Ai_1 wrote:
IM is composed of completely arbitrary distances. They were chosen by RDs. IM and triathlon itself is a very young sport and
there's no fundamental reason that the distances, times or anything else
should be set in stone. There is no objective right and wrong. Why then do you have a problem with these races being refined over time to make them safer and more approachable so long as the opportunity is still afforded to you to thoroughly challenge yourself on a long distance triathlon?
Who knew?! And all this time, I naively believed that the distances were neither set by a RD nor were they arbitrary.
I mistakenly understood the challenge to have been established by the original competitors themselves based on existing events; namely the Oahu Roughwater swim, the around Oahu bike race, and the Honolulu Marathon. But one thing I do know is that after 40 years those distances ARE set in stone. It's not an accident that even independent race producers seeking to put on a "full distance" triathlon use the Ironman distances. It's not an accident that even the Xtreme triathlons like Norseman, Celtman, Swissman, etc., use that same distance. And it's also a fact that Ironman owns the distance as a world championship. ITU sued twice over the issue and lost twice. Those distances are not just set in stone, they are carved deep into granite.
Other than that, I get the crux of your argument.