I've always believed that having common interests is good for a relationship, but from what I've seen in other couples, not always necessary.

Just wondering if anyone knows if all these couples are still together? Did any of them ever have kids?

Almost all are still together. The following have kid(s):

Scott Molina and Erin Baker

Greg and Sian Welch

Ken Glah and Jan Wanklyn

Mark Allen and Julie Moss

I'd go with Molina/Baker to have the lowest combined IM time.

Other couples would include:

Karen and Scott Ballance

Andrea Fisher and Jamie Cleveland

Roch Frey and Heather Fuhr

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Unfortunately, Mark Allen and Julie Moss are no longer married. Although, I understand they live very close to each other so they can both stay involved with raising their son.

Haim

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"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

"Almost all are still together. The following have kid(s):"

Cathy, you're dialed in to this. You must know some of these folks personally?

The reason I asked is because I would assume that at that level, you have to be quite self absorbed into the sport. But at least as pros they were/are being paid for it, so their weekly training time would be no worse than a regular job, probably even less not counting promotion appearances etc. It's the serious AG'ers that put in 20 hrs a week training AFTER holding down a full time day job that are likely under the most stress if they have a family. Personally, I don't know how they do it. I've always been happy that I didn't discover tri until my kids were near grown (daughter college age, son in high school). BTW, I still don't train 20 hrs a week. More like 10 hrs, and 80% of that is on the bike so I don't regard it as "work" like running or swimming.

this was very interesting to look up and find out the real answer.

First of all, of all of the couples originally listed, two of them are no longer together, and one of them, although together, are not married.

Now for the results, the fastest Iron couple in Hawaii is:

Paul Huddle - 8:27:47 (6th place in 1993)

Paula Newby Fraser - 8:55:28 (1st place in 1992)

Total time of 17:23:15



a distant second is:

Peter Reid - 8:21:00 (1st in 2000)

Lori Bowden - 9:13:02 (1st in 1999)

Total time of 17:34:02



Scott Molina - 8:31:00 (1st in 1988)

Erin Baker - 9:08:04 (2nd in 1993)

Total time of 17:39:04



Greg Welch - 8:18:57 (3rd in 1996)

Sian Welch - 9:42:09 (10th in 1999)

Total time of 18:01:06



Ken Glah - 8:24:01 (4th in 1993)

Jan Wanklyn - 9:43:18 (6th in 1989)

Total time of 18:07:19



Tim DeBoom - 8:23:09 (2nd in 2000)

Nicole DeBoom - 9:57:52 9 15th in 2002)

Total time of 18:21:52



Lothar Leder - 8:28:14 (4th in 2000)

Nicole Leder - 10:17:52 (14th in 2000)

Total time of 18:46:06



Mark Allen - 8:07:45 (1st in 1993)

Julie Moss - 11:10:09 (2nd in 1982)

Total time of 19:17:54

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

I want to see name, PR, year, and the couple's total--and I want it now! Thanks in advance. Not really that hard to figure out. www.xtri.com has an EXTENSIVE database of the fastest IM times of all-time: http://www.xtri.com/...p?sex=M&year=%25
Peter Reid and Lori Bowden
8:21:01('00) + 9:13:02('99) = 17:34:03
Paul Huddle and Paula Newby-Fraser
8:27:26('92) + 8:55:28('92) = 17:22:54
Scott Molina and Erin Baker
8:31:00('88) + 9:08:04('93) = 17:39:04
Greg and Sian Welch
8:18:57('98) + 9:42:09('99) = 18:01:06
Ken Glah and Jan Wanklyn
8:24:01('93) + 9:43:18('89) = 18:07:19
Tim and Nicole DeBoom
8:23:10('00) + 9:57:52('02) = 18:21:08
Lothar and Nicole Leder
8:28:15('00) + 10:08:47:('02) = 18:37:02
Mark Allen and Julie Moss
8:07:45('93) + 10:09:51('88) = 18:17:36

Dan Empfield and JulieAnne White

??????????? + 9:21:40('92) = ? Unfortunately our esteemed editor wasn't on the list. Slowman?

If you take all IM's into consideration it's:

Reid/Bowden in a landslide 16:43:16

Leder/Leder 17:11:40

Huddle/Newby-Fraser 17:18:19

Welch/Welch 17:22:48

Molina/Baker 17:36:28

Allen/Moss 17:44:27

Glah/Wanklyn 17:44:29

Deboom/Deboom 18:01:39

Again not sure about Mr. Empfield, but his better half has a 9:08:15 at Canada.

Plumb!!!! Aaaarghhhh!!!!!

[quote] Almost all are still together. The following have kid(s): [/quote]

Lothar and Nicole Leder have a daughter: http://www.lothar-leder.de

Felix

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http://www.weilenmann.ch.vu

>>Cathy, you're dialed in to this. You must know some of these folks personally?<<

Yes, I know a number of them personally and have met many of the others.

I don't know if I would say if the pros are quite self absorbed. Probably a little, which is why they are successful. I'd agree that it's SOME (not all) age groupers who work at a full time day job, and still train upwards of 20 hours/week who might have a hard time fitting everything in. I know some of those types too, some married or otherwise involved (to both athletes and non-athletes) and others single. Some can make it work and some can't. I think it really depends on the person and how organized and committed they are, both in their personal life and training. Of course, having a job where you don't have to punch a clock helps a lot too.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Mike and Jaylew,

Thanks for the research. I listed the couples in the order that I thought they might rank. It's interesting that the two teams that I ranked too low included Paula and Mark--the two most successful ever at Ironman. What was I thinking?

Here's another one for you. Any idea what the record total time is for three brothers in IM Hawaii in the same year? Unless one or more of us fails to qualify, I'll be doing Hawaii next year with my two youngest brothers.

Bob

For the Pros it's not all fun and games. The bottom line: They have to win or do very well to make a living. The money in this sport drops off dramtically from the top few ranked athletes. My guess is that once you get off a theoretical top 10 list of Ironman athletes world-wide, you are looking at athletes who are struggling to make ends meet.

As for the age-groupers with families and jobs. Quite frankly, I don't know how people do it. When my son was born in 1997, I knew that was it and I shut it down almost entirely. I am in awe of these people who somehow manage to squeeze it all in: Successful job/career, time with family AND 10 - 20 hours of training a week. It truely amazes me.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I really question any amateur that is logging 20 hours a week or more on a consistent basis, especially if you are leaving your family at home. The folks that do four ironmans a year---THIS WOULD BE YOU. Triathlon can be very enriching, but there is more too life than triathlon (yes....I know this is crazy).

20 hours a week is akin to a part time job and you would be better served if you got paid for your efforts. If you can't go a single day without training for 3 hours, you have got a problem. It is not unlike being an alcholic. Drinking in moderation is fine, but when you start getting hammered every night you have got problems. Every aspect of your life suffers, except your drinking is obviously getting better. So....you begin to be defined as a drunk. Drinking is who you are, it is what defines all of you.

I guess what I am getting at is don't over do it. Get off your bike, go play with your kids, walk (go ahead and run and get in the extra mileage) the dog whatever. Just make sure you are living a well-balanced life.

I think this is more for me than anyone else...I think I really need to get that out!

>>Just make sure you are living a well-balanced life.<<

You really shouldn't assume things about other people's lives, especially when you know nothing about them or their situation.

Case in point: AGer, trains many hours, runs his own business, has a wife and children and gives back to his community. He's very organized, very committed and has been doing this for a while. He does a lot of his training in the very early mornings. He's qualified for Kona in the last two IM races he's done.

I know a number of people like him. None of them train 3 hours every day. They take days off, they have "other" lives.

Lastly, who are you to say that there is more to life than triathlon? For some, maybe not, but that is THEIR decision and life.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com