How many of you have an S.O. who is also a triathlete?
If they aren’t an athlete, how do you relate to them and them to you?
How important to you is it for your S.O. to be an athlete or at least supportive?
How many of you have an S.O. who is also a triathlete?
I do
If they aren’t an athlete, how do you relate to them and them to you?
There’s more to me than sports.
How important to you is it for your S.O. to be an athlete or at least supportive?
I definately want someone that can participate in at least some of the joys I experience from sports and the outdoors. And I couldn’t be with someone that wasn’t supportive of everything that makes me who I am. But I also expect them to put me in my place when I am wrong or get carried away.
The wife is also training to tri.
On one hand, this is one of the factors that limits our training- we have two young sons who can’t be left alone, so scheduling training sessions for both of us is troublesome.
On the other hand, she’s pretty understanding if I leave at 8 pm for a couple of hours to go swimming.
It isn’t important at all that she’s an athlete, but it is important that she’s supportive, especially in a sport as time consuming as triathlon. Getting the guilt trip every time you needed to leave to go train would be a motivation killer.
My first wife and I had completely different interests. It didn’t seem like that big a problem at the time because we both gave each other long leashes. Been divorced from her 10 yrs and realize now that it was a bigger problem for us than we both realized at the time. We just didn’t have that much in common and our fifteen years together was trying to fit square pegs into round holes. Nobody’s fault that we divorced - we just were too different from each other.
The woman I’ve been with now for the last 7 yrs shares the same hobbies as me - scuba, boating and triathlon. In fact, she got me into tris in the first place. It’s nice that we do these things together, but there are also other aspects of a relationship that are more important than doing hobbies together. Some couples do have the same hobbies and others don’t. I don’t think that it’s necessarily an indicator of a healthy relationship.
How many of you have an S.O. who is also a triathlete?
-Some have skipped the SO for right now. Training and work provides little time for that area in my life. In some instances, my family would say that my SO is my Trek TT. In regards to your question, I would say that being athletic would be prefered.
If they aren’t an athlete, how do you relate to them and them to you?
-It is difficult to relate to others who just do not understand the concept of being a triathlete.
How important to you is it for your S.O. to be an athlete or at least supportive?
-It is prefered to be an athlete, however not required. She might be spending a lot of time alone if she is not. Supportive is a must! Otherwise she can pack her stuff up. Some have asked me how my riding/training might change if I trained with a SO, my thoughts were that “you have 5 minutes for a head start.”
My wife is not an athlete. She participates as much as possible though. We call her the Sherpa. She takes care of everything; registration, hotels, food, packing, driving, trips to the LBS. As far as sport is concerned, all we have to do is train and race. She’s great. I suppose this works out so well because we have other interests both together and separate, so this is another way for us to share in something. I definetly married better than she did.
Well, I’m not too proud, and I’m over it long time ago but… My first wife and I were both super jocks in swimming, running, and cycling. Then we heard of the triathlon. Wow we each got into our 20 hr a week training, but not too much with each other. I rode too fast for her , swam in different lanes, and we ran a bit together, But I liked to run with the boys better.
Needless to say we pretty much programed each other out of our lives and spent more time on the podium together than communicating with each other. What a couple of selfcentered assholes we were. Both finished in the top 10% of Ironman 82. I still see selfcentered me and my wife times 200 every thiathlon I go to, The "dig me 80’s "are alive and well and I think that aspect of tri’s are getting worse.
Well when we got the big D, we did suprise a lot of folks who thought we were the “perfect” couple. My present wife (20 years almost) has been in one triathlon, watched about 100, volunteered for more than that and is a really understanding partner. I have gained weight and don’t give a damn if I ever get on a podium again. (Sometimes I still do) But my relationship is more important to me than getting down a course a bit faster.
Some of you may not believe me but a good marriage is actually more important for well being than a shiny medal. Aloha G
my wife has done a few but I don’t think she wouldn’t call herself a triathlete
When we first told our friends we were getting married (16 years ago), everyone was against it. Her friends told her I was too quiet. My friends told me she was not “outdoorsey” or athletic enough. At the time, climbing and bike racing were my sports of choice. Apparently, they were wrong. We still have plenty to talk about and we get outdoors hiking, skiing, sailing etc.
Exercise is important to me because I see the positive effects it has on her (mentally and physically). She’s supportive of me because she knows it what make me happy. Two couples I’ve known where both people were serious athletes had problems. Both couples are no longer together because their athletic endeavors were a higher priority than their relationships. When conflicting goals sent them in different directions, they were unwilling to compromise.
My wife does her yoga. She’s very good. I do my AGOY (lift, swim, run, cycle… the opposite of yoga.) I’m not so good, but she usually comes to cheer me on. I try to train while she poses (yoga.)
How many of you have an S.O. who is also a triathlete?
~Yes, my S.O. is also a triathlete (and semi coach for me too).
If they aren’t an athlete, how do you relate to them and them to you?
~I think we relate far beyond that fact that we are athletes.
How important to you is it for your S.O. to be an athlete or at least supportive?
~I find it a plus that my S.O. is an athlete but not a necessity (although my S.O.'s stellar body as a result of being a triathlete does not hurt). I think the fact that we both are active helps in whatever we do whether it is a walk into town or backpacking or whatever. By both of us being triathletes we both can justify the expense of the sport with out major problems. I think though there is way more then the sport that keeps us together and happy. Having someone who is supportive of what I do, whether tris or anything else, is essential.
What I am finding to cause more time issues for my triathlete S.O. is his devotion to Slowtwitch. Thanks to many discussions on this forum I am now engaged in conversations about the “Bishop and his Pawns”.
Being in college and attempting to juggle the studying and the amount of training that I do has made it very hard to come by any meaningful relationship. How do you tell a girl that the only opportunity that she has to see me is about and hour or two before I go to bed and maybe some crazy hour during the day. Very hard to fit girls into the schedule. Which is not what I want to do anyways. I still have fun and try to keep going.
the women that I have gone out with don’t really understand my crazed sense about this whole triathlon thing but they understand and ejoy the high level of passion that I have for it. They find it very exciting. Right now I am just entering into a relationship that seems to be pretty promising. She understands how much passion I really have for the sport and I have actually let my gaurd down and started studying with her more so that we can spend more time together. One small leap for average joe, one giant leap for a collegiate traithlete.
I understand that having a wife or husband must be more difficult and probably become even more difficult with having children in the picture. Since my father and brother are involved it has made my connection to my family that much stronger. Being able to talk for hours with my father has been a great jjoy for the both of us. And for my brother and I it has only allowed us to take several more minutes off of our cell phones to not talk about our relationships which is great!
Anyways, I don’t think that I will ever need to have someone in my life who participates in the actual events, but I will need somebody who supports my endeavors whatever they may be. That is the point of being a significant other, being able to support them or them you whenever and in whatever. Especially triathletes because we are a finiky people. Can’t wait till Tempe Olympic Triathlon, only a month a 3 days away!!!
David J.
ASU SUN DEVILS!!!
Biker by heart, triathlete by choice
How many of you have an S.O. who is also a triathlete?
My wife only runs. She can’t swim well, but we are working on it.
If they aren’t an athlete, how do you relate to them and them to you?
Even before she got into running, which is mainly kuz I was into it, we are both Christians so that is the primary connection, and everything else is icing on the cake. (It doesn’t hurt that we are both Korean)
How important to you is it for your S.O. to be an athlete or at least supportive?
It isn’t everything but it is pretty important because triathlon takes sooo much time that if she weren’t supportive, it would be tough, especially for the LONG races, I mean she had to wait for me while I finished almost 7 hours of a half-ironman, now that’s love. Then again, of course she doesn’t love how I am a total tri-gadget freak.
Tom…as you know when I started in this sport I hardly had the “triathlete” look. I couldn’t be where I am today in this fine sport if it wasn’t for my wife(boy I hope she reads this). All the $ that I spend and all the sacrifice she and the family endures to allow me to chase my dream is immeasurable. When I ask you about your next race or when you tell me about your warm weather get aways to train you tell me that I should go and my reply is always the same “can’t do it…family commitments”. I think the impact of triathlon has been great! It has taught my kids the value of good health and commitment. Triathlon training (IM) has taught me even more. To value the life that we live and to live it to the fullest each and every day.
I really DO agree with you guys when you say that your S.O. doesn’t NEED to be athletic but really be supportive. However, That’s not what I want. I really want to be with someone that has the same lifestyle, who I can enjoy going to races with, training, same sleeping habits and all day. But that’s me… I have recently gave up on dating the non athletic kind and will probably be single for a while but I am in no rush, and I think it will be well worth it in the long run, even 20-30 years from now… But that’s just me… You never know… Glad to hear that it has worked for some of you… A supportive partner is awesome!
I have say to you and everyone reading this jkmorrow: Your accomplishments have been truly phenomenal in the most literal sense of the word. An incredible exception.
There is nothing more rewarding in this job of mine than to see a guy like you who has been coming in for years and, everytime you see him, he is a better athlete. then one day you come in and you are a completely differnt guy. An athlete. A contender. I remember when you were a beginner. But you aren’t one anymore and I have to think hard to remember that.
What you have accomplished in this sport is incredible.
It is inspiring. I can’t express how impressed I am.
My wife never has and probably won’t be competing, however she appreciates what I put in to and take from racing.
I’ve met nearly all my friends “on the bike” or in sports. I’d say that my involvment in cycling has woven itself into every aspect of my life and thus, relationships.
My home buying, my car, even my daughter’s name are affected by my two wheel obsession.
-SD
Marisol, you aren’t the only one…you’ve hit it on the head.
clm
My wife runs but does not race. Does my 16 year old daughter count as a SO? We have entered a number of the sames races, which is about as good a father-daughter deal as I could ever imagine. Last week I drafted off her in an aquathon (oops, I should not admit that since I was the one who started the spousal swim drafting thread). This weekend we both do an oly distance tri (her first).
The S.O. position for MZM is currently vacant. A waiting list is forming for all female triathletes who;
1; Are hot
2; Kick ass
3; Rock
4; Can teach me how to swim.
Send a PM for consideration.
My wife is 100% coach potato. She supports me all the way and loves the fact that I’m staying healthy. My family history says I should check out at about 55 years so my wife encourages me to be as healthy as possible. She goes to all of my races and is very supportive of the money we spend on triathlon. She is pretty sure the whole lot of us are completely out of our minds (especially the IM competitors) but she’s met some great people at the races and thinks the whole atmosphere is pretty cool. We’ve been married for 10 years and I’ve been training for 4-5 without her. I fairly certain my participation in triathlon has been nothing but good for us. I do believe I’ve met an exceptional woman and I consider myself VERY lucky.