Beep, beep, beep.  

It’s 6:30 a.m., and your morning alarm sounds.  

You grunt, question your life choices, and reluctantly drag yourself out of bed.  

The sky is just beginning to dress itself in color when you trudge to the McCarthy Aquatic Center in flip flops, carrying a towel and your water bottle. Brian Caldwell, triathlon coach, and your fellow teammates are already getting ready for the team’s biweekly morning swim.  

“I jump into the pool even if it’s cold and I’m tired,” Matt Maschler (‘24) said.  

Triathlon –– a little-known winter afternoon activity combining the three golden cardiovascular exercises of running, swimming, and biking –– entails afternoon training and, of course, the much-dreaded morning practice. Triathletes swim at 7:00 a.m. in the morning on Monday and Wednesday of each week.  

Mr. Caldwell designates a daily workout plan for the team and varies its difficulty for different people based on their skill level. Usually at around 7:45 a.m., the triathlete finishes their training, showers, and gets ready for the school day.  

While waking up early in the morning and hopping immediately into the pool sounds grueling, it also promises rewards. For starters, triathletes have their Monday and Wednesday afternoons off because they have already fulfilled their daily afternoon activity commitments in the morning.  

“I kind of like it, but also hate it,” Brianna Stodghill (‘26) said. “I like the fact that it gives me a free afternoon and adds variety to my schedule, but getting up early is a struggle. After I do it, though, it feels good.” 

Tyler Liu (‘25), another triathlon team member, also acknowledged the extra flexibility that the schedule affords.  

“You wake up earlier, but you get to rest earlier,” Tyler said. “But the swim practices can be cold, and that’s kind of rough.” 

Morning cardiovascular exercises also help students prepare for busy academic responsibilities ahead, reaping benefits such as mental clarity and boosted metabolism throughout the day. The triathlon team’s morning swim practices can help the members establish a healthy routine, both physically and mentally.  

“I think the workouts are very challenging for me because I’m a terrible swimmer,” Matt said. “But it’s rewarding once I finish them, because I feel accomplished — I did it, even though I did not want to do it.”