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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [noofus] [ In reply to ]
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noofus wrote:
againagain wrote:


I agree with you.
That is why I compared IM to people with other hobbies. They put in the time to do their thing... I praised them. I put in the time to do mine... I get ridiculed.


Would the people ridiculing you over IM also ridicule a numismatist? I would assume they would for spending so much time fussing over "stupid coins". Some people have nothing better to do than to irritate others. Some people genuinely think that only THEIR way of life/daily routine is the appropriate one. Best you can do is ignore them.

I tend not to bring up racing or IM unless I am hanging with other people that do it. But if someone brings it up, I have never had anyone tell me the things you have heard. It does seem weird for anyone to say that about anyone's hobby.

Thank you.
I posted the thread just to vent. I don't make a big deal about it with those around me. I stay quiet about it. But it comes to me. I even change the subject. But over the holiday... it got to be too much. I need support, not belittlement. So, I would compromise and take nothing... but that is not how it works.
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [againagain] [ In reply to ]
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That is why I compared IM to people with other hobbies. They put in the time to do their thing... I praised them. I put in the time to do mine... I get ridiculed.

I keep coming back to the time-availability thing. Most have nearly zero free time( or so they say) You have to be careful what you say and where you say it. Even within my own family and circle of friends - there are people/families with 3 or 4 kids, and two demanding careers on the go. They might have a few hours here or there, but they choose to spend that on charitable pursuits and volunteering - is this the right person or place to drone on and on about 5 hour bike rides?


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [Cmore] [ In reply to ]
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Cmore wrote:
Why are there nothing but endurance events on this list? No high standards for a 100, high jump, broad jump, 2:10 marathon, steeplechase, benchpress, etc? That is what the people are saying. To "finish" one of these events on your list does not require outstanding or elite athletic ability. It does require an outstanding commitment to training and fitness. Well, some are saying it does not require elite fitness either. I would argue with that. Now to podium is a different story.

I have never understood the "tough mentally" argument either. Compared to other sports what makes endurance sports harder mentally other than the duration? There is no opponent blocking your path to success. They might be ahead of you, but they cannot do a single thing to impede your progress. You control your whole race. You can take breaks whenever you feel like it. There is no "400lb gorilla you are fighting." Not like a real boxing match where you are getting throttled and are just trying to survive to the next break or time out. Or the other team has just went on a run and now you are down by 20 or a couple of touchdowns and no matter what you try, nothing is working.

People always want to laugh at the obstacle runs. Take some of those obstacles, make them a little more difficult, sprinkle them around the endurance events, make them a no completion/out of the event and you will prevent a lot of competitors from finishing the race. I've seen it happen too many times. Without help, many people cannot make it over a marine hurdle or an 8ft wall. They can't even jump high enough to grab the top of the wall, particularly after 10 miles of running or 30 miles on the bike. They can't can't climb a rope and ring the bell.(I can't do that one. Put that out there and I would never get past it.) Start putting stuff out there that require some varied athletic ability and see how many people finish those.
Ironman is a solo athletic endurance event and I was attempting to compare it with other athletic endurance events. I could compare it with any physical or mental feat you like but it'll just get sillier and sillier. Is an Ironman harder than getting a Bachelors Degree in Science?, how about a PhD? - they're nonsense questions.....that was my point to start with. It's not necessarily the events themselves that are difficult. It's the people and circumstances involved. For many people just getting out of bed in the morning can be harder than you might find an ironman. And I don't mean physically. There's no need to bring other more diverse events into the mix (maybe I shouldn't have mentioned Iditarod) it adds nothing useful to the discussion IMO.
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [chaparral] [ In reply to ]
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chaparral wrote:
Ai_1 wrote:
At what point do you think it gets "hard" or is this just a silly meaningless question?


It is a silly meaningless question. Any race is as hard as you want to make it. People that think 5ks are easy are not running 5ks right.
Yep, I generally agree.
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Here is my personal pet peeve. I have an MBA from a decent program. I have never once really discussed it with anyone. It is no where in any of my communication with people. I see a lot of people going to 11 month online executive MBA programs, only to put MBA next to their name on their business card and email signature. A lot of MBAs are open admissions these days folks! why would you think it is a "credential?" It is not like a MD or DDS or PhD.

I needed to get that off my chest - I feel better now.
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [Fleck] [ In reply to ]
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Fleck wrote:
That is why I compared IM to people with other hobbies. They put in the time to do their thing... I praised them. I put in the time to do mine... I get ridiculed.
I keep coming back to the time-availability thing. Most have nearly zero free time( or so they say) You have to be careful what you say and where you say it. Even within my own family and circle of friends - there are people/families with 3 or 4 kids, and two demanding careers on the go. They might have a few hours here or there, but they choose to spend that on charitable pursuits and volunteering - is this the right person or place to drone on and on about 5 hour bike rides?

I've had the "no time" discussion with many people and my response has narrowed to simply: "it's all a matter of priorities." If by chance the discussion continues, i'll ask "how much TV do you watch"??? But generally, i just avoid these types of discussions:)


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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Dirtymangos paradoxes of middle age male bragging:
1) The seriousness with which one approaches a sport is inversely related to how "great" one believes he "might have been."
A very serious and successful athlete (such as Joe Malloy) "might" have been a little better.
The fat guy in your office "would certainly have won the gold" if he had wanted to.
2) People who don't like you will not be impressed by anything you do.
3) People who like you a lot will pretend to be impressed by everything you do.
4) Acquantences who are a little better than you are best positioned to appreciate your brags. Unfortunately- "Your a great athlete" -and "I am completely awesome" is not the kind of thing you tell an acquantence. Thus - "Your ok I guess" is the most likely response.
5) Given paradoxes 1-4- bragging will never workout well. Yet the middleaged man will try to brag anyway.
6) Complaining about how bragging doesn't on slowtwitch won't help either (see paradoxes 1-4).
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [BLeP] [ In reply to ]
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BLeP wrote:
TimeIsUp wrote:
I sure hope that's not the OP.


Probably not. But they said it happens at work so it's probably this guy.



Hey Jackwipe!!!! Post my picture again and I'll have Dan ban your ass!!


.
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [shady] [ In reply to ]
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Hey, I just Googled "Ironman Douchebag" and your picture came up.

How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [againagain] [ In reply to ]
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Are you dong Ironman for yourself or other people?

If for other people I see why you're bothered, if for yourself why do you care?

I ride:
Cervelo - P-Series/R3
GT - Sensor Carbon Expert

Supporters - Flo Cycling, Mount Bikes
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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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devashish_paul wrote:
BCtriguy1 wrote:
Runner Rick wrote:
BCtriguy1 wrote:
To people who are taking what I'm saying largely out of context. I can live with that.


Going back to your original comment
BCtriguy1 wrote:
There's nothing BCtrigirl and I enjoy more then making snide comments about people who show up to race packet pickups wearing all their IM or Boston gear.


It did get misconstrued a bit. We seemed to have missed the "all" in regards to their gear. However, you definitely brought some of this upon yourself, by coming off as snarky and condescending by admitting to enjoying making fun of people.


That's fair enough. And I'm sure I brought it on myself too by seeming like it's something that really bothers me, or that I "enjoy making fun of these people". Usually what happens (and I'm giving the example of what frequently happens at race pick ups) is we walk by someone, or even better, a couple, in matching head to toe gear from some event, we look at each other, roll our eyes, and carry on with our day. I'm not offended by it. I don't even really care.

Are they, in fact, just a huge fan of the sport? Are they ego maniacs who take themselves and their hobby way too seriously? Some of the people I know personally, having been a part of our endurance community for around a decade, and I know the answer leans towards the latter explanation. Either way, it's really no skin off my back and I don't really care what people do with their clothing. I've done one IM, and I bought a hoodie and a mug. I lounge around in the hoodie once in a blue moon, but I love the mug. I don't think I've ever worn the finishers.


I think what is getting you into trouble here is comments like "snide remarks" , "roll our eyeballs" etc etc.

Everything else, I think if we were sitting around in a cafe we'd actually agree somewhat with. I'd end up laughing at myself and it would be all fun because I'd likely have some IM branded gear (I did 7 WTC races this year, so you just end up with a lot of their stuff). Right now I am on crutches, and cannot walk across a room on my own. I bought a 2014 IMC Whistler finisher jacket on sale at IMC 2015 because if was a nice jacket on clearout for $50 that said "2014" on it. Unfortunately what I did not realize is that it has this big huge "FINISHER" embroidery on the back. Really I don't need to tell the world I finished the stupid race, if I am wearing the jacket I am because I finished the race. In any case getting around on crutches and my left leg spasming from a nerve problem no one would visually look at me and think I could finish an IM and I don't want anyone talking about it and make snide remarks either on the side. So I don't wear it.

I go to the pool and I wear my Ironman branded swim caps inside out because I dont' want to be "that guy" at the pool. But you know what, right now, the only time I feel like an athlete at the moment is in the pool. So today, I reversed my tradition and put the cap on with "IRONMAN" on the outside. It made me feel like an athlete the moment I was in the pool. 4500m later I crawled out, grabbed the crutches and made it back to the shower, then to my car, back to day to day life....but for 4500m, on this day, putting on the cap one way versus the other way, just made me feel awesome.

In the end, it is a personal journey unique to everyone.

I think what is getting you in trouble is a few comments that tend to caste judgement. Minus the "snide" and "roll the eyeballs" and I think we know the difference between just wearing the gear and "way over the top" and probably a subtle in between. Its like when I go meet guys working at Intel or Microsoft, I don't really want to see them head to toe in corporate gear either, so I THINK we all get the drift of what you are trying to articulate.

i totally get it. i don't care a whit who wears what and i will happily wear race gear before a race or race gear from a race i've never done with no problem. i don't care what people wear and i go for the "pretty". i don't like the big FINISHER signs on stuff but, eh, whatever. coming home from IMCOZ there was a guy all decked out and wearing his finisher medal. i had an inside chuckle but whatever, not my life. life is too short and fragile (as you've already encountered) to get hung up on what people wear or deserve to put on their bodies. i'm not wasting time on that. when you are made acutely aware of just how fragile and short life is/can be, it is easier to have pride for those proudly strutting their stuff. i forget sometimes your IM Swiss. you've come such a long way, Dev. right now i'm fresh off an excision for biopsy and about a million stitches holding my shoulder together and not planning any races. yet. so i'll see your crutches and send some positive energy your way. this side of 50 and life looks so much more fragile but also so much to live for. :) take care!

http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit


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Re: Completed Ironman... other people's condescending remarks [BLeP] [ In reply to ]
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BLeP wrote:
Hey, I just Googled "Ironman Douchebag" and your picture came up.

phuck! Damn internet :)

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