Today’s Piloxing class was a good one! My favorite instructor taught the class and had me sweating in no time.
Group exercise classes can be so much fun. If you haven’t taken a group exercise class that you’ve enjoyed and think it might be something you would really love, I highly encourage you to “shop around.”
I initially thought I wasn’t cut out for group exercise classes based on some of my previous experiences. After realizing that my inability to keep up with the instructor in a step aerobics class (especially when other participants are practically somersaulting over the flippin’ step), doesn’t mean that I can’t hold my own in a different group exercise class like spinning or BodyPump. I love boot camp classes, strength-based classes and Jazzercise but feel like I might fall on my face in dance or step aerobics classes.
Indoor Triathlon
Before taking today’s Piloxing class, I noticed a flier at the front desk at my gym that caught my eye.
An indoor triathlon? (Pet peeve: Something cannot be “annual” without occurring at least one time before. I know my fellow PR and writing friends cringed at that one.)
The indoor triathlon includes a 15 minute run, 15 minute swim and 15 minute bike and the goal is to simply go as far as possible in the allotted time.
I don’t own a bike, so the idea of competing in an indoor triathlon intrigues me a lot! I don’t have any triathlon experience other than a relay-style triathlon that I did back in 2008 with two friends. It was a blast!
I swam, my friend Laurel biked and our friend Ryan ran. It was so much fun!
Sexy swim cap! (You can also see Ryan right behind me. He was the swimmer for a separate team that also competed in the triathlon. I think his team ended up getting third overall in the mixed male/female relay category!)
When it comes to doing a triathlon, I feel like I am the exact opposite from most people in that the swim is the part that excites me the most and the biking makes me most nervous.
I was a lifeguard and a diver and played water polo in high school and have always been very comfortable in the water, but hopping on a bike and pedaling around a ton of other bikers freaks me out.
Since the indoor triathlon eliminates the need for a fancy bike, I think it could be a lot of fun!
Lunch
Today’s lunch was easy since it simply involved reheating leftovers from last night’s dinner.
In the bowl:
- Quinoa
- Pork
- Cauliflower
- Spinach
- Soy sauce
Yum!
Questions of the Afternoon
- Have you ever done a triathlon before? Would you want to?
- What part of a triathlon (swim, bike, run) makes you most nervous?
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I still can’t get over “1st annual.” C’mon, people! Ha. I like the idea of having 15 minute segments–it makes the process of completing a triathlon seem much more feasible.
I’m actually training for my first sprint triathlon now, and unlike you, Julie, I’m most worried about the open water swim (OWS). Running is my “in-the-bag” sport, and I’ve picked up biking fairly easily because I’ve been spinning for a while, but the OWS is the most challenging. It’s less than one month away, so hopefully I’ll be ready!
i really wasn’t sure what to expect in the open water swim of that 2008 triathlon relay i did, but i promise it wasn’t that bad! it was definitely different than the pool and i actually found myself more overwhelmed by the all the other swimmers around me than the open water.
I was actually just thinking about doing a triathalon. I’m a little confused about them though because they all seem to be different distances. Depending on the distance, running would probably be the most challenging for me. I used to be on a swim team every summer as a kid – so I feel comfortable swimming, even though I may be slow!
ha! me too! not a fast swimmer, but a comfortable one. 🙂
Ahhhh, step aerobics kills me! One time I fell off the step multiple times so the instructor came and stood in front of me for the entire class. I vowed then to never ever do it again. But I absolutely love spinning, yoga, and other classes!
I literally just laughed out loud at your comment. I could totally see me falling off the step too. I think I would have left if the instructor stood in front of me though.
An indoor triathlon is an interesting concept! I’m curious Julie—how come you don’t incorporate swimming into your workout routine if you enjoy the water? It’s really cool that you used to be a diver!
i know this is super lame, but getting into a cold pool at 5:30 a.m. just doesn’t appeal to me and i get bored swimming on my own. i miss the team environment and while my gym does have adult swim teams, they swim a LOT and i’m not really interested in making that big of a commitment to swimming. 🙂 i may get back into it at some point though!
Yes!!! I’ve done many triathlons of all different distances (sprint through half ironman) and the biking is also my weakest segment. A lot of people are afraid of the swim and although I have worked hard to become a fitness swimmer at the pool and to do open water swims, I always tell nervous ladies the same thing before a race: the swim is by far the shortest segment. You’re in the water for no time at all compared to the bike and run. Even at the half ironman distance (in fact I think in longer distance tris the swim seems even shorter…the half ironman tri swim took me a little over 30 minutes. But I was on the bike, 56 miles, for 3 1/2 hours!) There is no pressure. Sure, the hardcore swimmers are off like crazy at the start but just get into a groove. Some people like to do some breaststroke or backstroke. Even in my half ironman I passed some people who were like “la di da, I’m just out for a nice swim”. I like to do freestyle the whole time because I like to get into a rhythm, but everyone does their own thing. 🙂
Ok, sorry so long but I’ve done ONE indoor tri. It was fun!!!! I posted about it here: http://livingspreethegoodlife.com/2011/03/28/y-tri-challenge/
i know! i always say i wish the swim was longer… it doesn’t seem proportional to the other events.
I just did my first sprint tri on July 1st in Aruba! I love the idea of an indoor tri – the biking scares me the most, too.
My gym had an indoor triathlon! I really wanted to do it, but I was out of town that day. I think I’m going to sign up this year. I know a lot of people did it and it really turned out to be a good time.
This triathalon sounds like a great way to see if it is something one would be interested in.I have never done a triatholon but have thought about it. The problem is, riding a bike freaks me out since I just learned how to a few months ago, I am not comfortable on the road and having ppl all around me would really make me freak! I swam all throughout middle school, high school and college and have done an open water mile swim which may have been the fastest mile I have ever swam because it freaked me out not being able to see what was underneath me.
That sounds like fun! But I’m with you, bikes scare me… my sister wants us to get bikes but the thought of my feet not being on the ground scares me haha
AHhhh you should do it! I’m doing an indoor triathlon (although just on my own) in August…I’m hoping to do the full sprint distances for each of the three legs! I’ve written a little about it on my blog, but I’m excited!!!
I did my first mini Tri in May and the 250m swim was more than enough for me. I am so not a swimmer! I actually had a panic attack in the pool! I would like to do a team one and I would do the running.
I have done outdoor and indoor triathlons. I did an indoor tri before doing any outdoor ones, just to get a feel for it. It was a lot of fun and much more laid back than the outdoor races. I would suggest you try it, if you hate it, its only 45 minutes of a bad workout! Think of it as another group exercise class 🙂
I have done 6 sprint triathlons, and I feel the same as you- I have no problem at all with the swim, but I don’t enjoy the bike so much. I am doing a team relay for my next tri and I’m doing the swim leg- I’m really looking forward to not having to bike!
I developed a weird fear of biking in COLLEGE. I had absolutely no problem on a bike from ages 4-19, and then suddenly got super freaked out. So bizarre.
i’ve never done a triathalon before, and i honestly have no desire to. haha. the running and cycling part doesn’t bother me, but the swimming is just not my cup of tea. i can swim perfectly fine, but i’m just not fast at all and i don’t really enjoy it much. my husband has done multiple triathalons and has tried to convince me to do one with him, but i just don’t think it’s going to happen. that indoor triathalon doesn’t sound half bad though! you should do it!
The indoor triathalon looks awesome! i’m one of those people though that swimming scares me. In a pool though I would feel a little better its the outside ones when there are no walls to help if I need it that freaks me out.
I did something similar to this my senior year of college. I actually took a triathlon training class my last semester. Since it didn’t require the participants to have a bike we did the biking portion on stationary bikes in the gym (we also swam indoors in the pool and then did the running portion outside). I really enjoyed doing it this way because, like you, the biking part scares me a little. I love swimming (I swam competitively for 10 years through high school) and I absolutely love running so I would consider those legs to be my strongest. I would be one happy girl if they had a biathlon that was just swimming and running (and not biking and running like they currently do)!
The indoor triathlon is a great concept! I would totally be able to handle swimming in a pool and using a spin bike. Open water swimming freaks me out just a little, and I don’t own a road bike, so any sort of outdoor tri is out of the questions right now.
I think I would be afraid of the biking portion as well! I have some gnarly scars on my knees from bike accidents as a kid that I do not wish to relive 🙂 ha
My boyfriend’s family has a dirt go kart track and even then I stay behind everyone else because I’m afraid of taking a corner too sharp and spinning out or crashing into someone else!
I used to be a swimmer on a relay team for the Chicago Triathlon. I loved it! All the fun without 3 events 🙂
I actually just did my first triathalon (sprint) this past sunday. I was most nervous for the swim because I am a runner. Surprisngly, the swim was the easiest part and the bike and run kicked my butt. I was excited to do the run to catch up on time, but by the time I started running my body was giving out on me. It was overall a great experience. I can’t wait to train for another one and try to beat my old time!
Lol I’m glad that you clarified that it is Ryan (your husband) standing behind you in the swimming photo and not Ryan (your friend, from the photo above) because I looked at the latter pic and thought “wow, Friend Ryan looks a lot like Husband Ryan when he has a swim cap on!” I used to do kids triathlons when I was younger, and really enjoyed them. I haven’t done one since though, mainly because I’m not really so keen on the whole open water swim thing. I used to swim competitively (in lanes!) and at meets, other swimmers were super aggressive in warmups when passing and it wasn’t rare to get kicked in the face. The thought of that always holds me back from triathlons! Having said that though, I kinda do want to do one…. my opinion goes back and forth!
The swim portion is the only thing keeping me from triathlons. I can swim, but I’m not a strong swimmer and strangely get tired quickly just from treading. I’m a marathon runner and have a “fancy” road bike so I’m sticking to duathlons for now. My idea of swimming involves being able to touch the bottom of the pool or hanging on to a noodle. HA! Good luck on the indoor tri!
I did a supersprint in college, but that was 10 years ago. I am training for another supersprint that’s in two weeks! The swimming doesn’t make me nervous, it’s just my least favorite part. I like to bike, but I get nervous about something happening to my bike during the ride portion. But the run is the best part for me because it’s the part I am most comfortable with and love the most!
I did my first triathlon when I was 15 years old. It was pretty fun and I enjoyed training for it. My least favorite part is the swim….I am not a strong swimmer. After I completed my first one, I definitely caught the triathlon bug. Its been many years since I did my first one, but I am thinking about doing a local one the day after my birthday in August. I live nearby so I already know the routes for all the events! You should do one!
If I were a better swimmer, I’d totally do a triathalon. Unfortunately, I’m a terrible swimmer, so I won’t be doing one in the near future. I think I’ll just try to stick with 5ks and go from there.
That triathalon sounds fun! I would be the most nervous about the swim… I have been and always will be a land-girl. I tend to sink when I swim (or just look like an idiot splashing around!). I do like swimming for exercise, but it is absolutely exhausting to me. I usually do 1/2 a lap and then rest for a minute and then start again.
I would have never thought about biking being scary, but that is true! Especially if you ever have watched bad crashes on the Tour de France or something similar, I can see that being nerve wracking! Maybe I’ll just stick with running…
The tri sound like a lot of fun! sounds like a good work out too! 15 bike, 15 treadmill, 15 pool time. One thing we do in my water aerobics class is to use a noodle and straddle it like a bike and imitate pedaling on a bike. Since you’re so comfortable in the water, maybe you should try that! And its a lot of fun too!
Completing a triathlon is definitely in my fitness bucket list but the biking portion is what scares me away!!! I have seen some pretty nasty accidents from the cyclists going so fast which is hat scares me…now this indoor triathlon sounds great!!!! Give me a spin bike and I am good to go!!!
Bike definitely, the chance of falling or just not being able to push hard enough. Love the indoor idea! Totally with you on the group classes, love spin and body pump however aerobics of any kind I’m hopeless, I don’t have the coordination!
Swimming was always my favourite part of a triathlon! I grew up a swimmer so that makes sense I guess. I’m not much of a runner so that would be the worst part for me. I think a triathlon would be so much fun! I’ve done a couple and I enjoy them a lot.
If my gym was hosting an indoor triathlon I would sign up in a heartbeat! The swim is by far my favorite, and the leg I am the most comfortable with since I swam and dove in high school. But like you, I don’t own a bike (though I’m looking into getting one) and the idea of riding in a big group of people makes me very nervous.
You should totally sign up for it!
The title of your post caught my eye, because I would love to do a triathlon, but I really worry about the biking part. I was a swimmer in high school, and I’ve run in a marathon before, but biking with lots of people zooming past me seems like it would leave me with little control and I have no experience in the biking arena (other than casual beach rides!). It was nice to hear you and others have the same concern. =)
I think that’d be SO fun!!
I too am like you, I am super confident in swimming (I’ve been a swimmer all my life, and taught swim classes at the university), but I do not love biking. I am training for a Half IronMan (it’s in Aug) so that is something I am working on! I hardly do too many workouts with swimming though, just because I can’t really work on the areas there that I would need to (my stroke is fine, my speed is good, but the issue would be swimming past people–can’t really train for that. Hah)
YAY for fun exercise classes! I teach Zumba as well, so dancing is MY favorite form to work out to!
I’m totally with you. I was a swimmer in high school. Taught lessons and coached. I just completed my first half ironman on Sunday. The bike portion kicked my butt. Biking is by far the most challenging portion for me and it is the longest. Sigh.
For those people looking for indoor tri’s, jackrabbit sports has a whole indoor tri series in NYC and there are many others around the country. I think active.com lists a few of them. I think the best ones are those that mimic the true tris by having the bike portion be longer. ie. 10 min swim, 30 min bike, 20 min run. In and out in an hour and a good workout to boot.
An indoor Tri sounds like FUN, I’d do it in a heartbeat! As I’m way less confident in the swim portion, it would be nice to be able to do it in a pool rather than a lake.
Indoor Triathlon?! What a fun idea! I have never participated in a triathlon before but it’s definitely on my bucket list!
Off topic question – does Ryan pack his lunch with similar things that you eat for lunch or does he go out to eat?
Just curious!
I did a sprint tri last year (first and only tri so far) and the swimming was def the hardest for me (totally not a swimmer) and it was an open water swim as well. Kind of itching to do another one but would def need to work on my swimming and the correct stroke for that as well…we will see….the guy I’m dating right now is training for a full distance ironman tri (his 2nd full) which kinda has me wanting to do another tri (shorter distance of course) 😉
I have done a triathalon and the worst part for me was the bike! I am not a biker (aside from spin class) and it was much differenet on the open road.
I have never done a triathalon and don’t know if I ever will based on the swimming portion. I’m an okay swimmer, but not great. I never did swim team or anything, and I’m just not very confident with my swimming abilities. Not to mention I hate deep/murky/creepy water. I’d consider doing it if it was inside, though, like this one! I’d still need to work on my swimming, though.
There are a lot of indoor triathlons around here during the off-season months, when it’s too cold to hold a tri outside (slash, all bodies of water are frozen haha). I think they sound cool!
I’d LOVE to do a triathlon someday, but that’s on my loooooong term bucket list. Like, To Accomplish Before 40 bucket list haha. Even though I’m a runner, I actually think that’s what intimidates me the most when I think about triathlons right now. Running a 5K or more after I’ve already biked like 10 miles? Yikes!
I couldn’t do a triathlon because I am in NO way a confident swimmer. Like at all.
Yes! The word is INAUGURAL!
I also just got off a website for a popular air freshener (don’t ask) and they mis-spelled the word ‘discreet’ all over the site (‘discrete’) Stuff like that just makes me feel like the education system is failing!
Rant aside, I am jealous of this indoor tri thing bc open water scares the bejesus out of me. Hope you decide to do it, would love to read your thoughts and see if I could harass my local YMCA into holding one!
I’m with ya, girl .. swimming all the way! Unless I’m leisurely cycling down a country road by myself, I’m a total nervous wreck on a bike!
I have done one olympic and two sprint distance triathlons. The bike makes me the most nervous – not because I am afraid to ride a bike, but I am afraid of getting a flat and not being able to change it properly.
the bike is what stops me from signing up for a triathlon since i don’t have one. if it weren’t for that, i think i probably would sign up to do one just because that’s how i am with competitive events – not that i’d be good at it at all, but i’d probably just sign up anyway. say yes first, think later 🙂
My husband and my 75 year old Grandpa did a triathlon last year! Now that’s motivation! We’re doing the muddy buddy this weekend which is biking and running. Swimming is the hardest for me.
Biking makes me the most nervous too!
I have to say when I saw the name of this post I got all happy and excited. – a post about triathlons!
I have done a few different triathlons of different distances, and am vice president of the tri club at my college. I actually used to “just run” and swore to one of my friends that I would never do a tri, and now I love it. You get to switch up between three sports plus strength training so it doesn’t get boring!
The bike has always scared me the most. I will say the more you do it the less scary it becomes. I used to dread days where biking was in my training plan, and now I look forward to them!
If you are interested in the indoor triathlon you should definitely look in to doing outdoor ones. Having a bike could be fun anyway, and a great way to work out. Plus outside tris are more fun in my opinion. You can see who is ahead of you, plus the the views are usually pretty awesome!
There is also a triathlon at Disney World!! (I don’t know if that would appeal to the average person, but I love disney and if I could only do one race that would be it!)
I’ve always wanted to try a triathlon. It’s a little nerve-wracking, though! LOL I think the part that would freak me out the most is the swimming… I’ve enjoyed the ocean since I was a baby, but the idea of flailing arms and legs and the possibility of drowning… NO THANKS! I think I’d do well with the bike. Wanna form a group? We just need a runner! 🙂