Triathlons have always been something that I thought of as interesting, but were too scary to try.

Until last Sunday. 

On March 8, I decided to celebrate National Women’s Day by taking on a triathlon with a friend of mine. Because this was our first triathlon, we decided on the short course, which, despite its name, is not that short. Swimming 300 meters, biking 10 miles and running three more. This was definitely a challenge for me who did no training at all. 

Yes, I did close to zero training. I am on the swim and cross country teams, so I banked on my skill from those sports to carry me through those sections of the triathlon. However, I had never been on a stationary bike until two weeks before the triathlon. I biked one time, for eight miles, before my triathlon. That was all of the training I had, but I did regular conditioning leading up to the event with my soccer team throughout the winter.

Most people who are not on a swim team will say that the swimming is the hardest part of the triathlon, when in reality, it should be the easiest. I clocked in at six minutes for my 300, whereas both of my bike and run were about 30 minutes for each. 

Because this was my first triathlon, I wasn’t sure what to wear. You start with swimming and get soaking wet, then go to bike where your legs rub against each other as you pedal, and end with running where your soaked body is moving in uncomfortable ways. 

I am essentially saying one thing; chafing is real and you should prepare for it. I did not have the money for a triathlon suit, but I would highly recommend it. You can swim, bike and run in this suit, and it will save you time from changing your shirt or putting on a new pair of shorts. It will also dry quicker and prevent chafing.

For me, the hardest part of the triathlon was the running. After biking with your glutes for a solid half hour, you now get to use your whole body to run for three miles. By then, you are tired and your legs feel like jello. I recommend training for this by doing a shorter version of a triathlon before your real competition. Training from going to from swimming to biking to running will just make your body more used to this intense event. 

I would say that my overall experience with the triathlon was positive. I had family and friends there to support me as I took on something that some of them thought I wouldn’t be able to complete. I think everyone who is even slightly interested in doing a triathlon should go for it, and should learn from some of my mistakes. Mistakes such as not having a triathlon suit, not training correctly, and forgetting my water on my bike when I went to run. Luckily, my mom was able to run down and get my water for me while I was on the treadmill. But if I were you, I would remember to keep your water with you everywhere you go – or have your mom come with you for when you forget.

I also suggest that you do it with a friend. If I had done this alone, I don’t think I would have finished. Being able to look to my right and see my friend going through the same pain as I was inspiring. If she can finish this 10 mile bike, I can too. She also pushed me to go faster and further than I would have if I had done it alone. 

My recommendation for anyone who wants to try a triathlon is to train for it. I did my first one indoors at the RecPlex, but I’m training for the outdoor one in the summer. I will continue to do triathlons whenever I can and try to improve my time as I go. Come join me!