What Does it Take to Live to 100 years old?
The secret to living longer [is not exercise]
Take a look at this picture — snapped from a TED video discussing a recent scientific survey of the life factors that correlate most strongly with a long and healthy life. They are surprising — particularly for any Triathletes/ Endurance athletes as diet and exercise are nowhere near the top of the list of importance (though they do contribute — don’t give up immediately!).
In fact, beyond not ingesting poison (i.e. tobacco & alcohol), your relationships are far and away the most significant factors in getting to 100 hale & hearty.
We all know the negatives of triathlon training and the pressure it puts on relationships with those we care most about, but here is the rub; it turns out that the positive effects of your social relationships — your sense of belonging in society, of having a wide diaspora of interactions and of feeling part of something — are even more significant to your longevity than your partner is.
So when we think of what training with other people gives us, we often boil it down to simply opportunities to get in the pool or a group to get out and cycle with — and these things are very important in driving motivation, application & skill acquisition, but the sense of belonging, the friends that we make and being part of a squad of like-minded individuals may actually be amongst the most important health factors in your life. There is no better way to gain that sense of being a part of the “team”, of building friendships and socialising in our sport than going on a Training Camp. It’s a unique environment in which you can develop your skills, build fitness & confidence and live the life of a pro-athlete for a week. I guarantee that you will also build lasting friendships, find training buddies, develop new goals and gain (or regain) passion for your training and racing.
Our Got To Tri camps are for everyone, from beginner to age grouper, from “trainers on the bike” to “TT everywhere”, from Lane 1 splashing to Lane 5 tumble-turns.
So, don’t consider whether you should be on a Tri camp, consider instead whether you can afford to miss it.
