Any Chewer Triathletes?

[Belethedheliel]

I just finished my first sprint triathlon (in Peachtree City, no less) and was wondering if any of my fellow Chewers are also participating in multisport events.

[Adam Warren]

I used to coach/participate, but no longer do so on account of costs, laziness, time, and a nasty chlorine allergy.

[Eileen]

A reminder that I am out of shape and need to shed a few pounds! Thanks Bele :)

Up until two years ago I was on several softball and volleyball teams.

[Joe LeFors]

I do the marathon thing, and ride my bike a lot, but I'm not a swimmer. I've always wanted to do a triathlon, though; maybe one day.

[Richard Dickson]

Yep, I'm a tri-athlete -- I try athletics, then I get tired and have another beer.

[Death Surge]

I run....but only when chased.


Even in my amateur kickboxing days, the thought of running/biking/swimming for endless miles seemed like excessive personal punishment. I'd still prefer getting punched in the face, so my hats off to those of you participating in these masochistic rituals.

[Sammy Jankis]

I've done a couple of century rides, but never a triathlon. I am sure I'll do one some day, but the running part doesn't interest me at all. I love riding and swimming, but I find running tiresome (ba dump, bump).

[Belethedheliel]

Oh, I don't like to run. I don't train the run. I'm only doing sprints, so if I can do the swim and the bike, running a 5K is doable race day without any training.

[Sammy Jankis]

That's my kind of triathlon.

I was working at a sprint triathlon to raise money for one of my rides, and the guys who finished first came in at 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 1 hour, 3 minutes. I was amazed. That's an average of 20 minutes for each activity. How long are the legs for a sprint? I know it's a 5k run, but I can never remember the other lengths.

[Diva]

I'm with the folks that running sucks. I love to bike and swim, but running just blows. Everyone tells me about hitting the runner's high after 20 minutes, but I hit a brick wall. I can't for the life of me run longer than 20 minutes. My body just shuts down.

Up until two years ago I was on several softball and volleyball teams.

You're my kind of woman. Currently, I'm on two volleyball and two softball teams. I just quit a pool league because quite franlkly I did more drinking than playing, and am deciding if I want to join my friends dart league which starts in a few weeks.

[Martin Savage]

I'd still prefer getting punched in the face, so my hats off to those of you participating in these masochistic rituals.

Same here.

I'll bike and swim all you want, but for me, masochistic is running for no reason.
Still, I have to admire the triathletes.

[Belethedheliel]

That's my kind of triathlon.

I was working at a sprint triathlon to raise money for one of my rides, and the guys who finished first came in at 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 1 hour, 3 minutes. I was amazed. That's an average of 20 minutes for each activity. How long are the legs for a sprint? I know it's a 5k run, but I can never remember the other lengths.


Sprints are traditionally a 500m swim, 20k bike, 5k run (that's 0.31 mi/12.4 mi/3.1mi). However, because they are rarely really competitive events, the organizers may tailor the distances to suit their venue. The LA Triathlon, for example, has a 20mi bike because they are having the sprinters do most of the olympic distance nike course (and thus they placed the transition areas 20 miles apart). Another local (for me) sprint does a reverse order and finishes with only a 100m swim in a pool (5K run/20K bike/ 100m swim).

Supersprints also exist and are typically 250-300m swim, 10mile bike, 3K/2mi run or thereabouts. Some areas or clubs have a series of monthly supersprints, which are fun for entry-level competitors and make good training workouts for people planning to do a longer triathlon.

For sprint triathlons, top atheletes swim in 8 minutes (most of us normal people in 15), bike in 35 minutes (most of us in 60), and run in 20 minutes (most of us in 30).

[Joe LeFors]

Running is fantastic! It's certainly not for everyone, but once you get into good enough shape to do 4-5 miles comfortably, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Still, I'll admit that getting up at 6am on a Saturday to do a 15 mile training run in the DC heat and humidity isn't the most "fun" part of my week!

[Ade Brooks]

Sadly the only running I ever do these days is dependent on the strength of the curry I cooked. I have some strange ailment with the tendons in my legs that make even walking & sitting for awhile painful.

I'm just getting back into playing pool after too many years off but even that gives me grief the next day. Bloody pitiful.

[Belethedheliel]

bumping...

So I did a super-sprint in San Diego the other day. They cancelled the swim due to thunderstorms (it rained for the first 45 minutes or so), so they replaced the swim with a run and we got to do a duathlon instead. That rather sucked, as I hate running. I know you runners say once you're in shape you enjoy running, but my legs can't handle it. It's painful to run for 3 to 5 miles. Fitness helped my knees, but I've had enough foot and ankle trauma that they just can't do it.

[Brendan]

Running is a blast for me. I love it. I've gotten of my schedule pretty bad this year and I'm going to get back on it soon. I'll maybe try and work my way back up to 30 minutes a day with 45-60 minutes on Saturday. It'll be tough (since cardio is hard to get back when you haven't done it for awhile) but I can do it. Plus I need to help burn the little bit of excess fat I put on during the summer. Weight lifting can only do so much without cardio.

As for the question, I'd love to do a triathlon. I wouldn't do well and I don't think I'd ever be in good enough shape to do it but I'd love to try.

[Shen Annigans]

Never ran a triathalon. I do a bunch of 5k's that the Air Force puts on at whatever base I'm currently at. Someday, I'd like to do one, but gotta get into biking and swimming first!