"Why do a triathlon?"

I actually have no answer to that question when it was first posed to me this year in April.
But I think that question was the “fertilizer” given, to the triathlon “seed” I planted in myself 6 months b4 by joining the triathlon group to swim on Mondays.

I have done triathlons b4, as an individual and as a relay team member, few years back. But I have kind of stop after getting busy and not having time (or rather the motivation, since it’s all about time management) to train.

Last year, after graduating from PhD, I realized I needed some structure in my life, so I decided to plan a workout schedule to start my day, then it was swim, jog/breeze walk (I was so reluctant to run then), gym, all of which is easily accomplish within my condo area. However, a workout schedule that involves myself only is really difficult to sustain. That’s when I decided to join the Mon tri swim even though I didn’t really like the idea that it was in the evening and worse still it was all the way in the west. But at least it’s a sport that I enjoy the most.

At that point it was just enjoying the workout and company. Hearing stories of the biathlon/triathlon/ironman they accomplished, resulted in a “seed” planted in me to do an ironman again…one day. No idea when that would be…haha.
Subsequently I also started joining this same group of people to swim at Tanjong Beach on sat mornings when the tide is right. More ironman stories there.
I was also present at some races to support my friends who were racing, eg. the Aviva 70.3.

I frequently go to the library to borrow books, and one fine day I came across the triathlon section and started borrowing books from there too, inspirational stories about triathlete/ironmen, training strategies etc.

But for some reason, all those are just thoughts, I never got myself to run, I didn’t even have my bike with me (my bike was with my friend for years!).

And then one day late April this year, someone I respect very much, saw me with a book on strength training for triathlete, and casually asked me why do I do a triathlon (I believe that person had no idea that I was nowhere near doing a triathlon then, just a lot of thoughts about it). I managed to come up with some lame answer saying I think it is fun or something to that effect.

For some reason, that question actually became the question that got me to start really doing a triathlon. Subsequently, I had additional “water” and “sunlight” to add to the “fertilizing” question…haha…
A few days later, a chat with another person about his children and doing triathlon (this person knew I was pretty active in sports all the while, but wasn’t aware I haven’t really been racing recently, except for a long distance open water swim), got me to go check out races that were coming up. Then, the intention was to introduce his children to the sport and see how they might be interested to participate in it (I dun think dad had a chance to bring them to experience the atmosphere at a triathlon competition yet til now…I better keep him posted on next year’s race already..haha). By chance, that weekend, 1 May, there was a triathlon at Changi Beach Park. Knowing an uncle of mine does triathlons too, I sent him a message to ask if he were participating as I was thinking of going over to support them. The reply was “yes”, he and my 10-year-old cousin are, but my aunty, who has signed up too, has just recovered from an illness and is giving up her slot, “am I interested to take her slot?” It was a mini distance triathlon (i.e. 200m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run).

That week, I just so happened to have gotten myself to run 2 loops around my condo (that’s ~2km, but I thought I was never going to do it again because it was too boring!), swimming is never an issue for me (I just swam 20km in the sea half a year b4 that…what’s 200m..haha), 10km cycling is definitely do-able, except that I do not have any bike with me then. So I replied saying that I do not mind, but will need to borrow her bike. And it was all set. Suddenly within 10 days of being asked “Why do I do triathlon?” and yet not having really done any in the past few years, or not having really trained for it (except the swim part), I was agreeing to do a triathlon that have been thinking for months but never really taking action towards it.

2 months later, I was doing a full distance triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run).. of course my fitness level has always been pretty good, so to have moved into that distance in a short span was not difficult (or harmful to health)
Another 2 months later, I was doing a slightly longer, but funny distance triathlon (1km swim, 65km bike, 18km run…yes, a very swimmer unfriendly distance)..and managed to finish the race pretty strong, after having swam 100 laps the day before!

I have indeed come a very long way and am extremely happy with my performance. But most of all I am extremely thankful to that person for his simple, casual question of “why do a triathlon”…I doubt he knows what kind of impact his simple questions had on me..haha

I am still not sure why that question seem to have such a big impact on me. Is it because it was such an unexpected question (most people around me know I have always been active in sports..so I guess they never thought of asking me such a question) that it made me wonder hard enough that I just decided to jump into it? Is it because he is someone I respected so that question has bigger impact? Is it simply because I felt someone actually cared enough to ask such a simple question?

Whatever it is, I guess I should find the courage to thank him in person one day ;)

Charity swim 2011... the one I prepared for but didn't participate in the end...

This year's SAC charity swim has just passed over the last weekend...
Instead of toughing out in the sea, I was toughing out in a seminar at Bangi...haha...it was a great seminar with plenty of amazing speakers...but I am not writing abt that here :p

The SAC charity swim has been something I try to participate annually since I first found out about it in 2006. I can't quite remember what got me to sign up for this swim...but I believe it was an impulsive decision when presented with the challenge (at least that's how I signed up for the 20km swim last year :p)...if someone actually brought me through the distance I have to swim...I would have freaked out (that's how I felt last year while taking the boat from end point to start point of the 20k swim :p)...haha...
and like all endurance events I have participated, once u have tried it, u tend to develop some addiction to it...even though during the event u may curse yourself for signing up AGAIN!!

So this year, I signed up to swim in the dirty waters of ECP again when SAC sent out the email abt the event...

Swimming was in my life since I was very young...
I started learning to swim when I was in primary 1, joined some "competitive" training in our country club in primary 4 ("competitive" because we basically have fun and compete for the last few positions during competition...at least during my time)...got switched to focus on tennis during secondary school...and started joining the school team again when I was studying in JC in S'pore...of course, I was never a serious swimmer...but we do have a lot of fun...and in uni, we did have our winning team for IBG and IHG when I was in Kent Ridge Hall :)

In 2004, after graduating from undergrad, marathons, open water swims, biathlons and triathlons came into my life. It started of with 5k runs, then 10k, and b4 I knew it I have completed 42k marathons (yes more than one :p)...in the mean time, I also started biathlons, triathlons and even adventure races...

However, somewhere around 2006-2007, I got busy with PhD and other work, and my sporting activities got reduced until almost zero...of course, I was still walking around with my big bag a lot...so that's sufficient exercise to burn calories and keep me trim :)
For almost a year, I went without any exercise...I almost gone crazy...haha...fortunately, I managed to force myself to take time off and go for a swim one day, and the effect was amazing...there was an instant calming effect the moment I jumped into the water! Since then I have always made an effort to swim at least once a week or at the very least, once in a fortnight, unless I am sick...

It wasn't until last year (2010), after I have official graduated from PhD, that I started picking up on my exercise again...

First there was the 20k charity swim I was training for...so I swam on my own in various pools, on certain days, swam with Trevor (organizer of the charity swiim) at NYP, and on Sun with the charity swimmers at UWCSEA...
Then in oct, there was that move to my current place which has a 50m pool...yippee!
Somewhere in dec, I started to join the Mon tri swim at Buona vista pool...then not long later, I joined the Tanjong beach swim on Sat...

...and since May this year, I have been swimming very regularly, at least 3-5 times a week...and with the influence of those crazy ironmen/triathletes I swim with, bike and run is also part of my training...although still not as frequent as swimming :p

As a result of all these training, plus some technical tips from various experienced swimmers such as Amos Tan, Matthew Wong, Dion Gan etc...I found that my swim has improved beyond my previous personal best...I was looking forward to my best swim in this year's 10km charity swim...but alas an important meeting clashed with the charity swim date. It was probably to save me the agony of making the decision to swim, with an unknown cause low grade fever lingering around...that initially worried me, is more of annoying me now :p

But that said, I am still very happy to have seen significant improvement in my swim times during the various preparatory events I participated in...
(1) Trifactor 3k swim... 62 mins
(2) Port Dickson triathlon (<1.5k swim)... 25 mins
(3) NUS splashdown (5k swim)... 102 mins
(4) Mega tri (1k swim)... 18 mins
(5) Charity swim time trial (1.5k x 4 sets, <2-3mins rest in between)... 29:04, 30:13, 29:25 (cheated with paddles :P), 25:35 (cheated with fins!)

It is definitely disappointing to not be able to participate in the charity swim after so much preparation and to know I have improved so much this year...but like I tell my friends when they have to skip an event (usually due to injury), there are many many many more races in the future ;)

I look forward to more open water swims, biathlons and triathlons in 2012!

Below are links to some of my previous charity swims...and also photos put up my SAC for this year's swim

2011 10k swim photos.. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Student-Advisory-Centre-SAC/174213012636176?ref=tn_tinyman

2010 Tioman 20km swim... http://penguinowner.blogspot.com/2010/11/charity-swim-tioman-2010.html
2008 ECP 10km swim... http://penguinowner.blogspot.com/2008/11/marathon-charity-swim.html
2006 ECP 10km swim... http://penguinowner.blogspot.com/2006/06/marathon-charity-swim.html