Originally Posted by hoodlum
They should try having a real freaking job like most of us. If all I had to do every day is get up, ride, nap, swim, and still be done in time to cook a good meal I would win races too.
Maybe, but those guys and gals make some extreme sacrifices. The top money for the World Championship is only $100,000. The other races are even less. Even if Norman Stadler or Peter Reid won every race they entered, they would not be sitting pretty. And sponsors don't pay a lot of money either. Faris Al-Sultan (just won IM Arizona) is sponsored by Cannondale. I think they give him something like $4,000 per year and two frames (not bikes...frames). I'm not sure if I have that 100% correct but I'm pretty close.
Anyway, I don't want to disrespect them as they are amazing. I just think the real heroes of the sport are the ones dragging themselves down Ali'i Drive at midnight after 17 hours out in the heat and the wind. Those people have some serious grit.
By the way, if you've ever been at the finish line after midnight, it's really cool. Even though the race is officially over, the pros hang around and give there finisher medals to the people who didn't make the time cutoff. Those are some classy people!