I did my first IM in 2013 when my child was 22 months old. I had the triathlon fever back then and it was my second season in the sport (I started immediately after the daughter was born) and by that time I did 3 x 70.3 races (including a 70.3 & ITU WC qualification), 20ish local races. I trained 8-10 hrs for that Ironman and finished it in 11:03. But then 9 months later I gave birth to my second child and things haven't been the same since. I find it is difficult to juggle a career (I work full time) and two kids (now 5.5 & almost 3) with their own extracurricular activities.

I still "train" 7-9 hrs per week, and theoretically I could train for another IM, but I no longer enjoy the bike rides due to the increasingly heavy traffic...and driving out and away so that I can hop on a bike seems like too much effort and time (which is limited to begin with). I do not want to be stuck indoors on a trainer when the weather is nice outside. It is so much easier to put on a pair of running shoes and go for a run. A two hour run feels long and satisfying enough - a feeling that I would get only after 3-4 hours on the bike.

Plus, I feel like I set the bar high for myself with my first ironman in 2013 with 11:03 finish time. I was in the best shape of my life back then and was a strong biker. I know that if I raced now, I would probably finish in 11:40-12:30 at best.

But I do feel sad that I no longer have the motivation to RACE. Although I still need to train (run or swim) every day or else I feel out of sorts.

Started 11, finished 8, didn't make it to the start of 1. Did it for the people, the travel (NZ, Brasil, Kona among other places), the structure, the fun. Did my last one at Vineman and then turned to bike racing since I found the velodrome and LOVED that and the people who race on the track.

Moved to Tennessee and really miss all of the above. About time to start swimming and biking again. The run is doubtful since I had a full knee replacement in 2015.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

You're new here, aren't you.....

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

You're old and addicted to this forum aren't you...

For me, if I could have gotten into Kona for my first full, I would have been one-and-done but since that was not possible and I am not fast enough to qualify, I am doing multiple to get via legacy. I vastly prefer the half & oly distances. Once I do Kona, I will be done with fulls.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

See my last post (#127). I hope you are getting some pleasure or satisfaction from the fulls you are doing since it now takes 15 to reach the Kona starting line. If Kona is your only motivation I think it would be mentally very difficult to persevere through so many just to get to one race. That said, good luck on the quest!

I read through almost every post here and the many insights were interesting to me. IM training definitely has it's polarizing views; each with its valid points.

Anyway, I did my first one in 2013 [IMWI] and, honestly, it was one of the best days of my life (and no, I'm not married nor have kids.....Lol). I will always treasure the journey to that day, the event itself, and the overwhelming support I received from my friends, family, and coach at the finish. One of my friends at the finish actually made a video for me about that day and my journey and to this day it still brings me to tears.

So that said, I do feel like I have a few IMs in me. I still do 70.3s on an annual basis and have lately turned those races into destinations that I find interesting. I love the cross-training of triathlon; always will. I do plan on doing my next one next year. I believe that 3 sounds like a nice round number of IMs to complete :)

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Tomorrow is not promised. Increase the Peace.

Thanks! Ah, just read that and yes, I am making it a point to not do the same race twice unless circumstances call for it (like IMMD maybe next year if it still exists, i'd like to actually swim in the choptank) and am certainly using it to fill up the passport. Doing the bike course in Nice was simply amazing and since I wasn't too worried about my time, I was able to really breathe it all in and enjoy the sights. So yes, even though I basically survive these races, I train enough for halves that I don't suffer too much and still do 12-14 hours and get to enjoy the course and destinations.

Sub-note, if Kona wasn't the location of the championship (like an alternate world where Roth or Nice held the same status), I would absolutely be one-and-done. I really only want Kona because I was born & raised in Hilo and since I now live in NYC, I can't partake in the HI resident lottery pool. It doubles the magic of the idea for me since my mom and most friends still live there.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

To go back to Kona that is why i race the distance.......... I also tend to do better the longer the racing goes on (body does well operating at 75-83% Hr)

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2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz

The bolded and underlined is the key. If my wife and I didn't have kids she would be perfectly happy with me training as much as I want. I always wanted kids but they definitely require huge sacrifices across the board and I didn't realize how big until I had one :)

Here is what Nietzsche and Milan Kundera have to say on the topic:
1) Einmal ist keinmal.....
That which happens only once, might just as well have never happened at all.
2) The eternal return-
That which happens over and over an infinite number of times....... is the heaviest of burdens.

So..... the right answer is more than one and less than infinity.

I am a one and done. But at least for me, it was Kona...through the lottery of course.

I trained so hard for it...probably a little overboard, but other than the hype of Kona that was fueling the fire, I hated the training and lifestyle. Waking up early mornings to run, swimming or riding after work. Long solo days in the saddle keeping steady power, long solo runs, or swimming back and forth in a pool. Sure there were some intervals in there...but the main goal was to get good at going one speed for a fucking really long time.

So I moved to cycling only after Kona. Commuted to work, bike raced, got into cyclocross, gravel riding, and mountain biking. Really improved my bike handling skills and descending skills. Love the tactics and attacks involved in a hard group ride...and even more so love that our group rides often involve a coffee or sometimes breakfast stop, and most times a beer or two after. I am so much happier in life doing what I actually want to do.

Before, I thought that Kona, or IM was something that I really wanted. I was wrong. I feel into the belief that it was something I wanted because a lot of other people wanted it. Yes, Kona and IM is kind of cool...but not cool enough for me to commit that much time to it. It's just not for me.

Kids are not a sacrifice. IMO, if one does not want kids, why even get married.

On my death bed, what I have done with my kids and now grandkids matter, what I have done in athletics will mean nothing, zero, nada.

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

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I like how you think! Next year will be #13 for me at my 11th different venue (the new IM Norway). However, my thoughts on Kona are 180. I will go somewhat grudgingly only because it is the WC and a must do for that reason. If my wife were ranking the races by destination, Hawaii would register in the bottom 10%.

that's because you're not good in athletics. no one cares about what phelps, or froome, or bolt does with their kids. but their status in history is cemented.

I now feel like i'm being trolled because that is one of the dumbest things I've ever read. If your day consists of you doing only things YOU want to do...you don't have kids. If you're telling me that the #1 thing you want to do at any given moment is what your kids want/have to do you're not an adult.