Hey ST,
How important is it to you that your IRONMAN/CHALLENGE event have a pro field?
I admit that I am a bit of a triathlon fanboy. Right when I was getting into the sport we had the Escape Triathlon come to Philadelphia and I rode my bike over to watch the pro fields come in and out of transition and then come into the finish. It was really awesome to see.
At my first Ironman event, 70.3 Raleigh, there was a pro men's and women's field and a pro panel was held. It was really interesting to hear them talk about tactics for the race. It was also really cool to be able to compare my times to their times to see just how much better they were on the same course on the same day.
The other side of it is the business side. I love watching my breakfast with bob profiles, training videos, highlight videos, etc. while doing a treadmill or trainer workout. It keeps me motivated. The businesses that sponsor these athletes get my attention and my dollars down the line. Also from a business perspective, I wish there were Super League Triathlon, ITU/WTS events accessible to Americans. Those events will always have pro's in the field and Super League in particular does a great job with athlete features on YouTube. I know Major League Triathlon is giving it a shot in the states but I am not sure if they allow age groupers to race the course after or before the pro teams race.
Anyway, I loved my experiences so much that I put preference on trying to register for races that contain a professional field.
Do not get me wrong, I still love the local races as social gatherings with the community you see on the roads while training over the course of the year.
Would love to know the thoughts of others.
How important is it to you that your IRONMAN/CHALLENGE event have a pro field?
I admit that I am a bit of a triathlon fanboy. Right when I was getting into the sport we had the Escape Triathlon come to Philadelphia and I rode my bike over to watch the pro fields come in and out of transition and then come into the finish. It was really awesome to see.
At my first Ironman event, 70.3 Raleigh, there was a pro men's and women's field and a pro panel was held. It was really interesting to hear them talk about tactics for the race. It was also really cool to be able to compare my times to their times to see just how much better they were on the same course on the same day.
The other side of it is the business side. I love watching my breakfast with bob profiles, training videos, highlight videos, etc. while doing a treadmill or trainer workout. It keeps me motivated. The businesses that sponsor these athletes get my attention and my dollars down the line. Also from a business perspective, I wish there were Super League Triathlon, ITU/WTS events accessible to Americans. Those events will always have pro's in the field and Super League in particular does a great job with athlete features on YouTube. I know Major League Triathlon is giving it a shot in the states but I am not sure if they allow age groupers to race the course after or before the pro teams race.
Anyway, I loved my experiences so much that I put preference on trying to register for races that contain a professional field.
Do not get me wrong, I still love the local races as social gatherings with the community you see on the roads while training over the course of the year.
Would love to know the thoughts of others.