Interesting, coming from some whose handle on the forum is "MrTri123"

Nope. I’m a runner. That’s my scene, those are my people. I was an opportunist triathlete when the local races happened. I entered them, rode the wave until the first local death, got back into it when it made a mild resurrection, and rode that wave until it died again. In the process, I did a few IM events, but that was more a “group of friends” thing, I never would have done alone… but I was in shape from local events, so what the heck. So I identify as a runner, who cross trains, and will enter a triathlon if one comes along, or my friends talk me into it.

But, without the local events, I have no desire to sacrifice all my free time training for one big event, that’s really tough on my retirement income. And after a cancelled swim, and shit for weather at one of them, I’m certainly not going to put all my eggs in a basket that can easily go to crap again. So… unless the local events come back, I’m back to identifying as a just a runner.

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Athlinks / Strava

yeah, there is "always" another activity that you can do in lifestyle mode. When we are in lifestyle mode vs "I have to race mode", you just go do something else, but you keep moving and you keep meeting new people doing the same thing.

I was just watching the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals between France and South Africa. My wife stolls by and to her this is equally boring to watching triathlon, but she sits down with me and makes commentary about what she is seeing. I am seeing, running, squatting, jumping, throwing, teamwork, penalties, fouls, points and getting jacked up about a sport I never played, because these massive guys are all agile as dancers. After swimming today, was watching a figure skating team practice and marvelled at their coordination and how they are "soft at the ankles" on sticking their jumps with knee over toes, which translated directly to running.

It could be Sumo wrestling, and I'll be intrigued by how the human body is being used to do another exercise. It all seems interesting to me. I always wonder how athletes do other sports. That is the cool part of being in the gym/weight room. Just like in High school. The kids from all the teams show up.

Today I was doing pull ups after a long swim. I am pretty sure that none of the muscle heads in the room could out pull up me, but my back would explode squatting 1/10th of the weight these guys are pushing. One guy was just walking laps of the weight room carrying 150 lbs dumbells in each hand. I thought that was cool. He kind of got me inspired that I should start with 15 lbs in each hand. What he was doing seemed like very functional strength.

Oh, during US Open I was watching Djokovic serve and it looked like a perfect swimming high elbow catch in terms of how that is initiated at the core all the way to finger tips.

I think this is the cool part of doing multi sport. Exploring limits of the body and mind in different ways and making it part of the daily existence.

I was actually thinking of when I/we can't do anything and are ridden in a bed. My 85 year old dad is having difficulty walking, but he's fighting every day to keep walking 2 miles a day. My 80 year old mom is in the gym and pool daily. She's not ready to not be mobile for sure. My dad is mentally getting ready. Eventually some of us have to make the transition. You are right, that it was worth giving it a fight to not be rolling around in a chair. At least not yet, but it can be any of us, but look at what Marc Herremans did when he could not longer use his legs going back to Kona a year later. He was at the prime of his life when he crashed in Lanzarote:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Herremans

I've been thinking about this for a few days, ever since I first saw this thread. I guess I do identify as a triathlete and it's also a lifestyle for me. That said, I don't wear my triathlon hobby on my sleeve. I do wear a few race shirts but I don't have all the gear -- the shirts, jackets, hats, socks, tattoo (I've done a 140.6 before and didn't get inked), or any of that. I did my first triathlon in 2001. From 2019 to 2021, I didn't race and barely trained. Three weeks ago I did the Augusta half Ironman -- it was the first Ironman-branded race I've done since 2002 and only the second of my career. I was equal parts amazed, amused, and appalled at all the Ironman gear you could buy at the expo. I saw a few things that looked interesting but in the end, I didn't buy a thing. I was also appalled at the lack of distinction between doing a half Ironman and a full Ironman -- which I know is why the marketing folks branded the half Ironman races as 70.3s years ago -- but that's another story.

I don't really have a desire to do any other endurance related events. Most of what I do -- the running races, the ITTs, even a few open water swims -- are all connected to triathlon in some way. If I'm not doing tris, I'm not doing those events. I don't want to do any gravel cycling, bike packing, or anything else. I like doing triathlons and, when they had them in the winter months, duathlons.

However, I don't make a big deal out of what I do. I make the occasional social media post but when I do, it's usually in a self-deprecating manner. I have some pretty funny and irreverent friends and I love seeing what they say about me in my bike gear and stuff like that. I'm not particularly fast and I don't feel like there's much that I do that's worth bragging about. A 1:50/100 swim, 20 mph bike, and 9:00 per mile run in short races isn't much to highlight. In my training for Augusta, I lost about 20 pounds and people noticed. When they asked me what I was doing, I usually said something like, "I've been riding my bike and running again a little." I didn't want to go into the whole "training for a race" thing.

There are some other things I'd like to do. I love lifting heavy. I've got a pretty good gym I set up in my house -- that's what I did during those three years that I didn't s/b/r. I'm actually a huge fan of skateboarding and have a pretty good skateboard collection. But I don't ride much anymore (I still can a little). I also have some friends who play a lot of slow-pitch softball. I did that religiously until I started endurance sports and as I've topped 50, I've played a little over-50 softball. It's fun but the travel is a bit much.

But one of the reasons I don't explore those activities anymore is because I spend all of my time training for or doing triathlons. So yeah, I guess that makes it a lifestyle. But I don't preach the triathlon gospel on social media or anywhere else. I try to keep it fairly quiet.

RP

Good question…made me think back to years of training and racing. I would say neither. My family and friends would most likely say I am a fun guy who is honest, trustworthy and a family first guy. When I was working and when people asked what I did….I said my career is my family and my job pays for it. Husband, dad and now best of all……grampa! I always want to be there when it matters.

What got me excited to start each day? In my second decade of life it was competitive swimming, in my third and fourth it was marathon racing, as I turned 50 and couldn’t break 3 hours anymore it became triathlons. Now in my late 60s….it is still triathlons, but now it becomes problem solving and research into what is this aging body capable of doing?

The best thing I have found with the triathlete lifestyle is the healthy lifestyle with multi types of workouts I can do to keep my total body strong verses continuing to grind one workout type and having to eat better as I age….no more three whoppers after a hard swim workout as when I was a teen.

A benefit to all those years of training and racing is a cardiovascular system that gets me allot of attention during my annual checkups and when my daughters, grandkids and son-in-laws want to challenge me in a workout or race:-) That is usually the only time I parade out that i am a triathlete!

You provide an interesting perspective to what I'm probably doing without realising. I can force people to talk about triathlon anytime while wearing some of those nice cotton t-shirts with IM logo. Once it happens, my other half could happily gag me for good with those polyester ones.

I just noticed the post about "I am not getting paid to do this so it is not my identity".

This is an interesting point of view though. When I was a soldier in the armed forces, I felt like being a soldier was part of my identity. Not all, but a good chunk. I took off my uniform 27 years ago, but I still identify as a serviceman. I have done 27 years in the tech industry since then. I love the stuff I do. I would say part of my identity with friends and family is the guy dreaming up crazy tech shit and bouncing all over the place to commercialize it. I have a tech startup today. But I have zero identity connection with being the guy running the company. I get paid for all of that, but being paid for something I don't tie to my identity, rather, if I really throw my heart and soul into it, that becomes part of my identity. Doing sport fits into that category too.

But I don't personally tie my identity to what if it at all or how much I get paid or may get paid for something.

I have seen too many people get fired, or retire and they think their job is part of who they are, and they are lost and without purpose in life subsequently.

As long as I have the ability, sport can form part of my identity and when I can, I can hopefully be part of the ecosystem as a coach, or event organizer or federation volunteer.

All of this talk of identity is kind of interesting. Why does it matter what you 'identify' as? Can't you just do things that you enjoy to various degrees? If someone races and trains and generally puts a lot of effort into triathlon do they need to also identify as a triathlete? Or is it up to the outside world to decide their identity? I really don't know.

It's confusing to me because it often seems that self-selected identity is at odds with reality. You see it more often in running groups, but the guys who have been running fast their entire life rarely describe themselves as 'runners' but the newer/slower guys seem to have a need to be seen as a 'runner'. Conversely when described by others these descriptors are exactly opposite. The only person who calls Jason from accounting a runner is Jason himself. After all he did a 5k last year and would get back into it if he had the time.

Ok so now I’m curious with your forum name What is your chosen profession if you care to say.

BTW I have thought of there was a nominate your favorite forum poster as to most helpful I would assuredly nominate you for all of your posts made to help others. So thank you

Hey thanks! That's incredibly kind of you to say.

Predictably I work as an engineer.

Interesting this thread popped up. I was going to start a thread about tattoos but thought I'd search first so I didn't dupe and here we are. I would definitely say I consider myself a triathlete even, or especially, if we use the "athlete" part loosely. But I wouldn't say I "identify" as a triathlete. First off, I hate that whole "identify as" nonsense. But I'm also realistic about my participation. In fact, I generally say I participate in, rather than compete in, triathlon. I'm doing this for me, and have no delusions about winning even my age group.

But to get to the point of why I'm even bumping this thread, triathlon has become a big part of my life in the last 3-4 years. So much so I got this.

I don't identify as a triathlete per se but rather simply as an athlete.

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

I mostly run and bike and I’m a terrible swimmer. But I identify as a triathlete even after going long stretches of time without racing(kids). I suppose it’s what I’ve “raced” the most, since about the age of 13. But I don’t advertise it per se. I think it’s just doing something hard and then asking for more that myself and others associate with triathlon. I feel like it’s the only option if you’re a cyclist that enjoys running as well. I could probably just as easily transition to adventure racing if I knew a single person that did it… Maybe as I continue to age. But I’m definitely not getting a tri tatoo. I don’t think that highly of my above average ability to simply keep pushing forward. Ha

I identify as a duathlete which gets you less than identifying as a triathlete. ;)
I've been training and racing since the mid 80's so by default I guess I identify as one.....

Ditto love your posts.

I never really thought of myself having earned the right or desire personally to call myself or mention I was a triathlete until I got a bit more serious and started racing 70.3s then eventually fulls and when vol went from less than 10 to 12 to 14 to 700 hrs a year and peak blocks 20+. By then I looked a bit skinny was always training so ppl tended to start asking and I would mostly mention I was a triathlete more to clarify I wasn't what they thought (usually runner cyclist or swimmer). A common line with friends as many cycle is oh sorry I'm not a cyclist I'm a triathlete because it serves function of why I can't ride technically well or in a group or on a roadbike with them but I ride quite a bit. And no socks. Sometimes. Same for swim and run to explain my relative suckiness yet solid endurance.

No tattoo no strut no compression socks but I do quietly know who I am and I'm like many of u not just that identity but several others few of which i ever spend much time publically promoting although when I worked career was the one very clear series of idneitites I had, having retired last year that who am I question when I am no longer working has been challenging to answer given I don't have a wife family or a lot of social roles. Many men and women face this challenge, men I think more than women for a variety of reasons, when no longer working.

I never got paid for snowboarding sailing boxing cat owner but I'd identify as all of those too. Again only if asked, not as a crutch identity to peacock.

Actually the cat is full on peacocking, as I take him everywhere (including tri races) if only he would cosy up to interesting women rather than tri looking older skinny men that look like me or grandma's that look like my mum. If I wanted to date an 80 year old he is the perfect wingman. Sadly my desired demographic hes hopeless. I fully identify as a cat dad. More so than triathlon.

I am mostly replying to you because it’s the most recent post but also, I am going to be devastated if you don’t actually bring your cat to triathlons.

I think I was going to say something like, “you shouldn’t be a jerk or think that being a triathlete makes you better than other people, but I think it’s kind of weird that people that do multiple triathlons, spend time training for them and have accounts on a triathlon message board go to such pains to not identify as triathletes. Clearly, you all are triathletes. Who cares?”

But I honestly can’t stop thinking about taking a cat to a race, so who knows what I was going to say about identifying as a triathlete….

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Move on. Keep training. Be an adult.

I identified as a triathlete when I was younger and fast. Now tri is just something that I do for fun. Also in those interim years I entered a profession that's so cool Hollywood makes movies about us. That's a lifestyle in its own right.

My view on tattoos is the same as my view on dogs: I don't have any of my own, but I do admire the artform

A few years ago, a young woman posted the following on a triathlon forum somewhere [or maybe it was on velonews, or some other cycling place, I forget now]

She was shamed and trolled SOOOOO hard, not only did she have to delete the whole thread, her account, and all memory of her there, PLUS her blog to which she cross-posted

Somehow, or for some reason, I archived it myself, perhaps for moments just like this


Yours is not like that, so no shame shall befall you, I'm sure

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Well said. Very well said.

I find it interesting to see posts discuss various things (for example, wearing race t shirts in public) as if that is a direct measure if whether one identifies as a triathlete. Not every t shirt I have in my drawer has things on it that, if I'm wearing it, I would consider identify who I am as a human being. It's just a t shirt with some writing on it. Every shirt with any kind of writing or logo on it, is meant to evoke a response from someone, if the right someone sees it. Might be a triathlon I did, or a brewery I went to, or a place I vacationed, or a picture of a cute animal. I mean this not at all as an attack on folks that have said this in the thread. I'm 100% guilty of these thoughts too! There there have been times where I've said no, I don't want to wear my ironman shirt today because of where I'm going and who I'll be around. It's real. But this is the world we live in.

I think this is interesting bc on this site, this constituency does not want to be viewed as your "stereotypical" triathlete. we find that image distasteful, for whatever reason, in terms of the general publics perception of that image. So we say to each other, "no I'm not THAT guy". I think mostly because this site has a higher percentage of us who do this stuff for reasons besides recognition among our family/peers. Many have already posted in this thread, very eloquently written reasons for how triathlon makes us feel and what it does for our lives. Therefore, we don't want to call attention to it in public, because most people just will not understand.

It's very interesting, this discussion! Good stuff from everyone here love reading everyone's perspectives.