The day I was introduced to Triathlon

[kolver100]

The day I was introduced to Triathlon

Recently I was in social media reading a post from a good triathlonist friend, of those who did go far, who overcame obstacles, collected medals and went to the Olympic Games. He reminded me of how we started (at least he, I only lasted a few months) in triathlon and how this sport was at the beginning. And I wanted to make this post because many times we let ourselves be overcome by the voices in our heads, we surrendered by fear, what they would say, offensive comments and lack of discipline.

All this happened when I was 15, I was in my hometown swimming team. We were told about this new sport that was going to be added to the Olympics, Sidney 2000. As everyone knows is about swimming, running and riding in bike.

The local Committee had hired a coach to form a team to participate in the national sports games. Several weeks passed and nobody wanted to participate. My dad, the Mayor of the place where we live, was worried because there were no young people interested in forming the team.

He asked me to participate, my brother was already in soccer, so he rejected the invitation, leaving me alone. I had never got on a bicycle to compete, when children we had a bike to ride around the neighborhood, but that was all, then we lost interest.

We got another 4 boys between 14-16 years old to form the team, none had experience in all sports. My teammates had a cycling background and had to learn to swim. So far, running was the easy piece of it (at least in my head)

We started a Saturday with cycling, I arrived with shorts, normal running shoes and a regular t-shirt. A neighbour lent me a bicycle while my parents purchase one for me. Of the 5 we were, only one had a formal cycling suit (tight pants and tight shirt), the others were dressed with the first thing we got. The coach, who also brought a biking suit recommended that we should buy appropriate and professional clothes.

I was really embarrassed. Not for putting on those clothes, after all it was the best for a better performance. What worried me was what my schoolmates would say, the mockery of the neighbors, my family... I was concerned that my colleagues said that we have to shave our legs, for speeding and some other stories, SHAVING was at that moment unthinkable for me.

My dad bought me some biking shorts to motivate me, the first few times I used them over my briefs without acknowledging the brieflines. Of course, I received all the mockery I was afraid of, until our coach said that biking shorts were not supposed to be used with underwear.

A couple of weeks later, we turned to swimming. We showed up at the local public pool, but this time, I was the only one wearing a professional swimsuit, my speedos, the other boys wore boardshorts and laughed at me. The Coach stopped the offenses and instructed them to purchase 2 or 3 swim briefs, as they were going to need them a lot.

I felt a little more comfortable in speedos than them because my dad had always forced us to use them on the beach, pool or family trips. But the other guys weren't used to speedos, some never wore them, not even as children, others had a long time not wearing them. We spent weeks perfecting the croling style so that they could swim, I helped the coach with my colleagues as I was the expert in the water.

I remember the day the coach asked us to bring tennis shoes to the pool and leave them on the edge. We found it funny, but we followed, without giving ourselves much to think, that day after swimming 2 km he asked us to get out of the pool, put on our shoes and run around the running track. No time to get dressed or dry, with our faces still in shock, we left the pool and had our first race in nothing but speedos.

My dad already made my brother and me run in swim briefs when we were at the beach, but normally it was 3 or 4 of us, when my brother in law joined us. For these boys the world was coming over. I also remember how the people who were on the running track treated us as "fags","princesses", "ridiculous", or yelled "go to dress gays". They were really mean and offensive to us, but the coach told us not to listen to what they were saying, just to focus on the sport and nothing else.

The first time we did all the competition, we swam in speedos, we ran in speedos, we rode a bike in speedos, and of course the offenses rained everywhere. Sometimes, I wonder why life was so unfair and we didn't have the technology that is now available, the specialized suits that are used, the running and bike shoes, the bags to carry supplements, gadmins...

I had to leave the team because my father died a year after being training with them and just had the chance to participate on local races, I had no head to continue in the sport. It is also very expensive, you need bike transportation, someone supporting you, etc... But my friend and the other colleagues silenced all those offensive mouths that mocked them. As a team they were able to travel outside the country. They managed to get on a plane before many bullies who only criticized them, Our local Triathlon team received many awards, and as individuals they went far.

So guys, I think you can overcome all your fears, if you ever feel less because you are wearing only speedos in a group of boardshort guys, make them feel overdressed, you own the guts to use only swimbriefs. We have to turn what victimizes us in social weapons, for all aspects of life, not just a spare time in the pool.

[SungueroPeru]

Wonderful story and message. Thanks so much for sharing!

[kolver100]

Wonderful story and message. Thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks, Pura Vida!

[swimmerbud]

Nice story