What is your ultimate goal?

To keep going as long as i can

So it sounds like you're looking to get into your first tri? That's awesome! Will you look like a fool on a mountain bike and no high-zoot gear? Not at all!

What's really needed to do a tri? A bike, whatever bike you have, running shoes, a helmet, something to wear (like a swim suit), and the willingness to give it a go. The rest is all details that we figure out along the way to the ultimate goal.

My ultimate goal? I already know my best times, and most likely my longest distances, are in my rear-view mirror. So I guess I'd have to say my ultimate goal is to pass along what I've learned on my journey, give back a bit, and have fun with a race or two a year as long as I can.

that's how I started.  a bathing suit and a mountain bike - and when I see someone out on a sprint course dressed like this, my thought is, kudos to them! and I cheer extra for them in my head if not with a shout out as they pass by

Interesting question.

I've never really had a burning desire to do an IM.  Part of it is knowing my physical (and age) limitations, and part of it is that I have other hobbies and interests that I enjoy that compete for my time.

I really enjoy sprint and Olympic distance races and the volume of training to do those distances fits well with my lifestyle.

Mark

Welcome!

First, you won't look like a fool.  Very few people start out of the gate with all the gear, expensive tri bikes, race wheels, etc,  unless they are the type that have tons of expendable income and want to "look" the part.  More power to them if they have the money to do that.  MOST people work up to it over several years.  It's also good to know if you will stay in the sport or what your particular needs are before dropping excessive amounts of cash into the sport.

My first tri was on my old road bike and I swam/biked/ran in some bike shorts that had minimal padding.  I see tons of mountain bikes and commuter bikes out there on a sprint.

MY ultimate goal?  I can't lie, It was Ironman from the start.  20 years ago (or longer?) I saw that on TV and thought it was the most amazing physical accomplishment.  At that point, running a 10k was hard and these people were running a marathon at a pace I couldn't dream of AFTER 2.4 miles in the ocean and 112 on the bike!  I couldn't imagine doing ONE of those legs, much less all three.  I knew that I wanted to be able to do one.  I didn't care about my time, I just wanted to DO it...

The entire journey was great.  There was joy at completing my first tri, then stepping up the distances, then beat old personal records, then knocking out my first IM about 2 years after starting (which was probably too soon, but oh well!).  Also, "finishing" under the 17 hour is STILL my goal.  Even when I'm shooting for under 12 hours in a particular race, I still think that if something should go wrong or if I have a bad day, that all that really matters is 17 hours...

And honestly?  Toeing the line and putting in the work to get there is the most important part.   The race is icing on the cake.

Same here! When I was doing my first couple tri's on my hybrid commuter bike I would get words of encouragement from some of the faster bikers whizzing by. I try to continue that tradition.

As for my ultimate goal: to keep enjoying the sport and the fitness benefits!

Last weekend I did my first Olympic distance triathlon and I feel it's the perfect distance for me, much like half marathons when it comes to running. The distance is still a challenge that requires weekly training to stay prepared, but not so much training that it becomes a "second job" and could lead me to burn out.

Yay for getting started!!  Doesn't matter what you wear, the thing that really matters is that you're doing it!

I don't have an "ultimate" goal per se, but I'm planning to do a half Ironman in St. Croix for my 50th birthday.  That gives me 5 years (well, 4.5 years now) to get ready.  I just started doing tris this year after a couple years of doing nothing due to injury so I want to give myself plenty of time to work up to it.  If it turns out my body can't handle that level of training, there's a sprint distance race there at the same time.  That's my fall-back plan.  Either way, I'm going to St. Croix!  After that, not sure.  Probably another "milestone" race and definitely lots of fun training and racing.

My ultimate triathlon goal?

Is to honestly say, there was nothing else I could have done, I left it all out there and did the best I could in training and racing.

Originally posted by ImSore I cant say that I have an "ultimate" goal. I have several competitive goals that I would like to accomplish in the next few years. Run a sub-3 hour marathon (maybe in 5 weeks or so!!), perhaps KQ, run a 50 mile ultra (this Nov. hopefully!), run a challenging ultra like the Western States 100, or something crazy like Badwater (as if the Western States or ANY 100 mile ultra wasn't crazy enough. Some of these goals are more out of reach than others, but I'll just keep plugging away and see what happens. Ultimately I will keep doing this until I no longer enjoy it. And by "this," I mean training and racing for different events for health, fun, and competition. I don't think anyone will find you foolish. I've found that there are a few types of people who do these events. A few that are hyper-competitive and driven, and those people are so self-absorbed (I guess I don't mean this in a bad way) that they can barely register your existence. Most people who do these events are just out there having fun and I've found that there is virtually no negativity. People are very positive and supportive. And again, as far as my ultimate goal of doing this until I no longer enjoy it. I don't think I am anywhere near that, and hope to never achieve that goal!

These competitive goals are pretty much the same as mine.

I'd like to keep doing Ironman distance races.  I've done 9 so far.  IMAZ this November will be number 10.

I'd like to break my IM PR of 11:53.  In fact, I'd like to Kona qualify but that's a ways off - need to either get a lot faster or a lot older. :-)

I'd like to BQ.  Tried a few years ago when 3:20 was the goal, injured my heel at mile 18, turned in 3:30.  Grrrr.

I'd like to do more running races.  Running what I love the most.  Maybe a 50 miler.  And maybe someday something "crazy" like Western States 100 or Badwater.  I've seen Running on the Sun and The Distance of Truth and Badwater has an appeal to me.

BTW, here's my advice on looking foolish.  At a certain age/experience in life, you probably worry about what other people think about you.  Then you reach a certain point where you don't care what most people think of you.  And then you reach a certain point where you realize most people aren't thinking about you at all. 

In a triathlon, most people are thinking of their race.  Not about your bike or your swimsuit.  Nothing to worry about.  Race your race.

win