Are you a triathlete?

It feels quite strange telling people: "I am a triathlete" the same way I would say "I am from Argentina" or "I want that T –shirt". Yesterday I was chatting with this gentleman that was doing the same tramp Nat and I were doing and I said the said phrase. The reaction on the other side was normal, but I felt quite not.

So… in what circumstances shall I say that I am a triathlete? Am I entitled to say so even though I don’t do it professionally? What allows me to say that I am indeed one of the triathlete class?

I like the sport pretty much the same way I like other things, like movies, or books or going hiking, but strangely enough I don’t go saying people that I am a moviegoer, or a booklover or a hiker. So, for a start I may have triathlon as part of what defines me (d’oh!) and that may be the case, I don’t know. If that premise is true, then I can say that I am indeed a triathlete, if it is not, It may just be a pose, with its good and bad things.

To be fair, I am not at all worried about this, but thought it would be a good topic to share.

Here’s Quixotte, Triathlon NZ member xxxxx, also member of the Auckland City Tri club, from now on bestowed with the powers to use the word “triathlete” when referring to himself.

We hiked the Tongariro Northern Circuit, a 3 to 4 days tramp that goes around some marvellous places from this marvellous country. When I’m hiking I switch completely off and the mind wanders. You just witnessed a bit of what goes through my head on days like today.

So, on day two of the road to Buda I did

 

Date: 5-Apr

Sport: Hiking

Time: 5 hours

Dist: 19km

Comment: I had 15 kgs on my back the whole trip!