Why bother?

Many people find it crazy when i tell them, i'm training for triathlon. They won't admit it directly, but i can see it in their eyes, its in there, mixed with admiration and envy. And perhaps 15 seconds into that conversation comes the showstopper, the piece of information, that seems to puncture that admiration, like a big balloon that was taking you to the skies, and instead you fall clumsy to the ground: "ohh...no i'm not training for an Ironman, i'm training for a ½ Ironman".

Maybe its the "½" thats the fly in the ointment? I dunno, but swimming 1.9 kilometers in the ocean, cycling 90 kilometers and running 21 kilometers all in one day after each other is impressive after my standards (i apologize to all english-speaking out there, both for my language errors, and my preference for the metric standard, but hey i'm danish and that was what i was tought in school!)

Perhaps is Triathlon, and especially the fabled distance - THE IRONMAN - just the latest peak when it comes to athletic and sports as a status-symbol for the modern man (and woman!). Marathon peaked a couple of years ago, but thats just not enough any more, no...now we want to be triathletes and more specifically IRONMEN!

I wish i could say that i myself, swam outside this trend current, but i cannot. I admit, that i like the admiration and the (sometimes physical) gasp that follows, when i tell people that i'm are training for a triathlon (alas only until the "Ironman"-issue is brought up!). But there are more to this than trends and fashion (luckily).

The start at the London Triathlon swim

The entire proces and journey that one embarks upon, when you decide to be a triathlete i will try to tell about on this blog, as frankly and precisely as i possible can. Not only tips about training, but also stories about injuries, doubts, triumphs and failures.


With this i hope to help other coming triathles out there, that perhaps read all the gruelling endurance horror-stories, see all the shocking pictures, gasp at chaotic sea swim footage where they wonder "did anyone survive that carnage!?" and ask the obvius question any non-traithlete must ask:


Why bother becoming a triathlete?

Found this funny film on youtube, and it kind of summons it up: If you're not a believer, its difficult to understand why to do it - Why train for Ironman?