I’m not even sure IM is good for most people’s health (mental or physical), plus it’s expensive. I’ve never done anything longer than a half, and haven’t done an actual tri in a few years. My main holdup on that is entry fee. This guy paid $891 just for entry into IMPC. Crazy. I’ll continue to do endurance sports so that I’m fit and can randomly do FUN and CHEAP events. Tri continues to be boring and expensive in the face of events like the Birkie, Red Bull 400, etc.
why don’t you come up with a format yourself and make it cheap? You are right about the branded races, its insane the cost, but at the same time if I had the money I would do them. However, I have yet to do a full distance and just signed up for a 70.3 this fall, but its a local race that cost me 130 bucks so to me its no different than some upper tiered marathons or even Nats.
I do plenty of fun stuff on my own…but it’s always different. No reason to stick only to Tri when I can do whatever I want!
I do plenty of fun stuff on my own…but it’s always different. No reason to stick only to Tri when I can do whatever I want!
For sure. There is a certain rush from competition however.
And big events cost big money. I don’t think anyone is getting rich overnight. Staff, insurance, medical support, etc. You get what you pay for.
While I agree IM is probably not healthy (on you body, mind, or relationships), finishing your first is a truly special life experience – especially if you get lucky and have a good day (weather, nutrition, performance, etc.). You can say all you want about the power of Ironman’s marking machine, etc. but there is a reason (having something to do with the experience itself, I surmise) that people eagerly tattoo a brand’s logo onto their bodies.
Maybe consider raising money for charity (setting a high goal, maybe $5K?) and be open that you are going to use $1K of the proceeds to fund your entry fee?
I’ve never met someone who regretted doing the 1st Ironman. The Nth Ironman, is another story… Just keep it in check and keep your real priorities front and center. It’s easy to get sucked down the Ironman lifestyle rat hole, and the cost of that is more than financial… but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As a young person about to do their first ironman (and truly addicted to the sport at this distance), what are the drains on life you guys are talking about?
I’m not even sure IM is good for most people’s health (mental or physical), plus it’s expensive. I’ve never done anything longer than a half, and haven’t done an actual tri in a few years. My main holdup on that is entry fee. This guy paid $891 just for entry into IMPC. Crazy. I’ll continue to do endurance sports so that I’m fit and can randomly do FUN and CHEAP events. Tri continues to be boring and expensive in the face of events like the Birkie, Red Bull 400, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/...jByf6T6rHwqkOSJJ%3A6
I’m having problems analyzing your argument, sorry, I may be out of context.
Are you talking about IMs or triathlons in general?
Do you consider them unhealthy? For you or categorically?
Do you consider them boring? For you of categorically?
Do you consider them expensive? For you or categorically?
If the majority of your arguments are personal, I respect that.
For me, personally, I don’t find 10-month long training cycles and 10-hour long races either boring or unhealthy. They’re hard, but fun is in meticulous self-improvement. I don’t consider IM super-expensive either. Probably on par with alpine skiing on per-year basis. They’re not cheap, but thanks god, so far I can afford them without jeopardizing retirement savings.
of course there are other distances as well. I can see the point somewhat of training for longer distance year after year can really beat up your body. It can also depend on one’s goals as well. I know plenty of people who just do sprints for fun and to stay in shape. They don’t really care about their time.
Mostly personal arguments. Just “vocalizing†to a crowd that might understand. Most of my friends are not long distance multi sport athletes. I think the unhealthiest part of IM/Tri training is the monotonous training. Part of it stems from swimming. I spent the better part of ten years with the same weekly routine 48 weeks of the year. I don’t want anything to do with that anymore.
It’s tough to make broad generalizations about whether it’s good for someone mentally or physically. Everyone’s situation is different.
Entry fees generally don’t bother me. It costs a LOT of money to put on a safe, enjoyable race and I appreciate that. If you plan well you can register early and get the lowest prices to mitigate the issue a touch. Yes, full IM prices for WTC are high, but you get what you pay for, and thinking about the cost to produce those events makes my head spin. So I get it.
For instance, training for the Red Bull 400, I got to do some shorter, higher intensity training. Hill repeats and the like. It was fun and I got in really good shape doing something I wouldn’t otherwise do, AKA intensity and vert!
I’m not even sure IM is good for most people’s health (mental or physical), plus it’s expensive. I’ve never done anything longer than a half, and haven’t done an actual tri in a few years. My main holdup on that is entry fee. This guy paid $891 just for entry into IMPC. Crazy. I’ll continue to do endurance sports so that I’m fit and can randomly do FUN and CHEAP events. Tri continues to be boring and expensive in the face of events like the Birkie, Red Bull 400, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/...jByf6T6rHwqkOSJJ%3A6
What a strange post
There are plenty of shorter tris less than $100
But you say you haven’t done tris for the past few years because of the cost
And you start off by saying you don’t even know if it’s healthy lol
Weird.
As a young person about to do their first ironman (and truly addicted to the sport at this distance), what are the drains on life you guys are talking about?
There are a fair number of good threads here about this topic. Here is one I started some time ago, which has lots of useful advice. https://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/How_to_keep_Ironman_from_consuming_your_life_P6860726/?search_string=ironman%20take%20over%20life#p6860726
Basically, racing Ironman competitively generally consumes something like 15-20 hrs week of training time, many additional hours on related activities which can add up in a hurry (researching gear/races/etc., maintaining bikes, “slowtwitching” as my wife calls it) and it’s among the more expensive hobbies one could take up (cheaper than sailing and race car driving, but more expensive than running or pick-up basketball). As you get older, you will have more demands on your time and/or people who’d like to think it’s their right to exercise control over your spending, which can lead to obvious problems.
But for now, enjoy the freedom young grasshopper!
Get a mountain bike and don’t look back 
.
While I agree IM is probably not healthy (on you body, mind, or relationships), finishing your first is a truly special life experience – especially if you get lucky and have a good day (weather, nutrition, performance, etc.). You can say all you want about the power of Ironman’s marking machine, etc. but there is a reason (having something to do with the experience itself, I surmise) that people eagerly tattoo a brand’s logo onto their bodies.
Maybe consider raising money for charity (setting a high goal, maybe $5K?) and be open that you are going to use $1K of the proceeds to fund your entry fee?
I’ve never met someone who regretted doing the 1st Ironman. The Nth Ironman, is another story… Just keep it in check and keep your real priorities front and center. It’s easy to get sucked down the Ironman lifestyle rat hole, and the cost of that is more than financial… but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Your answer seems sound to me and I hope he acts on it. He’s sounds like he’s able to finish one and maybe just burnt out afterfour years of training. Good encouragement.
For instance, training for the Red Bull 400, I got to do some shorter, higher intensity training. Hill repeats and the like. It was fun and I got in really good shape doing something I wouldn’t otherwise do, AKA intensity and vert!
.
Why weren’t you doing intensity and hills in your triathlon training? The only limitation to training is your imagination.
As a young person about to do their first ironman (and truly addicted to the sport at this distance), what are the drains on life you guys are talking about?
They’re just a bunch of cranky old men and women. Do your IM and have fun with it.
Training 15+ hours a week is a lifestyle and if they don’t like doing it they should do something else that makes them happy.
I’m not even sure IM is good for most people’s health (mental or physical), plus it’s expensive. I’ve never done anything longer than a half, and haven’t done an actual tri in a few years. My main holdup on that is entry fee. This guy paid $891 just for entry into IMPC. Crazy. I’ll continue to do endurance sports so that I’m fit and can randomly do FUN and CHEAP events. Tri continues to be boring and expensive in the face of events like the Birkie, Red Bull 400, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/...jByf6T6rHwqkOSJJ%3A6
In my experience triathlon is somewhat expensive first year versus what I’d likely be doing if I wasn’t doing triathlon.
Once you buy your gear other than race fees it costs almost nothing.
70 percent of my leisure time is cost free. Riding bike and running is free. Swimming costs about 10 USD per hour
IM race fees are a lot but not much more than I’d spend on a vacation day, sometimes less.
I would blow much more money on drinking and eating out and other crap if I wasn’t doing triathlon.
Compare it to golf.
I ride MTB primarily now (Utah). Though I spend plenty of time falling off of it and hurting myself.
As to the poster who asked about training - focusing on a goal can end up shoehorning you into a certain type of training. The hill repeat I was doing for RB400 were max effort - HR up around 190 type of thing. A few times a week.
Point is…my imagination needs a kick in the pants sometimes! That’s where my original post comes from I suppose.
As a young person about to do their first ironman (and truly addicted to the sport at this distance), what are the drains on life you guys are talking about?
i race the first ironman held in kona. in 1981. i’m as enthusiastic about triathlon now, at 62, as i was at 24, when i race that race in kona. the swim included.
i’m enthusiastic about the training, the racing, the traditional stuff, the new fangled stuff. no-draft tri, DL tri, gravel tri, swim/run, you name it. i’m in.