Yes, I know that I've got the title quote backwards and it should read "giveth and taketh away..." however in the world of triathlon I think the way I wrote it is a little more appropriate. That's because one of the benefits of triathlon is that there are three disciplines versus one in a more traditional sport such as running or cycling. This matters when it comes to breaking up the monotony of training. Runners, no matter how much they might try and do different kinds of running (hills versus speed versus LSD) are still just running. Ditto with swimmers who might try and con themselves with the illusion of variety even though they are going the same distance in the same pool and most likely in the same lane with the same people all in the same Speedo suit. But triathletes have three sports to master (more if you include gym work-outs) so in theory it should never be boring. I think that is one big reason why one of the most often repeated phrases by triathletes is "I wish I had more time to train!" This is something you just don't hear athletes in other disciplines say--at least nearly as much.
But I'm going to throw in an even better benefit of being a multi-sport athlete than just keeping things fresh and that is that it takes quite an injury for us to be incapable of doing at least some type of workout. When a runner has shin splints and told to take a few weeks off they are basically screwed. Of course they can "cross train" but it will drive them crazy. And what value does a swimmer who is nursing a bad shoulder see in running? Zip. But a triathlete always has a desire to be putting more time into each discipline so an injury that affects one or even two of the legs of the race is just an excuse to master the third.
Why am I talking about this? Well, I'm in month 6 of a bad knee. I can't tell you how frustrating it is that my last pain free day was in 2007! But it could be a lot worse. Because I'm a triathlete, a bad knee was just the impetus I needed to get off my butt and improve my swim stroke and speed. Which I've done. Even better is that 2008 appears to be the year that open water swimming has become to hit critical mass. At my regular master swim group (UCLA Masters) the talk has changed from "who is working with who?" (and even "who is sleeping with who") to what open water races everyone is going. I'm not sure if it is the fact that open water swimming is in the Olympics for the first time or some other reason but I've had more open water discussions in the past 90 days than I had in the 90 months before that.
I'm going a 5k open water swim next week, another one the next month and in October the Golden Gate Swim across San Francisco Bay. Of course I hope to one day join my 3-discipline friends on the track or in the hills but every time I jump in the water I am thankful that I'm a triathlete. Write me at Pacifico555 [at] Hotmail if you are going to be at any of these races or have anything else to say.