Asheville Triathlon
By Emma Castleberry
Fitness tends to be on everyone’s mind in the new year. A number of different types of fitness events, from triathlons and marathons to one-mile races and fun runs, are hosted throughout our region year-round. Registering for a race or event gives you something to train for and can be an effective and fun way to stick to your health and movement goals for this year. “Participating in a race has a different meaning to everyone,” says Daphne Kirkwood, owner of iDaph Events, which presents a packed annual race calendar in WNC at iDaph.net. “For some, it is a test of their endurance and fitness. For someone else, a race may be a competition against others or themselves or it might be to improve or beat a race time that they had previously. Another participant might just have the 5k goal in front of them so that they can get up in the morning and stay motivated to get to the gym a few times a week.”
Whatever your reason for signing up for a fitness event, there is one in the next 11 months that can help you stay focused and get motivated to exercise. If you’re new to such events, start slow and small with a race that welcomes walkers and families, such as the Frostbite 5k, 10k and 1-Mile Fun Run on Sunday, February 19, in Fletcher. Kirkwood’s advice for true newbies is to start moving with any kind of activity that you enjoy: walking, dancing, biking, swimming or the elliptical. “Start with shorter time intervals,” she says. “Let your body get acclimated to the movement that you are doing.” Maintain consistency in your workout schedule, be patient and don’t be afraid to experiment. “Try movement first thing in the morning, try it on your lunch break, try it in the evening after work,” she says. “Having the variety in the beginning will allow you to see what your body and mind like the best.”
But her most important tip is having a concrete goal to keep you motivated. “Sign up for a race and have a goal in front of you,” she says. “Starting with a one-mile race, then moving to a 5k race is a gradual progression that makes sense for you mentally and physically.” If you’re ready for a 5k or 10k or your first stab at a sprint triathlon, try doing one of those events without a time expectation. Sometimes, the goal is just to finish! “You don’t have to try to do too much, which can lead to injuries, and train for race distances that you just don’t have the time to do,” says Kirkwood. “So keep things in stride and create a goal for yourself that works where you are at right now in the present moment with your life.”
For more information, search online for the title of the event.
2023: A year of movement
2/19 – Frostbite Races 5k, 10k & One Mile (Fletcher)
3/18 – Asheville Marathon & Half Marathon
3/25 – Lake Junaluska Friends of the Lake 5k
4/1– Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon (Waynesville)
5/13 – Jump Off Rock Half Marathon & 10k (Hendersonville)
6/11 – RAD Half Marathon & 10k (Asheville)
6/17 – Hendersonville Triathlon
7/16 – Asheville Triathlon
8/12 – Lake Lure Sprint Triathlon
10/8 – Black Bear Half Marathon & 8k (Hendersonville)
10/21 – Trick or Trail 5k & Spooky Sprint One Mile (Hendersonville)
11/23 – South Asheville Turkey Trot 5k
12/2 – Ugly Sweater Run 5K & 10K (Mills River)
