I tri. Yup, I am a triathlete although I really don’t feel like an athlete most days. I sometimes feel as exhausted as an athlete at the end of the day but certainly don’t fancy myself an Athlete with a capital “A.” As I have mentioned before I try to stay active and do races here and there but by no means do I have the body of an athlete. I race with my mom-bod just fine. 😉

12 years ago while living in Colorado I worked with a super amazing woman who competed in Ironman Triathlons and I was inspired by her to give one a try. No not an Ironman! Not even a full olympic length triathlon. My goal was to complete a sprint triathlon so I had to train. I started running (pushing my jogging stroller with my princess) in the mornings. I had to go early enough as to not get hit by all of the morning lawn sprinklers & there were lots of hills but I did it. I biked pulling a trailer but didn’t train much for the swim until later. After moving to Minnesota in June of 2006 I started to train for open water swim in a nearby lake. I felt ready but was still pretty nervous so convinced my husband and brother-in-law to join me and form a team to compete in a sprint tri.  Team Menne successfully completed the North Mankato Triathlon!  I swam, my brother in law biked and my husband ran. I felt really good after my swim….really good..so much so that I decided I could do the whole thing on my own. A couple of weeks later I completed in my first solo triathlon, the Elysian Rookie’s Triathlon. It was a bit different from the other one but I liked it! I was hooked!

Since my first tri in 2006 I have tried to complete 4-5 tri’s a season and run a few 5k’s in between. Living in Minnesota there are plenty of lakes for swimming and I have been lucky enough to live in an area where there are lots of tri’s to pick from. I have a few a have done each year and then a few I have tried for something different.

Over the years I have learned a few things and gotten into my own way of racing. Here is the quick and dirty.

• First and foremost it’s fun for me. As long as it remains fun I will continue to do them.
• It’s challenging but doable. My only goal is to finish although sometimes I get pretty competitive and push myself to be stronger. I don’t have the time or resources to train like the elites and I’m ok with that.
• 10 years later I am still a rookie. Yup, a rookie. Just because I have done lots of sprint tri’s doesn’t mean I am good them. I’ve never won 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in my category although I have gotten close a few times. Again, I am totally okay with it. I’m not a serious racer.
• It’s what you make of it. I have a hybrid type of bike so it’s not a mountain bike but it’s not a road bike…I guess it’s in between. I don’t have bike shoes and I don’t wear a wet suit. I’m pretty old school I guess. 😉 Again, I am ok with not having the awesome equipment. I just leave that to the pros.
• Pre-race jitters never go away. Some of these races I do each year so I already know what to expect and am familiar with the race route yet still get the jitters. It’s a bit frustrating because I KNOW I have no reason to be nervous but my body has other ideas. It is what it is.
• There are always other rookies and newbies. I really enjoy meeting other racers and love that the sport is so inviting of new people. First timers get so much great advice and support of more experienced racers. (Just don’t touch or knock over their expensive bikes).
• It’s a family affair. Our kids do kids tri’s and enjoy them. Our oldest just competed with my husband and I as a relay team. It was his first adult race and he did well. My hope is that my racing instills an active lifestyle in our children.
• Register Early! The cost varies from race to race and gets more expensive as the date gets closer so I have learned to plan out what races I can do and get registered early. It not only ensures you have a spot to race it also keeps the cost down.

Here’s some feedback on some of my favorite races:

North Mankato Tri (North Mankato, MN) 1/4 Mile Swim/2 Mile Bike/3 Mile Run | This is a well run race. The swim is in Hiniker Pond making it less scary for those who are uneasy about an open water swim. It’s a wave start but not too bad. The bike is very challenging with a few big hills but never fear, you get to come back down those hills. The run is nice and flat with plenty of water stops. The swag bag is usually pretty good too. Over the years this race has grown and has attracted more serious competition but still has some rookie participants. Overall a great race and well run.

Elysian Rookie Tri (Elysian) .4 Mile Swim/8 Mile Bike/4 Mile Run | Who doesn’t love a race with “Rookie” in the name?? This is a lovely short sprint tri. This race is also a wave start but has plenty of space on the beach to spread out. The swim is a bit longer than others but the bike is short with ‘rolling’ hills. The run although longer than the typical 5k is flat on the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail. It’s a very organized local race. I highly recommend this race to anyone who has EVER thought of completing a tri. As a rookie tri they allow life jackets, snorkel or whatever (as long as it does propel you) which makes it less daunting for first timers. Although there are some serious racers who participate in this event it is really fun and full of supportive triathletes.

River City Days Tri (Chaska, MN) .3 Mile Swim/ 16 Mile Bike/ 3 Mile Run | This is my favorite race but hasn’t happened two years in a row. (They took a year off for construction at the venue and then this year had to cancel due to low registration-big bummer). I love this race because it’s challenging but such an amazing course! The swim is at Fireman’s Park and has a time-trial start. The line may seem long with that type of start but gosh the rest of the race route is far more enjoyable with everyone more spread out. The bike is challenging being a longer one with some hills but it’s a beautiful route through the countryside. Be warned the bike route does go over train tracks! There is always a pile of water bottles in that area and I myself lost my speedometer on those darn things. Anyway, the run starts uphill but you get to run back down that hill flying right to the finish line. They have great music, and emcee AND you get breakfast after the race! Ahh-mazing!! This race entices many hard-core triathletes and has filled up fast.

Lakefront Days Tri (Prior Lake, MN) 1/4 Mile Swim/ 14 Mile Bike/ 3.3 Mile Run | This race is ultra organized with tons of volunteers to ensure it goes smoothly. It’s not super easy to get in and out because it’s a Clearly Lake Regional Park but it is a nice venue for the event. They have an emcee, great music, delicious post race meal and race professionals on hand to assist with any bike issues you might have. The race begins with time-trial start and has a great swim course. The bike is out on an open course so pay attention to traffic. The run is mostly on the parks paved trail and ends with a nice open area for the crowd to cheer you through to the finish line. The volunteers make sure you get enough water at the stops and every finisher receives a medal. The race was cancelled last year and I hope it starts up again next year.

Lake Waconia Tri (Waconia, MN) 1/2 Mile Swim/20 Mile Bike /4 Mile Run | This is a very challenging race because the 1/2 mille swim can be a bit much on a windy day. A number of swimmers need to be rescued. The bike seems long but is a beautiful route around the lake. The run is out and back on city streets with lots of people cheering you on. This is a big race with LOTS of competitive racers but still fun.

Green Lake Tri (Spicer, MN) Sprint Course: 1/4 mile swim /13.4 mile bike/3 mile run
Olympic Course: 3/4 mile swim/21.3 mile bike/6 mile run | This race is filled with competitive racers and offers both a sprint course and an olympic length course. It’s a very fun event and the route is beautiful! Green Lake is a larger lake so the swim can be a bit scary especially when there are whitecaps. The bike route goes around the lake and the run is on a nice wide road for plenty of space for runners. This is a big race and so much fun. They do a great job of making this race a weekend full of fun. It’s worth making it a full trip staying the whole weekend in Spicer.

If completing a tri is something you have always wanted to do I encourage you to try one. You can do it! It’s not about wining, it’s about crossing the finish line. I have done them pregnant, post baby and everything in between. It CAN be done. Be active and have fun!

With God all things are Possible. ~Matthew 19:26