What’s Next For You in Multisport Racing?
What’s next for you in triathlon or other multisport racing? With registration for next year’s triathlons beginning to open, this question may be one you are asking yourself.
It has been a little over one year since I achieved my goal of doing a triathlon in all 50 states of America. So, the “what’s next” question is one I have been asking myself a lot. It’s also a question others who know of my recently completed triathlon goal have been asking me.
In this post, I share my thoughts hoping to learn more about your plans and goals.
Longer Distance Triathlon
I am sure that most people who have completed more than one or two triathlons think about doing longer distance races. For me, this started about mid-way through my 50 state triathlon journey. Since I viewed the marathon as my greatest challenge for completing an Ironman triathlon, I started by training for and completing a half-marathon. In my plan, the half marathon was a stepping stone to a full marathon.
An injury and challenges at work at the beginning of the next year sidelined my plan to run a full marathon during the year. I never resumed training for the iron distance.
Still, I have always wondered if I can do what so many of you in our community have done. It seems natural to wonder if we can go further.
There is also value in inspiring those who come after us, such as children and grandchildren. By taking on tough challenges, we can be part of the movement to change people’s perspective on age. Triathlon has certainly done that for me.
However, I no longer see this as a priority. Investing 12 to 14 hours per week training for an iron distance triathlon is not a commitment I am ready to make. While I still train for sprint distances, my days include many other activities around the house and with my wife, other friends, and family.
Maybe I should set my sights on an intermediate distance triathlon, such as the international distance. Along with this, I might aim to compete at the National Senior Games, Pan-American Masters Games, or World Masters Games.
Aquabike Racing
I credit senior triathlete Nikki Austin for getting me to consider this option. In preparing Racing For Fun – Nikki Austin’s Story, I learned about the aquabike multisport event.
Running has always been my most difficult leg. While I have trained in running the most of the three legs, following the “train your weakness” philosophy, I am still slow.
On the other hand, the guy who performed my bike fittings tells me that my body is made for cycling. And, biking has been my strongest leg.
For this reason, the aquabike multisport event appeals to me. I have swam and ridden the distances of a half iron triathlon many times. I just need to get an updated fitting and/or different bike seat to be comfortable over the distance.
New Venues for Sprint Triathlons
Even after considering alternatives to the sprint distance, I still come back to my first triathlon love, sprint. This morning, I read a comment on SeniorTriathletes.com from a reader about the most beautiful venue for a triathlon. Her’s was June Lake, California.
That caused me to think about other places across the USA, some in which I had once considered doing a triathlon. What if we went back to these? Certainly, there are plenty of new places to explore, new experiences waiting to be enjoyed, and new people to meet.
What’s Next for You?
Clearly, I have not made up my mind on what’s next for multisport training and racing. The only thing I am certain of is that I need to stay physically and socially active for healthy aging.
Are there other multisport race-related goals you are considering? Please share your plans and the motivation behind these.
Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.
