Join the Club! 6 Good Reasons You Should!

Guest post from Skin Strong pro triathlete Angi Axmann

Let’s be honest. Training by yourself can be tough sometimes. No one is pushing you during your swim, no one is talking to you during your ride and there is no one next to you on your run.

 I used to live in a smaller town where I barely had training partners and there was no triathlon club to join. When I moved to Phoenix I was introduced to triathlon clubs. Not just one. Phoenix has a lot of them. All of them “get along” with each other very well, which means that you can join any of their workouts pretty much at any time. So if you prefer to ride with certain people you can join them and if you prefer a different group for your run you can join a different group.

Here are some reasons why triathlon clubs are great and can help your training:

1. You get to meet many athletes with the same interest, fun for training and outside of training
2.  Group open water swims – no more swimming by yourself in open water (SCARY!!!)
3. Group rides will not only make your 4 hr ride go by fast, you also learn bike handling skills while in a group
4.  Group runs can make you a faster runner – you have the opportunity to run with people who are slightly faster then you and challenge yourself
5.  Travel buddies – travelling alone? Not anymore. Triathletes are easy to convince to come with you to a tri 
6.  Christmas/End of the year celebrations!!! Yes, this is also a plus when joining a tri club. It is fun to get together at the end of the year and see what people have accomplished

Being part of a triathlon club in Phoenix has been fantastic for me. Our community is very friendly and open to new athletes. I am not sure if I would do open water swims by myself, but with other people it is actually fun. During my swim training in the pool I have fellow triathletes in my lane and the lanes next to me and we push each other and help each other get faster. On the weekends I join group rides where sometimes I hold on and fight to not get dropped, other times I attack. But in the end I get in a great workout, much harder then I could have ever done by myself. I learn bike handling skills and cycling tactics. Running with other athletes also provides me with an opportunity to challenge myself and help me run faster then I would on my own.

On top of all the athletic benefits the social aspect sticks out as well. Who doesn’t like having great company, laughing and chatting about upcoming events, work and anything else going on?

More about Angi: http://angela-axmann.blogspot.com/

What do you like about your triathlon club?