A Tribe Called...

It’s hard to find your tribe sometimes.  I keep looking, but usually end up feeling like the odd one out. For starters, I’m at the tail end of the baby boomers, but don’t really relate to them. I’m not entirely comfortable with Generation X either, lazy slackers. Not many people my age (or my gender for that matter) play videogames or love anime & martial arts films the way I do. But I digress...

[Tom Waits - I don’t wanna grow up]

With triathlon training, it’s been a similar experience.  There’s no way I’ll be a HARD CORE PROFESSIONAL, and I’m not even as fast as a lot of people in my age group. By the way, in triathlons you’re either “professional” or an “age-grouper.” And if you’re larger, you’re a “Clydesdale” if male, or “ Athena” if you’re a female.  What’s an overweight older Athena to do? While I was researching books for my project, I’d stumble over titles like “How to Train for a Tri in Less than 7 Hours a Day!” There would be chapters on becoming an Ultra-Uber-Fitness Champ (“After a short 10 mile warm up run at a 8 minute pace...”) and nutrition (“eat and drink nothing but ProBars - sponsored by ProBars”), and stories of muscular young athletes who look like otters in the water and the challenges they face.  I’m pretty sure their challenges are nothing like mine.

Enter Jayne Williams, author of Slow Fat Triathlete. She is about my age, and started her career as a triathlete when she was 40 years old and weighed 220 lbs. This book is a really funny resource, and reading it helped keep me grounded in the fun part of exercise and training. Talk about “tribes,” she helped me realize that there are lots of people out there participating in triathlons who are not incredibly fit – people who are just like me. Her book isn’t just funny, it’s motivating and full of good advice for a layperson (how to avoid chafing, which she notes “the bigger you are, the more opportunities you have to learn about chafing.” Even my half-Ultra friends give it kudos. So, if you're thinking about trying a triathlon but aren't sure it's for you, give her book a read. You might find yourself proud to be part of the tribe that doesn't let something like age, size or speed hold you back.