Beginner Triathlete - My First Triathlon articles

Swimming. Why is it so easy when you're a kid and so hard when you're an adult? Every time I put my face underwater I panicked! I felt like there was some kind of secret that I just wasn't getting.

When I told my husband that I planned to work toward completing a sprint triathlon, he smiled and was supportive, but a bit disbelieving.

After I left the running store, I couldn't stop thinking about the sprint tri and how much of a challenge it would be for me. So instead of joining a gym, I started riding my bike and it felt great.

In February, I was given a very special gift: a gift certificate to buy a nice road bike. That's when I realized there was no turning back. I WAS doing this.

A friend of mine asked me to run for her in a sprint triathlon. I agreed, but I continued to regret it, as I had been training for nothing longer than 400 m for the past three months.

A journey from a seemingly healthy lifestyle, to heart surgery and back again.

Overweight, ex-high school athlete and father of three decides to enter a triathlon and gets more than he imagined.

Celebrating a milestone 60th birthday with a Sprint triathlon. I followed the training program conscientiously with one exception--I never got around to practicing an open water swim.

A blow by blow description of my first triathlon. Let me start by telling you how I planned for it to go. Though here's what actually occurred.

Ever since I was 11 years old and first heard the word "triathlon" mentioned, I have made it my vow to do one. But what 11 year old does triathlons?”

Remembering my first triathlon as I prepare for my second season.

I was nervous. The water was cold. The cones defining the course were so far away. When the whistle blew for my wave, I waded in slowly to let everyone else pass me.

I went into the pool area (as this was a pool swim) and got body marked. That's when it hit me that I was there to race - this was not a clinic.

At first I thought, "Oh boy, what a mistake!" Let’s face it, I could barely run half a mile, I had not swum in forever, and my biking skills were not great, to say the least.

Using tri training for breaking bad habits, getting healthy and gaining confidence plus a little bit of humility.