My friends (and family especially) see me foremost as a competitor. I see myself the same way, as competition has been my natural passion ever since I competed in my first track & field event as an ten year old ('79) in Germany. It's never something I was ever forced to do, either by myself, parents or anyone else. It's always been my most fulfilling thing, outside of my closest relationships (wife, kids, etc.). There's only been a handful of years in my last 44 that I haven't competed in organized sport. Those years, coincidentally, line up with the worst/hardest times of my life.

Good question, but if you're a competitive triathlete... those that compete, not those that complete, I don't know how triathlon can't be a lifestyle given the time commitment that comes with training, etc.

It sounds like you are an "under cover" triathlete. To me, there is no problem with being low-key. Be who you are and do not try to be something different.

There are plenty of "Rooster" and "Goose" Triathletes. The Rooster triathletes walk around with weird sunglasses, compression socks up the wazoo, Newton multi-color shoes and strut up and down the street. The Goose triathletes are always honking their own horn, be it in person, on Facebook or social media or trying to get a newspaper to write an article about their story. The Rooster and Goose triathletes are the first ones to go to a tattoo parlor to get the M-Dot on their calf.

Personally, I'm happy and proud to be a triathlete, but try to avoid wearing a "Ironman Finisher's Shirt" around the neighborhood. You can be proud to be an Ironman triathlete, but you don't have to honk your own horn. Kudos to you.

I'm gonna get roasted for saying this, but the more inexperienced and BOP crew tends to be more outwardly showy about their triathlete/runner/cyclist identity. I think it's partially the fault of advertising, someone just starting is led to believe that without special recovery material underwear their training is entirely in vain. It's also a thing where if you look like Jan Frodeno then people passing by are probably going to assume you're a great athlete. If you look like an average American and want that same level of athletic assumption you need to peacock with logos and accessories.

On race morning I'm not worried about the chubby guy in OOFOS, compression socks, Mdot visor, and recovery sensing ring. The skinny dude in sweatpants and hoodie is much bigger podium threat.

I guess the way I look at it for myself and likely how others see me, it's not confined to triathlon but more broadly as having an active lifestyle. I swim. I bike (MTB, gravel, road). I run. I hike. Having a race on the calendar only gives my training more organization than I would have otherwise. I can have a big "A" race coming up or no races on the calendar for the next 9 months and my training and fitness will be very similar. I just enjoy exercising and taking in the sights and sounds of the great outdoors. It's an absolute privilege that I appreciate more and more with every passing year.

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Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.

Personally, I'm not sure how one trains 20+ hours a week, likely almost all their discretionary free-time, and doesn't identify at least a little bit as a triathlete. I would think it would be perfectly normally to identify as a triathlete internally. That said there is a huge difference between identifying as a triathlete externally and doing so internally. I don't have any of medals of trophies, I don't have any tattoos. When people ask if I still swim, bike, run and I say yes but just for health and for fun. To me triathlon was always a lifestyle but outside of a team event back in the day, or some sort of formal sponsor obligation as a professional, you wouldn't be able to tell I was a triathlete if you met me on the street.

Not sure what Youtube athletes you are talking about but I am guessing they are in similar boat if they are pros, ie of course they identify as triathletes, that is literally their identity, but that doesn't mean when the cameras aren't rolling they are out there wearing their race participation t-shirt. If they are not pros but are pro content creators then of course they are going to be out there looking the part. That is their entire business that is how they build a brand.

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This is exactly the current landscape of what IM is doing and wants. No longer interested in real AG achievements in Compete vs Complete (I like that analogy). Want all AG “Participants” to wear IM bling, show case their awesomeness on social media, on group training activities look the look fake it till you make it. All my IM bling with exception of a few hats that sit in a drawer have gone to good will.

I do this because I like to fiddle with my bike, my head is down in my numbers and more importantly for my health. I have realized that I don’t like training with “Triathletes” but happy to encourage those who want to try the sport. My family and friends know about my training and races on the horizon. My co workers ask - Have I ever done the race in Hawaii? Yes but that is for sure a lesser achievement nowadays.

The only people I talk to about my hobby are those that ask and will talk to my sons who are runners and at times about race goals and post race summaries when “they ask”.

I identify as a human who has a passion for triathlon and other endurance sports, among other things.

Triathlon be it 10 or 20h training is life consuming.
So ofcourse you are a triathlete.

I guess the point you are really making is that just because you race and train, ot does not have to be the first thing you open every conversation about. You dont have to flash all your strava rides on IG etc.

"Why can't you go out Friday?"
I have a race this weekend.

"Why aren't you drinking tonight?"
I have a two hour ride tomorrow.

"Why can't you do that thing on Saturday?"
I had a 3 hour session in the morning so I'm watching the kids for my wife that afternoon.

Yeah, it comes up a lot.

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Nutmeg State

I certainly don’t see my identity as solely that of a triathlete, but I guess I do live a “triathlete lifestyle”. Honestly, if you’re banging out 20 hrs a week consistently, I don’t see how you aren’t either. Maybe you don’t wear the gear when not training, but I’d think you’re planning your life around getting those sessions in. Which is more “triathlete”?

I was top 20 AG/80 OA in my MDot races and OA podium in my local races this year off of ~7 hrs/week average. So I’m maybe a back of FOP athlete? Front of MOP? The plan is the up the training considerably for 2024 and hopefully break into the top 5-10 AG.

My wife coaches endurance sports and I help her. When I’m not working my day job I’m usually wearing shorts/sweats and a hoodie/hat with our brand on them. I helped design them, chose the hats/clothes and really like the look and comfort…so I wear them. I also pretty much live in a pair of Hoka flip flops…they’re comfy.

But I’m not even two years back into the sport after an 8 year break, and nearly a 100 lb weight gain and loss again (went from 6’4” 170 to 260 and back to 170). I stayed a fan of pro triathlon during that break, but couldn’t have been more separated from the sport personally. My kids (4 & 6) knew me first as chubby and certainly not an athlete. But in our immediate NY family triathlon is a thing. Heck, I got into it 15 years ago after watching my FIL race IMLP the day before our wedding (wife planned the wedding in Saranac since a chunk of family would already be there).

We moved back to NY right before the pandemic, and we both work remote (no local work friends), so a chunk of our friends were met through the local tri club, or are my wife’s clients. With the kids in school we’re finally growing a base of friends with other parents, so that’s nice. They know we do tri’s, but only through them asking what we’re up to on a given weekend.

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It seemed like a good idea at the time. . .

Yes, I identify as a triathlete - the 13-16 hrs/wk of training I do year round on a training plan so it's not all jus easy stuff, makes it required to pretty much center life outside of work and family around it.

I do think that the more you train (both hours/wk and years accumulated), the less you care about being seen in public as a triathlete, let alone an athlete. I don't care about telling or showing friends that I've done a ironman/half-ironman or won a race, etc. At best, I'll mention it if they ask me in general if anything interesting is going on, but I make sure to keep it short since I know they're not interested in the details. (Now if you're a fellow triathlete, we'll talk for hours!) I've never been interested in advertising my athletics - no need or desire for IM or triathlon stickers, tattoos, jackets, etc.

Word does get around pretty quick though that you're a serious triathlete/athlete though. I've been surprised how many people I barely know, have heard that I 'exercise a LOT!'

I do think this is a good relationship to the sport though. When you're training as much as we/I do, it's already requiring borderline obsession to keep at it day in day out, even if it's fun. No need to add to that.

I do think that a lot of the folks who rock the IM stickers/tattoos, or love telling the world about their one-n-done IM, see sharing with others part of the process of accountability, and not just for showing off - they tend to be either one-n-doners or fair weather triathletes (meaning if all in their life aligns and weather is great, etc, they'll do a race.) ANd that's fine too, but def a definitely approach than what I use to motivate myself.

I see so many people claiming to train 20hrs a week regularly. I call BS on that. I do an honest 10-12 hr regularly and when in a IM build see 20-25 hours in my peak weeks only. This is what “Triathletes” want people to believe.

+1000 on this, this is gospel. The journey is indeed the reward. I think once you truly understand that and appreciate the journey it changes your perspective on the entire "process" It is a great feeling to hop in the pool a couple weeks after a full ironman, with no races on the calendar and just swim. No worries on pace, just swimming. Trust me I love a good build during the summer, but it is hard to beat the October/November/December months when you are just exercising instead of "training" - good stuff.

You hit the nail on the head. So true

Lifestyle? You mean like..................

Trying to figure out what to tell people first about yourself at a party.....That you're a triathlete or vegan.

Interesting - I'm out of town this weekend for a race and I just stopped by the liquor store and picked up a 750 of 100 proof bourbon. I flew so I can bring any of it home.....

Or vegan triathlete!!

I don’t see it as part of my identity, but it is absolutely a lifestyle just based on how much of my time it takes up.

 I'll admit that most comments on this post make me feel a bit defensive, and I'm trying to be curious about that feeling.

I think it's because most of the responses on this post smack of humble bragging a la, I went to school in Cambridge instead of just saying you went to Harvard.

Neat-o.

I'd like to offer a different perspective. I've been a MOP athlete my whole life. I love competing and exercising. I've been running for 20 years and doing triathlon for 8, and triathlon is an important part of my identity. This is probably because I'm also a juggling being a wife, mother, and full-time employee. Triathlon is something I do completely for myself. I'm aware that I am a worthy and whole person even without triathlon/running, but training and competing fills my spirit in ways that those other pieces of my identity can't.

I also wear my race t-shirts because 1) I'll be damned if I'm buying other t-shirts 2) I want other moms to see me and think, hey if she can do that, maybe I can and 3) they're reminders of good times.

FWIW: The tendency for some in this community to be more dismissive of the completer or one and done can make it feel very exclusionary to some athletes that might want to post or be part of the forum.

More than a few times, I've been talking to someone (usually about running) then I'd add that I also do cycling for MS, and used to swim fairly regularly

"So, you're a triathlete then?"
"I wouldn't say that," I'll answer, "I mean I was, and still might be. But I'd rather not confess to it. Being a Runner is bad enough"

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Not long ago, I was talking with a new friend at the gym who noticed I was wearing a tech shirt with a nice graphic on it, a date, and a reference to distances of some sort - the kind that might function as an Invisibility Cloak in the weight training area

"You're a Runner?"
"I've been accused of that - but I also bike a lot, and swim occasionally"
"So you're a Triathlete?"
"'On indefinite hiatus' maybe? I'm more comfortable with 'Runner'"

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

And the problem is? Both statements can be true.

That's NOTHING compared to Boston Marathoners, trust me

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

I was an executive for most of my career but when people asked me what I did, my answer was always ‘I’m an Engineer’. People ask me how I stay so fit, my reply ‘I’m a triathlete’.