To Give-it-A-Tri or Not to Tri

Sitting on the fence are you? Not sure if you have what it takes? The thought of swimming any significant distance puts you into a state of panic? Fear not – the Give-it-A-Tri is for you. I know it was the right distance for me. If you have considered stepping into the world or Triathlon but not sure if it is right for you or unsure you can handle the longer distance swims/bike/run, then the Give-it-A-Tri (GIAT) might be the right race for you. I dabbled in this event about five years ago – did the Subaru Try-A-Tri up in Orillia and just absolutely loved it. At 400m for the swim, 10km for the ride and 2.5km for the run – it was a nice quick event and not over daunting in the water. Last year I did three of the Multisport Canada races (owner of Give-it-A-Tri) and this year (2017) I committed to four races at this distance. Multisport Canada puts on a great race series – they will host 8 events for 2018 – and has something for everyone. If you are a more serious individual they offer the Sprint, Olympic and Long Course distances. This past year I raced at Welland, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Lakeside. Got to see a bit of Southern Ontario and had a great time in the process. The GIAT is meant to be (pun intended) a “test the waters”type of event – like it and move on up to the longer distances. For a lot of us, it has turned into a regular field and event to race. It is the mandated distance for the under 16 year old triathlete and and the competition is as serious as in the other races. The events that I attended were very well run and organized. Some of the races span the entire weekend especially with all the various distances that they may be putting on. Water safety is a number one priority and there are plenty of people out there to help you if you should so need it. Pricing is fairly reasonable, $59 per race and they offer multi race discounts for three or more races. The time commitment required to do well is not onerous. You’re already running, right. A tri-bike helps but is not required – a road bike is nice to have, but also not required – I saw a good number of people on mountain bikes – gets you around but a bit slow – at a minimum put slicks on a mountain bike if you choose not to drop the cash on a road bike. A wet suit is worn by most – an entry level one can be had for under $200 or you can rent. Helps with bouyancy and lets you focus on just moving your arms and kicking your feet. I recommend that at some point you try at least one – who knows, you might just fall in love with the sport – I know I did. Cheers