Yes I should be fitter, faster, have podium palamares but the other way to look at it is, without it what would I be? And the answer is richer! In a loving marriage! But also maybe dead.
Ten fucking years.
I never thought I could be a triathlete until I was. Never thought I could run, until I did.
2016 was my first half and full distance, and in many ways I’m still shell shocked that I finished them.
And wittering on this forum for most of it, so thanks for your time. Most of the advice was shit though.
10 years for me too, Cotswold (sprint) Triathlon in 2013 (organised by Tri Ferris). Probably a only spent around half of that time competing though, had quite a long gap off after a few years after Brighton marathon in 2015, and the moving house, renovating and having a kid.
First Tri race was in 2000. Couldn’t do XC mountain bike racing because of mad cow disease previously and the XC scene was almost dead with the onset of downhill, and I needed something else to do apart from windsurfing and surfing. Then all sorts of related racing started. Road bike racing, CX, TT, Track. Trail running races. Up for almost any race. As fit as I ever was.
2007 I started, changed my life and possibly sent my son in a direction other than the typical football. I lost weight, had a purpose which id lost with the ACL rupture in late 2002. Hopefully it can add to my life again as i try to become rediscover the “athlete” in me.
14 years. First Tri, hell can’t even remember name, pool Sprint in 2009. First Ironman a year later.
It’s seen me through some major life traumas and made me a better, more self confident person. The obsession with getting better and competing has seen major life changes including giving up alcohol and eating well, plus stepping off the material wealth chasing corporate treadmill.
My flex is that I have done at least one triathlon every year since 1992
Maybe some years just one pool based tri. But always something. Actually it’s the small local sprint races I like best, because you tend to see the same faces year after year and can enjoy getting beat off them
2005 for at the Edinburgh NY day event, my son was in his baby carrier as it snowed that day. 18 years later my son is competing and kicking may arse. Every seemed to fall into place performance wise in the last 4 years, sometimes think what if…. But hey
Snap too.
Similar starting point to @joex at Hever, but mine was the main September event.
Although do I count, as I didn’t do a triathlon this year. Technically 2022 was my “tenth calender year” in the sport, and I did Wales, so I’ll take that.
Similar to me. My 2013 event was as a result of a bad MCL injury that spring. Something “different” to motivate the rehab. My 2005 acl reconstruction had never been a problem (until this year - still not sure what’s going on with that knee, but I’m in fairly regular pain now despite mri’s indicating nothing should really be wrong)
Whats one of those they refused to operate on me citing issues with arthritis etc. Doc turned round and started laughing as he said “you wont be running any marathons” yer laugh is on you prick. I have to be very careful though with lateral movements or twisting but have learnt to manage it. Just cant do a lot of sports. Took el niño skating once and i felt like a blue booter i couldnt put any pressure through the right leg and it gave way at one point. Spray stops on one leg
Huh, your first triathlon coincided with my last, more or less.
2014 was the year where I realised it wasn’t worth the pain of trying to run seriously
My first proper tri was the Commonwealth test event in 2001, the first oly distance in Salford Quays, god the water was minging back then. When I was working there and swimming in the quay every week in 2015, it was so much better.
Starting in the pre tri-talk era meant I only graduated onto IM in 2005. Long distance was only ever about Norseman for me though, I really hate laps.
43 years ago I did my first triathlon and a month later my second one was the first Escape from Alcatraz tri. Only 5 of us from that first race are still alive. Despite life stopping and then life changing injuries, I haven’t raced for 7 years but next June I will be back in San Francisco and doing my 14th Escape from Alcatraz tri… never give up … I may not be as fart, but I will still do the distance. So many of us like @Hammerer have changed our lives because of Triathlon…
when you say only 5 of you from that first race are alive… only 5 people who finished Alcatraz in 1981?? Or 5 of a particular group?
I hope the second
edit: although maybe not- Wikipedia says the first event in 1981 was a private event for members of “the Dolphin Club”- sounds like a fascinating bit of Tri history, I’d love to hear more
edit #2: this has just stirred a memory. In either 1989 or 1990 aged 16 I went on holiday to SF with my family. We went to Alcatraz island & Dad bought me a hoodie which was a sort of joke 'Alcatraz triathlon" top- it had three pictures: dig, swim, run. Amazing that in the 6 years since the first open race in 1983 it had become a big enough thing for street sellers to sell knock-off merch to tourist Brits. There’s a photo back home somewhere which I’ll try and dig out over Christmas
Wasn’t one of the TO events a qualifier one year? I have vague recollection as it was a bucket list event, especially as its one of my favourite cities.
