I know a number of folks who have done many aquabikes now. Some are because of running injuries. Others are their legs are shot.
But the comment I hear from all of them is boy have the races in my area gotten real competitive. Lots of pushing from USAT to see
if this can be made into a worlds event.

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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

I'm 65 (female) and going through the same debate. It gets a bit discouraging to have a decent swim, a good bike, and then watch everyone, their uncle and 17th cousin pass me in the run because my knees and lower back just don't want to run. I really don't know when I'll do the aquabike switch but I'm guessing it will be sooner rather than later. I know this doesn't answer your question but at least you're not alone.

No switch here yet. 50 and running better than I ever have (even though still not fast 8 min/mile) I train with much younger guys 24-41 and I have found that I need to really watch my weekly mileage increase or I will get foot and knee pain. Since I have not tried to do the mileage increases that they can do I have been injury free.

44 here, last year I had switch my 'A' race from a long course tri to long course aquabike due to an injury preventing from from run training. While the AB wave wasn't very big, the front end was very competitive. I ended up having a great time and race. I would do it again.

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

Haven't gotten there YET. I'm only 45 but I can see it in my future. My running is very limited even 3 years after my broken leg but my competitive background is running so I'm holding on as long as possible. Been working hard on my swimming lately and it's coming along.

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Formerly DrD

Anybody know why there are so few people listed in the USAT Aquabike rankings, 2014?

For the 45-49 age group there are only 34 people ranked.

Thats all that did enough qualifying races?

I'm only 30 but considering doing aqua bike for some races during season to alleviate strain on legs and prevent injury

28 and I'm considering long-course Aquabike. I can compete in tris at the sprint distance (starting to sniff podiums) but longer runs really seem to take a toll on my body.

Yeah, 28 here but not competitive as my legs and back have broken down quite a bit. It's all about your experience. I've had 2 ACL tears, 1 MCL tear, 6 car accidents and a back that gets very easily out of whack. I've already entered aquabikes and relayed swim/bike legs and skipped the run. I came into the sport from cycling so I don't feel like I'm losing that much.

I'd like to get in one full distance, preferably an IM branded race, then it will be sprints and mid/long distance aquabikes only for the rest of time.

hoI'm 53, did my last tri in '11 then had big ortho surgery to put off knee replacement. I can no longer run and walk slower than most average folks so no more tris for me. I've done a few ABs but don't find them as fun or fulfilling as tris. Not sure completely why. It is sort of like the bastard child that folks look down at. Here we typically only have AB women and men categories all lumped together. Really I should compete against 20-65 YO women. The competition thing is sort of a joke and I like the competitive aspect of racing which AB doesn't provide for me. We will even get some KQing AGers racing AB for some local 70.3 races that offer AB. A few local tri promoters offer AB in all their Oly events but on the whole there are maybe 5-10% as many options for AB compared to tris.

I wish I enjoyed ABs and it drew me to train and race but it hasn't. Instead I no longer compete, and have walked away from s/b too.

Interesting. I guess it depends on why one races. For the races when my friends did the AB because they were hurt, we still did all the same social stuff before and after the race. It made no difference that
some of us did the full tri and others the AB. We all still have a great time just being happy we could be in a race compared to so many others that either can not or do not do anything. I do hope when I cannot
compete anymore that I am happy for what I am still able to do, not what I used to be able to do.

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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

At 65, the thing that keeps me away from aquabike is not having a finish line. Pulling into T2 a stopping just doesn't sound that great. I think that the HITS races have a short run from T2 to the finish line. Can anyone verify this, either if they do or if they don't have the short run to the finish.

It really would make aquabike more appealing if you crossed the finish line.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Sadly much like Duathlon, I suspect that people would rather stumble through a Tri than "give up" and do the lesser race. I guess that people see AB as the thing you do when you are too injured to do a "real" race. Just like Duathlons are popular only in early Spring and late Fall.

Locally there are no Aquabikes to do, so it is a moot point. I do the Duathlons as I love them, but the fields are small in most. probably as we have no podium, no awards and are basically treated as second class citizens.

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Ian

"Anybody know why there are so few people listed in the USAT Aquabike rankings, 2014?"

Because it's lame since the only people who do it are swimmers who can't run. (I know most swimmers can't run, but I mean at all.) Usually, the winner is a person who signed up for the tri and then got a running injury and couldn't get a refund so switched divisions.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but seriously, nobody who can run at all says "You know what, I'm going to really focus on Aquabike this year." I mean, even the people competing as part of a team get more street cred than AB'ers at a triathlon.

Have you considered bike racing or OW swimming events (or both)?

I love TT races.

Won't do a crit. Too much craziness.

The road racing I've done has amounted to teams employing negative racing. I don't get it. You don't have to do anything when you get off the bike so freaking ride.

If I could "run at all" I'd do the full Tri.

I don't think there's any shame in Aquabike. It's people competing in the ways that they can. Even with the stigma that you described. Knowing that many lol down on them.

Road cyclists say that triathletes aren't strong enough cyclists to compete. Runners say that can't compete in the run. Swimmers, well I really don't know what swimmers think. That does have to be a frustrating sport with so little opportunities to compete.

I'm a slightly above average swimmer. My strategy is always to be steady in the swim, crush the bike and be just good enough to hold on on the run. And I come from a running background.

I'd say that race directors could help add some credibility to the Aquabike if they'd have more of them and celebrate them like the rest. Charge me full price, but let me feel like I'm part of it all.

Not being the overall beat in the swim and the bike is not a fair criteria to apply to aquabikers. The fact that most have come to a point that they can't run means they are missing out on a fairly large part of the training and fitness those that can run are getting.

Very helpful for the OP.

Sorry to hear. The aqua bike events are hit and miss as you stated. If you love to compete I'm not sure you'll find enough of them with decent participation to fill the void. Ever thought of road races/crit races and competitive open water swimming events? Lots of them and both will have way more competition. Just a thought.

Guess we are lucky in Northern Calif. All the major RD's have the AB in their races. And I believe I have seen all of them have a run from T2 to the finish line at all the races I have seen.

I guess I just shake my head when I hear all the comments about Tri vs Du vs AB. Leave the ego at the start line. What I always tell folks what is so great about our sport is it can be a life long hobby.
Meaning, if you do not want to run, do AB. If you do not want to swim, do Du. If you want to try all three, do Tri. If you do not want to bike, do Aquathlon. All of them can have the exact same buzz if one wants to really look at what is important, IMO. And that is to get out and exercise. Screw how anyone else wants to judge stuff. We are supposed to be doing this against and for ourselves, right?

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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

I enjoy running and never get injured from it but aquabike interests me (though I've never done one) for one main reason: I am much worse at running than the other sports. Constantly getting run down by people at the end of a race is pretty demoralizing.
Also, I always wished in swimming there was an IM that was only Back Breast Free but there are already too many events in Swimming.

On a somewhat related note, It is only in the past year that I cut running down considerably. Runs of 40 min to 1 hour 10 min was common place, 4-5 days a week. I decided to experiment by reducing running to 3-4 days a week and for no more than 25 min. I also do 3 of those runs broken down into fartlek type running. I can say for sure that I feel much better as a result and I can definitely say that I think I am healthier on this program. I shifted to include weight training also. I am absolutely convinced the pounding of running is not that healthy and there are better ways to stress the body...at least for heavier people. I am not fat, but I do weight 198lbs.

Let's just say Ironman left my bucket list many, many years ago. Even Oly's I find too long.

44 years old...injury free...and healthy (knock on wood).

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Adrian in Vancouver

+1. Many of us have "been there, done that, got the T shirt" and in the process, gotten lots of cool swag, awards, and recognition. To build on what Dave said, let's look for ways to enjoy events (complete, not compete) with our friends and teammates, meet other athletes, and look for ways to include new people in our multisport lifestyle. When it all comes down to it, the sport grows when there are more options for people to be healthy.
OK, now I will slip off the soapbox...

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Karen ST Concierge

+100

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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

I can confirm this is a bit of a bummer. It was pretty anticlimactic to just stop and no one in T2 knew what I was doing. Most assumed I just quit.
In the one race where there was a short run to the finish - someone yelled that "I cut the course. :(

But I do like the event - just a different mind set from the triathlon. Most RDs have Aquabike as a bit of an afterthought given the realities of participation at this point.
It is still FUN!

John

I think the idea would be to have strictly an aqua bike event. Not tagged along with a tri. But then again how popular would it be? At least that way there would be a dedicated finish line to ride through, almost like the end of a TT.