When it comes to my own workouts and challenges, I’m not really into the triathlon. Here’s why:
- Swimming
- Biking
My past is sprinkled with moments wherein I, ever the athlete, entertained thoughts of becoming a TRIathlete.
I admire triathletes. They’re fit and ridiculously tough. (You know that in triathlons you swim then bike then run with NO REST IN BETWEEN.) A couple of years ago, a handful of friends were preparing for a local triathlon and they encouraged me (read: peer pressured me) to do it, too.
I stopped training when I got to the swimming and biking parts.
(As it turned out, I did the triathlon as a member of a team, wherein I ran, my boyfriend biked, and our friend swam.)
I came to terms: a full triathlon is not in my athletic cards. Let me elaborate on 1 and 2 above.
- I’m not a strong swimmer. I’ve never swam more than the length of the pool, and that was with my head held up out of the water. I begrudgingly taught myself to swim (poorly) after my grandmother threatened to put me in swimming lessons where I knew for a FACT the kids were required to put their heads under the water. (I took baths long after most kids graduate to showers because I hated getting my head wet.) I love looking at the water, but I don’t really enjoy being in it. That goes for lakes especially, and to some degree pools and even the ocean (I’m good there as long as it’s calm). I know I could teach myself to love swimming and to get better at it, but it’s not important enough to me to put the effort in to do that when there are so many other things I enjoy.
- I don’t like biking for fitness. (Biking to get somewhere is handy, though.)
You know what? The triathlon is just not for me. I’m all for fitness challenges, trying new things, and pushing my limits. But I’ve come to a point where I’m okay with saying, “not this.”
This isn’t meant to give you an excuse to chicken out like I did. (Although, to be fair, there was a pretty good chance I would have drowned.) Weird as it seems, I want this post to inspire you.
Triathlons aren’t my thing, but that doesn’t mean I’m sitting on the couch instead. I’m still training, still trying new fitness challenges.
You don’t like pilates? Fine, don’t do pilates. But “nothing” isn’t your only other option. Find whatever it is you do like to do. Crossing triathlons off your list just frees you up to accept other challenges.
Let me hear from you. What have you tried and hated? What have you tried and loved?