It seems like all the good pros, or even just decent pros, were good at running or swimming when they were younger. Is this true for all?
the genetics that allow you to be a decent pro, would probably make you a dream crusher as a young kid in any endurance sport you tried.
Belinda Grangers first IM was over 14 hours (or so I hear)…
Train hard… triathlon is not about single sports… you only have to be good… not great… at all three.
“Train hard… triathlon is not about single sports… you only have to be good… not great… at all three.”
^ thats some real motivation right there…(how do you make ur font pink?)
No triathlete can outrun the best runners, out-swim the best swimmers, or out-bike the best bikers. That’s the truth princess.
Hey,
Belinda mentioned in an interview found here (http://www.gotrimax.com/TriMaxGranger.htm) that her first attempt at IM was in 1999 and she DNF’s due to a flat and burning herself up trying to make up for the lost time (she expected to win that race). The next year at IM AUS she went 9:34 (results here http://www.ironmanwa.com/ironmanoz/2000/res-overall.txt)
I guess genetics do play a part…plus 10,000 hours of training a year
I guess that’s just a myth then.
Plenty of older athletes to triathlon kicking ass… at long distance. Short distance, elite racing is a youngin’s game…
It ain’t all about hours either…
If you want to be a good miler on the track, it takes talent. To be a good triathlete or other aerobic athlete, it is the person who has a lot of time that can be consistant for 10 striaght years is going to be the great one!
PT
My partner Sam entered a few triathlons back in the UK as a teenager, when the sport was in its early years, she completed the swim on her back, was so afraid of getting water in her mouth.
Ten years on, at the age of 29 she tried it again, this time living in NZ. She won a couple of races, got an entry to age group worlds and finished 2nd in her category. She then moved up to the elite the next year.
This last year (2008) she finished on the podium in 4 out of 5 ITU World Cups that she entered, won two, got a bronze at Worlds and won the ITU World Cup overall. At 37 years of age.
Now I’m not saying there’s not a sh@t load of fast 20-something year olds out there, but one size just doesn’t fit all. Just as there are so many different aspects that make up the ‘whole package’ as far as what it takes to win races; Strength, speed, emotional ability to control race nerves, decision making in the midst of the fight, and they all develop at different stages in different athletes development.
I accept that some will say Sam is an exception to the rule, but I do believe that every athlete is different, as is every ‘potential athlete’ out there thinking of breaking into triathlon or whatever other sport it is we’re talking.
We often have the discussion (Sam and I), and it’s usually after two or three bottles of red wine (that’s right older athletes have a better appreciation of that too!). It usually starts by Sam saying something like “F@ck I wish I’d got into triathlon earlier”, followed by a long discussion that always ends up with her agreeing that she just wouldn’t of had the mental capacity, strength endurance base, and a whole heap of other things to be where she is now if she had of been competing in her mid twenties. She’d probably of gotten herself injured or just got disillusioned by being constantly beaten by the likes of Siri, Carney, Harrop, etc.
I personally think it’s destructive to espouse this theory that you’ve gotta be young to make it, it crushes dreams. Sure, most athletes come through this pathway, but just because you didn’t, doesn’t mean you’ve gotta accept mediocrity.
Just my opinion though…
Although not a Pro, Joe Bonness did no formal or team sports until his early 30s. He was very active, rode a bike exclusively until he was 18, but no formal training. He had to learn speed on the swim and run.
He did not get “fast” at IM until he turned 40. He is still not a “fast” sprinter. At IM he is probably as fast as “most” Pros his age. There are probably several reasons for that. One might be because he does not have the wear and tear of training for speed as a youth.
**It seems like all the good pros, or even just decent pros, were good at running or swimming when they were younger. Is this true for all? **
Depends on what level you are talking about, but in general yes, it does really help. That base, that ability to know how to push yourself, that consistancym, routine and discipline of training all those years is HUGE. It does not have to be strictly tri - any of the three sports helps - or another complimetry enurance sort such as nordic skiing or rowing. Swimming is perhaps the best, as there is a window of time to make you and develop as a really strong and great swimmer and that is in the early teen years.
Not saying that older folks can’t jump in and do “well”, and there are always exceptions. What I am talking about is the true top performers - top 10 at the most competitive IM events and the ITU world Cups and Olympic Games.
No swimmer, biker or runner can out tri the best triathelte. Neither statement has anything to do with having to be good when you are young. Craig Alexander if I recall correctly was a lazy early 20’s whne his mum told him to go out and get fit, Chrissie Wellington, Two examples of being nothing special when you are young, I sm sure that there are others
It seems like all the good pros, or even just decent pros, were good at running or swimming when they were younger. Is this true for all?
You’re missing the main point here. As the old saying goes, the most important thing is that you choose your parents very well.
If you have world class talent, starting training at an older age will simply delay your rise to the top. If you start too late you will never reach the potential you could have reached, but you’ll still be kicking the asses of everyone in your age group and likely second tier pros. (anyone ever heard of some guy named Joe Boness) It takes a certain number of years to reach proficiency in each sport which probably varies by sport. My theory has always been that there’s a talent curve, and a training curve and if you add the vertical component of each of these curves you get the current level of the athlete. The best in the world are at the top end of both curves. The space in the middle is huge because low talent and a shit load of work will get you pretty damn good results just as great talent and very little work will get you the same results.
In short, “all the good pros, or even just decent pros” have a very high talent level, once they decided to start developing that talent they rose very high very fast, regardless of how old they were. Wait too long and the ravages of age cap your potential. But there’s a wide range where a great talent can start at 15,20,25,30, maybe even 35, and still get to the top of the heap. They just won’t be there as long with the late start. The argument can be made they won’t burn out as soon with the late start but I’m not sure I buy into that. Too many old guys & gals still kicking ass and it’s more a question of how that individual holds up along with his motivation.
JJ
I was wondering if anyone would mention Chrissie Wellington. She was sitting on the winning physiological lottery ticket all that time and didn’t cash it in until her mid to late 20s.
Being a triathlete at the age of 19 years old is pretty hard with the college parties and school work, its a hard thing to balance. For the most part young people like me that are in college aren’t going to commit themselves to triathlon when they could be partying their asses of all those years. I think you can be good at any age as long as you put in the time and work, plus in races there aren’t to many people in my age group and those coming in top places are almost twice as old as me.
For most that is why they never know their potential. Those that do train a lot more than partying find out. I’m not judging either approach to each his own. I did it the other way around although not in triathlon. I trained from a young age until I was 25 then quit. It was definitely hard going through grad school as the party guy but I made it.
Gordon
i guess youre right…good thing i can atleast out swim/bike/run you. or else then id just be awful at al 3
If you don’t put in the work, you will never know how good you can be.
Theres a distinction between being talented at endurance and not KNOWING it
and not being talented.
if you are 20 years old and never tried any of this stuff, you may have what it takes to be a pro.
If you are 20 years old and as a kid you suuuucked at cross country despite trying pretty hard
you probably don’t
BUT, you never know until you try =)
No swimmer, biker or runner can out tri the best triathelte. Neither statement has anything to do with having to be good when you are young. Craig Alexander if I recall correctly was a lazy early 20’s whne his mum told him to go out and get fit, Chrissie Wellington, Two examples of being nothing special when you are young, I sm sure that there are others
If you don’t put in the work, you will never know how good you can be.
ding!
and even if you can’t ever be a top pro
you probably DO have a sub 10 ironman in you if you put the work in.