Introductions

Welcome fellow Tridonkeys,  I am glad you feel the zen like pull towards Tridonkeyship,  it will be a journey from the shores of various types of chocolate and beers to the most inhospitable caves of pain,  but it will be most certainly worth it.  Drop us a note as to who you are,  where you live, and maybe a funny story about how your got caught night putting with the deans daughter, or how you thought hammer gel was skin lotion.

TD1

My name is Paul,  I enjoy going to bullfights on acid and skinny skiing.  My first triathlon was the Lifetime fitness triathlon in minneapolis in 2003.  I did it on 4 hours sleep and a hangover with 35 minutes notice.  My friend Curt and I had signed up,  but 8 weeks prior to the race I tore my MCL playing soccer and backed out of the race.  The morning of the race Curt was given the no-go by a doctor due to a heart issues so he called me, woke me up,  and told me to get over to the start (my house is about 1 mile from the start).  I woke up grabbed a bagel and some OJ and headed over.  I took his spot and jumped in to the water not really sure what was to come,  I had to use his bike, his shoes, his helmet, etc as the transition area was already locked down.  It was a rough day,  being taller and with larger feet than Curt,  things did not fit well.  I was drafting during the bike before I knew what drafting was.  luckily a large woman in a one piece swimming suit on a tri bike informed me of my cheating while blowing by me like I was in reverse.  It was a real experience,  but I kept telling myself it was just like a soccer game with overtime,  and I knew I could do that.  I finished and was happy to see the food pit you get to sloth around in after the race.  I realized I did alright considering the initial conditions,  the 5 minute transition trying to find Curt's bike through guidance from shouts outside the fence, and the lack of properly fit equipment (mountain bike, shoes, etc).  

I was hooked,  I have done the Lifetime fitness Tri every year since,  two years ago finishing first in the clydesdale division, and this past year competing in the elite division.  I love the challenge of the sport of triathlon,  and all endurance sports.  I think they are the great equalizer in sport,  because for the majority,  your success or failure is directly linked to your work ethic and your willpower.  Natural talent and genetics plays a huge roll just like in all sport,  but anyone can line up for an endurance event,  and succeed with hard work and commitment.  

The fact that there is a medical tent usually full at these races is the undeniable sign that our minds are stronger than our bodies,  as time and time again,  we push into the pain cave and stay to look around a bit longer when our bodies tell us it is time to leave.  All body types and professions line up.  In the end money can't buy you success,  it can save you some lbs on your bike or some resistance on your bearings,  but it can't buy you an engine...you can only make your engine through work.  Work, self awareness, and control is what makes endurance sports great.  Like a chess match played out with mitochondria and the willpower to hold off the nagging voice asking you to quit for a few more steps, pedal cranks, or strokes.  It is the reason I now get up at 5:43 AM,  and I don't see any time in the future when I will think any other way of life will suffice.

Tridonkey1 out. Word.

The Call me Dr. Donk.  Mostly because i rarely wear underwear,  but if I do it is usually something unusual.

Long time reader, first time poster.  I have never run a triathalon, but the pshchology of a person who would intrigues me.   Do you know of any good web resources for yoga?  Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.  late.

Greenie, I don't have anything for you on the yoga front only a good studio, www.taranayoga.com but what about the pshchology of a tridonkey intriques you?

 

Just joined up.  Friend of a friend of tridonkey1.  Will be fun to see where this all goes.  Will be at Inaugural Minneapolis Marathon, plus numerous duathlons and tri's during summer.

 

Joined up to learn more about triathlons.  My primary question is this:  Is there a triathlon equivalent to a dead-handed 9-iron in golf?

Also, I think there might be some copyright issues with the whole Donkey Punch thing!

I have seen both live,  the dead handed nine iron, and the donkey punch,  and I own the trade mark for both of them,  so it is only you that owes me retribution for taking my money on the par 4 11th the day before the rose bowl.

Tiffp here checking in from the 801 (aka the beehive state). Connecting through Tridonkeyuno. I feel so uni-dimensional compared to all you multi-sport folks. I like bikes, I like riding bikes see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKGNebltt5E

I don't think I love training as much as the butcher though. Anyway, I've been racing road bikes for the better part of a decade. Finally getting around to figuring out how to time trial (I actually have a TT bike this year) so I look forward to getting some serious dorkimeanAERO beta from this fun site. I may not run and like Martin Short I'm not such a strong swimmer, but I know a little bit about riding and racing bikes. I'm also a firm believer in vino rosso,medium blend java and Rocky III as essential to my training.