I came to triathlon with a background in cycling. I had not actually raced, but I loved to ride my bike and enjoyed a certain amount of speed during my weekday training and weekend excursions. In the summer of my junior year in college, I had an internship with a small company in Pennsylvania. One of the guys in the office put me up in his spare room. My roommate was a recreational runner, so as a diversion, I joined him for some runs and local races.
Mid-way through the summer, the area’s YMCA hosted a sprint triathlon. Although they had held the race for a few years, it was still in the early days of triathlon – long before most people had even heard the term. I think the obscurity and mystique of the sport appealed to me. Sometimes it can be rewarding to embrace the unique. It certainly adds a bit more spice to life.
I could bike. I could run. But could I swim? I think this is a question many new triathletes grapple with. The only way to find out was to try tri. The short quarter-mile swim seemed a bit daunting, but I was young and daring, so I dove in (pardon the pun). Sometimes you just have to do that.
I really can’t recall any of the details from that specific race. I survived the swim, and I did reasonably well on the bike and run considering I had never done that sort of thing before. In the end, I finished somewhere around 30th overall. What I do remember is a sense of accomplishment in the face of the unknown. And I also got a kick from seeing people’s reaction when I told them that I was a triathlete – once I explained what that was.
I learned more than simply how to race a triathlon that day. Completing my first triathlon solidified in me the value of trying new things. When you take on a new challenge, even just a little one, you might surprise yourself with what you can accomplish. You’re capable of more than you think.