I just started in triathlons this year and would love to learn more about the pros. My question is how you all become fans of the triathletes. I don’t see many triathlons on television. I did watch the end of last year’s Kona online and became a Peter Reid fan for how he handled his loss, but have seen very few triathletes outside of Reid, Stadler, Nina, Badmann, etc. Are there good sites to follow, places to find video, etc.? Thanks.
Hang out at CLM’s house.
This site is a start, perhaps not a good one ;-)! Triathlete and Inside Triathlon will provide lots of pro-fodder to feed your desire. Triathlons are also a good place. One of the few sports where amateurs and pros are thrown in together.
After following this for about a year, I still can’t say I’d personally recognize most of the pros without a bike helmet on!
Chris
Go to the websight - 3athlon.de - its a German Triathlon websight. Click on “Athleten” and there are links to most of the pro’s own websights. Xtri.com is also really good. The old Ironman Hawaii DVD’s or the OLNTV Broadcasts are also good.
One of the neat things about the sport is that you also get to meet some pros or see them on the same course as you if you do some of the bigger races or IM qualifiers. I’ve met a few pros who are really nice and more than willing to talk to you. For instance, on the way to IM Austria, I saw a guy in the airport for the connecting flight who had muscles coming out of muscles wearing Mdot everything. I said to my wife, “Oh my god. I’m in trouble at this race, that guy looks like he can eat my bike.” It turned out it was Raynard Tissink, who ended up winning IM Austria a week later. He talked to my wife and I and he was very nice. I’m not sure professional athletes in other sports are as approachable.
There are actually a few that post right here on ST…kj
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Where do you learn about pro triathletes?
The internet, magazines, talking to other triathletes, occasionally meeting them in training and/or races.