No... I want a better bicycle. I have the 20+ year old bike that I have used in 2 ironman... it sucks!!! I have to push hard on the bike just to make the cut off. So as much as I love cycling with people who don't give a crap. I would like to get a reasonable time at IM one of these years.

80% of my tri group doesn't even know what slowtwitch is.

The ones that are here posting the stuff you described are just wired that way.

You're definitely right that some a wired that way and will always be drawn to that aspect of the sport. There is nothing wrong with being like that.

What concerns me is the huge drop out rate of new triathletes who only last a year or two in the sport. Those who after the first couple of attempts where time is not a concern but show some ability start looking to get better. Then rather than simply train with those faster than them end up being prescribed a overly rigid program where they fear taking part in anything that is not on the schedule. What should be a enjoyable becomes a chore.

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I learned a long time ago that the only pertinent information you offer is found within the last sentence.

A lot of type A personality people seem to be drawn to the sport. They love being meticulous with training data, crunching numbers. It seems to be how they get their jollies.

You're assuming that sticking to a meticulous plan and seeding results on race day isn't fun. It is.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

I have a timex watch
A $1000 Trek Road Bike

They have gotten me through 5 ironmans

I wouldn't have it any other way

Why can't you let other people have their fun in their terms while you have your fun in yours? If they, whomever they are, want to obsess, let them. It probably makes them happier with themselves when they see the numbers and can quantify their efforts. No one's forcing you to join in their data driven mindset. But don't go all negative on them because they appreciate training differently than you.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

I am not assuming that. Fully aware that for a many people they get great enjoyment from that. However, triathlon seems to force this down people throat as the only way to improve. I would suggest that for a large percentage of non type A athletes simply SBR for enjoyment (I am not saying slow. I find hard riding and running far more enjoyable than slow) will yield excellent results for most and prevent burnout.

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I learned a long time ago that the only pertinent information you offer is found within the last sentence.

I see your point to an extent. The meticulous attention and execution definitely takes its toll.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Sometimes just winging it works better than relying on a plan all the time. Right now my bike training is 4 hours / week. Swimming & running are out due to injury. Doesn't take long to burn up 4 hours training on a bike in the summer though :) 30 weeks from my goal activity, we'll see how things go but no formal training for another 18 weeks!

I wasn't going to race at all this year. The plan was for my wife to focus on racing. Then we got pregnant, again, #3.

Normally I would be cranking out hard trainer workouts in January. I didn’t ride my bike at all from Mid September to March. I ended up doing 7 local tris this summer. The first two in June I couldn’t really race, just not that fit. Then it was all about racing my friends to the finish. The races ranged from 1:30 to 3:00 total duration. I had a blast! Was I as fast, no, likely about 95% of what I could have been this year. After 15 years in the sport this was one of the most fun.

I didn’t worry about volume. A normal week was 6-8k swim, 4hrs bike, 30-40mi run simply because it is more time efficient to run then anything else. If I felt good I did something hard, never planned or structured.

Now for next year I’m motivated to go after those 20 something year olds up the road. I plan a hybrid approach, and a new bike, to close the gap.

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Ed Alyanak

This was my first year having A coach, and it sucked every ounce of fun out of it. I'm not a pro, I do not get paid for this. It is supposed to be fun. The last few weeks I've just started doin my own thing. Writing a bike workout on my hand and staring at a garmin sucks.

You may not worry about volume, but with that volume, you don't need to. 3-4 hours swimming, 4 hours bike, 3-4 hours running (at 10 MPH) - conservatively that's 10-12 miles per week. That's a lot for most of us.

After a year of working with a coach I felt the same as you and dropped him. I kept training at nearly the same pace the following year and realized I still wanted to be competitive, get faster, and move up spots to the podium so I went back to him with good results.

I do have to agree with the original post that we tend to get caught up in minutia of data. I certainly leads to boring conversations among fellow racers when I go to races. "I really don't care about your ftp. Did you have fun? Tell me about a funny story from training. Talk about getting chased by dogs or the guy who threw a beer can at you". Anything but max heart rate, blah blah, blah. The worst was when in a conversation I mentioned that I had ridden through the guys town on a self supported bike tour and his response was "I don't do leisure rides". Good grief, don't you take time to enjoy riding your bike? He'd be the first to slit his wrist if he didn't achieve his normalized power data goals. I bet he's not in the sport anymore.

I did a couple gravel grinders last year and I have to say it is a great scene. Lots of laughter. It is a group of people that love to ride and don't give a fuck about much else except the kind of beer that will be at the finish. I don't think they (men) shave their legs either. Cool, kind people. Example: I flatted and EVERY rider who passed asked if I needed a tube or a Co2 cartridge.

I think about how much fun it would be to chuck the whole tri scene and then remember that I'm a competitive person and I'm not good enough at any one sport and that I'm only going to do well in Tri because I'm average at all three which gets me to the finish faster than many. Oh well, I'll stick with Tri, so lets pledge to keep it light, laugh, and have fun.

If I want to see the world, I throw on a backpack and buy a flight ticket.

If I do a race, I want to be at the pointy end of that competition. Otherwise I'm out there killing myself for nothing and I'm miserable. For me, the only fun comes from being competitive. If I'm not being competitive, I will find something else to do.

This.

If you do your own thing, race your own race, & share the moment with loved ones, you're on the right track.

Hey, we all get our jollies in different ways. Fun is in the mind of the individual. I love numbers and quantification. For me half the fun of triathlon is crunching the numbers, evaluating workouts, tracking results, predicting race performance based on training.

Just sounds like you assume what is true for you must be true for others. It's not. Glad you're having fun doing it your way. Keep it up.

Yes, in general type A's don't know how to have fun. Pretty much in all aspects of life.

The misconception that most triathlete have is that they need to follow a tight training schedule with 2x20 this and 4x5 that and they will magically be the best they can be. The same benefit can be had from just showing up to the local roadie worlds ride a couple days a week, masters, and the local running group. You don't have to be Sanders crying on your trainer all alone after a workout to get to the pointy end if you have some basic talent. For most people, group dynamics and the occasional engaging workouts like destination rides will make them faster over the long haul.

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You sound like my kinda people. Lets have a beer after our next Tri.

Uh, yeah. That's what the Lavender Room is for - formerly obsessive triathletes making fun of each other and all y'all in the Triathlon Forum.

We like to have fun. We have all levels, beginner to Worlds 70.3 qualifiers etc. Some use and like the gadgets, training plans etc. and some like me are scrappy age groupers who randomly train. We respect each others methods but we all enjoy a beer or two in our leisure time.

https://www.facebook.com/teambananahammocks?fref=ts

No.

Exhibit A would be Cal Millward.

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'It never gets easier, you just get crazier.'

Idk i have a watch and a power meter but i only use them for feedback during the effort i rarely look at the stuff afterwards. I'm not really maticulous but i love pushing myself and going as fast as i can. I don't really see the watch/power meter as an issue. I think you just forgot how to have fun lol not triathletes in general