Thinking of quiting (Page 4)

I haven't been online as much.

My first triathlon experience was amazing, and I've been hooked since 2005.

Are you confident you can safely complete the swim?
How close will you be bumping up to cutoffs (official or unofficial)?

You are responsible for your safety in the water. Yes, there are probably lifeguards, but I wouldn't bet my life on them being available and attentive the instant that I'd need them. That is one reason to quit.

As long as you can reasonably complete the course in the alotted times, go ahead and do it. It doesn't matter whether you are last. The race director has arranged for lifeguards to be in the water for a certain amount of time and for the roads to be closed/monitored for a certain amount of time and for volunteers to be at the aid stations, transition, and finish area for a certain amount of time. If you *KNOW* you cannot complete the course in the alotted time (and you can ask the race director if it isn't posted), you can decide whether to risk being pulled, chance a finish, or not start that part of the race.

Psychologically, it's hard to show up if you expect to be "singled out" as slow/old/?? but how would the sport be perceived if the only people who showed up were kona-qualifying athletes? (I got news for you...I wouldn't be participating either if that were the expectation.) Being last isn't a reason to quit (IMO).

If you don't enjoy how you spend your free time, you should choose different activities. That'd be the a reason to quit. If that is your choice, I wish you well, but I get the feeling you're not looking for us to validate that choice.

Go enjoy the day. Show up, race, smile, thank every volunteer you meet that day (and your race sherpa), and be open to new experiences and perspective. When I race, my career isn't on the line, nor is my house. My family still loves me whether I'm 5th or 500th as long as I don't take my frustrations out on them.

You signed up for these because they challenge you to keep training. What's the point of training if you're not going to race at some point. I just started doing tri last year. Did 3 sprints last year and 2 Olys this year so far. My first tri last year - I was dead last. Now the swim wasn't my problem. I have difficulty with the bike because I am just not fast enough, and I can be cautious because I don't want to crash. But I haven't let it stop me.

I see lots of people struggle with the swim. They hang on the sides of the kayaks. They flip on their backs. You CAN do this. Don't let negative thoughts drag you down. Just get the first one under your belt.

Very well said. Great lesson for the kids.

And great Animal House reference.

Musclemomma, don't quit. You absolutely won't regret doing it, you may very well regret not doing it. Just remember, DFL > DNF >> DNS.

I'm not about to say anything anyone hasn't said but if you don't do it for you, do it for your kids. The last thing they will be thinking about is "mom came in last". They will be so proud of you they will be saying 'mom you are awesome--I can't believe you did that". You will motivate your kids to do things in the future they never dreamed they could do----maybe even a triathlon. And your whole family will cry with you at the finish line---there is no greater feeling.

"Who am I kidding"? I too have had a self defeating voice I have let over rule the positive "I CAN do that!" voice. All I can add is VISUALIZE , VISUALIZE, VISUALIZE! Literally picture yourself floating above the water in your wetsuit and with each stroke you take swimming like Michael Phelps. If you need the Kayaks are there to grasp.....gather yourself... and swim off from! Counting strokes helps me 1...2 ...3..4, head up.... sight....1.....2....3 etc..
VISUALIZE yourself coming across the finish line wet, tired and fully satisfied that finished the goal you set for yourself and think of the AWESOME model you will have provided for your children!! Honestly the feeling you have for YOURSELF will trump ANY feelings you are having now! This may seem "DR Philish" but Truly works...Can't wait for your race report Mitzi!!
Joy

I think I speak for everyone when I say, "did you do it?"

Unless you already posted it and then I'm just a dope.

I want to go back and read everyone's post.

I'm in your exact shoes, sometime I want to quit and other times I want to do an IM event. I'm 51 btw and when I started at age 50 I could not swim across the 25 yard pool. I've taken lessons and here in town it is extremely hard to find someone to give lessons and find a place to swim, so not getting a lot of swim time unless you want to share lanes with people that can swim like a fish and that is really embarassing for me, getting lapped all the time, them doing flip turns etc etc., so I know our feelings.

Well my 1st open water experience was last October. It was a practice OWS for the upcoming Tri. I DNF'd the swim. I was so embarassed I took my bike and left, did not finish the training. Well, I went to another open water swim practice (Our tri group is GREAT). I at least finished that swim.

During the race I finished it, it was hard and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it but I did. I gave the race director who also put on the swim clinics a high 5 coming out of the water. After the swim it is all fun. By me being so incredibly slow on the swim, I get to pass lots of people on the bike and run. For me, my race starts when I get out of the water.

I still do not have the nerve to sign up for an Oly distance but maybe 1 day! Yes I keep thinking maybe I should go back to the gym, so yes I understand.

Me too. Only because we care.

Hello all!

Well, I did it, but it was a mixed bag.

Did have family there, they wanted to be there for me and while I tend to be a loner when it comes to sports I have to say that having hubby there with logistics was wonderful.

Relate to KWDreamun - sometimes want to quit, sometimes want to do an IM (or at least a HIM)

Just a quick post for now - finished the swim, doing freestyle throughout. Overall, swim felt slow but good, bike felt great, lost it on run. Though feelings are deceptive - amazingly slow in swim and on bike

But yes, I am very happy that I did it. Will come back because I need your support and advice going forward.

Edited by MuscleMomma 2013-06-25 7:39 AM

Congrates and Good for you well done.

Good for you! I'm very happy that you decided to do it.

Great results in this sport take years to develop (with a few exceptions)! You took the first step and now have the experience to do it again. =)

No matter what time you finished in, it is faster than your time would have been if you had quit. Congrats on the finish and conquering the OWS portion. I'm very glad you are happy to that you followed through!

Now, sign up for the next one so you can see improvement!

Nice work!

Have been thinking about you and your race...
Great job!!!

Nice! Congrats! I bet you were not the last out of the water.... I just started this year and have done 3 tris. Each of them have had many people that couldnt freestyle the whole time and/or had to stop and rest before continueing on. First goal is always to get across the finish line, which you did. Great job!!!!

Yay!! Congratulations!

So very pleased to hear you finished it and survived. There is a learning curve that takes a bit of time to get over so don't worry about your performance. I was disappointed with my 1st Sprint until I sat down and analyzed what I did right and what I could do better. Two weeks later I did a second Sprint and knocked 9 minutes off my time just for making minor changes and with no greater fitness. I only regret I didn't do a third event last year as well.

You can only get faster from here. I hope you'll write even a brief race report.

Congratulations!! I was in your mentor group before work and going back to school took over my life. I saw this thread title and who posted it and was very sad. I am glad to see you had so much positive support and that you completed your first tri! I completed my first one on June 2nd, no longer a Clydesdale Thanks for encouraging me in the beginning, I'm glad to see you did it.

Thanks everyone - now I've got to ignore the soreness and get back to training. I want to do so much more than just survive!

Great job... congrats!!!

So happy that you stuck it out and finished, great stuff. Your family must be so proud of you, and you've got a ton of support here at BT too Triathlon is not an easy sport, but that's part of the attraction for me, pushing myself to do things that my body isn't either designed for (i.e., in my case endurance running), or really doesn't want to do (I have a real love/hate thing going with running). I'm just racing for myself and "the moment". Oh, and I'm also racing against my previous 250+ lb self.

Every triathlon is different, and I always try to fondly remember the good moments, and learn from the bad moments at each and every event. Trust me, the more you train and learn, the simpler if becomes. And no, it may never be easy, but that's what makes it fun

Congratulations again.

Glad to read that you did it!! Yeah!