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When are you a triathlete?
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I've pondered this topic of when you can call yourself a triathlete since i began in the sport. In the beginning my training was low, my technique poor, my times slow, and as a result I didnt like calling myself a triathlete. If someone asked, i'd say, "I do triathlons" not that "I am a triathlete." And again, i think its different for everyone.

Are you a triathlete after you've done your first sprint distance race? What if you never plan on racing again? What if you train daily in swimming biking and running, but never race a triathlon....you just train in those 3 sports cause you like to crosstrain are you a triathlete?

For me, i didnt eventually call myself a triathlete until i considered my training tough, my technique better and my times a little faster. I guess the issue for me was the reactions i'd get when people heard i did triathlons. In general, people still get really amazed that im a triathlete and always have something to say like "oh that sounds hard", "i could never do that," "you must be in good shape," etc. I didnt define myself as a triathlete, cause i wasnt that committed to it.

Im curious, when did others on this forum define themselves as a triathlete.

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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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HHmmmm, interesting question. In the strictest sense of the vernacular anyone who has done a triathlon is a triathlete I suppose (in the same way anyone who has commited a murder is a murderer...).

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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Man, you read my mind. I struggled with the same thing even after I did my first IM. I was really dissapointed with my time and didn't feel worthy of calling myself a triathlete. I think it's a very individual thing though. It just depends on how hard you are on yourself. I still feel weird about calling myself a triathlete even after several decent IMs and many other races. Just like I don't wear my IM finishing shirt because I think it may look like bragging or like I'm trying to get attention. Yeah, I guess I'm a triathlete but I still prefer to be called the guy who does triathlons.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [Herschel34] [ In reply to ]
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I don't care if you finished your IM in 16:59, that definately makes you a Triathlete in my book.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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Definitely a personal thing.

It's funny. I don't call myself a "triathlete", but I'd call anyone who does the same amount of work as I and has similar times a triathlete. Maybe it's about having high personal standards, I don't know.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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I was talking to my brother and referred to myself as a triathlete the week after ironman. He pointed it out to me I hadn't really thought abuot it when I did.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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The term, Triathlete, obviously carries some weight to most of us. Not many people would say, "Yes, I am a very handsome person" at least in part to prevent appearances of vanity.

To call oneself a triathlete may seem vain because we hold the term in such high esteem. We all (well, 99.9% of us) know people that can kick our tail on any given day in a triathlon. That doesn't make us non-triathletes. You wouldn't say that there are only a few very Beautiful people in the world and everyone else is just ugly. There are millions of attractive people, just like there are millions of triathletes...if you've read this drivel to this point, I'd be willing to bet you ARE a triathlete...(blush, if you must)! Be proud of it, go ahead and refer to yourself as a Triathlete. But, don't rub it in to the Ugly....(oops!) I meant to say; the Non-Triathletes.



Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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I am only in my second season, but I consider myself a triathlete. Why? Because I am training for the next event. To me it is a process or a lifestyle issue. I am either being it or not. If I give up being in events I'd say I was a triathlete.



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"Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit."

Saddlesore Wink

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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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Referring to myself as a "triathlete" wasn't/isn't nearly as strange or awkward as referring to the girl I married as my wife to other people when we first got married. Of course, after over 10 years of marriage it's easy, but at first it was just a state of mind I hadn't gotten used to. I suppose at first I felt the moniker "triathlete" was a hallowed title of which I wasn't worthy, but once triathlon became a large enough part of my life it was pretty easy to think of myself as a triathlete.

I'll never forget my sense of pride and accomplishment at finishing my first triathlon, an Olympic distance race. It was a gee-whiz moment, as if by crossing that finish line I had joined some mystical group of super humans. From there, it didn't take long before I desired to be called an Ironman.

In the midst of my big base period now, it's pretty easy to call myself a triathlete, because other than training there's work, sleeping, and eating and a few pages of a good book before zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

-David in Taipei
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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I have cross trained pretty much my whole adult life, I race very seldom. I train now just as a racing triathlete, I may race if I feel like it, If not I will still train the same. Some triathletes asked why I did all this training and not racing, so I did some races. What am I during a race, the same dude out to do his personal best but I have a number on (which takes about a week to wear off).

If someone ask why all the training, to avoid a long discussion I simply tell them I am a triathlete.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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I think it comes down to lifestyle.

I say one is a triathlete when one has bought into, and lives, the lifestyle: eat, train, sleep. If one's main goals are to lower one's times, consistently go after PRs, and to lead the life of a dedicated swimmer, biker and runner, one is a triathlete.

If one races a few times a year, and trains mainly to keep fit, one does triathlons.

I do triathlons.



__________________________________________________
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [GJB] [ In reply to ]
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I agree that it's down to lifestyle. If you live where you live, work where you work, do what you do, eat what you eat, wear what you wear... in order to take part in triathlons - I'd say you were a triathlete.

Essentially, if everything is geared towards triathlons - you're a triathlete. I suspect most people here 'do triathlons'.

I know I'm certainly no triathlete. I live where I live, do what I do ...so I can surf as much as possible. I 'do' triathlons in order to improve my surfing. However, I do get an enormous amount of satisfaction from competing in them too.







"Language most shows a man: Speak, that I may see thee. It springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parents of it, the mind. No glass so mirrors a man's form or likeness so true as his speech." - Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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Just a curious observation: those who refute to call themselves triathletes are the same who were defined as “obsessive” in the thread “are you an extreme personality?”
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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You need to get the new Jeff Triworthy album:

You might be a triathlete if you think home improvement means a treadmill, a computrainer and an endless pool.

You might be a triathlete if you sprinle advil on your wheaties.

You might be a triathlete if your dream of a perfect day includes 8 hours of exercise and no sex.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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people often ask me if i am a "runner" i always correct them with "i am not a runner but i do run". this assessment is based on the fact that not only do i suck at it, but i find little enjoyment running (as compared with biking and swimming).

i would NEVER say i am a golfer, but i do golf often. although i also suck at that, i do love playing.

however, i do call myself a swimmer. swam for 15 years and in college. BUT i don't really train for it and i don't compete (strictly swimming) anymore.

as far as a triathlete... i think if you get paid for it, you can legitimately call yourself a triathlete. NOT saying that if you don't get paid, you can't claim that title. i race a handful of events over the course of the season, and i finish middle of the pack, but i don't call myself a "triathete". i base that on the fact i don't train as much as i should.

maybe as non-pro adults our careers/family's take the lead of title's ie: i am a nurse, or mom, or attorney. as opposed to a kid when labels were as "Jenn the swimmer"or "Johnny the soccer player". no one is going to call a kid "Jenn the middle school student".

i think that if i put the maximum effort, used all my free time training, did more then 4-5 races a year, had a $5,000 bike, and placed better, i would call myself a triathlete.
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [jeremyb] [ In reply to ]
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This is a quote I ripped off from the web somewhere:
"When you run, you're a runner; when you cycle, you're a cyclist; and when you swim you're a swimmer. When you do all of them each week and intend to compete, you're a triathlete. When you're slouched on the couch eating corn chips and watching bad tv, you're none of the above."


"The more you sweat today, the less you bleed tomorrow"
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Re: When are you a triathlete? [Mark C] [ In reply to ]
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You're a triathlete when you call yourself one. The validity of the statement with other people, however, requires that you are actively participating in the sport. If you tell me you're a triathlete, I'm going to assume you've done at least one. Beyond that, I'm not going to assume anything about your ability/level of involvement. I'm just glad to meet you and have you involved in my sport.
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