I definitely need racing to keep me going. I always try and race every month or so, even if it is just a 5km to give me something to look forward to. That being said, I do triathlon because I like it, so will still do regular running and biking, but will not do much more than fairly easy stuff apart from some Zwift racing until there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I know when my next race will be.

Galveston 70.3 was supposed to be Sunday. It would have been my 1st tri in 10 years.
I did a 69.1 on Sunday in spite of the postponement.

I don’t need races either. In fact it’s kind of nice to not have one on the radar. Don’t have to be focused on all 3 sports. I’m currently killing myself on the bike and just running for maintenance and loving it.

At age 61 and having done multiple races every year since HS, I don't think my desire to train would be affected if all races disappeared. I could find challenges to test my limits that don't require another person or an entry fee. I think about those type of challenges often when training, but I also think about races often when training. :)

I'm finding that for me, it's not the lack or racing that is starting to get to me, it is the lack of swimming. I just feel something is missing, like I'm going for a run without tying my shoes, etc. I know most people have bigger, more serious problems but that's my biggest problem right now. I think I'll manage though...

Yep I am in the camp that I feel it is great to have the racing/training decisions taken away.

I have been doing this triathlon thing for over 30 years and last month decided to channel my inner fitness instructor self from the 1980's and get back to all kinds of creative circuit and short interval training.I have had so many injuries (from accidents) and illnesses over the last 8 years or so and now I am stripping down the training to work specifically in rebuilding strength,speed and coordination removed from the specifics of triathlon.It has been fun dragging out all of my old training gear and setting up circuits on the cricket ground next to my place and seeing what weird exercise combinations I can come up with.

I am planning an 870mile bikepacking event in November here in Oz so endurance bike training is my thing right now,mainly focussing on night riding for the moment.

I don't miss triathlons at all right now..

Quite the opposite for me. I love the built in excuse not to swim, especially knowing everyone else is in the same situation.

I'd like to say that my enthusiasm for training is not motivated by racing...but it's not true. Having a race to aim for helps my motivation. Without a race, I'm still running and riding, but the purpose is blunted and my enthusiasm is weakened. Mostly, now, motivated to run because my dog insists and motivated to ride because my robotic Sufferfest coach insists. But, really, if there are no events until, say, September, I'm good with wine on the patio instead of suffering...couchlandrian at heart, I suppose.....

Apparently very, lol

Randy, I am in the "train to train" category in that tomorrow's workout is the upcoming world championships. I can be on the treadmill and I am racing the number on the treadmill or in the pool or wherever. I live for the current and next workout. Racing kind of falls out of this and the training gets more specific if certain races are on deck, but without the races, the training just becomes more general. Pretty well with or without racing the daily target is 2 hrs per day and on weekends its 3-4 hrs. With racing the workouts get tuned to the race in front of me, but the volume will roughly end up being the same.

Last year I went to watch kona and do a bike and swim training camp. I had no races in sight but ended up training 31 hrs in 7 days (my roommate Rob Gray did 43 hrs training for Ultraman hawaii). I did probably half my training with him and half solo (solo when I would have not been able to keep up, with Rob when I was fresh). No good reason other than "just train"

I told someone the exact same thing the other day 😂👍🏼

I’m continuing to exercise. Actually doing a 6-8 week bike focus currently. I definitely don’t think it’s productive to train hard like you’re 6 weeks from a race when there won’t be one for months. Just my opinion.

Racing is important to me.

Last year I crashed my bike, lost a month (mid-July to mid-August) and then "gave up" on the year. Still trained some, but skipped a lot.

This year refocused, had a good race in Feb and now still hoping for June, but counting on July and Labor Day (postponed from May).

I’ll let you know in a month or so. Just getting back into running after foot surgery so every run is great. Stopped swimming in the summer so that’s not an issue. Don’t really miss biking much. My goal is to go for Strava segments once I get into shape as a way to keep things exciting but need to work my way there since I’m sore after 4 straight days of running!

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I'm fresh out of college (pretty young!) and raced hard for the majority of college and high school. I had some life changes towards the end of my junior year of college and put racing on the back burner. Since then I've continued to "train," except it's mostly just whatever I feel like doing. I go through periods where I bike a lot, sometimes I run a lot and bike very little. I usually run 40ish MPW at a minimum, lift some weights, and bike 3x. I don't swim due to a bad shoulder injury.

Racing fell on my priorities list and never really climbed back up. I did a running race a few weeks back and was shocked to find I've lost almost nothing.

I like to train, have some fitness demands for my job, and right now I'm doing whatever sounds good and chasing Strava segments when I want to. Not much different from what I usually do. I did enjoy racing a few weeks ago and will probably race this fall if the opportunity arises. Looking at some off-road stuff, both running and biking. If I needed to race to have the motivation to train, I'd be crispy burnt in short order.

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

I had a race in downtown Austin I was looking forward to at the end of next month. It was an oly and after that I was going to build for another 70.3 in November. Really my training hasn’t changed much, I’m not as stringent with not missing the occasional workout if life happens and I do enjoy the side effects of staying super fit even though I’m not going to be racing in the immediate future.

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Feel the same because I enjoy swimming and I use it as a form of active recovery to take the pounding off my wonky knee.

I don’t do sedentary well and should take a day off but I think I’d go nuts if I did.

The sameness of the days is starting to get to me!

I miss racing. Races are fun. And keeping races fun (fast, hitting/beating goal times) is a motivation. I like to do a handful of sprints each year for this purpose, in addition to one or a few medium/longer races (olympic or 70.3 as I'm a bit larger of a triathlete at 6'3", 200 lbs). Without the races, it is probably more accurate to say I'm 'working out' rather than more specific training. I like keeping in shape, but the races just make it fun and give me goals.

Started triathlons in 1984 (age 52 now), ran XC and Track in college but really could care less now. I have enough 50 cent finisher medals and plaques to last me. I get 2 days a week off from work the last thing I want to do is spend it traveling and racing when I cold be getting stuff done at home. Plus the $100+ entry fees can go towards better use. Main goals are to beat Father Time, stay skinny and healthy.

Is it still “training” if you’re not racing/competing ... or just exercising?

Had a bunch of spring trail races lined up that are all postponed/cancelled. Due to hip bursitis they were in doubt this year anyway, so I've used this time to take six weeks off running and hit the cycling hard, which does not seem to aggravate hip. Pool is closed and will likely remain so for foreseeable future. Beach at the lake may not even reopen this year. I've been Vasa-ing three times/week and it will be interesting to see where i'm at when finally able to swim. Next two events may not happen either- Black Fly challenge and Musselman- so might be a race-less summer.