I find most of the people i have raced against and trained with last about five years.
Year 1 they are being dropped and BOP
Year 2 much improvement and very excited each time they reach a new personal best, MOP
Year 3 start beating and leading training group start placing in age group
Year 4 top 3 age group
Year 5 get some top 1 and 2 placing in age group and over training, don't do it for enjoyment
Year 6 start racing less or stopping racing
I think you have to re-learn to enjoy and cherish that you can do it.

I did 2 IM's and training for a 3rd when the same thing happened. I was out for a bike ride (I lived in Whistler) heading north and as I was getting ready to turn around and head home, I thought "wouldn't it be nice if I could just keep going". On my way home I wondered how I could do that. Where would I sleep, how would I carry my tent and other stuff.

The next day I was in Vancouver, having forgotten about my bike ride, and went to a bike store and saw a book called "Miles from Nowhere" where the author rode her bike around the world with her husband. She wrote a book and the day it was done, went out for a bike ride and was hit by a car and killed. It's the only book I've read 4 times.

That book and my thoughts on my ride changed everything. I no longer had any interest in running, biking or swimming in circles. I bought a touring bike, and a number of years later, set off on my own bike trip around the world.

I never had the urge to do triathlons again and the thought that there is something better to do has just got stronger. Now, I do some biking and my other favorite, hiking and have never looked back. For me, once the spark was gone, it was gone for good.

Took almost a 10 year break from doing triathlons and that fire burns as bright as it did back in 2000 when I first started. I was like you in 2005. I'd show up for a race and want to be anywhere besides the race site, so I quit doing them. I still continued to exercise but not the point where I thought I was training.

So, take some time off. You'll get that itch again, or at least I did.

People are always worried about being scared and having butterflies before the start of a race. I equate that to your body wanting to do the race and being excited. That's how you know if you should be racing or not. If the butterflies aren't there, then you shouldn't be racing...IMO.

You need Crossfit. How do you feel about tattoos and a beard though?

---

29 years and counting

On me or on others? :P

I completely agree, I only toyed with long course training and racing for a few years back in the 90's and although successful I really didn't enjoy it and my health suffered. I agree that the long stuff is not good for your health.
I love both training and racing and usually train about two hours a day (run/bike only) and enjoy short course duathlon and shorter 10k/5k running events as well.
Easy to train for day in and day out and doesn't kill an entire weekend day when racing and I can jump right back in to training the next day with no ill effects.

Yep

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

My competitive fire is more like a thermonuclear furnace and hasn't shut off since it hit critical reaction somewhere back around 1972. Due to long term radiation exposure, all my butterflies died circa late 1980s. For most of my 20s, 30s, and 40s, I was strictly a competitive runner which took far less time while raising my family. And now here I am, turning 60, with 10 IM completions over the last decade, and enjoying the hell out of doing the same thing I loved to do a kid...swim, bike and run. Why should I stop just because I'm not nervous when I toe the line? What is most likely to end it will be my declining ability to run. Age will eventually win the battle.

It's funny in that, when you tell people you are doing athletic things (e.g. long run or ride) that are more than just the casual jog, they ask if you are "training for something" I am very much guilty of that as I hear myself saying the words then immediately catch myself. It's almost like you are supposed to have a reason to do something and, if you don't, you have to sort of explain it. Odd observation....

I guess that's a similar path ^ to what I'm following. It does worry me that I will lose the spark. What can you do to prevent that?

I guess that's a similar path ^ to what I'm following. It does worry me that I will lose the spark. What can you do to prevent that?

If you have to do something to avoid losing the spark, you're probably well on the way to doing just that.

I bet you return to racing someday if you crave competition. However, it sounds like family has become the priority for you now and good for you for answering the call to focus on it.

I was deep into training/racing in my 20s before work and family came along. Never thought I would stop. However, I walked away from it all when the kids came and didn't miss it for nearly 10yrs. In my late 30s, I returned to triathlon and running with a new focus and held the passion during a 10yr stretch where I worked really hard, reached several racing accomplishments that I'm still surprised by and have a ton of great memories as a result. Now I'm months from my 50th bday and the passion is dormant once again. I have no problem with that though. Other activities and challenges are filling the void. And when/if it comes back, I'll know it.

No, still feel very hungry for the sport, love most of the training and can't wait to race. But I see people all around me losing motivation and dropping out of the sport and it concerns me that one day I'll lose motivation. It concerns me not because I feel demotivated, but I want to stay in this sport so want to try and avoid getting to that point.

My spark disappeared too. I found that I wanted "more" from life and tri wasn't giving it. In my case the "more" meant trying to be better and swimming/biking/running 10-15 hours a week wasn't helping. I still train, maybe 6 runs a week a lifting a 2-3 time each week but now I have time and energy to do try and be "better". I'm relearning all of the math I forgot and hope to find ways to contribute to society more (like creating a better battery or .... something else (maybe create a truthful politician). :)

But I see people all around me losing motivation and dropping out of the sport

Yes, and the sport has to figure out why this is occurring.

It's a sport that is always going to have a high turnover. It's a tough sport, that requires a lot of training and sacrifice. Compare that to something like soccer, rugby (amateur) train twice a week, game on Saturday and then a shitload of beers.. That's something that people can easily do for years. Also triathlon attracts a lot of people who have never really been athletic and played sports. They don't like the pain associated with exerting themselves and are easily demotivated. They get into triathlon, get a buzz from completing a few races, but 2 years down the track their performances have stagnated, they lose motivation and quit.

I took 5 years off after college. I was a middle distance runner and competed in Tri in the summers. After a poor performance at NCAAs and two tris after graduating, I began training for an elite development race.... I threw in the towel and lost interest. I was always anxious and stressed when i raced and it wasn't enjoyable. Last year I woke up and decided I was ready again and have truely enjoyed the process and racing. I still get nervous but not an unhealthy way.

During my time offf I still ran and worked out. But no goals. Take time and find why you want to be at the startline.

---

USAT Level II- Ironman U Certified Coach