Is triathlon a fleeting obsession on a personal agenda?

Ok, so the runners I've met over the years tend to be very dedicated to running and it endures; irrespective of time and ability (quite right too).

I wonder about triathlon though, whether it becomes a 'habit' for people or if it's going to be a flash in the pan sport that's in fashion for people with money to throw money at... And enjoy.

Also those without (an endless pot of cash) can do the one off IM thing (nothing wrong with that).

But does it have longevity as a sport for the masses, or are we just seeing a peak before the trough?

Personally for me I hope it has some longevity,  I got into my running (finally) but as I upped the miles / speed I picked up injuries, so I branched out,injuries less  And in the sprint Tris I have done not found a friendlier group of people.

The time and ££ commitments for Ironman dont make it as easily accessable as running. I am going to try for a 3:15 marathon time next year - this will be on around 7 to 8 hrs training maximum per week - I would be spending that much time biking just for Ironman and then additional running and swimming

For me Ironman seems to have been a passing phase, I would love to do another but cant justify the time or the financial commitment probably over £1,000 after entry fees accomodation travel and additional odds and sodds for the bike and training foods etc.

I wanted to do one for years after seeing it on ITV world of sport years ago, then being inspired by the Pirates. Now I have done that I want to challenge myself with running again.

BWT wrote (see)

Personally for me I hope it has some longevity,  I got into my running (finally) but as I upped the miles / speed I picked up injuries, so I branched out,injuries less  And in the sprint Tris I have done not found a friendlier group of people.

I think that the cross training element is really balanced. I have a series of books which (in a very geeky way) isolates the 3 different sports in terms of training and then puts them back together.

However, the jury is out if you really want to explore your ability in one sport exclusively.

KK...  not sure my abilities will ever be that great in any sport any more.  Last year I could only swim 22m and I still get scared on my bicycle down a hill!  And the only way my running will work is if they introduce a handcap system like horses and everyone is made to run carrying around 17st!

I think it is more about enjoyment, keeping fit and staying as injury free as possible for me, and the friendly people you meet in transition really help with the enjoyment factor.

I have just got into Triathlon since the Olympics. It is a new challenge, a fresh way to train.  I have upped my training, time wise, by doing more before work, I doubt I would have upped it with just running (my first sport i have been doing for years).  I have spent around £1000 on a bike, pedals, shoes, cycle clothing, bike tools, pumps, wetsuit, swim jammers, goggles and more.  I now have all I need to train and compete.  I`m sure I will want a better bike at some point, but for the next couple of years i`m set.  The extra training improves my running and I can choose different events at different times of the year.  First cross country race on Saturday and winter will be focused on running, with a spring marathon as well.  Spring to Autumn will be Triathlon time.  I can do cycle races now, I can do open water swimming and events. Getting into Triathlon gives me so much more choice and I`m sure will keep me much more motivated for the whole year.  I can dip in and out of the three disiplines as a whole or single sports.  I feel more motivated towards my running now that i am a triathlete, than when I was just a runner.  Phase or not, i`m in.

Magic.

Triathlon is not limited to IM endurance as you well know, kk. The other categories need different skill sets. I have been in tri for over 20 years now and certainly in no way bored by it. A sprint tri can really be fun, eyeballs out from start to finish.

Edited for a typo

On my comeback trail from surgery, I've already entered an Oly and a half-IM for 2013, likely will do a sprint in early season too..

Glad you're on the comeback Iw

For me Triathlon is part of a coping mechanism. I have been involved with Tri for quite some time now ... Not as long as IW (but she is ancient  ). I tried just running but as soon as i up the amount of runs per week i seem to bo more prone to injury.

I used to race a lot ... most weekends over the season (and into winter) used to be taken up with Tri's and run races .. but now i focus on one main race each year with the addition of an impromptu one every now and then (normally a mara or short distance tri)

But as i said Triathlon is a way to for me to cope with the stress of my lifestyle and it is the training more than the races that facilitates this. But I also  need something to aim at to get into the training ... hence the racinig

and i enjoy it 

kittenkat wrote (see)

Ok, so the runners I've met over the years tend to be very dedicated to running and it endures; irrespective of time and ability (quite right too).

I wonder about triathlon though, whether it becomes a 'habit' for people or if it's going to be a flash in the pan sport that's in fashion for people with money to throw money at...

Lots of people run ONE marathon in a similar non-enduring way (and I use the term "run" loosely)

Interesting topic. I think that there will inevitably be a decline in triathlon at some point. Other sports that have gone through the same rapid boom have gone backwards eventually. Golf in the 80's had a similar level of, for want of a better word, "fashionability", and the proliferation of golf courses and popularity during that time is starting to reverse. There will no doubt be another "fastest growing sport in the World" along at some point.

For me, what Dreaming of Magic said is about right. Triathlon allows me to mix up my training, and as someone who gets easily bored with doing one thing that's the biggest bonus. If I'm honest with myself I only race to give me a target to train towards.

I think triathlon will continue to be succesful as both a competition and lifestyle sport.

Main reasons:

1.egos are kept in check, however good at it you are someone will be better than you at least one of the disciplines. (also however slow, you wont be the worst at everything)

2. Incredibly well organised events and the age group nature of the sport make for brilliant competition

3. loads of variety, in training and events

My personal agenda is fitness and enjoyment. This may be 'fleeting', only time will tell . I used to sail so triathlon is a significant cost saving!

MikeFrog wrote (see)

 

 

kittenkat wrote (see)

Ok, so the runners I've met over the years tend to be very dedicated to running and it endures; irrespective of time and ability (quite right too).

I wonder about triathlon though, whether it becomes a 'habit' for people or if it's going to be a flash in the pan sport that's in fashion for people with money to throw money at...

Lots of people run ONE marathon in a similar non-enduring way (and I use the term "run" loosely)

Yup, that's very true Mike. I think it's easier to take up and give up running (not sure if easier is the right word) because it's much less financially demanding and time consuming.

I've participated at a variety of distances of triathlon since 2007, so for 5 years now.  Running pre-dated that by several years.

As someone who only participated for what, two or maybe three years, KK, why did you stop?  Was it purely injury, or just a flash in the pan for you?

M..o.use wrote (see)

I've participated at a variety of distances of triathlon since 2007, so for 5 years now.  Running pre-dated that by several years.

As someone who only participated for what, two or maybe three years, KK, why did you stop?  Was it purely injury, or just a flash in the pan for you?

 

Several reasons really, lack of money being the biggest one. Now I'm working full time that won't be so much of an issue. I also kind of broke myself by doing too much in such a short space of time.

Like FB, I'm actually enjoying the other side of tri, the organisation, officialling etc at the moment.

I don't actually know if I will do a tri again, so maybe it was flash in the pan. I guess when life settles down a bit again I'll reflect more. I'm just enjoying running with the dog tbh at the moment.

I think endurance sports - running, cycling, triathlon and the related stuff like adventure races are here for the long term.   As far as individuals go though I'd expect more to stick with being runners or cyclists than triathletes simply because you can be a runner without racing, you can be a very keen cyclist never having raced, can you be a triathlete if you aren't competing ?  Most people get fed up of the competition at some point - maybe they just can't devote as much time to be as good as they were or as good as they feel they should be.   

I know a few people who have been decent amateur triathletes who have come to being pretty much just cyclists or cyclist/runners now or gone back to being runners.   Maybe there is just more variety in running and cycling - probably most variety in cycling but running has the advantage of simplicity.