What the Heck is a Swimming Triathlete?

When many people hear “triathlete” they think of the folks competing in the huge race in Kona, Hawaii that often requires years of training. It is 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running. It is grueling, but it is not the only flavor of triathlon out there. I’m here to tell you that you can be a triathlete without ever competing in a major race. And that you can do so even if you have never biked or ran competitively in your life.

So what is a triathlete? Simply put a triathlete is anyone who can swim, bike, and run varying distances back-to-back. It is a “solo sport” that you are competing with yourself to meet a goal you have set.

But I like to call myself a swimmer who pretends to be a triathlete (hence the blog title in case you didn’t catch that *wink*). I have raced solo in 7 triathlons (finishing 6) and as part of a team in one. I love the challenge. I relish pushing myself harder than the last time I raced. The issue is I’m far better at swimming than the other two legs with race results as proof of this. I have been swimming since I was a baby and swimming competitively since I was in grade school.

So I wanted to make a triathlon blog from a swimmer’s point-of-view. I will tell you about my races, my gear, my stumbles, my successes, and what it takes to be a swimming triathlete.