Why do people do triathlons?

I know a few of the peopole who read this are training for one or thinking about it. Why? How'd you get the idea and what motivates you to keep going?

I was thinking about it all the other day. Why do it? It's a hassle, it's time consuming and it's often times not fun. Why do I do it?

Here's what I've come up with.

I've told you the Shad Ireland story. Well, there's more to it than that. I've always wanted to run a marathon. I've never been very athletic, so I thought it would be cool to say I'd completed something reserved for top athletes. But as I grew older, it became very clear to me how much I disliked running and I never wanted to spend that much time doing something I didn't like. My dad ran one a few years back and I thought he was awesome for it, but it still wasn't the thing for me. Another inspirational story: In the Spring my parents started training for a 5k. They ran one during the summer and my mom came in three minutes under her goal for 30:00, basically, quickened her speed by a minute a mile! Not only that, but she came in first in her age group! She was exhausted fater finishing and it wasn't until she got some powerade and fruit in her that she got excited. Anyway, we are so proud of her and she felt so great after! I thought, "I want that."

I've always been a dancer, and I loved performing the most. Having the people you care about come out and see you show off what you've been working so hard for is just the greatest ever! I wanted it again and I wanted it to be something hard and uncommon that no one I knew had done, something athletic. The afternoon after my mom's race I started looking into triathlon's and realized I could do a Sprint distance. It would take training and would be hard, but it was doable. As often happens with me, however, I gave up a few days later.

Shad brought it back.

But it's more than all that even. I think I wanted, needed, a goal. Something to work hard for in my spare time. Something with a clear ending, achievement. I graduated from college, which I'd been working toward really my whole live, but four years officially. I got a job and, while there's a definite goal and chance to move up, it's nothing specifically 'do A and you'll get B.' I've always had some goal I was working toward, and in August I didn't anymore. I found it and I'm so stoked about it. I get to do something that top athlete's do, but doesn't require 3-4 hours or so of running! You should always have a goal, something to work toward in free time, something you've never done, something with a specific ending or accomplishment, something new to conquer. What are you working toward right now?