(First Post!)
What sort have differences have the lot of you seen after picking up triathlon(think back to the first season). This past year was my first year, and I've been rather amazed by the change in my overall athleticism. I had always been a decent biker (or so I thought....first road bike in 6th grade when everyone else had a mountain...three more in the 6 years since), but I was a really, really weak swimmer. I began swimming last winter in the mornings, before classes, just maybe 500-800 yards a day, 4-5 days a week. As a runner, I had always been really slow (fastest gym mile 7:10, always the guy at the back of the pack for soccer practice) I found, during tennis practice, for the first time, I was at the front of the group, ahead of everyone who had schooled me the year before. I figured it was the swimming, but maybe a late puberty kick.
I was running a 5k with a few friends in July, the Moxie Days 5k, as we were Moxie enthusiasts(a great new england soda), and ran my first race at 22:30. I decided when I was training I'd pick up triathlon, as I had become at least sort of decent in the three legs. My father had done triathlons in the years past, and so I trained the summer away. My bike certainly became faster, but unfortunately I neglected the swim and my run kind of plateaued. So now, as I spend the days cross country skiing in the northlands (Limestone, Me.....-17° this morning), I find I'm much faster than I was last year, soccer and football as well. So after my first tri this past August(W Kennebunk Fire Co) going rather bad, but still being wicked killer, I'm rip roaring for next summer. So what was the most amazing thing, or result from picking up the sport?
On a side note, I'm looking for a new bike this summer. Anybody know of a decent tri shop in Maine or somewhere close? The listings say Rainbow Bikes sells, but I haven't been there. Alternatively, ideas on cheap tri/road bikes around $1000 for a 6'4" fella? I've been thinking new Cervelo One, but I'm not decided.
What sort have differences have the lot of you seen after picking up triathlon(think back to the first season). This past year was my first year, and I've been rather amazed by the change in my overall athleticism. I had always been a decent biker (or so I thought....first road bike in 6th grade when everyone else had a mountain...three more in the 6 years since), but I was a really, really weak swimmer. I began swimming last winter in the mornings, before classes, just maybe 500-800 yards a day, 4-5 days a week. As a runner, I had always been really slow (fastest gym mile 7:10, always the guy at the back of the pack for soccer practice) I found, during tennis practice, for the first time, I was at the front of the group, ahead of everyone who had schooled me the year before. I figured it was the swimming, but maybe a late puberty kick.
I was running a 5k with a few friends in July, the Moxie Days 5k, as we were Moxie enthusiasts(a great new england soda), and ran my first race at 22:30. I decided when I was training I'd pick up triathlon, as I had become at least sort of decent in the three legs. My father had done triathlons in the years past, and so I trained the summer away. My bike certainly became faster, but unfortunately I neglected the swim and my run kind of plateaued. So now, as I spend the days cross country skiing in the northlands (Limestone, Me.....-17° this morning), I find I'm much faster than I was last year, soccer and football as well. So after my first tri this past August(W Kennebunk Fire Co) going rather bad, but still being wicked killer, I'm rip roaring for next summer. So what was the most amazing thing, or result from picking up the sport?
On a side note, I'm looking for a new bike this summer. Anybody know of a decent tri shop in Maine or somewhere close? The listings say Rainbow Bikes sells, but I haven't been there. Alternatively, ideas on cheap tri/road bikes around $1000 for a 6'4" fella? I've been thinking new Cervelo One, but I'm not decided.