Does the word "tri" give anyone else the willies?

Triathlon Forum
1

I don’t know what it is about seeing “tri” inserted into words or on websites or as part of one’s email address or message boad handle. I’m a triathlete, this should not bother me should it?

Maybe because, as a group, we triathletes have almost no personality. I find that I never have triathlete friends. They bore me. So when I see that “tri” bit inserted into something, I run for cover. triguy83@ihavenolife.com

Maybe it because I see people identify other people by calling them a triathlete. “Have you met my friend Joe? He’s a triathlete.” Its kinda like identifying someone by their race. I hate that as well; “You know Marty, the black guy?” “Peter over there, he’s indian you know…”

Or maybe its because I am embarrassed by my achievements in the sport. I don’t want people to know who I am really and just how much I struggle with being a triahtlete and trying to reach my sometimes a touch too lofty goals.

I coach a guy who’s email is CUtristud@… but I can’t bring myself to email him. When I see the address I just cant do it. Is that wrong? What am I to do? Even when people ask me " are you a triathlete?" I say no. They usually look at me funny because I have just finished a swim/bike/run workout that lasted 5 hours. But no, no, no…I can’t ever admit to being a triathlete. Not until I am caught actually doing a triathlon. Kinda like asking a woman if she’s pregnant. Never do it unless you physically see a baby coming out of her.

Thanks for listening,

TriMatt…Damn!

I mean, LaWoof

2

You’ve got problems…

3

Come to Jesus.

Who has one or all of the following,

  1. Custom tri lisence plate

  2. Tri bumper sticker

  3. Tri tattoo

  4. Tri screen saver

  5. Tri e-mail address

if you score 4 or 5 out of 5 you probably do have identity issues.

4

I’m going to have to agree with Amsetl on this one. Triathlon is a passion of mine, I care about it very deeply. I am proud of what I have done and where I plan on going. I think a lot of others are in the same boat as me. Many go overboard and ‘tri’ everything up, but it probably is just them saying that triathlon is important to thm too…

5

I can relate somewhat. However, I do have a personality (if I say so myself) and have no problems with the “word” “tri”. But I hate telling people, or when my gf tells others, how I scrutinize over my meal preparation, or how many hours a day I train, or the fact that I’ve lost ten pounds in January and will lose another ten in Feb. People can look and enjoy but just don’t muck with me. I do it for me and the competition.

6

Come to Jesus.

Who has one or all of the following,

  1. Custom tri lisence plate

  2. Tri bumper sticker

  3. Tri tattoo

  4. Tri screen saver

  5. Tri e-mail address

if you score 4 or 5 out of 5 you probably do have identity issues.

  1. yes - IronMan Lake Placid

  2. USAT and Litespeed

  3. um, hell no

  4. no

  5. no

7

I don’t have a Tri screensaver, but I do have Cyclocross wallpaper. I am more likely to get a comment from people asking me “Why are you carrying the bike? Aren’t you supposed to be riding that thing?”

8

The day I get a “triguy” email address I’m also getting guitarjohnnie@yahoo.com and sciencegeek@gmail.com.

Which is to say never, but hey, tri’s really do define some people and their lifestyle, that’s OK with me.

PS - the problem with the CUtristud@… address isn’t the “tri” part.

9

Oh, shit. All this time I’ve assumed that all the “tri” prefixes and suffixes were declarations of some sort of new sexual persuasion. I must be mixing up forums. This is the “Blowbitch” forum, no?
Frank

11

wow. it would seem there is an identity crisis issue going on.

you coach ___athletes. you therefore presumably generate income from the sport of __athlon. you are a ___athlete. you appear to promote the sport of ___athlon. but yet you have trouble going in three directions.

maybe the sport of singleathlon would be more appropriate for your personal tastes. think of the possibilities.

you would only focus your attention on single sport athletes who would themselves be more focused. your income generating business plan is simplified by 2/3rds. your personal training is significantly decreased. you would only need to promote a single athletic activity.

And when asked about your athleticism you need only reply: “i’m a singleminded kinda guy”

problem solved

12

Just when I thought I’d seen the weirdest post earlier with the dude’s feet…I see this.

On the bright side…your issues are nothing that some psychotropic meds won’t cure…

13

For me, part of the “tri” strangeness comes from the fact that it’s an abbreviation. In college, frat dudes abreviating stuff also drove me nuts. Pizza=za. Cocktails=tails. Ehh. I thought I had escaped this by coming to Boulder, but no. Here there are many lame abbreviations as well. Boulder Resevoir=the res. Magnolia Drive=Mags. Nederland=Ned. Needless to say, this sucks, big time.

14

I understand your aversion to the word “tri”. I hate going to Wendy’s and asking for the “biggie” size. Also, when I become a father, I will make it a point to never say “sippy cup”.

15

“Sippy Cup” is actually what one of the brands is called, so I think that’s O.K. I’d avoid “binkie” or “paci” (pronounced ‘passy’) for pacifer.

Those are horrible.

16

Be proud of what you are! If you’re a tri guy be a tri guy it’s ok! I’m a cyclist and I’m proud of it, it’s who I am, it’s what I do. Go watch the move “stepping in to liquid” it’s about surfing. And a surfer is always a “surfer” they like being surfers it’s a way of life just like being a triathlete. It dose not mean your shallow it’s just means you have a passion in life, and if you don’t have a passion in life I think life can be a bit boring.

Bikedude.

17

I definitely see your point - it can get quite nauseating sometimes, the endless displaying of the lifestyle.

One thing that really gets me is when people are still talking about their race to anyone/everyone the day after their iron. I’ve trained my ass off for this thing for the past 6 months, just got done with 10+ hours of racing, the last thing I want to do is talk about the thing. It’s time to have some different fun, kick back and relax.

Get me a 12 pack and some greasy food !!

18

Well, I most certainly have problems. That is something I won’t argue.

Identity crisis? Sure, why not.

But one thing I am NOT is an ambassador for our sport. When people tell me that they want to do a triathlon, I usually tell that to turn and run! Pun intended. Man, what a way to suck away countless hours and loads of dough form your life.

As for coaching, I have only asked for money once, and it was a total disaster. Now I coach for free. Who the fuck am I to ask retarded sums of money for coaching? (by the way, it’s OK for me to use the word “retard” because, well, I love retards. Just love those little fuckers) I know a guy who charges 150 a month for coaching, Not that high by coaching standards, but he SUCKS! He falls into what I like to call my Good Will Hunting Theory: A person from whom you can’t learn anything that you can’t read in a book.

Theories I like: The old Bruce Banner Theory. Bruce Banner wandered from small town to small town trying to keep out of trouble. In each of the towns he landed in, he managed to get into a situation where someone wanted to kill him and he turned into the Hulk. After about 10 to 15 of said encounters, I am of the mind that one might want to stop a sec and say “maybe its me?” OK, so that’s not really a theory, but it’s good, no?

“tri” geeks,

For the love of god, please stop the following activities so that I can get over my psychosis.

1: There is not a single person in the fucking world who gives a shit that you rode 100 miles yesterday, so that’s why you cant swim fast today. Oh your poor legs.

2: It’s not a race if you are not racing. You “did” a triathlon; you didn’t “race” a triathlon. That’s not a bad thing. Finishing is the most important thing, right? I “did” a run with some friends last year for fun. We did not race. That was the most fun I have ever had at any endurance event I have been to. Keep it real brothers and sisters.

3: Stop wearing your 60-dollar tri suits with the pad to swim practice! We all know who the triathletes are just by the way you walk on deck and warm up. You don’t need to remind us with the suit. Oh wait, you can keep that one up because… No one cares about you or what you are doing except the coach, and they’re getting paid to.

4: Stop wearing your training clothes to social events. The next time I see a group of dudes in running pants and coolmax tees at the coffee shop I swear to god I’m going to jerk the wheel into the crowd. Ladies, that goes for you to. You stink just as bad as we do after a workout. Take a shower and change clothes before heading out for your daily errands.

5: when shopping for anything other than triathlon bikes, please refrain from mentioning that you are a triathlete. A running shoe is a running shoe. There is no special training shoe for triathletes. There is no special swimsuit for triathletes.

Sales person: “what can I get for you today?” Customer: “I need some running shoes. I’m a triathlete so I need something for triathlons, because I’m a triathlete”
SP: thinks to him/herself “please don’t bring up that you just rode 100 miles yesterday”

That was fun! I’m off to put in a solid 6-hour training day…… because I’m a triathlete you know… so I train a lot and stuff.

I need a cookie. Gingersnap anyone?

19

Dear TRIMATT,

I understand where you’re coming from. It wasn’t until I ran 2 marathons before I called myself a runner. Looking back, this makes no sense, as i was running freaking 18 and 20 miles, yet couldn’t call myself a runner. Weird.

Then I got hurt. It was a huge blow, because everyone identified me as a runner. When i couldn’t run, it was as if my identity was gone. It was so depressing that I gained 10 pounds almost instantly. Then my father passed away–bam, another 10 pounds. Suddenly, I realized that I was indeed a crazed runner, so crazed that I thought unless I was an elite I couldn’t earn the title “runner”, no matter how hard and long I trained (and regardless of being a consisten age group winner…that still didn’t count).

Even now, my language is, “I do triathlons” (and someone has to “out” me, it is something I never willingly talk about, etc). The reason I just claim myself as a participant, is in comparison to some of the maniacs there is no way I can earn the title “triathlete”–I only train 5-7 hours a week, and thanks to some weight gain (no longer the puny size 4 I used to be), I’m a mid packer at best. so, the rational still sticks–it’s ironic, I know.

But, besides my lack of winning ability in the sport, I am reluctant to identify myself as a triathlete because I see now, after suffering such a physically/emotionally painful injury in the past, how awful it can be to have my identity robbed because I’m hurt and can’t run/bike/whatever. So, as a form of self protection, I no loner depend on sport as an identity. I think it’s better to be a well rounded person regardless of what one excels at, enjoys, etc.

And, to be honest with you, when I see “tri” in phrases, emails, etc, I think it’s a little lame, but obviously recognize that’s someone identifier, which IMO, is risky–especially if they get hurt, can’t run, whatever. The recovery is much greater than a physical injury…it’s also hugly emotional, and IMO one deminsional…life is too rich for just one thing.

kitty

20

my license plate is ITRI. i wear my tri club shirts around town without any hesitation. i wear event shirts around as long as they don’t have strange animal caricatures. i don’t have tri in anything else that I can think of. i do have tri related stuff on my website. i have the “smokin” TDF poster in my office, and a CLIF bar banner in my office at home.

i didn’t adopt any of that stuff until a few years into the process and don’t think twice about it. i’m not good enough to flaunt it but i don’t hide it either. why would i want to?

i like what i do. maybe that’s the key.

the license plate is fun at events when i get threatened with having it stolen or when the badge stops me for 10 over and asks about my spelling issue and then holds off writing me up after we talk about the training he does to stay on the force and maybe a tri would be fun to do yada yada yada.

its simply what you make it, or how you take it. i’m glad we are different since it would be a pretty boring place to hang around if we were all the same.

21

Now Kitty, don’t take this the wrong way, I am not prone to taking anything seriously so I don’t want you to get the wrong impression about me. I don’t care about anything. I’m that shallow, but…

I have a friend who was a pro geek, and a good one at that. He won his share of races. A few years ago his brother was diagnosed with some awful degenerative disease. He fought it for a long time but eventually it took him. When I saw my friend the day after his brother died he was wrecked but he managed to put a lot of things in perspective for me. He was happy. Why? Because he still had his health. Mind you he was going through some nasty treatment for melanoma at the time. He was able to go for a ride and lift weights and ride his motorcycle and he was happy for it because he watched his brother have those things taken away form him one by one until he died.

From that day on always wanted to appreciate my life and my body for what it is. I let that get away from me for a few years but now I am back to being happy. My life is fantastic. I have a wonderful woman that I am going to marry, I have a job that is really easy and most of all, I have my health, physical and mental. I love being me. I am exactly who I want to be because I am becoming who I will be remembered as and I am enjoying every step.

OK, now I need to make a sarcastic remark about something like…Asian women…no…Puppy dogs and teenagers…no, and no…Kitty cats! I’m sure there is a joke to be made in regards to Kittycat and LaWoof, but I am just not on top of my game right now. Maybe woofy can come up with something

I love ya Kitty, I love you all! Now leave me alone!

LaWoof