Try a Tri

I made the mistake of reading an article in my most recent Runner's World titled: "Crash Course: a runner's guide to triathlons." Of course, when I read articles like these I take them as a personal challenge, especially when the final sentence reads: "I wonder if I could do this faster?" Now if that isn't meant to insight some sort of competitive response in a reader (especially a reader like me, so easily wooed into challenge) than I don't know what would.

The article chronicles a runner's foray into the world of triathlons. It is seems to me a different world, one that involves almost drowning and pedaling very fast but not going nearly as fast as you think you should be going. Even though I don't have the most favorable outlook on triathlons, it doesn't exclude me from their competitive pull. After all, I have conquered the marathon (not in the time I'd like), but I've been there and done that (three times now). So when I read an article like this one, that small voice inside me becomes louder: "I bet you could do it! You'll never know until you try…"

It doesn't help that we're vacationing on a lake and every time I've been in the water, I've done a few freestyle strokes this way and that. Which leads me to think that "I could totally do a triathlon!" The thing is, there's a huge difference between a few strokes this way and that, and the 1/4 mile distance swim ("sprint" distance) of a triathlon.

And then there's the fact that I don't have a bike (I had one, it just got stolen off our porch when we lived in AZ). So I'd have to buy a new bike, and of course, even if you're not going to win the thing you at least want to look the part. Triathalons are not for the faint of heart, or the empty of wallet: tri-gear is EXPENSIVE! I mean when you add up the suit, goggles, bike shorts, bike shoes, quick transition running shoes and the of course the bike you're talking potential thousands of dollars. I'm quite happy with my $60 running shoes and the on-sale running apparel I buy every now and then.

I'm sure if I was serious about giving it a try, I could always rent some of the necessary gear, or maybe borrow a bike and do the rest in the stuff I already own. But, I'm afraid if I do it once, I might just like it. And then that's a whole other mess of competitiveness that I'll have gotten myself into: an expensive and time consuming mess.