Testing the Waters in Triathlon

I am a runner by opportunity. Running was the first adult fitness program that was offered to me at a time when my choices were either to start a fitness program, or continue down the road to obesity. So I ran. And though I have never regretted the decision to become a runner, there came a time almost ten years ago when I realized that sticking with running as my only form of exercise was not going to work.

After spending months recovering from a stress fracture by first swimming and then moving onto cycling, I decided my best course of action to avoid injuries in the future was triathlon. By mixing the three disciplines into my fitness routine, I have been able to avoid the injuries that running six days a week was causing. 

But being the impatient person that I am, I jumped into the sport with both feet. I didn’t test the waters with a smaller event, and found myself fighting a canoeist off as he tried to rescue me from the swim portion of my first triathlon. Because of this struggle in the water early, on my first triathlon experience is not one I look back on fondly.

Fortunately for the more patient runner looking to head into triathlon for the first time, there are options. First, there are Masters swimming programs that will teach you to swim in a fashion that looks less like drowning and more like swimming.  There are triathlon clubs that offer open water group swims. And best of all, there are triathlons for beginners in which the swim portion is held in a pool.

On Sunday, May 8, the Terrapin Triathlon will be held at the University of Maryland’s Eppley Recreational Center. The swim will take place in a pool in an easy half-mile loop course. The twelve mile bike course will be contained within the campus itself and the three mile run will go along the Paint Branch Trail.

Road racing, whether it's a marathon or a 5k, can be unnerving. When cycling and swimming are thrown into the mix, it can seem almost overwhelming.The organizers of the Terrapin Triathlon are trying to make the transition into a multisport event easier.  They hope that this shorter distance, more contained event will help people get a taste for the sport in an environment that is not only safer, but because of the 150 participant limit, is less overwhelming than a larger event. 

In addition, it gives an athlete the opportunity to test the waters and decide whether they enjoy the combination of all three sports before they invest in what is ultimately a very expensive sport. This course can be ridden with a road bike, a tri bike or even a mountain or hybrid style bike and there is no need for a wetsuit on the swim portion. Which means the only expense comes in the registration fee itself.

Through events such as the Terrapin Triathlon, athletes can dip a toe into the world of multisport. They can test the waters and decide whether the combination of events is something that might be worth investing more time and money into. They can decide whether this smaller event is something they would like to return to year after year or whether they think they would like to try bigger and more adventurous events throughout the state.

Whether it is a yearly staple to the an athlete's fitness calendar or a chance to try something new, the Terrapin Triathlon is an event worth checking out.