It took only 21 years to do another triathlon, and I got it done along the beautiful Mission Bay of San Diego, California!
Stats: 103rd place overall. 20th place overall for 5K run (seems my swim and bike need work). 10th place in midlife crisis age division (only 3 seconds from 8th). 2nd fastest in age division for 5K run, only 6 seconds from being fastest. Not bad for training for swimming and cycling for only 2 months.
Beyond the stats: After I finished, I asked myself, “Why did it take me so long to do another triathlon?” I have been living in triathlon’s birthplace for nearly 14 years!
The answer, I think, is something many of us can relate to — we get caught in our routine, and it’s often hard to get out. Running has always been my love, my paramour, and it has been nearly impossible for anything (or anyone) to take my attention away from it. Even when I was a 22- to 24-year-old graduate student at the University of Calgary, steps away from the Olympic Speedskating Oval, I couldn’t take myself away from running to train for speedskating, a decision I have regretted ever since.
Routine can be good for us; it makes us focused and productive, rather than scattered and unproductive. There’s value in the singular focus, to become really good at something. But what I learned today is that there is also value in broadening our scope and seeing beyond what we know, beyond what is familiar. We all need a little bit of that in our lives.
To all the people who supported me, sent me encouraging messages, gave me advice, changed my flat bike tire during training, and even let me borrow a wetsuit for the cold bay water, thank you.
It won’t be 21 years before I do another triathlon.