On March 7, Stanford University hosted it’s annual Treeathlon triathlon. It’s an event consisting of a 500 meter swim, a 12 mile bike ride and a 5k run. It’s a great challenge for those who are beginning a career in triathlon or for those more experienced athletes. The fastest of the competitors finished at around the 1hour mark. My son Lee finished at 1 hour and 10 minutes. That put him 7th in his age division. Not bad for his first time. Strong swimmers seem to have an advantage in triathlon competition. This is especially true when swimming in open water.
You can imagine how much time and dedication it requires to train for an event that involves three disciplines. There doesn’t seem to be enough hours in a day. Even if one did nothing but train all day the body would eventually break down and suffer a variety of overuse injuries. On top of that, success in an endurance competition depends to a great degree on the mental toughness and determination of the individual. Bottom line is you have to be ready physically and mentally to even finish a triathlon.
Many entrants of the Treeathlon would not consider themselves athletes. They’re in it for the physical and mental challenge. Having a goal, preparation, and seeing it to completion is the motivation for their efforts. One goal completed seems to lead to another. The process grows on you. The satisfaction is contageous.
In our office we try to help people take the necessary steps toward acheiving their health and fitness goals. We see all levels of fitness. Back injuries occur in even the most fit (although not as often). Our goal is to help get you to the next level. Maybe the 2010 Treeathlon.
