This is my first post and I will get to the point: what do you guys and girls think of the Team In Training participants in triathlons?
I am curious because I am one of them. But see, I have been in training for a few months and I can already tell that I am not the typical TNT’er. First of all, I am a guy. Second of all, I have a pretty decent background in sports (ultimate frisbee). Third, I joined the TNT program as a tri newbie knowing that I wanted to do more triathlons after this TNT program.
I am not knocking the TNT program. I think it is a very good program, but it isn’t what I expected when I signed up.
Anyways, I am doing the 2005 St. Anthony’s triathlon. This will be my first official triathlon. I may do a couple of local races as practices, but we will see. I keep hearing that TNTers sometimes have a bad rap because they seem to not know what to do when in a race. Well, what can I do to not have people think of me as another idiot in a purple jersey.
BTW, I ride a 2004 Cervelo Dual. I like it and I had to brag a bit.
My perspective on any newbie is that they have to start somewhere. So you will get no attitude from me (or in NZ at all, I hope). I would hope the same is true for NA races. Newbies, old hands, young, old, fit, fat…we got room for them all!
I think anything that gets people in triathlons, and more generally, anything that gets people outside and active, is a good thing. The fact the TNT is also for a very good cause makes me wonder how anybody could be against it.
I coached a group for TNT for St.Anthony’s in '03. It was a blast.
I think most people have no clue what they’re doing on the course, in transistion, etc… Even “experienced” athletes seem this way alot. Go to a race and watch how many people just watch each other to see how to act.
TNT just gets a bad rap b/c everyone is wearing the same thing, so it’s easy to blame them.
My group had a really good idea of what was going on and how to act b/c we practiced it all. It’s a great way to get into the sport. Over 50% of my group still races, and I see them all the time. It’s really cool how many people stuck with it.
Hey, we were all newbies at one time or another. You are already ahead of the pack, likely, by lurking/posting here and asking this question.
However, I did St. Anthony’s in 2004 and there were 500 (!) TNTers out of 3000. They were not given their own wave as they are going to have this year. It was awful (hence the new rule). Biker all over the place on the left, runners 3 to 4 across, taking photos during the race, high fiving (which almost caused me to wipe-out while trying to go around them), etc. I will not be doing any tri/marathon like that again. Lastly, I donate $100 to a friend of mine for a TNT marathon (Flying Pig)
Now again, we were all newbies once and I sure as Hell didn’t know what I was doing during my first race, but…
I started with running races, then duathlons, then some local sprints, then olys, 1/2, then IM, etc. To put 500 first timers on the croweded streets of St. Petersburg and then around Snell Island is just plain nuts. I did mention earlier in a previous post how well run St. Anthony’s is though (one of the best) - but it is a case like Wildflower (too popular and growing too fast) where I’m glad I did it to “say I did”, but that will be the end of that.
I think it is a great program…however people het involved, the facvt that they are involved is good. The lifestyle is healthy, at this time with our sedentary culture anything that spurs people on to get outside and move is good. My sister just joined a few months back. She is in her early 30’s and an ex smoker , abd has been generally inactive since her high school days. She is very motivated and has a goal of completing a Fall marathon. She did like 6-7 miles on Saturday and I have to say Im very happy for her. Now all she want so talk about is what I drink for recovery, supplements, the right shoes, what to wear when its cold, how to prevent blisters…its great!! Previously, I think the only thing she was interested in was whatever was in the latest issue of ‘Instyle’ mag. So Im glad she is associated with this group, and has the support of others in teh group to try to achieve their goals. The charity/fund raising aspect of it is great also.
I’m in my 3rd season with them. I too will be at Saint Anthony’s with the Westchester/Hudson Valley Chapter out of NY. I’ve seen some very good and experienced triathletes do TNT, and total newbies. I’d actually been doing tris for 20 years when I signed up for my first event with them. I actaully got a lot out of the coaching and PR’ed for Olympic distance after 11 years of not having done an Olympic distance race.
I went into it thinking I’d done one event, and that would be it. However it’s very hard to walk away from. When you start seeing what it’s all about, meeting survivors, and racing with them your whole perspective changes. Last year our chapter had three survivors doing El Tour de Tucson. It’s very inspiring to see what they’re able to do now after going through some pretty tough treatments. Our team’s honored patient for Saint Anthony’s actually competed in the Westchester Triathlon last fall. That is our chapter’s local race. He did the race in under 2:30. Kicked my butt good.
It’s things like that, that keeps me coming back. My friends continue to give every year.
The races I do almost universally have the novices grouped at the end of the swim start. This solves the problem of groups of riders/runners mucking up the race of the people really racing (unless it is a multiple lap course!). The more, the merrier, I say…and when raising money for a good cause to boot…I have less than zero problems with TNT’ers…I admire them for what they are doing in several aspects.
I coach the Louisville KY team and have for a couple years. I lost my mom to cancer when I was 10. I hear alot of TNT bashing, this forum included, but by and large our newbies know the rules better than other newbies. It is just that bright purple racing singlet stands out and is easy to remember. Couple years ago, out of 10 participants, 5 finished in the top 5 in their age group in the race we did and qualifed for nationals. I obviously was not coaching then.
I think a lot of the TNT bashing that happens comes out of jealousy. I can tell you that I was pretty damn jealous when I finished the Honolulu marathon and all they offered me to eat was a stale oatmeal raisin cookie an apple and some Amino Vital while the TNT’ers had a fully catered banquet meal and a huge party going on.
It’s easy to pick out the TNT’ers at a tri who don’t know what’s going on because they are all wearing the same gear. But as the others have already stated there are tons of clueless people at the races, hell I still make some rookie mistakes.
Congratulations, and welcome. Like you, I got my start in triathlon through TNT… as a matter of fact, my first Olympic race was St. Anthony’s 2003 with TNT.
I won’t re-hash what others have said. My take is that there are probably good TNT programs and bad TNT programs. I was involved in the North Texas Chapter, where we happened to have some really fantastic coaches. They were very diligent about teaching us the rules (such as, do NOT ride on the left except to pass) and making sure we adhered to them. Who knows if other chapters are as diligent.
In any event, you really only learn by doing, and as long as new people are joining the sport, they will have to learn the rules. TNT is a great organization, but it’s a social club… not a true athletic club. The coaching is helpful to the beginner, but you will quickly learn that it’s easier to train on your own.
The TNT programs and others like them are outstanding. They get people involved who may not have jumped in and they raise money for good causes. It’s a win-win situation all around!
I think TNT gets a bad rap sometimes and that is not fair or accurate. The Leukimia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program is the premier endurance sports fund raising program and really the one’s that set the bar for participant sport fundraising.
They have benefitted the sport substantially by introducing new people to running, triathlon and cycling who otherwise would have never become involved.
Additionally, TNT had provided a structured traiing environment for these athletes.
Regionally, TNT prgrams vary substantially. But nationally, they are a home run. I see TNT as nothing but positive. You can nit-pick and fuss over minor particulars but the reality remains- What other instituion has done so much for the entry level of the sport and for charity?
{Second of all, I have a pretty decent background in sports (ultimate frisbee).} reply
well, i have no problem with you being part of tnt but i do have a problem with you considering ultimate frisbee as a decent background in sport ); football, basketball, baseball, rugby - those are sports!
My feelings are pretty much the same as everyone else … welcome aboard, have fun, stick with it and way to go raising money, just realize that a lot of people are there to race and have time goals they are shooting for beyond just finishing.
I actually have a question concerning TNT … what’s the average “overhead”. In other words for every hundred dollars pledged, how much goes to administering the program and what is left over for the charity itself. I’m assuming it has to be pretty high since they foot the bill for air fare and race entry along with a lot of other perks I would assume. I thought about doing TNT when I started but I don’t really like to solicit people for money/donations and especially when I’m asking them to support flying me to an exotic location and paying me to do something that I’m really going to enjoy, along with the portion that goes to the Leukemia Society. I mean in the end a person’s participation does raise money that otherwise probably wouldn’t have been raised, but 1) I’d feel guilty asking others to pay for my ticket/race entry (I guess I would just contribute that amount myself) and 2) if I’m donating to a charity, I always want to know what the administrative cost is.
Don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade here, just wondered if anyone else had thoughts like this.
