This is LONG and my thoughts are pretty unorganized but...
I might be going off in an odd direction, but that is not unusual...
Yes this sport is expensive to get into and stay in, but many sports are.
I think the issue that compounds the cost problem is the informational problem. There are a number of dimensions to the information problem, and ultimately they wreak havoc on affordability. Let me try to explain with an example.
I am no huge tri expert, been in the sport a bit of time and do have a pretty extensive swimming/swim coaching experience. I was asked by a friend who has no real competitive athletic background but wants to do a tri to help him out a bit. Here is what I have experienced with him regarding information, cost and their compounding effects.
First information hurdle is the training. Ya - to some degree it should start off as simple as - get your fat ass off the couch and work out 3 to 5 times a week - or more graciously get your self swimming 3 times a week for a total of 1 hour, run a total of 10 miles a week and bike 3 times a week for a couple of hours. Don't kill your self, if it hurts slow down, make sure you have a rest day or two in your week. In 6 to 8 weeks check back in for more training info and program refinement. This is a simple plan, but for someone who is just starting out it needs to be this simple.
But no - we crush people from the start with 16 to 24 week training programs, talking about HR monitoring, lactate thresholds, bla, bla, bla. True example, my friend (very bright lawyer) who did some research on starting his training was about to NOT go after his tri goal because he felt he simply could not understand everything and/or implement the wealth of, but overbearing and far too technical, information he was reading on starting a tri training program. I know people will argue that there are simple plans out there, but they are not easily accessible. No the easy to access training info is the most complex info, and that scares people.
Logical solution if you are my lawyer friend who does not know someone like me is to hire a coach. Coaches cost some pretty serious $$. See the connection between information and cost?
Second information hurdle is regarding all the 'stuff' you need to do a tri. Any newbie who picks up a tri rage has to have info overload looking at all the gadgets, gizmos, and must have things portrayed in the mag. Then they go to the web for info. I know sites and their creators need to make some cash, but the advertising is incredible!!! More stuff than you can pack into a 2 car garage appears to be needed to do your first sprint tri. Now we move the newbie onto price and smoke comes out of their head! This stuff anit cheep, but unlike golf equipment that can be bought at K-mart or second hand sports shops, tri stuff at least appears to only be gotten at specialty shops that charge full frate. To be honest, to the newbie this stuff seems exotic and to quote my lawyer friend, does he really want to buy something he has never even seen in person (ex. wet suit) off E-bay? 'No.' Could he spend a ton of time searching the web for deals and close outs, actually no he is too busy trying to figure out a training regiment, and again he is not to confident buying some stuff he has never even touched.
OK - so now I am establishing the second connection between information and cost - getting the stuff to do a tri. I know some are going to argue that all you really need are sneakers, Speedo, any type of bike, and a t-shirt. Frankly that BS. What you need at a minimum to get started training and racing = Speedo - $30, running shoes - $45, bike - really cheep - $200, goggles - $5, 2 pair running shorts - $40, 2 pair socks that don't f-up your feet - $10, 3 running shirts/singlets - $45, access to a pool - $30 a month, helmet - $50, USAT 1 day - $9, race entry $40,
Thus he goes into the one or two tri specific stores in his area (we live in a second level city - thus we even have a tri specific store within 50 mile radius, pity the poor bastards who are in small markets because they are trying to shop wet suits at the boat and RV store or Wall-Mart) to try and get some info from a breathing persona and possibly pick up some essentials.
Third information hurdle appears, dealing with the store sales person. OK - I know this topic has been beaten dead on this forum recently, but let’s be frank - it is quite likely that the newbie will not be working with the seasoned, professional who owns the shop. Rather first encounter is more than likely with the young staffer who is far more interested in their own racing (thus the reason they are working in a tri shop at 24 yrs of age rather than humping it in corporate America) than serving a newbie client. The encounter too often is more like a tired, bothered, hungry wolf meeting a new born rabbit. Can you say - I smell blood, let get rid of this 40 year old clown w/cash posing as a want-to-be triathlete? Arrogance unabashed (hay you gotta be to make it to semi-elite level 24 year old triathlete working in the tri shop gathering just enough scratch to live on working as few hours as possible to accommodate your training schedule) v. old guy (40) with said cash and about 25 extra pounds wanting to out fit him self adequately to do the local sprint. The discussion grows ugly as the two warriors have no ability to communicate with one another. The buyer wants some good advice and information and to not have his wallet raped. The sales-athlete wants to ride him self of the annoying old fart, but also pull some moula out of said wallet waiting to be bent over the cash register and violated vigorously. Bottom line – the newbie’s, my friend, head explodes for information inadequacies and the feeling that he is completely stupid. Won’t even go into the rudeness factor or the notion that his very limited amount of confidence in being able to undertake and successfully complete is first tri have been shaken.
What occurs is that because of the information divide, the gap in product knowledge being disseminated widens in a way that a new person cannot make some reasonable product purchase decision. People either don’t buy or buy incorrectly, and quite possibly get hosed.
My lawyer friend and I had such an encounter at a LBS shop this past weekend. This is a great shop, the owner is top notch. The prices are fair, though not cheap. We go in to do some bike shopping. My friend and I talk in the car about bikes and actually had been at another shop two week before. He did some internet research. Unfortunately the owner was out, and I do not know him well enough to get any preferential attention. We meet the sales person and tell him we are looking for an entry tri bike – you know the conversation. This kid was actually remotely OK – I could see he smelled blood, but he was more seasoned at hiding it than some sales people I have encountered. I drop a few names and the fact that I am a paid member of the small, some what selective tri club the store partially sponsored. Also nicely mention/chit chat about a few other items in an effort to not impress the sales-athlete (self admitted that he is more interested in his bike racing than working) but to let him know there is a good, store loyal customer along for my friend’s buying ride. The discussion turns to buying a bike, and I back off in differential respect for all parties involved and in admission that I only have limited knowledge base about tri bikes. Lot of questions from my friend pours forth, standard sales pitch ensues, back and forth. What happens during all of this is that my friend keeps turning back to me when the sales guy is not around with a look of complete bewilderment and sticker shock.
Fourth information hurdle comes a few weeks into training. The newbie has gotten him self going. Feels good about training. Now he begins to meet the tri community. Hopefully the first few encounters are positive. People really wanting to help people type thing. But unfortunately this is not always the case. First off a lot of us (me included) are quite arrogant and intimidating, even when we are not trying to be. Real example, my wife has told me I scare people at the gym because of my training intensity and seriousness. Hay I am the nicest guy, willing to help anyone wanting to get into tris, willing to give my time, limited knowledge and effort to anyone free. I get super stoked talking to newbie about tris, what they can do and what the sport has done for me. But the truth is, even those of us in the sport even a limited amount of time do some serious shit in our training, and we do it seriously. That scares people. At least that is the view I have heard from some non-tri people. But this training is stuff that most folks really could do if they commit and try, but with out help they don’t see that potential in them selves. Unfortunate part is that the image projected by triathlete, which converts into mental information to the newbie, is one of unatainability.
Second point about the tri community, go on line and there is a lot of good, helpful, well caring and basic info. But it does come across pretty strong. I know we can not start all our posts with disclaimers like, “when I started run training I could only go 1 mile at 12 min. pace, but kept at it and now run a 48 min 10K – so stick with if new folks”. And heaven forbid a newbie enter a discussion group like Slowtwitch as one of their first forays on the web. I LOVE Slowtwitch, but we are very scary. I had some good tri experience under my belt when I first entered the forum, but the sarcasm and slashing remarks (which fit my personality well) kept me a bit at bay. A new person has no chance. True remark, my lawyer friend was checking out Slowtwitch and mentioned to me that not just the forum but also epic camp, bike reviews, et. al. info was eye opening and a lot to take in. This coming from a trial lawyer who could cut you to pieces.
Third remark on this topic deals with tri clubs. They are great, but like any ‘club’ they are inherently clickish. This is a sport that welcomes all in the door, but due to high testosterone levels (chicks included figuratively) you don’t often get a seat at the table until you prove your self. Now I know this is not unique to triathlons, but it is also not quite like the sewing circle either. True fact, the members in my tri club were all nice and cordial when I joined, but no one seemed real approachable or willing to ‘share the secrets’ until I smoked them all in the pool at a race. Once I did that I was in like flyn. Lucky I have the swimming back ground to do this early in my tri career. The real newbie with no prior athletic background stays on the fringe of the community for a long time.
The information to cost connection in this area relates to simply trying to get into the community. You can spend time, energy and money working to be part of the group that is supposed to give you, particularly the newbie, guidance, help and support. This takes a lot of resources how ever you define resources. But bottom line is that ultimately, in some way your resources are directly connected to money.
OK - I have really rambled on about this and could go further. There is sooo much more swimming in my messed up head!!!! But I hope, Tibbs, in some marginally intelligible way I have hit on some of your topics/questions. More than anything I think your notion that there is lost group of folks out there, and out there to me means both currently participating triathletes (most specifically the newbie sector, but none of us a immune from my rant) and those that want to get into our sport but see it as wholly un-doable, does hold merit.
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