After a year off and no better knee health, I’m finally facing the concept of defeat. My Kona dreams are toast, and I’ve slowly adjusted expectations/goals down to where I am now. What I’m most afraid of is what I’ll do. I’ve structured my life around a build to full-time AGer. Now what? Can’t run or ride, and probably shouldn’t swim.
I get up on weekends and stare out the windows, wondering where on the mountains my friends are riding. What do “normal” people do with their time?
Not sure what your injuries are, but even if you couldn’t do it any more, there really is much more to life than cycling, running or swimming. You’ll eventually find something else to motivate you just as much. Over my 58 yrs I’ve had numerous hobbies and motivations that have come and gone. Tri is the one of the moment(past ten years), but who knows what I’ll be into in the future.
Sorry to hear - take up something else - Golf, fishing - just find another passion. Try supporting a cause like the special Olympics, it will probably be more rewarding.
Volunteer at races?
Read everything you’ve always wanted to read?
Take classes and do a career change?
Take up rock climbing, kayaking or high alititude mountaineering?
I had to quit triathlon for 3 years due to a severe achilles problem. In that time, I met my fiance’, and when the achilles finally healed, triathon didn’t seem so important anymore. It’s been, gosh, 8 years now since my last race. I’m back running, and I do swim once in awhile, but the passion for triathlon is gone. I’m nearing master’s age, and I hope to do some damage on the local circuit, but only as a runner.
Anyway, I have a ton of hobbies, and that helped me fill the time. I have extensive gardens. I bought and re-habbed a crackhouse. I work on antique electronics. I read.
I think too few people have a hobby anymore. Maybe you can find something that strikes your fancy.
Masters swimming.
Replacement is tricky. I’ve always had difficulty getting interested in stuff that doesn’t build to something (e.g. Kona, 4:45 half-IM, etc). Competing is cool.
And the social element combined with the competition is what made tri great for me.
Yeah, Ken. That was '08.
See comment about injury.
Man, that sucks. Very sorry to hear it.
It’s all about the bike my friend.
It’s all about the bike my friend.
I know. That was '07, when I couldn’t run but could still ride. Made some solid gains, rode strong in TTs, etc. Then the knee said “We’ll have no more of this.”
That sucks. The achilles took running mostly away from me but doesn’t affect the bike, so I got that going for me, which is nice.
I bought and re-habbed a crackhouse.
Now that you have it up and running, how much are you making on the crack?
You probably know as much about triathlon as some of the know-it-alls on the forum - why not become a coach?
Because I’m insanely jealous of those who can go compete. Same reason I don’t see myself volunteering. I’m selfish like that. 
Anyway, I have a ton of hobbies, and that helped me fill the time. I have extensive gardens. I bought and re-habbed a crackhouse.
That's cool! I'll bet it's one of the nicest crack houses in town now. :)
Buy a recumbent! (too lazy to look up the spelling).
Bummer! I get the need for goals and competition. Pick up a marial art that can accomodate your knee, maybe Kendo?
“And the social element combined with the competition is what made tri great for me.”
Sorry to hear about your situation. Aren’t you near SF? I used to race sailboats competitively, and there is a ton of that out there. It can be as physically demanding, competitive, and inexpensive/expensive as you want depending on the type of boat you compete in, but it is always social. Also, a sport you can remain competitive in for a very long time.
I know the one thing I did after I quit doing tris 2 1/2 years ago due to an ankle injury…gained some weight! One of the more difficult things I found was I couldn’t eat as much when not training, go figure… Luckily, I’ve slowly started to try and get back into it by running and cycling, but the extra weight is not exactly flying off…
As for the physical side, I started rock climbing. Its certainly not an easy sport to pick up when you’re forty, but it does provide some activity and probably would not bother your knee too much. Like some previous poster mentioned, I was amazed how the desire to do tris has sort of disappeared after such a short layoff. I still hang out here on slowtwitch and hope to get motivated again, but I’m not sure I can ever compete in anything other than sprints and maybe an olympic distance. Luckily, I was never super fast, so the competition aspect has never really been there, more a lifestyle approach. Good luck, and hopefully you can pick up some other sports like rock climbing or kayaking that won’t bother your knee.