So can triathlon ever shed that label of...

dancing in spikes wrote (see)

Going back to the original question, I would say that there is a general shift occuring. Whilst 10 years ago people tended to come to triathlon after specialising in one or two of the sports, there are more juniors coming through who have started as triathlete specialists, albeit those who are children of triathletes. Sky Draper is a good example of this - she has been a "specialist triathlete" from the start, rather than coming from a background in one of the individual sports.

That is a really good point and one I would agree with, it will be interesting to see what happens with the sport with the next generation of athletes.

WildWill.... wrote (see)

I didn't come to triathlon from any other sports ... I took up triathlon ... I am a triathlete ... It is my sport.

And as far as others seeing it as jack of all ... I think, in my experience, that most people actually see us as ultra endurance nutters. ... You have to remember most the UKs population don't even get off their arse unless it's to go to the car

Will, Will, Will... you're falling into that 'thing' that I'm trying to kick against on this forum a bit (to get a balance of some sort).

The assumption that the tri side of RW is ALL about the Pirates and the IM distance trumps all! (I know you did that almost subconsciously though)

But do you get my drift?

I still personally love any IM achievement but think I'm in the minority in wanting and respecting as much (if not more), fast at the shorter distances. I think that winning an IM is equal to winning the same quality field (respectively) at every distance.

WildWill.... wrote (see)

For me most of my work mates I was considered an endurance nutter when I only did sprints. ... so same statement... When I stared doing triathlon .. Most people haven't even heard of it.

Even on RW if you dig out some of the early daily training threads... You will see see comments of this ilk

Fair point, we lose perspective a bit when we're involved in it. But to see a sprint as endurance rather than speed and strength... Means that we have to appreciate that our bookmarks (speaking very generically) are all over the place. No comment on if that's a good/bad/who gives a shit... thing. But I find it interesting In other news, how's your dog recovering?

Cool, she so wanted to play with Cole. There will be a re-match

I don't see what your trying to acheive, your not over in the sub 3 mara thread telling them they should all be running 5k's or 100m.

Most people join the forum around VLM time as it's seen as "the race" to do, people see Ironman distance as the triathlon eqivalent.

I don't do sprint distance as it takes me five miles of running before i feel warmed up and I know the futher i run the better i get. It's choice, races like the Vit and Bala are well attended each year by pirates and they are not IM distance are they.

I have a friend who is improving her sprint times race on race.  She regards a fast sprint as the pinnicle of all her hard work.

She loves tri, lives for the intensive cross training through the summer months when she is on leave (teachers get a 9 week solid block of summer leave here in NI).  She has upped her training to prepare her for doing the HIM Ireman next month, and the reason she has cited?

She is looking forward to a whole day competing at what she loves.  I have no doubt that she'll alter seamlessly between short and half distance.  I'd imagine that ability can make the cross over as long as the training is well considered.

Flat Foo..ted wrote (see)

I don't see what your trying to acheive, your not over in the sub 3 mara thread telling them they should all be running 5k's or 100m.

Most people join the forum around VLM time as it's seen as "the race" to do, people see Ironman distance as the triathlon eqivalent.

I don't do sprint distance as it takes me five miles of running before i feel warmed up and I know the futher i run the better i get. It's choice, races like the Vit and Bala are well attended each year by pirates and they are not IM distance are they.

I'm not 'trying to achieve' anything and my guess is that a sub 3 marathon runner is already pretty speedy at the shorter distances.

ok, I saw a post in one thread, maybe the henly one (from someone I knew and like so nothing personal) but it was along the lines of 'there is a half for those not up to the full'.

I just think that perspective has been lost a bit and that the mantra is that longer, however slow is 'better'. It's not better, it's a different animal and a wonderful achievement. But just that.

Lynch me now!

Personally I prefer shorter, faster races. Finishing an iron distance race is a fantastic achievement. I've only done one half iron that i wasn't particularly ready for. It took 5:45 and the run wasn't enjoyable to say the least. Overall great race and glad I did it, but I'm happy to be back racing sprints and olympics this year. I'll definitely go down the route of longer racing when I can't get any faster in the shorter ones, but fingers crossed I have a few more years of getting faster in me! I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to go long straight away though. Depends what kind of challenge you're looking for really.

kittenkat wrote (see)

 

I still personally love any IM achievement but think I'm in the minority in wanting and respecting as much (if not more), fast at the shorter distances. I think that winning an IM is equal to winning the same quality field (respectively) at every distance.

I wouldn't disagree with that, but if your target is to be as fast as possible in a sprint or Oly tri, then unless you're winning the thing, you're still going to be mid-pack so who's going to know?  Breaking three hours for an Oly might be a huge personal achievement, but tell that to the folks at work and they'll be comparing it with Ali Brownlee winning in 1:45 or whatever.  Tell them you've finished an ironman and they don't care what your time was.  I know we shouldn't care what others think, but I've seen runners finish 10k races over the moon at being inside an hour for the first time, while most of the earlier finishers ignore them.  Doesn't happen at IM.

Dave I struggle to think why, and I could be accused of trying to do too much thinking , but you have perhaps answered my own question.

The togetherness, the comraderie (sp?), the kindred spirts, all that!  I once posted about a very good local triathlete who struggled at Lanza this year.  He struggled big time towards the end of the bike and instead of pulling out of the run and saving himself for another day, he continued.  He told of how he looked around him, and in respect to all the folks who would still be going ten hours on he kept going.  He said he would have crawled across the line if needed.

As it turned out it was a typical elite's 'preparing for failure' statement as he qualified for Kona .

I also watched and was totally inspired by Chrissie giving out medals to the tail enders after her epic win last year.

For me, the respect right through the field goes beyond any other race, especially the shorter ones.  The pirate ethos seems to epitomise that spirit, and I want to keep coming back to drink at their fountain.  There will be no pinnacle, no end game, therefore I hope I won't become disappointed with myself.  It's merely a new chapter for me and one in which I can amuse myself for hours, days, weeks and months.

I want to get faster, I'm sure no-one wants to be slower.  But my improvements at sprint (if any) will not be worth documenting as far as I'm concerned.

An hour and a half off my IM time, however, is my target, and it will be a difficult enough one to give me something to occupy myself with for the near future.

I don't ever hear our club's tri sprint bunch complaining that IM is given more respect or coverage.  Quite the opposite in fact as the IM bow to their speed, their athleticism, and dare I say it, their youth .

Great read and bang on VT'd.You sound hooked

there are a few running threads here that have that same atmosphere as IM..which is why i love them...........whilst only a few posters on there............there is as much celebration for someones marathon PB at 5 hours as there is for one of the ladies winning the race in under 2:50...............its all about individual achievements............in whatever distance you choose to do and in whatever sport....one isn't better than another........

in running 100m is the pinacle race.............but very few on here will ever race that distance.............doesn't mean that 10k is slow and only for those who can't be bothered to go fast and hard........

i'm not sure why people keep on wanting to try and segregate the people onto here into long distance or short.......fasdt or slow...........we are all out there training and enjoying what we do.............distance and speed are not important........non of us are elite.......its not our jobs......its a hobby and all of us are crap compared to the elites so why make comparisons

LOL IM, I have just scared the bejesus out of myself by reading back through that .  What the hell am I up to with my life? 

Can I not just buy a fishing rod or a couple of ferrets instead of lycra and carbon fibre everythings?

Lanza FFS! How the hell am I going to approach that one.  Wind, my first hate! Heat, my second hate! Hills, my third hate! .  Bring it on!

Stop the negatives. Think of Lanza in terms of what is good,

sun, sea, sangria, the IM :Lanza medal and memories

I am very confussed as to what to do next. I have theoretically taken an IM break. The plan is to eneter some shorter runnuing races and try and keep focus that way. It just doesnt feel right though. If I manage to run fater, it is only for the goal of a better IM time, or less painful expereience.

STIL and I have agreed to hold off plans for next year until after IM Wales. I dont thik it is feasible for us to both peak train at the same time and I guess we will see how he gets on with only 12 weeks of high volume tarining.

I know what you mean, IM - it's natural to want a single focus, and marathons & long distance tri fit the bill for most, after all you could probably go out & run a half marathon next month and not be miles away from your best.

One way to keep focus is to try some of the qualifying races for the Euro/World Tri & Duathlon champs.  You might be surprised at how close you are to qualifying, although it varies quite a lot from age group to age group.  It makes a change from IM, that's for sure!

seren I don't think the forum should be segregated, hence the conversation

but when and where have you ever heard it called jack of all trades.......or did you just make it up to make a debate........