My Tri Team

My Tri Team

I'm proud to say that I am part of a tri team! It means a lot to me to say that I am part of something bigger. Part of a community! Part of helping to encourage my team mates! Part of knowing that someone is there to cheer me on as well!

Why should someone join a tri team? Is it worth the time, energy, and funds? Absolutely!

According to an article published by Active, there are direct benefits to you for joining a team:

• New friends and training partners
• Group workouts
• Learning from others
• You are never alone on race day
• Club resources

I agree with all of them. It is nice to meet new people and find others to train with especially on cold, snowy mornings or days that I don't feel like training. That not only holds me accountable to showing up, but I'm with others who might need the support and encouragement as well. I also have people to train with and have access to a lot of their wisdom. Everyone comes to a tri team with different experiences, knowledge, and goals, and we all have the opportunity to learn from each other. I enjoy learning from those that have been doing triathlon longer then myself, but I also enjoy learning from those that have not been in the sport as long because I do need reminders about approaching things with a beginners mind. Most tri teams also have deals with different companies for discounts and boy do those help. Triathlon can get expensive.

I Race Like A Girl is my tri team and I'm proud to say that I race like a girl. But why did I specifically want to be apart of this team?

I'm going to take you through what you might want to look for when deciding what tri team to join by walking through the description and mission of my tri team. I highly recommend I Race Like A Girl!

I Race Like A Girl is a women's endurance team and community created and support by professional triathlete Angela Naeth.

• Knowing who created and runs the tri team is important. If the person or people that created the team have experience and passion for the sport the team then has a solid foundation. When push comes to shove will the leader or leaders be there for the team?

The goal of the team is to provide opportunities for girls and women of all ages and abilities to support, encourage, and inspire one another in the sport of triathlon, cycling, running, and swimming!

• What are the goals of the team? Are the goals of the team congruent with your goals and beliefs? When goals align you will feel supported and reap the full benefit of being on the team.

Both new triathletes and seasoned veterans have the opportunity to be part of a team and community that brings out the best in themselves.

• Is the team welcoming to all? Does the team believe in creating connection between team members? Part of the benefit of being on a team is the connection between the team members which provides support and encouragement.

The mission of I Race Like A Girl is to...

• inspire, empower, and motivate other women in the sport of triathlon
• promote fitness, positive change, and triathlon
• participate in local and global events and give back to the community
• connect with women from across the globe
• write reviews, articles, and share your stories to others in the community

The mission of I Race Like A Girl is an awesome mission. Why? Because the mission doesn't have just one focus and aligns with my goals and beliefs. Sometimes having more then one focus can create a muddled mission, but if the different areas of focus connect and support each other then having more one focus can make for a stronger mission. In the case of I Race Like A Girl, the mission speaks to three big themes - giving back to the community; inspiring and empowering women; and creating connection between members. 

Once you make the decision to join a team you are still evaluating the team. You are responsible for making sure that you are getting out of what you need and checking to make sure that the team is congruent with their values.

What team will you join?