Beginner Triathlete - My First Triathlon articles

An embarrassing crash coming out of transition doesn't stop this first-timer

I had a bucket list of "must do's before I turn 60" but it was made up of things like "take a course in public speaking, weekend trip to NYC with my 3 grown sons, learn to kayak, etc." I needed more.

Using duathlon as a stepping-stone for triathlon.

Beginner triathlete takes on first sprint race

From beginner to half ironman

I can't run a seven-minute mile anymore, but that doesn't take away from the joy of finishing

Former member comes back to training after heart scare

Race report on the Chattanooga Waterfront Tri - Beginners Point of View. This was my first Olympic length triathlon and also the first time I had done a race with cycling shoes instead of cages.

Deciding on an Ironman as my first venture into triathlon was greeted with incredulity and astonishment combined with a hint of, "well, you're full of yourself aren't you?" and, "a bit ambitious?"

Since this was my first tri, I rode a $200 Schwinn road bike I picked up at Wal-mart a few weeks back. I had only gone on a few five mile rides for training so I was real skeptical about the ride.

I have always wanted to do a triathlon to keep myself fit, and now I had my chance.

When I found out there was going to be a small sprint triathlon in a month, I signed up and I decided I would try to do my best.

“I didn’t have a clue. I didn’t know how to swim, I would be dying after running a mile, I didn’t have any coordination or endurance; every time we trained, I was the last one.”

What could've gone wrong did not go wrong. Everything that couldn't go right, went right. Result: The most wonderful, perfect, first triathlon for yours truly.

Aunt and Nephew do their first Sprint Triathlon together