Well, that got your attention, didn’t it? You may think that I am just using a clickbait title, and here I will explain how actually, I think they are not dumb, and all will be happy and shiny. But that’s not the case. I’m sticking by my opinion, and that is: triathlons are dumb.
But you see, I am also of the belief that marathons are dumb, and ultramarathons are dumb, and lots of things that people do to themselves are dumb. I also think that’s part of the allure. The trick is find some sort of event that aligns with your personal level and direction of dumbness.
For years, that was marathoning for me. The act of putting one foot in front of the other for a length of time that most would consider daft appealed to me for various reasons, most of them unclear to me. I appreciated how running doesn’t require much in the areas of skill or equipment, and the opportunity to just let my mind wander for a while. But triathlons, on the other hand, require much skill, equipment, time, and energy, which I always thought was ridiculous.
And that is why I am now doing one! Well, not the exact reason, but I have decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something truly out of my forte. A coworker of mine challenged me to one, and I decided it was a good time to check it off my bucket list. So, I have started swimming and biking in addition to running, and let me tell you: it sucks!
I’ve never enjoyed biking, but can make my way through a 10-15 mile ride without much trouble thanks to my running fitness. But swimming, on the other hand… I always knew I was not a good swimmer, but going to the Y and trying to do laps has made me realize just how terrible I am. I always had respect for swimmers before, but now that has multiplied tenfold. I do like the idea of swimming; the zero-impact, total body workout that it provides has always intrigued me, but it has become increasingly apparently that I am most definitely a land mammal.
With any luck, I will get my sea legs before August 24th, when I will be tackling the Rochester Sprint Triathlon. I am most assuredly not going for any time, and will be quite content just to finish the bloody thing. If any of you want to come heckle me while I am competing (if you can call it that), check out the details here. Wish me luck!
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