# @stephmylife on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DYKKUMMxPTm
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/65361839-stephmylife-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/ed86d33377.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-05-10T12:51:32.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Stephanie Barry Woods (@stephmylife) — https://gondola.cc/stephmylife

## Caption

First triathlon done!🥰🥰🥰 

Last November, I had a wild idea to train for a triathlon. I’d worked on my fitness to prepare for two Nepal treks, and I wanted a new challenge to work towards. So I signed up for my first tri!

The problem was that I hadn’t swam in years - and the only cycling I did was spin class (or between wineries when I did wine tastings) 🫣 

And it was a humbling start! Swimming lessons as an adult are a little mortifying, like learning to ski - you’re surrounded by people who are better than you and you’re just learning the ropes. Thanks aleksander.taraskin for showing me everything I was doing wrong 😂

Training for this made me realise that the biggest block we can have to doing new things is…just….being bad at something?  We have goals, but we don’t want to go through the *sucking* stage to get to the *great* stage. 

I nearly gave up so many times because I felt like I sucked at it. I thought maybe I should attempt something easier. But really, where is the benefit in that? There’s more growth in pushing through the discomfort of being new to something than only attempting things we know we can do. I *couldnt* do this 6 months ago, and that makes this feeling so much better! 

Yesterday I finished my first official triathlon! On a bike with no gears in Bangkok heat 😂

400m swim 
20km bike 
5km run

If there’s anything I’ve learned from the last 6 months of training it’s this: 

• It’s ok to be bad at something in the beginning
• you gain so much by just putting your ego aside 
• garmin & trainingpeaks will prepare you for anything 
• Swimming lessons are so worth the money 
• Training between 3-5pm is the golden window 
• Electrolytes are amazing for recovery 
• Great sleep is key for great progression
• The more intimidating something is, the better you’ll feel when you finish! 

Now it’s time to get ready for my first sprint triathlon on June 6th ❤️

#triathlon #tridash #swimming #cycling #running

## Stats

- **Views:** 18,050
- **Likes:** 1,148
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 52

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Stephanie Barry Woods | @stephmylife | https://gondola.cc/stephmylife | Influencer |

## Tags

tridash, triathlon, swimming, running, cycling

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