Running is such a simple, enjoyable activity. A trail run is one of the great joys of life. I can wake up, put on my running shoes and be out the door in minutes. 3-4 hours per week is plenty. For me it is just much simpler, with less gear to buy, store, and take care of. If you throw in just a little strength training, you have a great foundation for life.

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Simplify, Train, Live

Old = h2ofun's age

ie...no one is ever old as long as waterboi is older

This!!

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To dumb to quit

I went from running only (high school and early military requirements) to giving a shot a one du and a tri during the late 80's, early 90's to pure bike racing (my passion if I had to choose any from sports in my life) through the bulk of the 90's. Got totally burned out, got married, had kids, sold all 7 of my bikes and did absolutely nothing for 5 years. Then really looked at myself in a mirror. I was up to 230 pounds when I used to weigh in the upper 160's, low 170's all the time. So in 2003, I built up a bike and got back on it. Rode for a year, started running again. Entered 2004 Baltimore marathon the day before the race without having run more than about 20 miles TOTAL in 14 years. I only made it through half the race before dropping out. But that still marked the furthest I had ever run in one stint.

So the next year I actually trained and did almost purely running. Entered the '05 B-more marathon. Went out way too fast, blew up and walked the last 5 miles but still finished in 3:58. Then I decided to get into tris because I knew I could easily ride 112 miles, I had just finished a marathon and I could learn how to swim well enough to finish 2.4 miles. Spent '06 - '10 doing tris and running races. 2 Boston qualifiers and 9 total marathon finishes, 2 IM races, PR's all over the place and some decent times/podiums for a local guy not training a ton with three kids and sole income earner for the family.

A-Fib started kicking in bad by '09 though. Having had two instances in the pool where I almost blacked out I said, "That's it, no more tris." I didn't want to run the risk of passing out from my a-fib in the water and drowning. So I did my last real tri in 2010. Two ablations in 2011 basically killed my training - period. Now at 44 years old I've been able to get out and run and ride with my wife. I can hold sub-7 for two miles, but don't think I'll ever crack 20 in a 5k again. I will only enter running races and that is my main form of exercise because it is easy to do, takes the least amount of time and I can do it during lunch at work.

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Rick, "Retired" hobbyist athlete
Trying to come back slowly from acute A-Fib

Sounds like the ablations put you out of commission for a while. I was diagnosed with a-fib in early 2013. was on beta blockers for a while but pulse/BP went way low so was kept only on blood thinners. I stopped doing tri's and swimming altogether. Have been running some, but have lost 1 - 2 min per mile in stamina/speed.

My a-fib is not persistent. Since 2013, I've only had a couple of episodes that have lasted longer than a couple of hours. My EP still recommends an ablation. However, I am 66 and wonder what benefit, if any, I will gain. From all that I have read, this condition seems to be as different as the various people it afflicts.

Any thoughts on the good/bad of ablations?

Thanks[

I came to all 3 as a newbie 7 years ago. When I moved to NYC I spent year just bike racing. Cycling is CLEARLY my strongest sport by a logarthimic scale. Then after the Boston bombing I decided to run Boston on a charity bib thinking it would be a one and done - well I ended up running 4 marathons this first year of run focus but did sign up for a HIM because first of all I miss the other sports and second even if I want to focus on running I know swimming is GREAT recovery for running and for me without a triathlon on my schedule I don't get in the pool - that is just how I am . I might go for a bike ride - I certainly bike to work but the training for anything for me is not the same if there is not a race at the end.

So I am focusing more on running right now - even though it is NOT my strength, but I am still a triathlete.

I haven't thought of dropping tri because I enjoy having a variety of activities. Got into tris in 2002 because I was burned out from just cycling all the time. Swimming is a constant challenge because in my experience, it's all about technique. I enjoy it because it's the most challenging of the three, and I don't need to spend a huge amount of time doing it compared to biking and running.

However, running is my favorite of the three. Just can't wait to get off the bike and run. I think it's due to being compacted on the bike (bike fits me well, though), and running is the chance to get upright and stretch out. Also, I love running for the sake of simplicity. I can do it anywhere on any road in pretty much any weather. It requires very little equipment. Just need a great pair of shoes and some kind of top and bottom and I'm set. Also, as far as races go, running ones are the most simple. Pin on s race number and show up at the start line 10 minutes before the gun goes off. Really love that aspect compared to tris where you have to get so much prepared before the race even starts.

Having said all that, I don't see myself dropping swimming and cycling just to only run. I take a break from swimming Oct-May, then pick it back up end of May through first week in October, strictly lake swimming. I would get burned out if I did only one activity year round. Having three activities helps my recovery and prevents injuries that are common from doing just one activity.

Long-time ST'ers know way too much about my story through poop-filled race reports, but basic background:

1. Went to college as 200 pound football player/sprinter. Am pacifist. Quit.
2. Started biking (my dad was semi-pro when I was growing up). Did that for a year and lost those pesky biceps.
3. Started running with a 200 meter jog that made my calves sore for 3 days. Did duathlons for following few years. Never got good at swimming.
4. Dropped cycling because I love running. It is so fun and freeing.
5. Trained my ass off. And by that I mean nothing at all! After biking, run training is SO EASY.

Now: 2-time trail national champion and sponsored by Nike! I really recommend that if you make the switch, you focus on trails. The hardest part about tri is the constant quantification. Running is the one place where you can get better by going easy in the woods :)

Best of luck!!!!

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David Roche
Some Work, All Play podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/...ll-play/id1521532868
Coaching: https://swaprunning.com/

I completely understand you. If you don't need the money, I suggest not selling your bike.

I love all 3 sports and also different sports as well. I do whatever I am in the mood for. If I want to run, I run. Bike racing? then that. If I want to do short tris, long tri's, skiing, trail running, mountain biking whatever, then that is what I do. The only thing I know is that there are more things to do in life then there is time to do it in. So I just feel the breeze, and train for it. None of us here will be world champs so any performance goals are arbitrary.

This is a hobby. Do what is fun for you.

I did Triathlons for 4 years straight, trying to get as fast as possible and be competitive. Whatever I did, I could never increase my Swim or Run performance, but my cycling always got better. I decided to call it quits last year and focus only on cycling now.

It sucks though, Triathlon was the first sport I got into that I competed in. I had some pretty decent results, lots of 1st place in my age groups, traveled a decent bit to some of the bigger races out there, so I had tons of fun. I miss triathlons still, it was tons of fun to do these races and just obliterate myself in the swim, push myself as hard as I could on the bike, and then just run until I saw the finish line.

but I could never get past a 1:03 sprint, and a 2:15 olympic. I felt stagnant, I would do specific training blocks to work on my swim/run, would see some results but it would drop off a few weeks after I went back to my original training. I could dedicate at max: 10-12 hours a week of training. Coming from no backgrounds, I had to focus on all 3 to get faster, and couldn't just focus on 2 sports and keep the special one "tuned".


Doing a single sport has allowed me to really improve on one sport, it's nice to see results. I went from a 20 minute FTP of 275 to 325 in about 6 months. It feels pretty awesome and I don't feel like I'm even close to stopping *ripe old age of 28!*. I can dedicate 10-12 hours of good, quality training each week, I can do a 1 hour bike ride and crush myself, feel good for the day, or ride 2.5-3 hours and be happy. Triathlons made me neurotic, I could do a 2 hour ride in the A.M, but if I didn't get a swim or a run in the afternoon I would feel like I didn't accomplish a good workout. Now I can get one bike ride in, be happy, or get two bike rides in and be even more happy. Either way, the stress of training for something that doesn't pay the bills is much much much less.

Common theme of this thread is "I'm a mediocre swimmer, so I quit triathlon to become a [Insert: Runner / Cyclist]." :-)

IMHO, if you're burnt out with triathlon, take a short break and explore the single discipline you're most passionate about and enjoy. Triathlon will welcome you back when you're ready...... and then make you physically and emotionally pay for cheating on Triathlon with your one discipline.

I'm the opposite. As I am a swimmer, I started triathlon because I "hate" swimming. I suck in biking but I am quiet good in running ...as someone said, all the pleasure comes from the progress you make in your weakest sport.
I noticed something interesting though. There are more people frustrated because they are weak in swimming than those frustrated because they are weak in the 2 other sports. Something that I can't understand since the swimming portion is much shorter.