I like being unique.

All through High School, I played the mainstream sports (F-ball, both B-balls), and even in college I played football. But, I was always interested in the non-mainstream sports.

After college I began marathon training. Over the last 2 years that has evolved into Triathlon. What keeps me in it? The pain, being unique, great way to define one's self, comraderie, travel and new places, etc, etc...

Overall, I like who I am as a triathlete more than in any other sport. It's suits my personality very well.

-Brian

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-Brian

We have a pool and a pond. A pond would be good for you, Karl. - Ty

As Edmond Hillory said when asked Why he wanted to Climb Everest -- "Because it is there"

It's cheaper than drinking and the feeling you get training and racing last longer.

1. While some people in this world like the rose blossom... I have always preferred the thorns.

2. To prove to myself that I am not getting old.

Say it with me, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old, I'm not old,

No really I'm not.

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1. It makes me feel/look better.
2. The personal challenge.
3. The "you are crazy" comments and stares.
4. No guilt cake eating.
5. Chicks in spandex.

Not.......for the love of God.........but, for me, for the love of the sport.

The training, the competition, the travel, the people.........I just plain love everything about it! Simple enough.

G

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It's a little like wrestling a gorilla.........you don't stop when you're tired.........you stop when the gorilla is tired.

It's cheaper than drinking and the feeling you get training and racing last longer.

You must have a REALLY high tolerance for alcohol.

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

• The "threat" of an upcoming race gets my butt out the door to train consistently.
• This helps keep me fit which is very important to me.
• I want my daughters to be involved and enjoy sports, so I hope to be a good role model for them.
• The unbelievable amount of confidence I gained from completing my first 1/2 IM and my first marathon is something I'm continuing to ride. I am a much more confident person now than I was 4 years ago when I started this journey. This has helped me like myself more and be happier all around.
• The lure of Ironman keeps pulling at me. I am determined to finish an IM. Hoping for 2006, but we'll see how my 1/2's go next year.
• If I didn't participate in this sport, I wouldn't be spending so much time at Slowtwitch admiring the hottie thread!! :)

D.

What rocketboy said...competition (both others and self) and the comraderie. I have friends all over the US and the world because of triathlon, so I get to combine my love of travel with sport. Amazing!

clm

PS--The hottie tri boys count too.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Had. But admittedly, I only have a $2,000 road bike that I got last year. And only plan on spending about the same on a tri bike this fall.

Without triathlon, there would be no SlowTwitch.
Without Slowtwitch... uhhhh... I just don't want to think about that. ;)

Ok. Seriously, I dunno. I grew up racing bikes. In highschool, I wanted to learn how to swim - so I talked to the coach and trained with the girl's swim team. I started running maybe 6 years ago. Once I started that, triathlon just seemed like a natural step. Since I was never particularly gifted at any of the three, I figured why not combine them and just suck at one sport instead? ;)

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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It's perfect for an ADD person like myself. I get tired of one sport, I do another. I just love the challenge of putting all three sports together, and trying to kick some ass out there. Where else can a 50 year old woman get her jollies blowing off 30 year old guys on the bike? I've gotten to meet some realy neat people along the way, and travelled to some interesting places. It's also a sport where being a jack of all trades, master of none actually works.

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Tri-ing for a cure.

NYtrigal's Team in Training Page

Because I have too many injuries from just running alone. Triathlon gave me back some motivation to train. I've never been a team sport player and now I get to do 3 sports regularly, which are keeping me fit. It has introduced me to a new group of friends (mostly online) who keep me going and are kind enough to pass on their hard earned knowlege to help
me reach the goals I've set.

Recently I had my brother-in-law, his son (age 10) and a friend of their's to stay for a holiday. The friend is just a few years older than me, overweight, unfit and not into sports, while on holiday I got up early to go running and they just couldn't understand why I would do that on a 'Holiday'. We spent a couple of days in the jungle, and got to climb up into the top of the tree canopies, along suspension walkways, scramble up streams and waterfalls etc. My nephew came out of his shell and loved it, but the friend couldn't physically do most of this, and had to sit waiting for us.

I get to spend fun time with my nephew, and enjoy being able to wear him out. He thinks I'm a crazy old guy, but he sees me go out training in the mornings, and looks at the photos of me climbing and skydiving and told me I'm pretty cool for a grown up. It was worth a month of early morning workouts just to hear that.

J.

I was bored in college and now I can't stop.

Seriously, I wanted to meet this girl in college so i joined the triathlon club in an attempt to talk to her. That lasted two weeks, but 10 years later i'm still stuck with this sport. At ;)

J

"So, it is an aesthetically beautiful sport"

Prince Edward County isn't too bad in the summer either is it Allan? Whoops ..ssshhhh....might want to keep that a secret.

Other than the obvious which is to keep in shape, healthy heart and all that...it gives my kids something (or something else) to be proud of. Their father is a triathete, he can swim, bike & run rings around all the other dads. Also, they've seen me struggle and hurt, but keep on going, not a bad lesson for life. My 9 year old son and 19 year old daugther have both have the tri bug! My daughter wants a real "tri" bike for Christmas! How cool is that?

Because of you and only you my little kitten.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Hey Cerveloguy

You should drop me a line some time when you want to ride PEC.

Prince Edward County is awesome for riding. I did 181k today riding from my place out into the county to Milford and back. It is my "wind preparation" area to train since once you get out by North Beach, the winds are always strong. I may not be totally prepared for the heat in Kona but I think that I'll be ready for any wind problems. Last week I went even farther (out to Waupaus) and the winds were quite strong out there. I also passed a number of bike tour groups that appeared to be following the road out to the winery..... they looked at me like I was nuts since I was going pretty hard and most of them were on hybrids and a few recumbants.

Allan,

I love riding in PEC. Done centuries there. Try to get there whenever possible. Beautiful scenery and the locals tend to be very respectful of cyclists since they are so used to us.

I doubt if I'd be able to keep up with you though. Would have to try to suck on to your rear wheel and hope for the best!

Always lots of cyclists in PEC. Like you say - lots of hybrid pleasure groups. There's also a couple of decent roadie groups that ride out of there regularly that I'm aware of. The "chain gang" out of Belleville and also another group that meets at the Bloomfield Bicycle Shop. I don't know if you know Rick from the Bloomfield shop but he is an absolutely amazing bike mechanic.

Definately a great area for cycling. They should bring a tri to PEC. It's got everything for the swim, bike and run..

I was thinking that the Sandbanks would be an awesome place for an Olympic distance or half IM race. You could swim in West Lake, bike the county down through Cherry Valley and then run that neat road connecting the Outlet and West Lake sections. Bloomfield Bicycle Co. is a neat little shop. I went there 2 years ago to rent a mountain bike for an adventure race that I was doing and Rick sent me off with his own personal bike since he thought that I should have a better bike for racing on than their standard rentals. Definitely worthwhile driving a bit to see him.

"Rick sent me off with his own personal bike since he thought that I should have a better bike for racing on than their standard rentals."

Hehehehe. That is really cool. Sounds just like Rick!

I am committed to a lifetime of fitness. In trying to avoid what I call 'the sins of the father' I began working out regularly in 2001, and excessively in 2003. Prior to that, my fitness was an on again, off again thing depending on my job, income, schedule, etc. A friend suggested that I do tri's after realizing how much time I was spending working out. He used to do short course racing, and thought it would be good for me. I, being slow, immediately started focusing on long course.

I never really had it as a goal to become a triathlete, and don't know that I consider myself one. I have wanted to do an Ironman ever since I first heard about them in 1989(or thereabouts), and I did my first this year(coincidentally, my Dad died of a heart attack four weeks before the race). It won't be my last, but recovery has had me inactive for almost two months, and now that I am getting back, I find that it will be hard to get back into it.

Like many who do this sport, I am more about the training than the racing. My goal for next season will be to do some more races, meet some people, and generally have fun, which I didn't do much of while training for IM. My two long term goals are to do Lanzarote, and to maybe get to Hawaii. In the meantime, I am trying to improve my swim and bike times.

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