Tri-Banter wrote:
Serious question- do these pros have families? It's one thing for a single guy/ gal to spend their minuscule amounts of cash to travel 1/2 way around the world, get there 2-weeks before the race, stay an extra month, then spend more of their money they didn't make at the race to go to Hawaii a month later. When all is said and done, their 2-months removed from the ones they love. Potts has gone public saying that he's got his family in mind when he decides on races.
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Finally the entire debate of "I won't make money doing xyz" in pro triathlon is borderline silly. If a pro triathlete is doing this for money they are in the wrong profession outside of the top 5. ---
I would agree with you on the average race but not in a World Championship. Perhaps I have a different mindset, but if I'm going to the WC, I plan on doing well. I want to win the cash, I want the points, I want to compete. If you're going for the experience, then there are a plethora of great races easily done and less the cost. I finished 17th at the WC probably means less than I'm the reigning Champion at IM 70.3 ______ (insert any other race name here) to the sponsors. I find the 'lifetime experience' argument more silly than the potential to make money. There are so many ways to gain life experience, even in the context of sport, that doesn't include needing to travel as far away from your home for a race as physically possible.
Having seen what goes on at both Kona at 70.3 WC, I think the lifetime experience angle for a young person (in that I mean any pro from 20-34) is worthwhile. These guys are not making much off this sport, and there is more to life than money. Working in an industry where we can make decent coin, pretty well the only thing I remember through my career is what we achieved, the the life changing experiences....how much was on a paycheque, or what the EPS was this quarter or now much market share we got from the competition well all that stuff just blends in.
Most of these pros when they are done racing, they won't remember the size of any given 2nd tier paycheque. They will remember the racing experience, the comraderie with fellow pros and age groupers and the cultural experiences. Pretty well all my friends in my age group (50-54) who raced pro in triathlon, what they remember is what Josh is pointing out. They have all moved on to different careers doing the regular everyman grind. No need to do the everyman grind while you are your own boss as a pro long course triathlete. Once they are working in the everyman world and have maybe 2 weeks of vacation they won't be able to do stuff like this.