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Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways?
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Hello to all of my fellow female triathletes. Happy training!!!

I wanted to post a little question to everyone out there: Do you ever have non triathlete friends ask you, "what are you doing after work?" And you simply tell them, "I'm going to the sportsplex to swim laps and then going for a run after," and then they look at you like they are just completely confused? It's definitely something I am very familiar with. Sometimes I feel like I'm on the defense and I don't know why. I guess I just feel like I have to constantly explain to people why I would rather get up and swim at 6 am with the group instead of staying out all night partying . Oh well- such is the life :) I wouldn't change it for anything.

Kaitlin Switzer
KaitlinX3
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [KaitlinX3] [ In reply to ]
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I get a variation of it: "Why won't you do X with us?" Where X = slo-pitch/BJJ/insert non-swim/bike/run activity of choice. If I tell them I have 9 hours of trainer workouts already for the week, they really don't get it. Of course, none of them want to come swim/bike/run with me either.
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [Scheherazade] [ In reply to ]
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That's so funny. But yes I also get people that want me to sign up for classes with them and I'm just like... don't have the time or the money because that all goes to what I do!!!
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Kaitlin Switzer
KaitlinX3
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [KaitlinX3] [ In reply to ]
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There will always be people who, consciously or not, will undermine your choices to justify theirs.

Just smile.
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [kiki] [ In reply to ]
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Agreed :)

Kaitlin Switzer
KaitlinX3
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [KaitlinX3] [ In reply to ]
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I've been doing this long enough where my friends know my training schedule.

I will say, however, that my anti-exercise, anti-gym, but very active friend has actually taken up jogging. She figures if she had been jogging all these years we've been friends that she'd be in better shape than she is now, so she took it up. Now I jog with her 2x a week for 20 minutes and we run 4:00, walk 1:00. She claims that it almost kills her. And she asks why I don't use my Garmin 920xt to track our jogs..... But hey, gotta start somewhere. When we finish our 20 minutes, I go for my 10 miler or something.

She thinks I'm crazier now that she's started jogging. Before she just thought I was slightly crazy.

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [SLOgoing] [ In reply to ]
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That is amazing!!! I have some friends that ask me to do some things like that with them and I definitely should start!!!! Thanks for the reply!

Kaitlin Switzer
KaitlinX3
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [kiki] [ In reply to ]
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I completely agree with this. If they don't think the exercise is crazy on it's own merits they fling the old, I can't do that because I've got responsibilities (a.k.a kids/husband).

To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [KaitlinX3] [ In reply to ]
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I have been doing it for about 5 years now, so people regard it as my normal. Weird for the rest of society, but normal for me. It helps that during that time, I made quite a few friends who do some kind of racing--if not tris, bike racing or marathons or ultra running. So they get it. Of course, by making those friends, I have learned that no matter how much I work out or how fit I get, there is always someone who is doing more or still considers me to be a beginner. And that is OK. I have run a 50k, and the people who run 100M are crazy.
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [Tsunami] [ In reply to ]
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Tsunami wrote:
I completely agree with this. If they don't think the exercise is crazy on it's own merits they fling the old, I can't do that because I've got responsibilities (a.k.a kids/husband).

Or, possibly their priorities/interests/hobbies are different than yours? I have a friend who is into yoga. I love listening about how it's going and in turn, she listens to my stories about biking/running.

The world would be a pretty boring place if everyone did the same things.
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [edbikebabe] [ In reply to ]
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You might think the kids/husband was the hobby but when the statements have been issued it has always come over as Gee, it's great you get to play sports and all but some of us have actual real life responsibilities that don't allow us to waste time with such endeavors. I'm happy to hear about alternate past times. I could do without condescension (not referring to your reply, btw).

To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [Tsunami] [ In reply to ]
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Tsunami wrote:
You might think the kids/husband was the hobby but when the statements have been issued it has always come over as Gee, it's great you get to play sports and all but some of us have actual real life responsibilities that don't allow us to waste time with such endeavors. I'm happy to hear about alternate past times. I could do without condescension (not referring to your reply, btw).

Yeah - I'm with you. That isn't cool. No one's choices are better/worse, just different. And not having time for yourself because of husband/kids/etc is still a choice - even if they want to pretend it isn't. I don't get as much playtime as I'd like - but I'd be miserable to be around if I didn't have at least some time that was "mine".
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [KaitlinX3] [ In reply to ]
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Just this weekend I did a big race and when I was telling a coworker about it, she looked at me with a horrified face before turning away and saying simply, "You're weird." XD XD XD

I've come to accept that's just how I'm different than many of my friends. I don't care about fashion or poopy diapers or whatever, and that's OK!

http://mediocremultisport.blogspot.com
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [Midtown Miles] [ In reply to ]
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Hahaha I'm right there with you!!!great job!!!

Kaitlin Switzer
KaitlinX3
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [Midtown Miles] [ In reply to ]
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My favorite is when somebody asks how my weekend was and I tell them I got up at 4am Saturday and drove 3 hours to go for a 4 hour run and then I went back home. Then they proceed to tell me they drove their kids to the valley (3 hours away) for a weekend soccer tournament. Why am I the crazy one!? Why can't we both be crazy? It is as if the exercise makes us the weirdos. I actually had somebody accuse me once of being selfish by spending all that time exercising.

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [Midtown Miles] [ In reply to ]
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Stay weird!
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [SLOgoing] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
She figures if she had been jogging all these years we've been friends that she'd be in better shape than she is now, so she took it up.

That's awesome! Way to set a good example :-)

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [edbikebabe] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
You might think the kids/husband was the hobby but when the statements have been issued it has always come over as Gee, it's great you get to play sports and all but some of us have actual real life responsibilities that don't allow us to waste time with such endeavors. I'm happy to hear about alternate past times. I could do without condescension (not referring to your reply, btw).
Yeah - I'm with you. That isn't cool. No one's choices are better/worse, just different. And not having time for yourself because of husband/kids/etc is still a choice - even if they want to pretend it isn't. I don't get as much playtime as I'd like - but I'd be miserable to be around if I didn't have at least some time that was "mine".

x2

To answer the OP, some of them do -- but I am in grad school with an officemate who is a professional track cyclist, so that helps :-)

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [edbikebabe] [ In reply to ]
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I agree - my bestie loves me for being a total tri geek and doesn't do any of the three disciplines! But she does laugh out loud at me rather often when I tell her my idea of a good morning or a date with my husband, since we both love tri!

Tracy M. De Soto
Femme Designer/CFO/Attorney
De Soto Sport
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Re: Do your non triathlete friends always look at you sideways? [KaitlinX3] [ In reply to ]
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My answers about how i spend my free time are vague ....Oh idk maybe ride my bike a little...not sure. Not like I would ride in bad weather or that I have to ride or that I would stay on the bike very long....just a little tinee tiny bike ride.........................yeah right !
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