Since early 2023, I’ve published a number of articles as part of my “I Practice What I Preach” Series in which I share lessons I’ve learned from my own triathlon racing that might benefit others. Over the last several months, four of my articles have explored how my focus on results has impacted my experience in our wonderful sport, both positively and negatively.

In response to those articles, a number of people in our tight-knit community have commented, I felt quite critically and judgmentally (and not too subtly), that my interest in competing, not just participating, in triathlons and my motivations (wanting to get good results) are somehow wrong or bad. I also felt criticized for the following reasons:

• Having an expensive bike,
• Having a coach,
• Supporting USA Triathlon,
• Spending money traveling to far-away races,
• Wanting to compete at National and World Championship events,
• Going to races without my family, and
• Wanting to place well in races.

The overriding message from these commenters was that fun is the only reason to do triathlons. For sure, fun should be a key part of it, but what the heck is fun anyway? The word fun is broadly defined as “enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure.” If that’s how my critics define fun, then I’m thinking that, though there is much enjoyment in our sport, there is little amusement or lightheartedness about triathlon. Let’s be realistic, when you’re gasping for air and your legs are burning at the end of a race, it really isn’t even enjoyable. The training can also not be fun (e.g., 5:30am swims, riding in the cold or heat, dealing with injuries). But we do it anyway because our sport offers so much more than just fun.

Focusing on fun as the only reason to do triathlons seems to trivialize the experience of triathlon. I have fun walking my dog, playing board games with my daughters, having a nice meal with friends, and going for a hike. Though all are great experiences, none rise to the level of what triathlon offers me (and, presumably others) beyond the so-called fun factor.

Just as triathlon is a very complex sport, so too are the reasons why we devote so much time, energy, and money to an activity that is often-times more difficult and challenging than it is fun. In fact, there are a myriad of reasons to do triathlons. As a commenter to one of my recent articles thoughtfully suggested, “I just realize how much it’s different strokes for different folks. We do triathlon and other races in this sport for different reasons.”

Simply put, triathlon offers me, and I presume many others, far more than just plain fun. Our sport provides me with meaning, satisfaction, joy and connection.

Every triathlete has their own personal reasons for participating in our sport and every one of them is legitimate and could fit under the broad category of fun. Here are all the reasons I can think of (in no particular order):

• Express a passion,
• Give purpose to life,
• Be physically active, fit and healthy,
• Explore our physical and psychological limits,
• Be a part of a community of like-minded people,
• Build friendships,
• Share an activity with a partner,
• Travel,
• See improvement in performance data, times, race placing,
• Build mental strength that can be transferred to other parts of life,
• Stress management,
• Healthy escape from daily life,
• A means of personal growth,
• Heal past traumas,
• Geek out on gear and technology,
• Satisfaction of finishing,
• Overcome pre-conceived notions of our capabilities,
• Compete against the best,
• Strive for satisfying results, podiums and victories,
• Other reasons?

I guess my ultimate message here is to respect, rather than judge, others who might have different reasons for doing triathlons than you do. In my view, all that matters is that our sport enhances our physical and mental health and well-being, and improves the quality of our lives. In the end, whatever your reasons for doing triathlons, if it makes you happy (or even less unhappy), that a big win in life.

Now that I got that off my chest, let’s have a group hug, sing Kumbaya for our amazing sport, and get back out there having fun and a whole lot more.