Hi Everyone. I just recently started reading Slowtwitch forums, and have thoroughly enjoyed all of the wisdom, advice, and humor that is present on a daily basis here. The one thing that I’m compelled to comment on, and I don’t normally like getting caught up in this sort of thing, is the amount of what seems to be negative comments on here from time to time about athletes, or the need of some posters to somehow belittle other athlete’s performances.
Why all of the focus on the fact that Roth “must be short?” Why all of the focus on “so and so said x person was drafting off of y?”
I have been lucky enough to be around quite a few elite athletes, and know that these people pour their lives into giving their absolute best effort at each race they go to. Why do we feel the need to try and downplay their results? Why is there all of the focus on proving that Hellreigel (sp?) and Macca couldn’t have ridden as fast as they did (4:16), or that there is no way that they could’ve ran a 2:45 at that course (or in Peter Jacobs’ case, a 2:44…) Never mind the fact that Hellreigel and Macca are two amazing athletes, the weather conditions aren’t nearly as severe as Hawaii (where it has been shown to be possible to ride 4:18 in much more severe heat/humidity…) and 2:45 is a realistic marathon split for some of those guys on just about any marathon course. Especially with the kind of crowd support you get at races over there. And, honestly, who cares what the exact distance of any course is…you know that all of the competitors tried to get from start to finish as fast as they could!
Plus, I think that everyone, not just the top guys at each race, deserve more respect than having the only thing they see about the race they just did on this forum as being a thread trying to discredit the race they just killed themselves at by saying that it was “short.” There were a hell of a lot of incredible athletes that raced as hard as they possibly could, over what they were assured was a ironman distance course, and they deserve all the respect in the world for going out there and putting on a great show.
And no, for the record, I didn’t race Roth! I feel the same about any race and just think people that were in a race, regardless of which race or the supposed distance, deserve respect.
I suppose that it makes me sad when people feel the need to denigrate other people’s performances, and gossip about athletes they don’t even know. I don’t see why we can’t all appreciate each athlete’s performances on an individual basis and appreciate how beautiful of a sport this really is. Whether it is a 1 hour sprint race, an ITU race, or an ironman event, the performances of the athletes involved deserve our respect. Regardless of their nationality, sex, previous results, previous interview statements, wife’s dog’s mother’s hair color (you get the point!), whatever, each result that you see on a race results page has a story to go with it. And every result has at least something to be respected and applauded. We are all in this sport because we love it, whether you are fast or slow, young or old, and sometimes I think it is easy to forget that very important point.
Now if someone at a race has been directly disrespectful to you, or to someone around you, then feel free to go ahead and voice your opinion on that instance, that isn’t what this is about at all. Every athlete in the world (myself included) has been upset by the actions of another athlete while in the middle of a sporting event at one time or another. That comes with racing and going as hard as you can. I feel this is completely different than being an “armchair critic” as an internet forum is perfect for breeding these. I, like everyone, enjoy race stories. As long as it is based on fact and not rumor.
There is my rant for the day…. 
All of this, I’m sure, doesn’t apply to most people on here, but I feel much lighter with it off my chest!
