Triathlon Is A Team Sport!

Dinner at Risky Business with special guest Lauren Goss.

Spin/track workout on a brisk morning.

A great way of counting your blessing is by the company you keep and I am blessed. This past weekend I spent my time with wonderful individuals who taught me what it means to overcome, to be strong and to maintain. Tucson, AZ hosted the second annual SWTri winter camp. The weekend was fun filled with yoga, swimming, biking, running and recovery training. More importantly, I was surrounded by great people.  Much speculation comes into play when people hear about a triathlon camp, so the best thing about this weekend was training with all levels of athletes. 

Morning swim, robes included!

Triathlon is an individual sport that requires much of your time. As a result, one must stick to a schedule that may or may not coincide with another's. This can cause us to get lost in our busy lives and forget what it feels like to train with a buddy or a team. The camp reminded me of how important it is to build relationships. Not only is it helpful to find people who can push you and improve your times, but taking time to get to know others can help to put your life in perspective. The things I took away most from this years camp came from conversations I had with people over the weekend, here they are:

• Youth isn't eternal, take time to appreciate what you got and respect those who have been there.
• No matter how hard your life may seem, things could always be worse. Take control, there is always a way to make it work.
• Being fit and healthy does not require a competitive edge only a will to make it happen.

SWTri Camp Class of 2013

I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to spend my time with inspirational people. SWTri camp class of 2013, you were awesome! 

A CHALLENGE FOR ALL TRIATHLETES: 

I want to challenge all of my fellow triathletes to step out of their individual sport mindset and meet someone new. Maybe at the next event talk to the person next to you in transition, join a spin class and talk your neighbor(before or after class please), or find a masters group to swim with. If the opportunity of conversation arises, attempt to talk about something other than training. You never know, you might meet your next inspiration.   

I have a cold. Should I exercise?

With a runny nose and sore throat I was inspired to figure out whether I should attempt to train while having symptoms of a cold yet still feeling I could maintain my daily lifestyle. After a bit of a search I found the following article. I have provided quick answers for those that wish to avoid the long article:

• Don't overdose on vitamin C! 
• Once symptoms have surfaced chugging Emergen-C or eating oranges all day won't do the trick.  
• Exercise and the common cold
• Are symptoms above the neck?
• EXERCISE! Attempt to start at a reduced level initially and increase the intensity as you see fit
• Are symptoms below the neck?
• REST! Chances are you are running a fever and your body can not handle the stress of training, also having to plunk every 5 minutes at the gym or on a run can get rough (no pun intended). 

What does this mean for me? Time to hit the road...

Just another T. (My First Post!)

After much thought and inspiration (minute 0:28) I have decided to make the stereotypical triathlete move of writing my own blog. There are many critics out there (Triathlon Is A Stupid Sport) who have a bad view of triathlon and what it has to offer, so I plan to be an example of how NOT to be one of these guys:

In an attempt to make use of the knowledge that I have searched for and gained through many "google" searches, coach inquiries, magazine articles, life experiences, etc. I feel it necessary to make such information quickly available for others.

Triathlon is my motivation but my goal will be to provide information that is tangible for everyone. Whether you are trying to get started with living a healthy lifestyle or attempting to win your next event, I hope that whatever information I share is helpful.