General Discussion Triathlon Talk » What's your "why" ? Rss Feed  
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2024-06-05 9:58 AM

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Subject: What's your "why" ?
As I think about my journey back into triathlons after doing very little training for the last 7 years (last tri was in 2017), I am very reflective of why I am coming back, and what is my motivation.

I DNFd the only Half Ironman I signed up for (2008 Kansas 70.3), which was right before our little family started growing. My family has stopped growing (1 wife and 2 kids), and now that the kids are grown up a bit (15 and 9), training is easier to work into my schedule.

But, as I have been in the gym lifting weights regularly since the start of the year, and started running more consistently again, I step back and think about my motivation. What's my why.

I am not as young as I used to be (45 this summer) and I don't recover as fast as I used to. I need to train smarter this time around, and be more mindful of it. But as I train, I realize I feel...alive, vibrant, healthy, and strong! I can keep up with my kids in sports, and have the mental focus to lead my family and my team at work. I have strength, energy, and passion again.

And I'm curious - what's your "why"? What are we doing this all for? Some of us are chasing demons; some of us are running from the same demons; some of us just love training and racing. What's your "why" ?


2024-06-05 12:02 PM
in reply to: robertChiefsFan

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Subject: RE: What's your "why" ?
It's been a minute since I've been on here, but I have so many great memories with with the BT community.

My whys;

- I began triathlon in 2008, and used it initially as a coping mechanism for getting through some of the toughest times in my life. Now I continue to race as a reminder of what I'm capable of.

- Community. As mentioned before, many of my best triathlon memories are with (former) BT members. I do as many races as I can each year because I never know who I'm going to meet or what stories might come from the experience.

- Health and fitness. I'm unable to workout for the simple outcome of "staying in shape". Having a specific race/goal to train for is what gets me out of bed each morning and keeps my focus on nutrition, sleep, and recovery.

- And lastly, I do it to show off for my wife.
2024-06-19 4:42 PM
in reply to: robertChiefsFan

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Subject: RE: What's your "why" ?

I too had a period of my life where I wasn't training for anything or keeping every active.  When I would help people move I would be sore the next day from lifting all the boxes and moving all the furniture etc.  After I got back in shape from triathlon I could do those type of things and still feel great the next day.  Everything I do in life is more fun when I am in shape (moving furniture,  working in the yard, exploring nature,  travel, work, play).  So I stuck with Triathlon because I keeps me in shape.  There are other things I could do to keep in shape but none of them keep me motivated year after year like triathlon does.  I would get burned out of doing single disciple fitness plans after 2-3 years.  I have been doing triathlon for 10 years and am still motivated.    

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