3 sports usually at anytime, and the fact that I am getting better at all 3 sports sure doesn't hurt to dampen the enthusiasium right now either.

I am actually running better now at 58 then I was at 52 because my overall core strength and conditioning is just much, much  better then when I was Just a runner. I guess you could just say I tri..ed it and found out I Liked it a lot. Plus all of the people I have meet doing this have been awesome, just great, suportive , and always encouraging you to do better.

1. I had to give up 7 dpw running

2. I like food and wine and beer WAY too much

3. I can be passably decent at it without much focused effort

So...basically, I don't want to get fat, and am kind of inherently lazy.

I was a runner and we bought a water access camp (cottage, for those south of the 49) so I couldn't run as much in the summer.  I could swim though.  I picked up a 25 year old ten speed bike and I was all set.  I've been hooked since.

I love the race day experience.  I'm competitive by nature so signing up for races keep me in the game.  I'm by far not the fastest and most likely will never outright win a race but I train hard enough to finish FOP in at least the smaller races.  I like the friends that I've made so it has been a great benefit to me socially.  Outside of Tri's I'm dealing with stuff so long runs and rides are my therapy.  Hopefully I'm setting a good example for my kids.

I Tri because it's fun with the added benefit of keeping me in shape.

Sounds simple but I really enjoy it.

Watched Escape from Alcatraz on TV when I was younger, and though that was AWESOME!  But I couldn't swim, so I took up running...

Broke my foot in marathon #1, and continued to have nagging problems, so cut back run training and decided to take up swimming and cycling to fill up the time while my foot heals.  While I was at it, might as well sign up for some tri's.

Swimming and cycling are a lot of fun and something different to do, but honestly my first love is running, but swim and cycling keeps me in shape for running without aggravating the foot, so it's all good!

I tri because I needed something other to do rather than just running after I turned 50.  I love to train, and love the excitement of races.  I have been involved in endurance activities for so long, that I don't feel right if I don't train. 

 I also find it a great way to reduce stress- which I have an incredible amount of at my job.  It also helps ward off depression- which runs in my family. 

 I weigh only 10 to 15 pounds more than I did in high school, and it makes me feel good to be at a healthy weight, unlike most women (and men)  my age. 

I wanted to set a healthy example for my two sons- now age 23 and 19.  My 23 year old has caught the "fitness bug" and I couldn't be more pleased.  The 19 year old has not yet, but there is still hope for him. 

Same with me,  after running two marathons a year for the last several years I was looking for a change.  A couple of friends in the running club were also doing Tris so I figured that it was time to dust of the bike and swim goggles and try something different.

Also, at age 53 I wanted to find another way to stay in shape rather than pound the pavement six days a week.  

Why not?

Because no one has found a competitive way for me to fly under my own power yet, so for now it's just swim, bike, run.

^^x2

Exercise and staying in shape too.

And where else can we all hang out in wetsuits, pee on ourselves because they're too hard to get off quickly and still look cool!?!  

I haven't tri'd yet, but am three months into training for my first race... an olympic in late May!!  I blame it on peer pressure from the triathletes on my masters swim team.  I just have to be cool like my tri friends!!  I have a competitive swimming background.  My ego has taken a beating though on land.

Love the people and the challenge that make up Tri!

I got burned out on running so decided to get into doing a tri. Turns out that I enjoy it a lot since I am not doing the same thing all the time.  

I'm not the best swimmer, decent biker considering I have only been doing it for the last 2 years, and my run has been decent considering I don't work at the run like I used too.

I do it mainly to stay in shape without beating my body up.