Last year, I participated in the Trinona Training Program in preparation for my first triathlon. I was in a fitness rut and finally decided to listen to a friend who had been telling me to sign up for the race for years. I had a solid background in running, biked for fun, and hadn’t swam “for real” since swim lessons as a child. I remember going to the Rec Center to swim 400m as a litmus test and when I got out, I knew I had a lot of work to do. 

The training program interested me for a lot of reasons. I wasn’t sure how I was going to balance training for all three sports, and I was nervous about putting them all together on race day. The weekly workout plans created by Drip Multisports made that balancing act effortless. I knew exactly what day to swim, bike, or run and the plan helped me to increase my endurance to complete each sport on its own. A few weeks before race day, I met the Drip Multisports and Storm Sporting Events teams in Winona where we did a trial run of the race. This was a game changer for me. The Storm Sporting Events team walked through what the transition area would look like and set up a mock transition area to practice. They also talked through other race day logistics which really helped me understand what to expect. The trial run of the course was also incredibly helpful for me. I practiced open water swimming and got to know the bike and run courses so that I knew every turn. The Drip Multisports team was also very encouraging and gave me all sorts of advice on wetsuits, race strategies, nutrition and socks. So I went right to Terra Locco to stock up on everything I needed for the big day.

On race day, I was a pile of nerves, but I was prepared. I knew where to go for numbering, when to put my bike in transition, and how the start would work. I met up with a member of Drip at the start line and we entered the water together which helped ease my nerves. I also had to remind myself that I already knew the course, so I just needed to focus on doing well. Mike and other members of Drip were also there cheering me on throughout the course. By the end, I had finished third in my age group. I wouldn't have had that success without the Trinona Training Program. It gave me the tools, confidence, and community I needed to complete my first race and spark a new passion for triathlon.