Would you rather look incredibly fast (low BF%, six pack, pecks…) and be in the middle/back of the packer or look unintimidatingly slow (hairy legs, small gut, no real definition…) and battle it out for the overall?
The latter clearly.
Nothing is more ego destroying than being beaten by someone who looks like he or she didn’t train at all.
From what I have seen, if you are fast you also look fast. The only exception that I see regularly is pudgy guys make good swimmers.
I don’t think it works the other way though.
I’d rather be both (look good and be fast that is), because I started out looking slow and going slow.
looking slow and being fast.
NOTHING gets people moving like a fat guy passing them. I should rent myself out as a motivational tool.
In my own experience, I look slow when I am slow, and I look fast when I am fast.
Last time I checked Triathlon was a competition sport, not a beauty contest. So the answer is clear.
Look slow…be fast. I had a guy on my rack at a recent race that looked like he would kill the group…low BF, great shape, had all the top gear…i thought he would go top 5…he ended up BOP…good on him for finishing but he looked kind of foolish.
I think that we have all seen guys that look fast and are MOPs but I have never seen a fast guy that looked slow.
Clearly look slow and be fast. Does anybody get that kick a$$ felling when they look fast but get passed?
I am probably the youngest guy at My masters swim, and look like I’m in pretty good shape compared to some others. I guarantee some of the "slow looking " fast people get a kick out of how much slower I am than they are.
In my own experience, I look slow when I am slow, and I look fast when I am fast.
Same here – Coming off winter I have a beer gut and look slow and I am slow – then I get in shape and do much better.
Occasionally – I like taking out my beater bicycle, wear old bike shorts and an old t-shirt - my 1989 bell helment and then wear calf high tube socks – then blow by all the posers wearing the latest high tech gear and riding $5,000.00 bikes.
It is also fun when my wife wears her cute little pink outfit and races by those guys.
I’d rather be taller.
Will this change my penis size?
heehee, i’m the not ripped swimmer guy folks are talking about. can usually hold my own on the bike and the ripped runners fly by me trying to figure out how i ended up in front of them in the first place. it’s funny. they have the WTF look on their face.
Not really an answer but I saw an older rider training the other night wearing full CSC kit and riding a very well equipped Kuota Kalibur with a Zipp 909 wheelset. My initial impression was focused on the perception that the riders fitness level was not really a match for the level of bike he was on but he was enjoying cranking out the mile while riding at a steady tempo for the entire time the wife and I were there. At the time I could not help but think the rider could have come up with better ways to spend that kind of money but in retrospect, if it makes him happy then who am I to be a naysayer. For all I know that could be the same perception everyone has of me as I pedal around the training loop (although typically a good bit faster tempo) every week. So it seems to me that if the question concerns someone else realizing better results in an event than I do, then it does not really matter how that person appears as that person still turned in a better overall performance and it is up to me to improve so that I am able to do better the next time out.
It is also fun when my wife wears her cute little pink outfit and blow by those guys.
Unfortunate choice of words … or is there something you’d like to share with the group???
The latter clearly.
Nothing is more ego destroying than being beaten by someone who looks like he or she didn’t train at all.
most tri dudes and chicks have tremendous egos, therefore the mirror friendly bod is a must. most the young/old flabbies are on MTBs and walking on the run (Team in Training). yeaah, the purple jersey clad wannabees doing it for a good cause and causing no good in the process.
the latter. nothing more enriching than a simpleton crushing a poser.
Like pics?
Look slow…be fast. I had a guy on my rack at a recent race that looked like he would kill the group…low BF, great shape, had all the top gear…i thought he would go top 5…he ended up BOP…good on him for finishing but he looked kind of foolish.
Why did he look foolish?
Does every single thread really need to go in this direction?