This is not a question for the highly motivated champion or the newcomer to the sport. I am interested in hearing from folks who have been in this sport for many years and have most likely reached the pinnacle of what they will accomplish. For many years, you trained religiously perhaps to the detriment of your career and family. You set new PRs each year and won your AG at most races. The slow realization comes over you that perhaps the time and effort just aren’t worth it anymore. If that describes you (as it does me or I obviously wouldn’t be writing this) and you are reading this post then it means that you are still involved in the sport. I am curious to know what motivates you now? Is the desire to stay fit enough to keep you going? Is it the social aspect? Do you really just love getting up early and exhausting yourself?
I’m not asking for advice - mainly just stories of what keeps you going. I have been addicted to the sport for 5 years and am ready back off. But I don’t want to be the guy who quits altogether. I would like to know if there are some who once were 100% committed and are no longer - but still actively participate - and look forward to occasional races.
You set new PRs each year and won your AG at most races. The slow realization comes over you that perhaps the time and effort just aren’t worth it anymore. If that describes you (as it does me or I obviously wouldn’t be writing this) and you are reading this post then it means that you are still involved in the sport.
Your post doesn’t describe me entirely accurately in the 2 places above where italicized because, well, the first one speaks for itself, and the second one…I would say I am still actively involved in swimming, biking and running, but not necessarily actively involved in triathlon. I enjoy being active, so I still do all 3, but for now at least, it’s “exercising” not “training”. To me, the distinction is that I’m unconcerned about balancing the 3 activities, and I do less volume and less intensity. For example, I have never really enjoyed swimming. However, it’s a hard earned skill that I don’t want to lose. I might want to race again at some point, and I just don’t want to lose my competency at the activity. So, I still swim, but it’s once or twice per week for 30-40 minutes.
As for what motivates me to continue in all 3 activities: I would say it’s a combination of enjoying movement and a desire to stay fit. But you don’t necessarily have to race to continue all 3 activities.
I don’t race anymore, but I still exercise about 15 hours a week. I think part of that is due to being “addicted” to exercise, part vanity and part wanting to live a long life. But I am not motivated to race any more.
This week I am trying to scale back some so I can spend more time on other pursuits. It’s tough because I have this fear that if I “relax my grip” I’ll slide down the slippery slope of being fat and death. But physically, my body has been crying “uncle” for some time. And my “quality of life” seems to be wanting.
It’s just an extension of an active lifestyle for me, never had a thing to do with times or placings. The day I can’t exercise is the day I initiate my own Viking funeral. Camaraderie and health are probably the two biggest forces if I had to narrow it down past the pure love of each sport.
Suggestion. If you are lacking some ‘gusto’…when you go out for your next ride pretend like it’s the last time you will ever be able to do so. You never know when that may be, but once you have your health taken away whether through natural courses or injury, you will never miss it so much. Every day I saddle up is gravy for me, just a treat.
The sound of the clock ticking, and the occasion to have beat the clock. Also, never knowing when the clock will run out- only that, eventually, it will.
You make deals with whoever/whatever you beleive in: “Dear God, if you let me live through this, I will stop training, I will take it easy, I will just lay around- just let me live.”
Then you live. So you ask for a new deal: “Dear God, if you let me leave this hospital upright, I will go thank you in church- or I will never forget this…”
Then you walk out of the hospital when everyone else doesn’t. You renegotiate: “Dear God, If you let me have one last ride/run/swim/race I will never take this for granted.” God, being a fair entity, grants these things- all the while the clock is running. So you go running. You go riding. you feel the water on your skin and you realize that you are here to live and that can be revoked at any time for any reason- or for no reason.
You’re alive. Make the best of it.
Someday you won’t have the choice. None of us know when that day will be.
Fun - Swimming, biking and running/walking are fun!
People - Active people are fun people. Training with active people is a hoot for me, and them. I enjoy the hoot! I don’t want to deprive them of hooting!
Endorphins - Ain’t nothin’ wrong with them!
Health - Exercise prepares me for all the activities I do.
Sleep - Seems better the more active I am during the day.
Food - Burn 5,000 calories in order to eat 5,000 calories…EPIC YUMMY!
Civic participation - My activity supports options for others who desire activity.
Social example - My activity educates family members, loved friends, strangers and society.
This is a topic I have been thinking about a lot lately. After over 15 years in the sport plus many years of competitive swimming (through college), lifeguard competitions, etc I am beginning to feel burned out on racing. It just doesn’t seem worth the hassle, cost and stress. I still actually enjoy training however. Like some others have said I try to just think of it as excercising or a lifestyle. I try to keep things less structured. Change things around when you need to and add some variety. This past weekend I took my teen aged boys to Lassen National Park and we climbed the peak and did lots of other hiking. Maybe not good run training but it was a blast. I really enjoy ditching the tri bike and going out on exploratory rides on the road bike. It is fun to ride roads you haven’t been on before or ride them in reverse direction just for fun.
I think the folks I know who left the sport after a short time just took it too seriously. To me it is just a hobby. I don’t get too excited or too down by good or bad races any more. At a month before turning 48 I am just glad I can still do it.
Thanks for the great feedback. I am glad to know that there are many out there who are able to stay with it for the long term. Like many have posted, I really enjoy the exercising - particularly when there is no expectation for the result. My kids are starting to get involved in the sport and it has been fun to sit back and not take center stage.
…even though I was still shaving time off my finishers time, in the big picture, it really didn’t matter, they were just lonely numbers on a lonely results page. This became particularly apparent when I started noticing the obvious change in the athletic level of participants.
…and it became time for new and exciting challenges. And I run, ride, and swim as much as ever.
Quitting altogether can be a good thing. Sticking with something you’re losing interest in may be preventing you from experiencing something NEW. See my signature.
MOP 46 year old here and often ask my self the same thing. But I’m still at after 15 years. Here’s why:
The challenge - kept moving up in distance. After 2 IM I think I’m done going that long so I continue to look for new challanges. This year SOS. Next year I want to impove the bike so things like NY Gran Fondo, Harpoon Brewery to Brewery, etc. Gonna continue to mix it up.
The commaradorie - I enjoy hanging with like minded people. Being around younger guys (even though they smoke me) keeps me feeling young.
The fear - I see many guys in suits like me that look 10 years older and are seriously out of shape. Don’t want to be like them.
Racing - though I don’t place, racing motivates me to train. I envy those that say being active is a life style. I need the carrot in front of me. Plus, after all these years I still enjoy the race enivironment.
This is my 24th year doing Triathlons…my best times are behind me and the “thrill” of racing has been diminished greatly…so I KNOW where you are coming from…
I will do 3 “swim” triathlons this year to complete my 250th triathlon, I am 52.
I keep doing it because:
-its like going “home” I may not live their anymore but I like to visit…
-I see my peers pictures on Facebook and the fear of looking and feeling like that keeps me training…and races provide the test to see how I am doing…
-I am evolving away from a focus on results by doing a variety of events to keep it fresh, off road paddling triathlons, orienteering, adventure racing, mt biking, mountain hiking…(I will admit I am still in process of accepting my slower times, especially in the run and that mutes my enjoyment, but these types of events make comparing irrelevant)
-It use to be more social for me, but I look around at races and I dont know that many people anymore…
-I control my weight…there is a fat man inside me, trying to get out…
-I am 52 years old with a 9 month old…I HAVE to stay young…its required…
I plan to keep going by doing 3-4 swim triathlons each year but my calendar is full of other events and I also have incorporated stroller runs and bikes with the Burley in my training routine…
How old are you? 5 years in the sport doesn’t seem like much to me
I probably fit your profile fairly closely. I don’t consider myself elite in any way. Any successes I have had are simply due to consistency over an extended period of time. I have a strict workout limit of 10 hours per week - note, this is not average, this is max.
This is my 29th year of racing multiple triathlons per year. I have raced as many as 16 triathlons in one year, but now am in the 5 or so range. I have won my age group at least once in every age group from 20-24 through 50-54 including overall masters a number of times, so far. I also have 19 IM finishes, so far; although, my 10 hr/wk is starting to catch up with me at the longer distances.
Please forgive my ignorance - what exactly is a “swim” triathlon? I’m guessing that you are doing the swim as part of a relay.
We just got back from visiting Barcelona and I fell in love with trail running in the lower mountains outside the city. Sadly I had to come home to north Florida where the closest thing we have is running on the beach and dodging the people passed out from the night before.
46 years old and 10+ years in the sport. For me, it’s pretty simple, I do it because I enjoy it. I like the roadie group rides, the weekly road races, master’s practice, the feeling of finishing a good run, etc. I would do those things even if I wasn’t racing. If it stops being fun, I’ll go do something else. I’ve never felt the need to motivate myself.
It probably helps that I’ve never been better than MOP. I’m as fast now as I’ve ever been so I don’t have to deal with the “glory days” syndrome.
Turned 42 this year. For the stable person, 5 years probably isn’t very long. But I have a history of getting in and out of activities throughout my life. I tend to bounce around quite a bit and usually only last about 2-3 years in any given area. So 5 years has been a ‘PR’ for me. Thanks for sending the links - very interesting and thoughtful. The 10-hour rule may be a good way to add a twist for me - set a maximum time for training and see how good I can be within that limit.
