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My First Triathlon Experience

From pre-race panic to the finish line — an honest, complete account of everything that happened on race day.

By Mario · June 25, 2025 · 8 min read
Open water swim
Swim

Open Water Swimming — Start Here

Cycling mountain
Bike

Build Cycling Endurance from Scratch

Running trail
Run

Beginner Running Plan — 4 Weeks

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Four Pillars of the Triathlon Life
Every article, every session, every insight — organized around the four disciplines that shape who we become.
Swim

Master the Water

Technique, breathing, pool sessions, and progress stories from a real swimmer in progress.

Bike

Ride Farther

Indoor training, endurance rides, Zwift, and tips to turn any bike ride into progress.

Run

Run Stronger

Training plans, injury prevention, mental game, and personal pacing breakthroughs.

⚖️ Life

Live in Balance

Juggling work, family, sport, and rest — triathlon as a philosophy, not just a race.

In the Frame
Life Through the Lens
Swimming at dawn, climbing hills, chasing sunsets on foot — this is what triathlon life looks like.
🏊 Open water, 6am
🚴 Mountain climb
🏃 Trail run sunrise
🏔️ Alpine quiet
🏁 Race day energy
🌊

Master the Water

From gasping at 25m to gliding through 1000m — swimming is the discipline that teaches patience above all else.

18
Articles
1000m
My PR
6mo
To get there
⛰️

Ride Every Hill

Indoor winters on Zwift, outdoor summers on mountain roads — cycling is where I find both freedom and power.

4x
Per week
+24%
FTP gain
75km
Longest ride
🌅

Run Into the Light

Early morning runs, race-day finishes, and the moment you realize you're someone who runs. That shift is everything.

5:45
Best pace/km
4mo
To improve
12
Articles
Training Gallery
Every Session Counts
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Fresh from the Training Log
Real experiences, real progress, real lessons — updated weekly.
"The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race."
— Every triathlete who's ever crossed one

Swim

Technique breakdowns, common mistakes, weekly sessions, and an honest beginner-to-swimmer journey.

Bike

Indoor Zwift sessions, outdoor endurance rides, practical tips, and favorite cycling routes.

Run

Training plans, injury prevention strategies, mental toughness, and real pace progression stories.

Training & Coaching

Triathlon plans, weekly structures, recovery, nutrition, and how to balance sport with a real life.

Life Balance

Triathlon isn't just sport — it's a framework for building discipline, clarity, and a life worth living.

Gear & Tech

GPS watches, apps, product reviews, and honest comparisons — what actually helps, what doesn't.

ℹ️

Some links on this page may be affiliate links. I only recommend gear I personally use or have tested. Any commission helps keep this blog running — at no extra cost to you.

Events & Challenges

Race recaps, event prep, personal goals, and everything that happens between registration and the finish line.

Blog / Journal

Personal stories, moments of doubt, deep reflections — the unfiltered training log.

About Me

Hi, I'm Mario. Amateur triathlete. Full-time human.

Three years ago I couldn't swim more than 50 meters, cycling meant riding to the grocery store, and my "running plan" was chasing the bus. Then I signed up for my first sprint triathlon on a dare.

That race changed everything. Not because I was fast — I wasn't — but because training for something hard taught me how to show up for everything else: work, relationships, health, purpose.

This blog is my training log, my reflections, and my honest attempt to share what I'm learning along the way. No expert advice — just a regular person figuring it out one workout at a time.

3
Triathlons
847
Training Days
1
Big Goal Left
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