Oshiro said she ran her first marathon, the 2000 Honolulu Marathon, and finished in 4:25 after training on her own. Then she saw an advertisement in the now-defunct Hawai'i Race Magazine for Boca Hawaii.

"It sounded really interesting. I was going to learn how to do a marathon, instead of trying to do it on my own," said Oshiro, who improved her time in the 2002 Honolulu Marathon to 4:08.

"It just sounded so much fun. Then I started the cycling clinic," she said.

Oshiro said before she ran in her first marathon, the thought of participating in a triathlon "absolutely" did not cross her mind.

"To me, it's unfathomable how you can put three long races together in one day," she said.

Boca Hawaii's training sessions usually last two to three months, three days a week for two to four hours a day. It features training for the Honolulu Triathlon, Olympic Training Triathlon and the Boca Marathon.

"It's not something I want to take over my life, but it balances my life," said Oshiro, who said she trains five or six days a week from one to four hours a day. "Physically and mentally, I feel more well-rounded.

"I'm not a fanatic, but it's something I really enjoy."

Oshiro said a bonus of working out with Boca Hawaii is meeting people to train with during off days.

"With Boca training groups there isÊa great sense of camaraderie and a support system thatÊhelps to get you through tough workouts and makes it easy to find the motivation to train," she said.

Torres said exercising is the most important thing, whether it is with his group or alone.

"I think whatever makes people go out there and exercise is fine," he said. "It doesn't matter if people train alone, but the reason group training is good is that (training) can get boring if you do it by yourself. It's a workout, but it's also a great social activity."

Fifteen coaches who all specialize in at least one sport are there to help train the participants. But Torres said his training group is meant for people of all levels of athletic ability.

"We have a reputation of being a tougher clinic, but I enjoy working with beginners," he said. "They listen, they have courage, and they are willing to put the effort in."

He said the most important trait a participant needs to have to join his group is commitment.

"I've seen people say, 'Oh, I don't care,' and then they improve, and they say, 'Oh, this is so much fun,' " Torres said. "People say they're not competitive, but everyone is competitive. If you enter a 10K and say, 'Oh, I'm just doing it for fun,' but if they see they're at the end of the list and they get mad."

Workouts include training on a stationary bike, distance running, hill workouts, intervals training, ocean swims, pool workouts, long bike rides, transition drills and practice triathlons.

With the training broken down into segments, it makes the idea of doing a triathlon more feasible.

Oshiro has been training with Boca Hawaii since 2002. She competed in the Na Wahine Sprint Triathlon in 2003, and Keauhou-Kona Triathlon half-Ironman in 2004.

"I'm definitely a better runner now, which is so sad, because I should have had youth on my side," Oshiro said. "I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life, which is weird to say at 41, but I wouldn't want it any other way."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.

Training clubs: Finding one that fits your needs

THE SERIES

Jan. 14—Try Fitness?:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Jan/14/sp/sp20p.html

Jan. 21—Team Jet Hawai'i:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Jan/21/sp/sp30p.html

Feb. 4—Jonathan Lyau's Personal Best Training:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Feb/04/sp/sp20p.html

Feb. 11—Brian Clarke's School of Running:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Feb/11/sp/sp30p.html

Feb. 25—Team in Training:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Feb/25/sp/sp32p.html

March 4—Honolulu Marathon Clinic:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Mar/04/sp/sp20p.html