Yeah a bit nasty, but hey, I race Athena. I felt a bit insulted at the fatass implication, and nasty remarks at weight classes.

22 minutes is decent for triathletes. But he was trying to claim it was something it was not, and was doing so in an extremely arrogant way.

And I'd definitely rather do a 1500M free than try to go 200M fly long course fast:)

Wow Zinc, impressive rage. Maybe try the decaf.

I hate to be redundant to some of the other posters excellent points but I really can't believe the comment about the Clydesdales. Have you ever watched a Sunday of NFL Football -- some of these guys are 230, 6% body fat and run a 4.1 sec 40 yard dash!

Sure, not every Clydesdale is an elite athlete but neither is every sub-200 guy. I'm 5'8" and 155 and have been beaten in races by all sorts of body types. I think triathlon will become pretty miserable if the only participants are rock hard 20 year olds with bad attitudes.

Thanks Alex. It definately was painful, although I didn't realize how painful at the time. I'm hurting more today than I was yesterday during the race. It didn't help my time any, but the adreneline got me through the rest of the race. I was very lucky that I didn't get hurt worse than I did though, so for that I'm thankful. I've been in a few races with you, and shook your hand twice during award ceremonies (2002 Suncoast, 2003 DeSoto). You have been kind and gracious on both occasions, and I know you're a good guy. I can completely understand some of your frustrations from yesterday's race, and your desire to let people know about it, but I really wish you could have gone about it in the manner in which you normally carry yourself. Like I said in my earlier post, you are a very talented athlete, and I would hate to have you get the reputation of being a jerk. Hope the injury heals up, and that next time we race together we are both at full strength. Good luck this season.

Mark

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Fit2Tri Multisport
http://www.fit2tri.com

"And I'd definitely rather do a 1500M free than try to go 200M fly long course fast:) "

amen! hey, we (the nasty french) nearly took it from you 2 weeks ago...Esposito came very close to Phelps once more...just 12 hundredth off...1'54'' something at the french nationals...

some youngster too (15yo) broke the 1500m nat. record (female), got out of the water, then was in the very next final over 100m back and broke the french nat. record in a 61''+!!
pretty fast recovery isn't it!?

PS I agree re. the claim thing though...in Roth, the elite and fast AG lap the BOP, usually in the town itself, or in Eckersmullen (the beer mile), and each time this is done with a good attitude...never seen any animosity, despite being slowed down...maybe not as crowded, but still slowing you down...getting upset will only slow you down more.

Sounds like worlds are going to be awfully fun to watch this year. (Provided someone in the US actually airs them. grumble.) Esposito/Phelps/Malchow should be a dandy of a race in the 200 fly, and I'd really like to see Coughlin/De Bruin matchups in the 100 free and 100 fly.

And Athens next year is going to be a great meet for swim fans as well.

As for recovery times, that's the reason why they're training 10K a day for such wee little races.

Athens is going to be fun for the marathon :)

I like the swimming but the marathon will rock :)

On that note, I also have to question why we need a special fatass section AKA Clydesdale/Athena. This isn't East Willow Triathlon where everyone gets a prize. This is St. Anthony's, if you aren't built to race a triathlon then go be a powerlifter.

So you are saying that you have to be built like a triathlete to compete at St. Anthony's or any other triathlon. Did you ever think that maybe the Clydesdales and Athenas are doing triathlon to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle? They have every right to be on that course as you do!

Clydes can go win bodybuilding/powerlifting competitions, they have ZERO business having a special grouping in triathlon.

Maybe you should call the ITU and tell them not to have age groups as well? What about people with disabilities. According to your rules they should not be able to participate because they are not built like a triathlete. I suppose the volunteers at the race should be built like triathletes as well?

Newsflash: That is why they have age groups and different divisions in sports.

Have you ever witnessed a person with a disability or who is overweight finish a triathlon, road race, marathon, or bike ride? Look how excited and happy they are when they finished the race! I'd highly recommend at your next race instead of getting pissed off after the race about how someone who was overweight was blocking you on the bike you go to the finish line and watch and encourage those people to finish.

The different groups of people are what makes this sport so great. Until you're a pro and you have your own separate race, you are going to have to put up with all the different age groups and body types on the course. This sport is only going to grow in numbers.

You have a lot of growing up to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just getting back into triathlon after a 12 year break, but TRI makes a very good point. In my time off from triathlon I have run in 8 marathon's. One was Marine corp in D.C. During this and the other large "races" I have done I have seen exactly what Zinc has described ( not as dangerous running as on the bike). A large number of the team in training participants do not seem to be race ready. I understand everyone must start somewhere, but when a large block of race slots are left for one group it is frustrating to others. example: A family member of mine and 3 friends got a number to Marine corp through team in training (after regestration was closed). None of the four finished. That means 4 other people who would have been ready to run did not get numbers. I think Team in training should concentrate on smaller races to get people experience, after all every olympic distance event is the same length as St. Anthony's. I don't think they do, but I bet if Kona held a number of slots for team in training (no qualifier needed) and racers there had zinc's experience the thought's of everyone would be different.

jpmadzin, Please read my posts. I never said that people shoudn't be competing, but rather that they don't deserve their own division for having a body type that is of their own choice and on the whole is unhealthy, something which is fundamentally the opposite of the point of being a triathlete (health, fitness and fun). Those Clydes who are lean and talented enough to go fast can easily compete with the rest of us.

One cannot control a physical disability or age.

You said it yourself... to finish and be there is the key.

I raced in a Biathlon this weekend in New York, and I was also frustrated by the groups of people who ride together, and refuse to get out of the left side even when asked politely. But there were no purple shirts, so I can't blame it on TinT. The fact that these folks are easy to identify makes them easy to demonize. The real problem that you state as truly valid and corroborated by most others here is not playing by the rules, whether they are understood or not.

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The majority of Clydesdales are NOT a healthy weight... they are generally overweight and sometimes very much so.
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I started racing triathlons when I was a 16 year old boy, and at that time when I got stuck behind a fat woman or man in my lap lane I would get pretty pissed off. I was a serious athlete and hated having to wait for some cow to finish her workout because she was so wide I could not really pass her in the lane. I was too inhibited to make a stink about it but I would crack jokes later and would get very irritated.

19 years later when I run into that same situation I just wait to start my workout or move to another lane. I have a ton of respect for overweight/out of shape people who get going with exercise programs. That fat guy was probably exerting in Zone 5 just to make it across the pool or up the stairs.

Every male triathlete over 7% body fat is working to lose weight but it takes years to lose weight safely once you are really far gone and during those years the more exercise and competition you get the better.

Just imagine the discomfort a 260 lb guy feels when he is running. His thighs probably chafe to the point of bleeding and I hate to think what his knees, ankles, and feet are going through. People who suck it up and compete with less than perfect bodies are just as tough and just as deserving of respect and consideration as any other triathletes.

-MK

i will behead all fat purple shirt swirving posers. i will cast them into the fire of ultra-posers posts. they will have to read them forever...

hey tom i suck at this. it's all you baby!