When you encounter people who become aware of your triathlon exploits its OK if the reaction is one of indifference, but as soon as you here anything negative you need "get the F out of dodge". These people are energy suckers on all levels and you don't want to be around them. This doctor is no different.

My rebuttal would be soemthing like this..."yeah, that's what people are saying about climbing Mt. Everest"

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"I really wish you would post more often. You always have some good stuff to say. I copied it below just in case someone missed it." BarryP to Chainpin on 10/21/06

If you need to ask for advice on a witty comeback...sorry mate, I just can't help you. You need to grow a sense of humour, fast.

Really, if you take offense with people at any little offhand comment, I think you need to look within yourself first.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I have to disagree with you. I can honestly say that for myself, and my friends, do perfectly well in the self-esteem department, and it was a life changing accomplishment.

An IM finish means different things to different people. Maybe it didn't mean that much to you, and that's fine. But to the people I know, they have said they really felt they accomplished something when they finished.

[reply][B]You should have asked what the doc meant by his statement. Why is everyone so quick to say that the doc is being unprofessional?[/B]

Because that's how these threads go. A poster presents ONE side of the story ... the version that paints the triathlete (or specific distance triathlete) as the victim, and then everyone jumps in and gangs up on the OTHER side and gives the OP the EXACT advice/sentiment they want to hear.

It works whether we are discussing doctors, relationships, families, sisters, moms, etc. It's very theraputeic and self-affirming. It's great. The poster feels validated and justified and we get to rally around our "it's us against the world" and "they'll never understand" slogans/mentalities.

Sure, I'm having some fun ... but I do agree that it would be refreshing if more people pointed out, "Why didn't you aske him what he meant?" rather than jump to "find a new doctor", "break up with her", "your sister is jealous of you", etc.[/reply]

Best post of the day. You hit the nail right on the head.

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http://achukumba.blogspot.com/

How about: 'OH Yeah? Well...' ...and then sulk for, like, a week, like, right there in his office. And whenever anyone asks you what you're doing there you say:"He said the Ironman is no big deal."

I was sitting at my computer this evening, and I was reading about an IM training programme, and part of my mind slipped into the mode of when I was fearfully training for the IM, and then I remembered: I had already done it! I was an Ironman! And it's something I remember with joy, not fear - maybe anyone can do an IM, but it's worth doing anyway! But it's like so many things in life - it's not the thing, but the willingness to do the thing, and the perseverence to have it done - those are what defines us - the ones who actually ARE Ironmen.
Some people are impressed by that straight off; some people are impressed when it's explained to them; some people understand, because they've done it too; some people fear and resent it, because when they see exercise they see people wearing out their bodies, or they see something that they can't quite get it together to do; and some people really, really don't get it and never will. Etc. etc.
Lots of women give birth - I hope your doc doesn't dis that too. Even if half of our entire species eventually does IM on a regular basis, it will still be a great thing, and something we can be proud of. Man, that would be something eh? j




.

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"I'm going to stick to my sardines" - Cassidy
"Others took their lemons and stood up and walked." - Kestrelkerri
"I will never know quite why I set out on the run. I guess because it was next." - Nachocheese
"No, just to people on the Forum. My athletes are the control group." - Paulo Sousa
" Actually, I am naturally an Asshole....not unlike the way you are naturally an idiot." IRONLOBO

Shoulder's fine thanks.

Good, your ortho did his job.

I have to disagree with you. I can honestly say that for myself, and my friends, do perfectly well in the self-esteem department, and it was a life changing accomplishment.

An IM finish means different things to different people. Maybe it didn't mean that much to you, and that's fine. But to the people I know, they have said they really felt they accomplished something when they finished.
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I too felt I had accomplished something when I finished but it didn't change my life. How did finishing an IM, not the training or other challenges and changes to your lifestyle along the way but, the actual completing of an IM change your life?

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

I may be the wrong guy to be asking this question since I've done 10 IM's, but here it goes.

What is so important about doing an IM? Is it the event or the distance. I've often wondered why people don't just go out and do their own solo IM distance event. Go outside their home door and hit the pool for 2.4 miles, then bike the 112, and then finally run the distance on their run course. Free, and the same distance.

My theory is that a lot of people have something to prove - to themselves and to those around them. So many need to have their family and friends cheering them on during their training and on race day. They have to have their SO at the finish line to tell them just how special they are for completing an IM. It's like joining an exclusive club.

The whole event has been marketed so well that people of all calibers of shape now feel compelled to do an IM for no good reason other than that anyone can. And that is the point of an IM -anyone can finish an IM. Short of being obese or having severe medical problems, most semi-trained persons can finish an IM under 17 hours. Just look at the times of finishers - at least 50% are always above the 13 hour time, which means that they walked a huge chunk of the marathon. So basically, if you can pace yourself on the swim and bike you are going to finish since almost everyone can finish within the alloted time even by walking the run.

So many persons today have "finished" an IM, that perhaps your doctor does have a point, an IM really doesn't mean that much anymore.

They never meant that much to begin with... it's all marketing.

I agree, IM didn't change my life, I changed it before I started training for it.

I was also kind of let down cuz I didn't get any feeling of great accomplishment afterwards. It was just something I did and something I'm going to do again. This time I'll have more fun training for it during the next year.

jaretj

I'm going to say the doc is an idiot or whatever - he's entitled to his opionion regardless of his reasoning and how educated it is. My take on this subject is that the significance of an IM is based on what it means to the individual and why they're doing it in the first place. If it's to "check it off the list" then no, not really a big deal. I think with technology and on-course support that most people in better-than-average shape (i.e. 75-80% of active triathletes) can slog through a course in 17 hours. If you've done an IM then it's easy to look at a marathoner and say "big deal, I did that after racing for 6 hours." But it might be a big deal to the person who sets a goal and commits to do their very best.

However, for others it might be the challenge of pushing yourself to a limit well beyond what you thought possible. Only a fraction of this has to to with what happens on race day. Much more of it comes when you push yourself out the door for a 6-hour ride each Saturday when you'd rather be spending time with family. Or pushing through fatigue or a bonk to maintain a good zone for the last 2-hours of said ride. Or limping around after 2.5 hour runs and 20+ hours or training. Or getting up at 4:30 to get in a workout because you know the day will be out of hand. Or passing up the jelly donut and all the other bad crap becasue you know it won't fuel your next workout or recovery. The person looking to check it off their list is likely not committed to that level and is happy to go through the motions.

Then, when race day does come around, who is willing to step up to the plate and dig deep, going to a place in their mind/body that's not often visited? If you read most any interview with a top pro they always talk about going to the well or somewhere like that, and how you can only do it so many times. That is what IM means to many others.

IMHO, IM is about what each person chooses it to be, regardless of what anyone else around them thinks. The massage therapist I've been going to the past couple years still asks when my "next run" is, and at this point I don't really care as long as he works the aches out. If it means something to you then who cares what someone else thinks. I know that IM is not a life changing expereince for me - in fact it's pretty insignificant in the big picture. But it is meaningful since there are few other ways that I can push, test and learn what I'm about.

This in a a way is not disimilar to the discussions about the marathon last week. Over time the number of finishers will reduce the percieved 'wow' factor of IM as the race experience gets saturated. This does not alter the fact thats its a damn hard race and cannot be bluffed without some serious fallout.

The interesting thing within this sport (unlike every other sport I've done) is that it has a tradition, history, and respect that a lot of other people don't get. It's not just about the race day - it's a way of life and (as various ex girlfriends of mine will attest to), most people won't understand this attitude.

I would tell the doc to go to the nearest Ironman race at 11 pm, and stand there for the next hour. Then watch as people barely make the cutoff. Then, watch the first competitors that don't make the 17 hour mark. Tell him to tell those people that doing an ironman doesn't mean that much anymore.

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- Nick
Now that I know some of you guys look through the special needs bags for kicks, I'm gonna put some really weird stuff in mine. I can see it now. "What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?"