The All World Athlete induction notices are hitting emails, which means I get to go through my annual social media cleansing of those people who issue self-congratulatory posts about their “achievement”.
Do those of you who are bragging about this not know that this is one of the biggest jokes in triathlon? Or do you know it and just flaunt it anyways to impress those who don’t know better?
If you don’t know, let me clue you in: this is a frequent fliers club. The AWA badge is as unexceptional and unimpressive as your Costco card.
Beyond that, it’s such a classic money grab from the company that couldn’t give less of a shit about your hopes and dreams. This is just another way WTC is giving us crass commerce and telling us it’s achievement. Textbook.
I am personally embarrassed to be a part of this club – it reveals how much money I’ve let WTC leech out of me in the past year. I sure won’t be putting the bumper sticker on my car. In fact, there’s a guy I know who slashes tires on cars like that. Just giving you guys a heads up.
Beyond that, it’s such a classic money grab from the company that couldn’t give less of a shit about your hopes and dreams. This is just another way WTC is giving us crass commerce and telling us it’s achievement. Textbook.
blah blah troll gonna troll.
In fact, there’s a guy I know who slashes tires on cars like that. Just giving you guys a heads up.
Does said douchebag also throw sticks in the spokes of fellow racers wearing AWA kits?
I’m pretty much with you in theory, and see the litany of annoying posts on my FB feed of the “badges,” and then read all the congratulatory messages from folks who think the poster is actually top whatever percent, but honestly but so what? If this is the thing in life that drives you nuts, you’ve got a good life!
That said, I don’t really have an issue with the frequent buyer aspect of the program. I don’t sign up for races in efforts to increase points or however it is they track it, I sign up for races that interest me, and if it somehow benefits me, all the better. I’ll take a shorter check in line, or an earlier wave any day of the week.
I am personally embarrassed to be a part of this club – it reveals how much money I’ve let WTC leech out of me in the past year. I sure won’t be putting the bumper sticker on my car. In fact, there’s a guy I know who slashes tires on cars like that. Just giving you guys a heads up.
I know how you feel. But honestly I don’t give WTC my money to be a member of the club they just force it on me. I do it because I love it. Let your hate go Publius - you will be a better person for it. Now where did I put my tyre slasher…
I don’t know anything about this program, but googling their website - do you have to be top 10% of your AG to be in it? Or can you get it by some other non-performance method?
The more events you complete, the more points you accumulate. So, a triathlete could be ranked higher than an overall winner (that only raced 1 IM) if they completed 2 IMs and scored decently.
The more you race, the more points you get. Like 2900 points for a 12:50 in AZ or 1700 points for a 13:57.The more events you complete, the more points you accumulate. So, a triathlete could be ranked higher than an overall winner (that only raced 1 IM) if they completed 2 IMs and scored decently.
Onle three races count, so 15000 points is the limit.
In IMTX, I broke my fibula due to a stress fracture on the run, didn’t realize it was that bad, and walked/ ran home into something like 50th place in my AG.
In a 70.3, I was doing well, had a mechanical problem that caused me to lose about 45 minutes waiting for neutral race support.
At IMMD, I finished a few places outside of the KQ neighborhood.
I considered this a crap season with only one decent race. Somehow I got gold status. I guess the points must be done off raw time. That means having a shortened course, like both TX and MD did, means you get a lot of unearned points.
It reminds me of the saying: “any club that would have me as a member is one I don’t want to join.”