FAQ: How do I have fun with my triathlon training?

I post this advice a lot: have fun with your triathlon training. "But Frey," my fans reply, "tell me how to have fun. Everyone seems so intense when I show up to (masters practice/group ride/local 5K race). What are some specific things I can do to overcome this?"

Without further ado, here's my top 3 ways to have fun with your training:

1) Get a bike bell.

This one move alone is guaranteed to increase your fun-ness while cycling by at least 73%.

2) Race in an unconventional outfit.

Here's a picture of me racing Florida Ironman 70.3 in a pink speedo. Yep, I ran the whole half marathon in that speedo, and I took a 5 second penalty because of it.

3) Get a cooler name

Frey is just a great name. Period. When I am cycling or running down the A1A, my triathlon friends always yell out, "Hey Frey!", or "Frey Bird!", or simply, "Frey!". That can't help you feel good when you're out there suffering. Hearing, "Hello, Charles." or "Solid form, Susan." just doesn't have the same ring. Get a cooler name, and you, too, can have a chorus of inspiring fans cheering you on.

Bonus Tip: Have more fun at Sea than at Port

This tip is a little abstract, so let me explain. I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean yesterday. It was the traditional pirates vs. the british navy plot. Cap'n Jack Sparrow, the pirate, was seeking immortality so that he could sail the seas forever; he didn't want to go back to port. The british, on the other hand, sail because it's their duty, but they look forward to relaxing in port after a long voyage. At the end of the movie, it was the sea-lovin' pirates that defeated the land-lovin' british.

The same goes with triathlon training. If you're like the pirates, and you geniunely enjoy the training, you'll always have fun, no matter how foul the metaphorical weather gets. If you're like the british, and you dutifully train but don't really love it, you won't be having fun. Jack would sail forever if he could, and I would be biking forever if I could.