WAYNE'S WORDS
February 2, 2005
Topic: Why We Do This, My Top 11

This is a question that anyone who has trained for or done a triathlon has asked themselves either during a race or afterwards, or maybe while doing a hard swim set, or a tough bike ride, or maybe while laid up with an injury.
WHY?????
I don't know about you, but I've asked myself this question repeatable over the past 18 years, usually ½ way through the run.
I can only speak for myself, but I think there might be a common chord in some of my reasons.

1. It's fun. No doubt, it's fun to race and train and put yourself out there to see what you can do. It's rewarding to see improvements in your performances from race to race and from year to year.
Hey were else can you ride a bike half naked and get away with it?

2. It becomes part of you. I wrote about this last time, but you start identifying yourself with doing triathlons. I'm a father, a friend, a teacher, a coach and a triathlete.
People ask why you train so much and you say " I do triathlons" After they sigh and gasp for air, they usually say they'd like to try to do one too. There you go, the sincerest form of flattery is imitation.

3. It keeps you in shape. Training from 5 -20 hours a week will burn calories, improve your aerobic fitness and keep you in excellent shape. Plus, most triathletes look really really good in a swimsuit.

4. It gives you a competitive outlet. Most triathletes come from some kind of competitive background, either high school or college. For some genetic reason, we all have to compete.
It might go back 2000 years of evolution, but racing and being competitive is in your blood. Your ancestors use to race each other to catch the wild boar and fry 'em up for dinner. You now race each other for the hardware and the satisfaction of doing well in an event that you trained for.

5. Training for and racing triathlons is an acceptable addiction. A lot of triathletes have an addictive personality. They have found something that gives them some kind of deep satisfaction and a natural high, that motivates them to keep getting better and better at whatever they are doing. We get addicted to the endorphin release and the adrenaline rush of competition.

6. You see your friends. I might see 5-6 people I haven't seen in a year, at a race. It's good to stand around and bullshit after a good effort and catchup with what's going on.

7. It's cool!! Since the 2000 Olympics, people know about triathlons. It's definitely a status symbol to say you race and train for triathlons. Kids at my school have even asked me for my autograph!!

8. You have to take care of yourself. You exercise, eat right, drink lots of water, see your Doc, stretch and get lots of sleep. If you don't your body will eventually break down. If you want to make it through a race you can't be abusing your body with alcohol or drugs. You have to be good to yourself if your going to put that much stress on your body.

9.You have an excuse to buy really cool stuff. You have justification to buy $125 Oakleys or thrown down $5K for a bike, under the assumption that it will all "make me faster."

10. You meet really great people. You can't go anywhere and find a better bunch of fit, non smoking, intelligent, healthy, good-looking people who are willing to help you out anyway they can in your training and racing.

11. It's an escape. After a screwed up day at work, getting crap at home, the bills are piling up, or there's something wrong with the dishwasher, it's good just to get out there and be in control of your life for awhile. Sure, all that crap will still be there when you get back, but you'll be able to handle it.

These are my top 11, I'm sure you might have 11 more that are unique to you and your life. Sit down and make your own list and see what you come up with.

Until next time,
Train smart, live right!
Wayne
whuckshold@yahoo.com