by Bill Jene

Two and one-half years ago, I started training with Coach Joe. My goal at that time was to be able to run a triathlon and feel confident I could do it strong. Well, 30 months later, I have been transformed. Swimming was always a weak point, and especially my running. And I had never considered myself a runner. But after a few years of consistent, hard work, I am now proud to tell people I AM A RUNNER!

One of the goals I had for this last triathlon in Galena was to be able to complete the run without stopping. That may sound like not a big goal. However, Galena is considered one of the top ten hardest sprint triathlons in the country. Why? One word – hills! Oh my, there are hills! We can’t train on hills consistently in our area for either the bike or run, so spending an hour powering up some nasty hills, only to get off the bike and run more, can be daunting. Not only did I run the entire course, I had a record time.

Why is that? I spent the winter training indoors doing CompuTrainer classes on the bike and continued to build a strong base on the legs outdoors. As spring hit, I started doing longer, faster runs. All of the training – consistent training – paid off. With the help of Coach Joe designing my training regimen, and following through with the execution each week, I have seen enormous improvement the last few years.

But maybe just as important as the training is the guidance and encouragement I get from my fellow athletes. This really is a family where everyone helps one another. I have developed life-long friendships at Experience Triathlon and that is even more important than all of the accomplishments I have had out on the course.

Start with a plan, work hard and have a great group of people around you. You’ll be successful.

Enjoy all of the Galena pictures on the ET Photo Gallery!