I can’t believe all the whining I am hearing about the pro race start. How did it really affect any of your races? You all draft anyway, let’s be real. It made the pro race, fair for once. Notice the bike times, some of the fast swimmers who typically come out of the water in front with fast men to draft off of, were all alone and caught faster, hmmmm. The dynamics changed. The swim was harder/slower for them because they had less people to draft off of. Women always get overshadowed in the press, and on the race course, so why not showcase the best triathletes in the world. Dont like it? Either turn pro or shut up.
And as far as ragging on Andrea and Desiree, they are human being after all and they are not immune to injuries and were setting an example, you finish what you start. and all the talk about appearance fees?? You all have a warped sense of what the top pros really get financially. They dont get half of the money or “special treatment” that pros in other sports get and most of them are paying entry fees, hotel, travel… and working just like you, just follwing there dreams. I know, i have a friend whi is a very good pro and I know what he gets out of the sport.
And all the whining and whimpering about Hawaii slots! I am in a different sport, where you can only race in world championships if you are the best in the world. You are all lucky to be in a sport that has an agegroup world championship. How about sending USATF a letter whinning about how they dont have a 35-39 year old agegroup category for the marathon.
Most pros are moderately talented weekend warriors. THe use of the term pro in triathlon is, for the most part, a big joke. If they had to make a living at the sport they’d be flat broke and starving.
You are hearing a lot of whining because the 35 minute head start was a bunch of bs. Stop drinking the koolaid about how it made the pro race “fair.” I like how you and a lot of other people think that only the fastest female swimmers take advantage of male AGers to draft off of. I always was under the impression that there actually are other AG men on the bike course after the top female pros come out of the water. What makes you think that a 57-minute female pro swimmer gets no benefit of a draft without a 35-minute head start? Your observation that “Women always get overshadowed in the press and on the race course” couldn’t be further from the truth. What planet have you been on the past few years when LP was held? Heather Fuhr has been an absolute media darling there and, rightly so, receives by far more coverage than anyone else in the race. You make it sound like her past accomplishments were some kind of footnote and we needed to get it right this year. As far as turning pro, I a lot of people on this board very easily could. 3 top 10 finishes in local junker races is all it takes. What injuries are you talking about with Andrea and Desiree? It’s funny that some people on this board just kind of speculated that they were hurt so now all of a sudden they were suffering from bad injuries. I think if just one of them slugged it out, much how other pros have done in past races, it would be no big deal. However, the fact that they both bagged it together and were laughing, talking and high-fiving it up, makes it odd to say the least. They usually may be tough as nails and great competitors but they weren’t on Sunday. I’d say that Tony Delogne, with no prior Ironmen under his belt and going out in 2:18 on the bike, had to have been the toughest person out there. That took some set of balls.
“so why not showcase the best triathletes in the world”
The world champ wasnt there. Nor were many other big names.
“they are not immune to injuries and were setting an example”
if you are hurt, continuing to race is not setting a good example
“and most of them are paying entry fees, hotel, travel… and working just like you, just follwing there dreams. I know, i have a friend who is a very good pro and I know what he gets out of the sport.”
I train with a no name pro and he gets homestays and comp entry to all Ironmans and most halfs. He does pay gas and food. Anyone that races pro that is not making a good living has a choice to not pursue this as a job. If someone wants to chase a dream, being poor is a risk they take. How did the showcase affect anyones race? Well, people tend to spend about 2k when its all said and done. For that price that race is about THEM. There is more to the triathlon population than those that post on slowtwitch. Most triathletes I know respect a real pros ability, but couldnt give a shit about “showcasing” them.
you might have some valid points, but regestering today and hiding behind some fake name lessons your arguement - be big and show who you are when making contentious (SP?) claims - you will be take more seriously
Reddy, here are the similar points I made on this topic on the pro woman walkathon thread:
It allowed all pro women to compete on even footing. Traditionally the strong swimmers get penalized as the 63 min women end up spending 70 miles passing ~300 age group men and get a huge legal draft benefit
Pro women get to race unencumbered. No dealing with “dudes whose race effectively end in T1” who won’t let them get by on the bike. For some reason, most of us guys have a huge mental issue with letting a girl get by. This gets in the way of their race
Pro women only get to key off each other…no using guys on the run course for “pacing”
Age group men can race in peace knowing that they are not inadvertantly blocking a pro woman or putting her into a drafting position. They can also swim peacefully knowing that they are not going to kick someone like Heather Fuhr in the face at the first turnaround buoy and potentially take a champion out of the race.
As for Andrea and Desiree, I passed both, walking at mile 12. They were pleasant and cheerful. I urged them to run, but instead the ladies shared the good karma and told me “go get em…you are looking strong”. How cool is that ? Yes, I had to veer all of 2 ft off my line to pass them…big deal !
Finally pro women slots…they are what they are. The rules are set up front. Just accept them. If you want to go to Hawaii, you just need to train harder, eat better, sleep more, have good genetics and race faster.
“You are hearing a lot of whining because the 35 minute head start was a bunch of b.s”
Did their headstart affect your race? I thought the headstart was pretty cool. They went at 6:25 while I was chilling with my support crew (Team MooseNuggets) and I didn’t give them a second thought. the slower pros actually allowed me to bridge a gap to a lead group in the water that had to slow to navigate around them.
Then through some freakish bit of luck I was heading towards the out and back (Hazleton) in 3rd place (someone later told me from IronmanLive), but could’nt have cared less because I got to see all the women go by and know exactly where they were in their race.
If anything, i’d say the headstart was positive and fun, and I hope the men get it next year.
PS. Tony Bologne Francone Delogne is a moster. As my back went out, and the other top guys passed me, they all had one question–‘is that guy for real?’ I said no way, he’s going way too fast. I guess I was right, he only brought his 2nd loop back in 2:25. Slacker.
and though you post all day long, none of it ever is anything controversial, or something that maybe you think might offend someone. Nothing wrong with that, but its easy to post your name when you are kissing everyones ass. This forum would be pretty dull without some differing opinions and controversial topics.
"2. Pro women get to race unencumbered. No dealing with “dudes whose race effectively end in T1” who won’t let them get by on the bike. For some reason, most of us guys have a huge mental issue with letting a girl get by. This gets in the way of their race "
I am not pro but i have that problem all the time. i ride steady and guys ( esp the 40-50 age group) can’t stand to be passed so they sprint right back ahead of me and then slow down. it wears me out, I don’t get it…
dude…I guess if am posting all day long, you are reading all day long. Maybe I type faster than you ? As for posting nothing controversial and kissing ass, I thought a bunch of you dudes hated the fact that the lady pros got a head start and you could not “race them” so I actually did think that what I was posting was in the minority.
Marisol, my friend Zoe Panchen 3rd in women’s 40-44 has the same issue as you, but knows that by the finish line she will destroy most of the ego driven first loop bike wonderboys who seemingly cannot let women whip by early in the day
wonderboys who seemingly cannot let women whip by early in the day
I want it to be known that I will let a woman whip me early or late in the day…should I bring my handcuffs and blindfold?
i know it feels good at the finish line but during the race it’s frustratring… It forces you to ride like a yo-yo. I wish those guys would just not care instead of making my life harder. or maybe i should just learn how to ride even faster, that way when I pass them, they have no shot at passing me again
