struggling being a triathlete in my early 20s..

get used to it for a long time. im in the sub 30 club and there just isn't a lot of people who are competing in that AG.  if you are looking for training partners then don't be afraid to look for someone who isn't your age.  I know a lot of great runners and cyclist who are older than me and train with them a lot.  

if the only think you don't like or you think is causing you to struggle is solo training then get out and join some group rides/runs or masters swim sessions.

i didn't misunderstand, i was telling you how it is and to deal with it. you can't choose the competition. get out there and train with those you can if you need a partner or go it alone.

Originally posted by calebTris i absolutely love the sport of triathlon. i'm turning 22 this year and did my first triathlon when i was 20. My love for the sport grows by the hour it seems. [except in the winer! ] my only down fall is having no one my age (in my area at least) that's into the sport. I'm part of the triathlon club here in the St. Louis area and even all of them are namely older (30+). My mom and my 2 cousins, and my uncle (all 35 or above) are also strongly into triathlon..and its awesome! i dont want to sound like i'm complaining at all, because i love what i have. It's just sometimes i get a little bummed out when i have no one my age to train with, or even talk about triathlon to. Always nice to have someone your age to train and be friends with! i guess thats the end of my rant..anybody ever had this problem?

I didn't have this problem, but when I was in my 20's it was hard to find friends who would jog, bike, or in line skate, or do anything that might cause a sweat. I wasn't into triathlon back then, just needed to burn off the beer calories.  People in that age category are just into other things - like the bar scene, and typically don't have a lot of extra cash to spend on triathlon.  So it will be slim pickings.  You can always overlap your sports - join a sand volleyball team (that's more the 20 something crowd). Then after the game, over beers, convince them to sign up for a 5k and perhaps eventually a triathlon. :-)

...but that is how it is. The sport can be very lonely for people our age. If you don't like training solo it might not be the best sport for you. You can find plenty of older folks to train with though, and often they have a lot to teach you.

hmmm I started in the sport 14 years ago at 26 (yes, now 40!) and always trained with folks ages 35-50.  Does it really matter, unless you're looking to pick someone up or to go out to bars with?  I don't know, my friends are all still varied in ages, from 25-60, and I love them all.  I had my tri friends and my non-tri friends in my 20s. Just kind of how it is.

Agreed that there isn't much wrong with saying "That's how it is. Deal with it." Because sometimes, well, that's how it is. The poster DID offer some ideas as well. A really awesome asset to BT got banned a while back for commenting that "no one cares" or something similar. 

This forum isn't very tough-love friendly.

back on topic...

I agree with those that said find a running club - tons of young runners out there... and socialize at events that you do go to. It can be tough and awkward to just go up to strangers and talk, but an opening line like "Hey! You're in my AG! Nice race out there today - you looked super fast on the bike - we should ride together sometime." can really open doors.

Or, find a non-tri-event like kickball of volleyball as another poster recommended.

I can understand wanting friends your age, but as you get a little older, you'll realize that age is a number. I'm 28 and have friends who are 50+. 

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Help us understand the importance (important enough for you to dedicate a thread to this topic) of having training partners who are exactly your age? What's the value they give that you can't get with someone older? 

If triathlon is what brings training partners together, other aspects of life (age, kids, profession, etc.) have very little bearing, in my experience. I also started in my 20s and most of the people I trained with were much older. It had zero impact on our friendship/relationship and I actually learned so much more from them than my buddies who were my age at the time. 

My advice would be to not worry about something as inconsequential as age, and focus on the diverse backgrounds and what you can learn from the people you CAN train with.