The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year

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2009-11-19 9:05 AM

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Subject: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
Its been about four years now that I've been involved in tris and tri training. I sign up for the races. They certainly help keep me focused, but I have to tell you, my own long term goals are less about PRs and more about staying with an exercise plan similar to what I am doing now, without burning myself out.

Will I crack 5 hrs on a HIM? Not sure, not really sure it matters. Will I still be motivated to do those tempo and long runs that I still enjoy each week? Will I still be fired up to get to the pool 5 years from now? Those are the real important questions.

So for those at this game for many years, what keeps you going? Are there any lessons learned from those who lost interest or otherwise dropped out of the tri thing?

2009-11-19 9:25 AM
in reply to: #2521518

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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
Will I still be motivated to do those tempo and long runs that I still enjoy each week? Will I still be fired up to get to the pool 5 years from now? Those are the real important questions.

Nah...I think the REAL important question is am I fired up to do them TODAY. Don't worry about tomorrow or five years form now. Really.

My interest waxes and wanes...both for tris as a whole, and for the components, and for the intensity levels.

The key, I think, is to wake up every day remembering that it's a hobby and supposedly fun passtime. If it's not feeling that way, there's no shame in doing something else for awhile.
2009-11-19 9:35 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
Yup. I am going to keep going as long as I'm able. I have a medical issue which will probably result in enforced retirement from Tri's before too long, so I'm going to enjoy it while I can. I believe it helps me fight off the medical problem, I know it kickstarts my endorphins, and I love the thrill of raceday. And the social part is kind of fun too. I'm not competitive anymore, so hanging around transition before and after the race is really fun now.   
2009-11-19 9:38 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
I just enjoy working out.  I've been working out 5 or 6 days a week (besides a 2 year lapse in college where I drank way too much) since I was in middle school.  I think I'd be miserable if I didn't do anything.

Don't really care all that much about triathlons specifically as I do about staying active.  I actually like training and look forward to my workouts.  I could shift to just lifting weights with less cardio in the future, just run more, just bike...pick up a different sport or something.  It doesn't matter.  Races are cool, but I really don't seem to get overly excited about them on the couple I've done. 

If I didn't like training, then I probably wouldn't bother.  I already do enough things I don't want to be doing throughout the day...like work.
2009-11-19 9:43 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
think of it as a lifestyle...all becomes much easier
2009-11-19 10:17 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
I'm going into year 7 of tris and was looking forward to hearing others answers to this but not sure how long folks that have responded have been tri'ing.

For me key things to keep me motivated:
1. Have a race  or races I look forwad to
2. Take time off like 4 weeks of no s/b/r after season is over to regroup, mentally recharge, fully recover, and lose some fitness which helps me want to get back to training
3. Try new things to use your fitness like cyclocross, this year doing Crossfit
4. Have your training fit into your life so it flow easier without issues with family, work, ect
5. Love the training as that is what it really is all about...can't make that happen you have it or you don't
6. Help others just starting out in the sport be a BT mentor, mentor someone locally, get your kids, spouse, relative to try their first tri
7. Biggest issue I struggle with is lack of significant  progress last few years  which sucked some of the fun out of it. I needed to accept that was okay to keep doing this sport. For me it is a lifestyle but getting faster is nice.

I'm sure there are more things but that is what I can think of now.

2009-11-19 10:28 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year
The next big race I make myself put on my schedule.

Keep putting marathons and IM there and you have to get some sort of training in.

Although I still seemed to find a way to slack this year even though I had a HIM, 2 marathons and a 193 mile running relay team that I was part of on top of all the shorter stuff. 

Edited by Daremo 2009-11-19 10:29 AM
2009-11-19 10:53 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year

The key is to be honest with yourself about your motivations.

If you do any of this stuff for someone other than yourself, you'll end up not enjoying it and not sticking with it.  If you're trying to prove something to someone, it's just not sustainable.

2009-11-19 10:56 AM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year

I competed in Tri's 20 years ago. Work, family, got lazy... you've heard them all and I dropped out of training and competing. Now I have been back for about 9 months and I have a completely different perspective. What keeps me going each day is the complete joy of being in shape. I love the fact that at 44 I can play basketball with my boys and actually keep up! The way your clothes fit so much better. The setting of goals and reaching them. As others have mentioned, setting a race date out in the future helps too. Every morning when I get up I think about that HIM I've signed up for in September and it gets me excited to do that days training. All of these things keep me going. I think when people say it's a lifestyle that hits closest to home for me. It's not any 1 thing but all of the things involved in Tri's that make it motivating and fun.

2009-11-19 12:25 PM
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Subject: RE: The real test of endurance: Staying with it, year after year

Scout7 - 2009-11-19 9:53 AM

The key is to be honest with yourself about your motivations.

If you do any of this stuff for someone other than yourself, you'll end up not enjoying it and not sticking with it.  If you're trying to prove something to someone, it's just not sustainable.

Absolutely!  I've been running for about 25-years.  Did my first triathlon maybe 20-years ago.  Sure a couple times life was too hectic and I had to take a step back.  But it's a lifestyle for me and racing is for fun and so that I can push myself a little bit harder than I normally would.  For me, I can't imagine not staying with it year after year.

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