Hello, great tri site

Howdy, all. My name is Rich Fried, and this is the start of my second triathlon season. There are lots of tri sites out there, but I like BeginnerTriathlete, since it's really supportive of all us Newbies.

About me - I first witnessed triathlon when I went as cheering section for a few friends doing the Danskin. Hey - that looks like fun, I bet I could do it. Forgot about it for a few years, but then a friend suggested we do the Great Floridian. Hem and Haw, hem and haw, oh heck, let's go for it!

Now, being a bit of a freak, I figured it would be best to start with a full Iron-distance race. My "logic", or lack thereof, went like this: If I do a half and it's easy, then I'll blow off training for the full. If I do a half and it's hard, then I'll be discouraged for the full. A bit pessimistic, no? To be honest, there was also a sense that I wanted my first tri to be a completely new experience, without really knowing what I was getting into. Hmm... not sure I would follow the same logic.

Well, I signed up for GFT in December of '02, and started biking in January '03. Most of my training was commuting to work - 33 miles round trip, 3 times per week. Tossed in some running, and learned how to swim (slowly). Summer of '03 was spent biking to work, biking on weekends, and running occasionally.

Training felt great, but I was still worried about the swim - my best mile in a pool was 55 minutes, and my race had a 1:30 cutoff for 2.4 miles. So, I signed up with a friend to do the Black Diamond 1/2 IM as a relay - I did the swim and the run, and she did the bike. Well, I had a blast! I did the swim in 43 minutes, for which I was ecstatic, she had a great ride, and then I had a great run. I was hooked.

Well, October came, and so did the GFT. It was a heck of an adventure (I have a long description in the race reports section), but I finished it.

Looking back, I'd definitely recommend either a half or an Olympic before going Iron. I learned a ton from that first race, and things could have gone better if I knew what I was getting into.

Currently, I'm taking it easy for December and January, then ramping it back up in February as I prepare for the CaliforniaMan in May. Going full Iron distance again - I am a glutton for punishment. Part of that is timing - my wife is expecting our 2nd IronBaby in July, so it's either May or wait till next year. I'm also planning on the June Pacifc Crest 1/2 in June, but that's more to support my friend in his first half.

There are 2 things I love about triathlon:
1) The race itself - I love having 3 activities to do, and enjoy having to work them together into a single day. I can either spend 4 hours running a marathon, or spend 5 hours swimming, biking, and runing a half-IM. Tri is much more fun!
2) The people - everyone in triathlon is so supportive. This site, volunteers, other racers. Everyone in my race was saying "way to go", "looking good" (even if I clearly wasn't), or "great job." We're all out there doing our best, pushing ourselves in some way, and everyone who Tri's is a winner.

Finally, I have to say I find inspiration in charity work that I've tied to triathlons. My wife and I founded IronDonors, a non-profit that raises money and awareness for Organ Donation. The idea is that ID racers get people to sponser them, and all money goes to Organ Donor charities. I do have to say, there was a point in the GFT (right around my 4th flat tire!) when I thought about quitting, but I didn't know how I'd face all the people who pledged money if I finished - so I rode 20 miles on a flat tire, survived through the run, and finished my race.

We've got three racers now, but would love to have more - check out www.IronDonors.org if you're interesetd. Doesn't have to be full Iron distance - it's all about getting out there and doing the best you can, for something you believe in.

BeginnerTriathlete is gret - I love the support and the positive attitute. Enjoy the journey!
-Rich