How Anyone Can Finish their first Triathlon - TnT

[jared]

My Story
It all started back in the 80's when I was young and saw Ironman Kona on t.v. I told my mom right then that I was going to do an Ironman. I ran track and cross country but ended up losing that dream (or so I thought) in college when I stopped working, gained 55 pounds (to be fair I did start at 165 as I was in cross country), and started being immobile and living the sedentary life.

I graduated, started working in consulting, and continued being pretty sedentary besides lifting weights a little bit. I was going into my local sandwich shop and what do I see? A Team In Training flier talking about how they provide coaches, training plans, and training facilities for your first triathlon. All you do is help with raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and your flight, hotel, and race entry fees are taken care of! That sounded like a good deal and what I needed for motivation and to finish my first triathlon. The last informational meeting was that night so I made the decision to attend.

Team In Training
The informational meeting was amazing and is a "must attend" meeting for anyone even slightly interested in the program. I went in there only interested in the triathlon training but left thinking that I could actually make a difference in someone's life at the same time! I was a little apprehensive about the fundraising but they talked about all the support they provided. What I found out after talking to a few people and asking them to support me is that many people are affected by Leukemia & Lymphoma and everyone is very willing to donate and help out.

What I found through the training is not only was there a very simple plan to follow but they would work with someone that had never done one of the sports (run, bike or swim). The swim coaching itself was invaluable as it seems like what people needed the most. I had never ridden a road bike before but I started out on a mountain bike, bought a road bike (not required), and received a lot of great coaching.

The training was excellent and I saw people that had only led sedentary lives and were much heavier and more out of shape than I was train for the triathlon, lose weight, get in better shape, and finish! It was a great experience and the best thing about the event is that I met some of my best friends there. Definitely a great social experience as well!

I followed the first one up with 2 other Team In Training events and I'm now part of a group, Detroit Iron, that trains for Ironman triathlons and raises money for LLS. And yes... I finished that Ironman I had my heart set on when I was younger last July 28th, 2009 in Lake Placid New York!

If you have any questions about Team In Training (TnT) or you've had a great experience with it, leave a comment! I firmly believe that this is a great organization for your first triathlon or for having the triathlon experience of a life, if you've already done one.

[Ashley]

That's a great story Jared! Very inspiring. I also had a similarly great experience through Team in Training when I trained for my first marathon last year. Prior to that, I hadn't even run a 5k! Team in Training is such a well run program that it enables everyone to acheive their fitness and fundraising goals. Beacause of Team and Training, I met many life long friends and felt like I made a difference in the lives of others and in my own life. The experience helped create significant, positive change in my life!

[Damon]

I suppose my experience was just a bit different than Jared's. I had actually done a few triathlons prior to joining Team in Training. One of my friends went through the program and told me all about it before he was to race at St. Anthony's back in April 2004. I asked how I could get involved and I was disappointed when I learned I had to wait until November to sign up for the next year's group! Well, I stayed on top of things and when the fliers were mailed out I filled it out and sent it in ASAP. I got to the info meeting ready to sign on the dotted line. For whatever reason I had no apprehension about fundraising, I was just excited to start the whole process. I thought it would be a good way to meet new people and that definitely was the case. I met some terrific people and I am friends with so many of them now. We continue to train and race together for all sorts of events. The coaching that TNT provided really helped me to realize my potential. I also saw the benefit of consistent training. About a year after my TNT experience ended, a new one began as I was asked to coach a triathlon team. I ended up coaching 3 different triathlon teams (1 Olympic, 2 half-Iron) and had great experiences along the way. Now I am looking forward to signing up for St Anthony's once again through Team in Training. Several other members of Detroit Iron are likely to jump on board and our goal is to have 50 or more athletes represent the SE Michigan Chapter of TNT in St Petersburg on April 25, 2010. It will be a great journey so if you are interested you should join us!

Damon