Talk about Pandoras box being opened. I knew as I was writing that thread it could be misconstrued (as many posts are here) or maybe I didnt put down my true feelings. I was only describing a distinct group of people (albeit a small group hopefully). Those who use triathlon (of any distance really) as a vacation from being a “fat-bastard”. I guess the term fat bastard is pretty inflammatory but you have to admit you all know at least a couple people who can be described this way. Anyone who can struggle through an event for 17 hours has my respect. What they do after the event with their lives is their business, but I can certainly comment on how pathetic it is to collect athletic accomplishments like some do purely for future bragging rights.
Maine, I agree with you. After finishing IMFL and staying around to watch these guys coming in around 16:59, I did feal like they were diminishing my efforts. It belittles my 20 hours a week of training, it belittles the efforts of my coach, it belittles the prior 3 and a half years of racing and conditioning, it belittles the sacrifice my wife and kids made in not having me around for dinners and weekends, it belittles every ounce of effort i put into the training and the race. I truly don’t understand these 16:59ers…it makes my 16:57:23 absolutely worthless.
I AM AN IRONMAN…like it or not
Im not knocking ya, but I gotta ask. Were you really training 20 hours a week with that kind of time?
Those who use triathlon (of any distance really) as a vacation from being a “fat-bastard”.
dude, when you’re in a hole, stop digging.
I’ve got no problem with a fat bastard doing an IM once as a “life experience” … hell that’s how I got started in endurance sports. What bothers me is the guy 16:59 or 9:59 who constantly reminds everyone how great they are because they did an IM, marathon, local 10k, etc.
I didn’t read the original thread but…
I did several triathlons over 6 years. Did a 1/2 IM (Peterborough) in 5:20, trained for a year, stuck to a very thorough plan for about 16 weeks prior to IM France (the first one), many 20+ hour weeks…then turned in a 14:30. I remember getting passed by the oldest competitor on the course, I remember dragging myself through the marathon, walking the uphills (there were a lot of these on both the bike and the run), nursing my sun blisters (the day before was cold and misty…what happened?). Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. I think Chris Lieto did the same race in about 12 hours. Sometimes in an ironman, time is a difficult way to judge not only performance but also the training that went in beforehand.
Why does it matter? Braggarts are easy to ignore.
I get that you mean no disrespect, but it’s pointless to be disgusted or annoyed with those who choose to participate even though they are slow. it’s pointless to assume they are all fat braggarts who collect achievements. alot of us collect achievments throughout our lives–college education, getting married, kiddos, career achievments, etc. it’s human nature and isn’t that abnormal. moreover, the person achieving an 11 hour ironman is collecting that achievement as well–you better believe it, and is hardly pathetic. after all, collecting achievements doesn’t come from sitting on one’s ass.
I see this type of “disappointment” as a sign that IM is being raised to more of a level than it really is.
Let’s compare it to religion for instance. To many it is “belittling” when individuals "claim to be an (Insert religious group here) but only play one on the weekeneds. Many believe it’s belittling to the religion to be a bastard all week long, go to church on Sunday, and claim to be “Christian” or some other religion.
Just like religion IM means something different to everyone. Just like religion how someone else “envisions” IM has little or no bearing on you. The difference being religion has rules on how you should live your life, not just how often you should go to church…or in teh case of IM, How to race.
I’d agree that not putting full effort into an IM effort is “disappointing” from a perspective of someone who has worked so hard to perform the best they can. But it certainly is not “belittling”
In fact my biggest complaint about “life experiancers” is that in fact they arn’t experiancing IM’s at all. IM’s or any endurance sport is not about the race, it’ about the journey to get to the starting line. The race is merely a test.
Pretty much any, fairly in shape, failry healthy, individual can cover 140.6 miles given enough time. Not to many can stick to a training plan day after day, good weather or bad, sick kids, overtime or injury to try and cover 140.6 in a certain time.
~Matt
The basic point is this: who gives a damn what you think? Do you honestly think there are 17 hour Ironmen out there right now breathing a sigh of relief that they “have your respect?” Dude, I don’t mean to be blunt but…just who the hell are you? You say some people "use triathlon as a vacation from being a “fat bastard.” What are you going to use as a vacation from being a stupid bastard?
Frank
I never say anything to them, it only bothers me in how they reflect on the sport and others who participate in it. I get called self-absorbed and narcissistic enough at home.
I know a local guy who has done many IM and 1/2 IM distance races. You wouldn’t know it from looking at him. He’s short and very stocky.
Also, for every “Fat Bastard” who has done one and called it quits there are probably dozens of others who, on a spur, decided to do one and continue in the sport.
As for those who do one IM and brag the rest of their lives, good for them for doing it to begin with. There’s always the possibility the bug will bite them again and they jump back into the sport.
I remember seeing one older guy at a local Olympic distance triathlon who, while waiting in the porta potty line, let everyone know in hearing distance that he had done a double Ironman. I saw him struggling to finish the race much later. Pathetic? Maybe. Annoying? Yes. But I don’t know his history and maybe that one double IM (if he indeed had done one) will be the shining moment in his life.
Take what you will from your race and don’t begrudge others what they get from it.
Okay, I’m stepping off my podium.
I get called self-absorbed and narcissistic enough at home
LOL! I think we all do. Perhaps those same personality flaws also happen to be what drives many of us to keep working hard whether training or racing.
If anyone hates and is terribly bothered by braggerts, boasters and blow-hards then, man, triathlon is not the sport for you! Nowhere can more bragging and boasting be heard than in the transition area BEFORE a race. And, conversely, nowhere can more excuses be heard than in that same transition area AFTER a race.
Frank
On one side we all hope triathlon gets more popular (meaning more recreational participants) on the other hand you are insulting part of those amateurs.
Get a life and an ironman tatoe on your cheek.
Unfortunately there aren’t many sports left where good sportsmanship and humility are still respected. It’s all about flamboyant, in your face “showmanship” in most mainstream sports these days. I wonder if it has truly changed or whether I’ve just become more jaded in my old age, or the media microscope has just magnified it.
I promise that they wont let this one go - nor will they read it as you obviously wrote it. Lets go out on a limb and see if we can get the cut off set up 12:59:59. (that comment should fire them up)
Amen!
Frank
I have to admit that I took offensive to your original post as well, probably because I started running marathons about four years ago when I was 50 to take a vacation from being a coach potato brought on by self-induced depression.
So far I am still enjoying the vacation after completing 15 marathons.
While I am at best a slimmed-down version of my former fat bastard self, I am training for IMOO in September. If I make it in 16:59, I’ll be content with having finished the race, knowing that if my vacation from being a coach potato ends, I have still done something to improve my health.
Running 10K races, marathons, and triathlons of all distances for many of us is just something fun to do, given we have no possibility of being seriously competitive even within our age groups. As long as we stay out of your way when you streak past on your bikes, let us enjoy the vacation time.
Both posts smack of troll bait.
M~