The Joys of Triathlon.

People often ask me, why triathlon? The answer to that question is quite simple. Its sooooo much fun!!!. There's the swim: a mass start. Up to two hundred people kicking, scratching, and climbing over each other, all trying to find a place for themselves in utter chaos. Then potentially a beach run to the transition area: pretty much pure agony and pukieness. After a hectic transition comes the bike: it can be fine if you don't cramp or almost crash three times, and your bike runs smoothly. If you survive both the swim and the bike, the run still remains: looming ominously before you, like the steep peak of a mountain before the last leg of a long hike. If one doesn't cramp again or throw up, it is considered a success. Just in case you haven't noticed, that was sarcasm. ;) And if you were paying even a little bit of attention, you will have noticed that triathlons really aren't fun in a strict sense at all. So why do I and so many other people do them?

Well, I think there are a lot of different answers to that question, but the biggest reason, at least for me, is the sense of fulfillment one gets when one finishes. St. Paul likens life to a race in one of his letters and it is such a good great amazing AMAZING analogy. During the course of a triathlon, as in life, there are countless ups and downs, countless decisions to be made and carried out; there are many inner struggles that go on, and one gets constantly stronger by conquering them. The race, when one is racing it, really does feel like a lifetime. The finish is the promised land "where every tear shall be wiped away." I could go on and on. But its really that amazing sense of fulfillment that draws people to the sport: you know that you, personally and all alone, have conquered, have accomplished something great. Its truly amazing how soon all the pain and tears are gone. Literally as soon as you cross the finish line, you are in your own little heaven, bathing in ecstasy. All the pain? Gone. All the problems? Gone. Only contentment and happiness are allowed. Words cannot express the feeling. Its much too large and good.

So to sum up: I don't do triathlons because they're strictly fun, (although you do get, every once in awhile, one when everything goes perfect and those aren't bad) but because they give my life an extra sense of fulfillment, and because they teach me important lessons about life in a way that most don't get to experience.

Picture time and I have the perfect photo:

"The Pain of Triathlon."



 

...As previously mentioned, my brother has a propensity for taking awful pictures, but this one accurately depicts how much "fun" triathlons are.

Hope y'all (Americans) had a good Columbus day!

-Thomas, who just finished writing a (comic) rap for his youth group's open mike night, but is debating whether or not to perform it because he both doesn't listen to rap or rap to himself, let alone in front of a bunch of people, so it most probably will be a disaster.