Most people I encounter are intimidated by the sport of triathlon because of the swim, the mere thought spurring unwelcome childhood memories of stepping shakily off the diving board with their nose pinched shut or being dunked underwater by the local aqua bully.
If the sport of triathlon intrigues you but your idea of "swimming" involves splashing around in the kiddie pool with your toddler or floating on a raft equipped with a cup holder, perhaps you should consider a duathlon instead.
A duathlon is a multisport event that consists of running and cycling, the typical format being a run-bike-run.
I've only done one duathlon and it was not by choice; a nasty thunderstorm suddenly showed up one race morning, forcing race officials to cancel the swim portion of the triathlon and prompting a collective groan to burst forth from the transition area.
For me, the run is the worst part; the last thing I want to do is add more running to the event. Plus, I've finally reached a point where I enjoy the swim, despite my humble beginnings on a master's swim team where I regularly sucked down gallons of chlorinated water and struggled to keep up with the elderly ladies in the slow lane. But I persevered and twice managed to make my way across the Chesapeake Bay, earning my fins as a swimmer, but vowing never to do it again.
The knock-down, drag-out, madness of an open water swim start is something I'd never wish on a newbie triathlete. Gaining some confidence in races with pool swims is the kinder, gentler introduction to triathlon and, thus, I regularly encourage anyone who will listen to consider the South Carroll Sprint Triathlon. It's local, it's for a good cause and, in my opinion, it's the best triathlon around for beginners. Those nervous about struggling through the swim portion of this race have even employed flotation devices to get from one end of the pool to the other.
But even the appeal of swim noodles is not enough to lure some people into the water, in which case a duathlon is the way to go.
I had the privilege last weekend of witnessing two women experience the thrill of multisport racing for the first time. One, a friend who is an accomplished but sometimes injured runner looking for ways to heal her body without sacrificing cardiovascular conditioning; the other, a family member who, a year ago, couldn't even run a mile.
Both are adverse to triathlons because of the swim. However, both prevailed in the Cascade Lake Duathlon last weekend, using hybrid and mountain bikes to tackle the cycle portion of the race while challenging their minds and bodies in new and different ways, and both were rewarded for their efforts with podium spots in their division. The smiles of joy on their faces was contagious, the tears of victory and accomplishment, empowering. They both reveled in how their bodies felt spent from the effort but not beat up. It was an honor to be by their sides as two new multisport athletes were born.
For more detailed information on duathlon racing, check out Duathlon FAQ's for Beginners at:
For more information on the South Carroll Sprint Triathlon, or to register, visit
For more information on the Cascade Lake Triathlon & Duathlon, visit:
