Pain-Free Athlete's Podcast
Are you tired of feeling pain? Are you recovering from a surgery? Do you want to learn how to stay active and pain-free? I'll share tips and strategies that can help you stay safe and pain-free while you're working out. I'll also interview experts in the field of fitness, rehabilitation and pain management.
Pain-Free Athlete's Podcast
Transforming Triathlons: Embracing Community and Joy in the DJFE Triathlon Race Series
Can you imagine a triathlon that swaps high-stress competition for a warm, communal experience? Welcome to the Pain-Free Athlete Podcast! I’m Dana Jones, and I'm here to share the inspiring journey of the 10th annual DJFE Triathlon Race Series. This special event emerged as a beacon of positivity and inclusion after the cancellation of the Ukiah Triathlon due to water shortages. Our series thrives on a family-friendly ethos, stripped of the anxiety of official timings and hyper-competitive placements. It’s the perfect setting for both seasoned sprint triathlon lovers and newcomers seeking camaraderie and the joy of racing without pressure. Join me as we explore the essence of endurance racing, comparing the rigors of traditional events like Ironman with our relaxed, supportive environment. Listen and feel inspired to remain strong and committed, as we promise to reconnect at future events, continuing our shared journey in fitness and well-being.
@djsfitnessevolution
Welcome to the Pain-Free Athlete Podcast. I'm your host, dana Jones. I am a certified personal trainer and I'm here to help you achieve your fitness goals without pain. In each episode, I'll share tips and strategies that will help you stay safe and pain-free while you're working out. I'll also interview experts in the field of fitness and pain management. So if you're ready to learn how to stay active and pain-free, then subscribe to the Pain-Free Athlete Podcast today. Hi everyone and welcome to the Pain-Free Athlete Podcast. I'm your host, dana Jones, and I'm excited. I'm excited.
Speaker 1:This past weekend, I hosted the 10th annual DJFE Triathlon Race Series and kind of crazy to me that it's been 10 years of us racing and, you know, sometimes it's just like so funny because you know how people say like you know, you need to be ready, aim, fire. A lot of times I'm ready, fire, aim. And this is one of those things where I was just like, yeah, we should do a race. And everybody was like, yeah, we should do our own race because Ukiah Triathlon had been canceled due to the lack of water in Lake Mendocino. And we're like, well, we want to race, we've all been training, so let's go ahead and do this. And so 10 people were the founding racers for this race and that was in 2013. So it's 10 minus the COVID year, or 11 minus the COVID year, which makes it 10. And it has grown into a wonderful event and it's everything that we hoped it would be. A lot of us are middle of the pack. We're so grateful. We're finishing type racers and it's almost like we took everything that you possibly could be annoyed with at a regular race and took it out, and so there's no timing of the event.
Speaker 1:I do time it just to kind of make sure that we don't lose people, but there's no official timing, there's no placing right, so there's no first or second place in your ages or categories or whatever. In your ages or categories or whatever, there's a nice person that trails you to make sure that you're okay and that you need all the oomph to be able to finish the race, and it's just. Our volunteers are insanely supportive and it's just a fun race. Like I wanted, a family friendly race, I wanted to see everybody you know be able to participate with no stress or, you know, as much stress as you'd hope that they wouldn't put on themselves, and I think that's what we've been able to achieve and I'm really excited to kind of just talk about it a little bit and talk about racing in general and especially endurance racing, because it's a little funny and most people who participate are kind of type a-ish kind of people and triathlon really fits the bill because of the fact that it really just is um, you have to have all your ducks in a row to participate, right. There's things that you have to have right. You have to, you know, be prepared to swim and deal with all that. Then you have to be able to bike and make sure that your bike is in working order to be able to participate. Then you have to run and it can be intense, because what we know about triathlon is Ironman, and I'm not here to bag on Ironman because they got a good thing going.
Speaker 1:It's been around for a very long time but some people have used that as their bucket list item, you know, and if you watch any of the stories, you see like people coming back from cancer and addiction and all these things and they decided they're going to do this or they were obese and thought they were going to die and then they lost a bunch of weight and did the triathlon and there's something about that. But there's also a level of torture that a lot of people don't want to have, level of torture that a lot of people don't want to have. I mean to be in Hawaii at the time that you're in Hawaii because right now it's probably a week before the World Championships and I actually don't know if they're in Hawaii this year because they've been moving them around but to be there and to to swim two miles and to bike 112 and to run 26 is crazy and it takes a special kind of crazy to be able to do that. And that's not anything, you know. Not everybody wants to do that, but there's an intensity to it, right? You know, whenever it's kind of like the, you know, going back to Olympic athletes, you know if you want to be good at a particular sport, there's a to do that. You're gonna do two a days, you're gonna do possibly three days, you know, and then god forbid you get sick or something like that. It throws your whole schedule off and people spend, you know, the better part of a year training for an Ironman because of the fact of, you know, it's very depleting to the body and that's cool.
Speaker 1:It's not something I ever wanted to do, you know, know. And of course it's the marathon. Man, like I'll swim the miles, that's fine. Biking may be, you know, pretty painful, but man, the running of the 26 miles it's like, uh, no, thanks, I don't want to run a marathon. That's like that's never been a bucket list item for me.
Speaker 1:And I love these shorties, you know, doing the little sprint. Triathlons they're fun. Olympics, you know you're kind of pushing the boundaries there because it gets a little bit long, but you know, the sprints and the minis they're just fun. You go out with your friends, you have a good time. And you know the way that my friend Anna and her cousin Tim kind of sold it to me was just like we go out, we race and we have breakfast, you know. So I was like, okay, I'm willing to race for pancakes or bacon. Probably I'll do anything for bacon, you know.
Speaker 1:And that's what we decided to do and that's what made it fun was that it wasn't about who's better, who's faster, who's? You know, I got the better equipment, I have that Now. We, who's faster, who's? You know, I got the better equipment, I have that Now. We all wanted better equipment, right, like so we all talk to each other about oh, look at that, All right, I want that. Oh, I want to save up for that. But the reality is that all that equipment is okay, but you're the engine.
Speaker 1:And so you know, like I remember some guy at some sports store was trying to sell me light pedals and he's like, oh, you know, these are, these will take 300 grams off the pedals that you're using right now. And he's like you're gonna be so much faster. And I was like, yeah, but I can also lose weight and be a ton faster and not have to spend, you know, $400 for pedals. You know. So they know, right, these people know who they're getting and they enjoy you know upselling, right, because you know a lot of triathletes are like, yeah, I'm going to do that, I'm going to spend $15,000 on a bike. And you know there are crazy people that have that money and can do that and that's fantastic.
Speaker 1:But I wanted to create something that was more personable and in my experience, because I've been one of the you know, the back of the pack, dfl, dead, fucking last type athlete there's nothing more disconcerting when everybody packs their shit and there's nothing left on the course. And I didn't want that. I didn't want to create a race where we're tapping our watch and look in and go, wow, you're taking forever, like I wanted somebody to follow and chat them up and make them feel good about what they're doing and and know that you know everybody has struggled. There's nobody who has, you know, come through and been like that. I every race, I race is amazing and you know I come in first and it's just fantastic Like no man like you have a cramp. You know I come in first and it's just fantastic like no man like you have a cramp.
Speaker 1:You know I have friends who you know your equipment is broken. Right, you're done, that's it, you're out. You know you throw a chain, snap a chain, you know break a wheel right, all those kinds of things. I had one friend of mine boy, it was like I don't know. Every time we went out he did something with his bike, always broke and it was kind of a bummer. I think god was trying to tell him like he should probably not race, um, but yeah, so I mean, there's things that happen and not everybody has a great race and um.
Speaker 1:So I wanted to create something that was short enough that you could have a great race and you can enjoy doing it with your friends. It would be a good fitness goal. Look, I did this and people are impressed by oh, you're a triathlete, that's so cool. Yeah, it is pretty damn cool, right, that you go out and you do these things all together, right, you swim, bike, run, get it done. And I'm just thrilled. And over the years, the stories that people have shared with me about why they've raced the race have been pretty damn amazing. It's been everything from a bucket list item, you know, like oh, I'm turning 40 and I want to see what I can do. It's been a goal, like we have a group that comes out of, I think, the East Bay and they're all fitness people, right, they're all trying to get themselves in shape and so they do this race as their little get together and kind of celebration of their progress.
Speaker 1:I've had one particular individual who had a miscarriage and this was their I need to know that I'm still alive race and you know there's. It's kind of hard for me because sometimes you know, people come across a finish line and they're crying and I don't know why you're crying. Are you okay? You know, like, cause I gotta, I gotta check in, right, I gotta make sure you're okay. And like, this weekend we had a woman who was crying and I'm like, are you? She's like they're happy tears. I'm like, okay, you know, but just you know, and that was so sweet that you know, people feel that way and you know, and I like to see that that's that's why I do this. Right, there is, I'm not making millions off this race. Um, it's a cozy little race and I like it that way. Um, and I just am so proud of people and I love to see their reactions.
Speaker 1:You know, we had a little dude that was seven, that was flying, you know, and I don't know what his future holds, but holy crap, you know he probably clipped about a seven and a half minute mile. You know, he sprinted all the way down, he did the mini and you know he probably could do more. But I also want him to have fun. Right, I don't want to make him a psycho at seven years old. I want him to enjoy sports and have a good time. But he was just so cute and when he finished he bit the metal like the Olympic athletes and it was so freaking cute, like that was his Olympics and you know, that's the stuff that just makes me so thrilled that people are out here doing it. And you know, again, I don't want people to feel bad, right, I want you to come out, I want you to enjoy your race, I want you to have a good time, I want you to be inspired, right?
Speaker 1:You know, I have one gentleman who our race was the first race he did, and then occasionally I'll volunteer for other races. And then I saw him and he's like I'm here because of you, you know, and I was like that's fantastic. You know, like I love watching people go out and challenge themselves a little bit more and it's just, it's just good, it warms my heart. So, 10 years, 10 years of craziness, and you know, I'm so grateful for the people who did the first race and I'm so grateful for being able to get talked into things, because I'm easy, right, if it looks like it's fun, it's like let's go, let's have some fun. So I'm really grateful that that happened, because I think what we have is fun and I love seeing people do well, I love holding space for them and you know, just, it's fantastic and I love that people come and enjoy our community.
Speaker 1:And it's so funny because sometimes you take things for granted. You know, I ride around here all the time. I'm like all right, whatever. And some woman came back this week and she was like the trail was so beautiful and there, you know, the trees and then the vineyards, and I was like, really Like you know, sometimes I'm not quite present when I'm riding my bike, I'm just trying to get stuff done and I forget that, like I live in a very beautiful part of this country and we should embrace this. So it's fantastic that they do and that she noticed that, that she wasn't out there trying to beat somebody and that she was just enjoying the process and really, you know, just having a good time, and that's what I really like. It's not about your individual performance, it's really about being there and lifting each other up and just having a good time while you're out there.
Speaker 1:So you know, whether this, uh, you're, whether you're considering to do a triathlon there are plenty of little ones. They have many triathlons, micro triathlons. They have triathlons that are backwards, right when they're. Um, what is it? Run, bike, swim, swim. A friend doesn't recommend that because then you know, when you go to breakfast you're wet, because you know the other way around. You get a chance to dry off, and you know. But it's really up to you and it's something if you want to try it. I'm all about everybody trying something once. You don't have to stick with it, but it's always good to go ahead and challenge yourself and, you know, have some fun and do the best you can and feel good about yourself, and that's really what it's all about.
Speaker 1:So, again, thank you to the hundreds of athletes that have participated in this race, thank you to the founding athletes, thank you to all the volunteers.
Speaker 1:Man Like this would not be able, right Like I would not be able to host this race if I did not have the volunteers that kind of go above and beyond.
Speaker 1:They're not just I mean, they are volunteers because they're not getting paid, but they, like you know, bring their voice and their expertise and their intelligence to making sure that the course is safe and that the athletes are safe and that they have a good time. And for the people who put me in touch with the people that give me money to host the race and the city of Santa Rosa and Echelon Cycle and Finley Pool, which is like my home pool, right, I do my swim clinics there. I spend a lot of time in that pool and the staff there are just fantastic and I appreciate that. And, again, it takes a village to be able to accomplish things and I am so glad to be able to do this. And I am so glad to be able to do this and I am so grateful for the fact that I get the opportunity to hold space for these athletes. So, you know, go ahead and stay strong, right, remember you, stay pain-free and keep pushing your limits and I will catch you next time.
