God forbid she do well, then all the ST'rs will want to know how often they should be pulling cars, and what is the perfect nutrition for a day pulling cars, and which harnesses are the most "aero."

X2 Cath.

If ever there was a BL contestant who deserved a Kona slot, it's Tara. She kicked ass and took names (she won like EVERY challenge on the show) and embodies the principles of living right after the cameras are off. I have ZERO problems with her going and think she will do awesome. She won't be like the last fat ass (Matt) who gained a bunch of the weight back and failed to finish.

S

This thread makes me wonder what the measure is for being a "good athlete." Is a good athlete someone that accels (well above average) in one or more sports, or is it someone that is now much better at something in which they were once terrible at? When I think about a good athlete, I picture an olympic-level decathlete - not a 20-something, 4+ hour marathoner. Her weight loss and marathon were fantastic achievements - and both a great turn for her health - but I don't see how either make her a good athlete.

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"The right to party is a battle we have fought, but we'll surrender and go Amish... NOT!" -Wayne Campbell

Funny you should mention Olympians as she beat a gold medal winning olympian (in wrestling) pulling the car as well.

I know - way too much time on my trainer in my home built sweat lodge getting ready for IMT....

I really don't want to derail this thread with what I'm about to say, BUT I do find it funny that there's this "WTC can give slots to whoever they want" crowd, when so many people were complaining at the mere thought of Lance doing Kona.

Disclaimer: I'm fine with either case happening, even though Lance has basically written off Kona this year.

I understand that it does not change the number of qualifying spots. It just twists me that they do not have to prove themselves to even complete the distance. Even if you get a lottery spot, you still have to prove that you can finish a long event.

I also understand that it is good TV and that is were the sponsorship comes from. If a person is given a free spot, I believe they should be doing it for a cause to raise funding for something needed.

Just my opinion.

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Greg C. Moriates
Owner/Coach
GCMendurance.com

I was just extending the logic of people not deserving to be at Kona because this is the "world championship." I actually like the premise of how it's set up now, most qualify, some get in through the lottery, some locals, some vendor etc slots. If we really press the world championship theory, the field gets pretty small.

Quote:

Of course to WTC "qualifying" is defined as lottery or winning a spot.

Or winning/earning/buying (however one obtains) one of the slots reserved for charity, vendors, etc. The BL entrant qualified, whether everyone likes this qualifying standard or not.

Dang she is hot. Should give her a spot just for that.

458 if you want an emotional connection to your car and you like parking out front, MP4 if you get your kicks from engineering.

Jay Leno just ordered his MP4, orange

You could go cheap and get a Venge McLaren instead!

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...=cry%20like;#3309574

Folks, we have an obesity epidemic in our society, in case you haven't noticed. A lot of obese people don't really try to lose weight because they don't believe they can do it. They've tried diets; they fail. They don't think they can exercise. The Biggest Loser phenomenon convinces them that they can, that they should at least try. What I like about the show is that it puts exercise, not diet, front and center in this effort. Most of the weight loss philosophies in this country over the last 30 years have been diets, and diets alone are doomed to failure.

So, I support anything that raises the profile of the Biggest Loser contestants and provides them a platform to show overweight Americans that there's no reason they can't get fit--fit enough to compete in some serious endurance events.

Former contestants, especially the ones who keep the weight off, seem to feel a responsibility to spread the "gospel" and I believe they really make an impact in an ongoing way. I know former BL contestant Jay Kruger, who joined our tri club this year. He's constantly making appearances and promoting fitness. Judging by the people who comment on his Facebook posts alone, he inspires a lot of people. I think it would be great if he were given an opportunity to do Kona. Sure, it took him 4:10 to do Boston and he'd probably take 13 or 14 hours to finish Kona. But that is mind-blowing to obese people who can't fathom getting to that point.

(My only beef with the show: they'd probably lose more weight riding a bike for 5 hours a day in zone 1 or 2. But, that makes for far less exciting TV than Jillian Michaels screaming at them to toss a medicine ball until they barf.)

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Outside of my bike, my running shoes are my favorite things. Inside my bike, it's too cramped to run.

Start your own triathlon on the Big Island. Invite whomever you want. Problem solved.

life isnt fair

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Want: 58cm Cervelo Soloist. PM me if you have one to sell

Vintage Cervelo: A Resource

Are you suggesting the WTC stop running IM as for-profit business and run it under some sort of altruistic "Citius, Altius, Fortius" ideal?
I hear that if you buy a special $1000 "Ironman Access Pass" you get to enter races that are 100% Biggest Loser free.

I thought you were talking about Matt Hoover. Who did show up as a fat bastard in 2009 and failed to finish on time.

Man oh man, if that chick was fat, that is an amazing job by the trainers and herself for changing her life.

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

If we really press the world championship theory, the field gets pretty small.

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And I like that. If it's a "world championship", in theory the best of the best are the only racers in the event. You shouldnt have a race full of qualifiers and non-qualifiers.


BUT

BUT, of course WTC can do whatever it wants to, and this idea that it is an "world championship" is more self imposed than any actual triathlon guidelines event. So it works, I just have a small small small issue with this idea that it's a "world championship" event when it's run in it's current format. But WTC can do whatever the hell it wants to do, and will do whatever the hell it wants to do.

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

ndrfnnut wrote:

Why don't they give these charity slots to other popular IM races (Lake Placid, Canada, etc)?

I don't want really fat people at my IM (IMLP) --pink...ish

It's been said already, but no one really would watch IMLP, Canada, etc, but they'd at least maybe have heard of Kona and want to watch it, or more realistically, read an article about it online, while sitting on the couch watching something else and eating potato chips.

Also, FWIW, my wife was inspired, at least partially, by Tara running the marathon. She ran NYC mostly because I nagged her, but I'm sure seeing that Tara could do it helped, since she likes that show. She was also inspired to crush one of our recent team workouts because she heard that trainer chick, the manly one (Jillian?), was at the Boarders in Columbus Circle (across the street from Central Park). She wanted to get the workout done fast so she could go see her, which she apparently did.


Oh, and for the record, I don't think you're being a bitch. Things like this usually peeve me too.

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Empire Tri Coach
Team Gatorade Endurance
USATF Coach | NYRR Distance Pacer
Dad of twins

I don't get it. We all work every hard for a slight chance at qualifying, we put stress on our families then you have someone who had a tough life get a spot just for a celebrity slot for TV. Its BS.
Let them qualify and have respect for the race distance.

Greg,

It's been this way for a long time. Nothing new here. The race is not the story, the stories are the story - that's what NBC wants. That's what get's eye-balls on the TV.

There is always this "up-in-arms" discussion. Triathlon is not a sport that the mainstream population knows anything about. But they might watch if they know it's a cancer surviving, single mother, military mom, with one leg, who lost 100 lbs and who was hit by a car a year ago and broke her back ( I made that all up, with obvious apologies) - that's a story. That will get, and keep them watching! Macca running up and down the Queen K in his underwear . . not so much! The WTC knows this. NBC knows this. I know this. Many others know this. But I know that many don't seem to get it. The WTC is a private event management and marketing company. They can do whatever they like, that they feel is in the best interests of their business and their brand!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Not everything has to be black OR white. At Kona, you have several races inside of one event. You have the "world championships" that happens in the 8-10 hour time frame and then all the older age group stuff, disabled athletes, etc... then you get the "everyman" sideshow in the later hours. So what? I think it's all just sour grapes for people who don't have the gumption to get there themselves.

how do you know they don't have respect for the distance?

How dare they widen their viewing audience and advertizing dollars! What, are they in the business of making money or something!?

I'm recording this as the kick ass comment of the day.

i would rather have a week end with Julian,(if you know what i mean), than suffer in the Lava field again.