Give it a tri! (Part 1 of 2)

This past week, I got in the pool and swam. I also took my bike off its roller in the basement, pumped up my tires, and got out for the first ride of the season. Folks, this is very good news considering I'm signed up for a triathlon and it's in less than a month. I have called myself a runner since sophomore year of high school, when I joined the cross country team and was instantly hooked. An event like a triathlon offers me a new challenge and gets me out of my comfort zone.

This is not a pool; this is the ocean.

For those who are unfamiliar with triathlons, here is a short explanation:

Triathlons are a multi sport event made up of swimming, biking and running (usually in that order). The triathlon traditionally comes in 1 of 4 distances, from shortest to longest: sprint, olympic, half-ironman, ironman...and for those crazy enough, ultra-ironman events do exist.

My brother as a baby, bringing the intensity to the slide.

Why am I doing a triathlon?

Well, let's just say it started 24 years ago when my brother was born. Fact: My brother is one of the most intense, extreme and driven people I know. He is essentially a mini version of my father, except younger, which means an unlimited source of energy, absolutely no fear, and a sense of invincibility that only twenty-something year old boys are capable of having.

To make a long story short... My brother, one of his best friends from college and another gentleman came up with the idea of hosting their own triathlon. This was not something that came out of the blue; all of the race directors are endurance athletes in one respect or another. Between the three of them, they have completed numerous marathons, half marathons, long distance relays, open-water swims, triathlons (from sprint to half-ironman distance) and many other equally athletic endeavors. Anyways, this idea slowly morphed into reality. And ta-da! The Wallyman Triathlon was born.

I shall try to convince you to give it a tri:

• Training for a triathlon can be fun, lots of fun. Not to mention, you are constantly cross training in one way or another. 
• Training for a triathlon keeps things from getting monotonous and can keep you from burning out. 
• Though most of the emphasis is on your lower body (running and biking), training for a triathlon is a great full-body workout. 
• Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. A triathlon has three main components; whichever is your strongest, learn to use it to your advantage. Rarely does a person dominate in all of the events. 

The Wallyman Triathlon takes place on Saturday June 14th on Lake Wallenpaupack in Hawley, PA. You can choose from a sprint or olympic distance triathlon, or opt to join a relay. An aquabike event (swim-bike only) is also available. Grab some friends, head on down, and we'll look forward to seeing YOU on the lake!

For more information on the Wallyman Triathlon, click here.

Coming soon! Part 2: Making the Wallyman Triathlon a reality: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.