I know at least 5 people who did IMWi this year with no intention of doing another Ironman and maybe even another triathlon - they didn’t do well (14.5 - 16.5 hr finishers) and probably didn’t have much fun out there. So - they haven’t really added to the sport of triathlon and ultimately will do one event and leave the sport. <<
I’ve thought about this and I’m curious as to how many people fall into this category? There were what, +1,000 first timers at IMF? I wonder how many of them signed up to do the race as a “check it off my list” kind of thing? I have no idea, but would be curious to hear from first-timer IMers about:
Years in the sport
Number of other tris done
Will you do another IM (or IM-distance) race
If not, why not
What made you choose the IM race you did
So far, I have finished one IM, and I honestly don’t know if I will ever compete in one again. My motivation to do one was to prove to myself that I could. I don’t need to prove it to myself again. If I ever do another IM it will be to finish in a decent time. I’m not sure that I have that kind of dedication. Honestly, I think about it every year when it comes time to sign up for WI. I just can’t pull the trigger.
I’ll bite. IMOO 2006 was my 1st IM, my 5th tri (I did 1 sprint, 1 Oly and 2 HIM’s). I was going to take a year off from IM but pulled the trigger on IMLou. Location was my reason for choosing IMOO. I’ll likely watch Madison next year and sign up for 2008.
I know a lot of 40-somethings with kids who did it between 12 and 14 hours and said they would not do it again until their children were grown because they didn’t realize beforehand or underestimated the time away from their families that it would take to train sufficiently.
That’s not really “one and out”, but maybe “one and out for now”.
IM Florida 2006 was my first IM. My coach expected a finish in about 13.5 hrs. Something just did not click on the bike, it has never happened to me before - I didn’t make any of the classic mistakes, my legs just weren’t there. I finished in about 15 hrs. I was delighted to finish, but still can’t figure out what went wrong.
I’ve done tris since 2003, I’ve done 14 races of all distances, including 3 1/2 IM’s. I’m signed up for 2 IM’s next year, but my coach is recommending only one, so I’ll probably drop one. I’m in this for the long haul. I’ll get that better time yet…
Outside of being a RD and/or rep of IMNA (NA Sports), WTC, etc, whose researching their target audience, I’m not sure why it matters if someone is just checking something of the to-do list.
That said, a poll on slowtwitch is likely going to give you skewed results. I doubt there are many who do an IM and leave the sport of triathlon completely, and still hang around slowtwitch.
I don’t see the fun in being a MOPer in a race with 2000
may be “one and done” is enough for many.
With the talk of some to shorten the finish time,
which would eliminate some older and slower racers .
it would seem some don’t want "just finishers "out on the course.
only racers need apply.
I will just stick to the local sprint/half races.
I do enjoy lifguarding at IMLP
I ain’t sure I would enjoy just finishing their
I think there is a problem with growth in our sport if we have people who do ONE triathlon only (an Ironman) and then never do another triathlon. That doesn’t equal growth in the sport - it’s not an elitest statement it’s the truth and if there are going to be more triathlons for everyone to do - and i mean more sprints, more Olys, more 1/2IM (that aren’t 70.3 santioned), more obscure distance, and more iron-distance races we need to attract more people to the sport and it needs to continue to grow.
I would LOVE it if there were a triathlon every week all summer long within 75 miles driving of me - but there isn’t. HOWEVER from April to October there is a bike race almost every weekend within that distance and all year long there is a running race within that distance.
I forget all of CLM’s questions - since I’m kind of hijacking your hijack of this thread, so I’ll answer in the next response.
Fleck et al.–I KNOW one and out people probably aren’t lurking here. Yes, this population will give a skewed answer. It’s more of if you know of someone like this, like the OPer who knew 5! That is a lot, IMO.
And whomever else…JFC! I never said one and out is good/bad. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHY. Nothing more, nothing less.
Maybe I should instead ask, think Lance will race Silverman 07.
cathy,
4 years
9 tris (would do more but money is a limiter )
Doing first IM next year at IMKY
chose it b/c of location so even though it is more expensive than a non IM race I can drive there in under two hours so that saves a lot of money.
Will probably take a number of years off from IM and focus on improving olympic and some half iron speed after that.
Hi Cathy, I’m posting from another perspective of “one and out”. That being racing at Kona. I’m not sure that I’d want to race there again. It was nice to do it once, but I am not sure I have the drive nor interest to do 2 Ironmans in a year again (at least any time soon). I am quite willing to do other races of all distances including Ironman, but Kona means 2 in a year which is a big time committment (as well as monetary). Using the same mindset, I can see others having achieved their first Ironman saying, “that was awesome, I loved every step of it, but doing it again would be hard…one is enough” and then move on to doing local events that are shorter and require less committment with respect to day to day life. I can understand this mindset for sure. Have they added anything? I think so. You can bet that for every person doing an Ironman, there are a bunch of people around them in their day to day life thinking, “If that dude can do it, then I certainly can get fit and getting into fitness” Does the one off person add to triathlon in general? I’d say yes, but not in the same way or degree as lifers, who invariably end up influencing many more athletes, volunteers, industry people and non athletes over time.
I disagree with you regarding the one and out. Sure there will be a fair number of one and outers but when these guy’s friends and family hear about so and so doing it that spreads the popularity and possibility of others doing the sport. As in hey, you know Joe down the road he just did an Ironman. And for the most part Joe down the road is an everyman type of guy.
Also there is a certain retention rate of first timers so not every first timer has to stay in the sport for the sport to grow.
