No, but it's amazing when a 'hot' women is faster than you, given the rarity of women in racing already.

Yep! :thumb:


I was amazed that I could even keep up with my Tri girl while she was probably just coasting! :D

Tri geeks are dumb.

i want to do a tri.

You mean, you wanna try a tri?

Do or do not... there is no try.

Well, you can't really blame an outsider for not knowing what exactly is involved. Triathlon to most people just means doing 3 sports one after another for a very long time.

It must require a lot of skill for someone to poop in someone else's bibshorts while riding a bike. I suppose this is one of those things that set apart elite try-athletes from the rest.

Speaking of - I have plans to do an IM 70.3 next year and full IM by 2013. I'll try to represent BF well and will refrain from crapping myself on the bike or the run.

V.

OK, you "finished" a sprint triathlon and didn't try very hard, so you're not impressed with yourself. I'm not impressed, either. Next time, do your best and we'll all feel better about it.

Aren't all geeks?

Yeah, but tri geeks are some of the most annoying people I have ever been around. Just sayin....

My team (a bunch of girls) regularly *shocks* men. It's actually pretty funny that so many guys seem so taken aback by being passed by women.

I wasn't trying to impress you. Just making an observation that to the general public being a "triathlete" gets a certain level of awe that is out of proportion to the accomplishment. I was just using my personal experiences to illustrate the point.

And FWIW I finsihed 3rd in may age group with a horrible swim, a poor run, but a bike split that was in the top handful overall.

Happens to me all the time. I just yell after them, "Aw, you ride like a girl!" Since I'm a grey-turning-white-haired old guy, it usually elicits a laugh. ;)

The same could be said for steelers fans. Fortunately you got yours in February.

:)

As a triathlete myself I get really annoyed by a lot of the participants. You know, the people who want to look like they're doing something active but don't really train, then brag that they finished a triathlon. The 13 hour Ironman finishers are the worst because they have a big tattoo and wear a finishers shirt everywhere. I see them once or twice a week at the pool, and maybe running laps around the park telling everyone about their last Ironman finish. I also see them at the back of the pack at local Olympic distance races. However unlike cycling this is what makes up the bulk of triathletes, people who aren't trying to win races or make it pro, just have a good time and maybe have something to tell the coworkers about Monday.

On the other hand, the top guys seem to be very nice, unlike the Cat 2 and 3 cyclists around here who want a resume before they'll let you join their group ride any of the local elite triathletes will join you on an easy ride, or head up to the pool in the afternoon to swim laps with you. The competitive edge is there in races and you'll fight like Hell for that win, but the attitude between races seems much more laid back.

Cycling and triathlon are just very different sports that attract very different crowds.

Being recently reunited with cycling, and peripherally attached to a college tri club (I make them breakfast on Sunday mornings sometimes, and take pics at races)......

I have found the local "hardcore" cyclists (not talking racers here, just the hardcore members of local clubs) to be insufferable. Whether equipment, the righteousness of cycling, or the evilness of all automobile drivers, they manage to turn me off and I have NO plans to join a local club.

On the other hand, the college kids and adults that I know that are doing tri's are welcoming, are enthused that you are interested, and in the case of the college kids are really excited that someone their dad's age (actually older) is interested in trying a tri. I actually went to the collegiate nationals this past spring, and had a blast - both watching the ten kids I knew and chatting with the other racers and spectators there.

Personally, my interest in tri is pointed toward getting my butt back in the pool (used to swim a mile a day before work), running a bit, and having an excuse to be fit. Prepping for a sprint or olympic is a great motivation for me to eat right, exercise beyond just commuting, and I like the idea of competing for me and not looking like I don't belong there.

I'm sure there are jerks in all competitive sports (cycling, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, mountain climbing....), just like the general population. And when you bump into folks at work that don't understand what a criterium is, just smile inside. And invite the trijerk in the office for a bike ride (or, if you do tri's, invite the bikejerk for a swim or run....).

Do it for YOU.

Well, if one only can complete 2 of the events, then it's a bi! http://www.franksicons.com/shared/20...1454701600.gif

:p

Nice.

I know you weren't trying to impress me or anyone else, but it sounded to me like you weren't trying very hard and then were surprised when others thought you did well. I guess my point is that the general public assumes or expects that anyone doing a triathlon is trying their best and as such finds it admirable.

I actually agree with this...

Any "So I finished a triathlon" is always greeted as more of an accomplishment than "I placed 2nd in a crit."

Regarding failure, though: I am / was registered for Ironman CDA (Bike leg occuring as I type this.)

Long story short, due to a knee issue a couple years ago that I thought was healed, long distance running is apparently not my thing. I think it also might be due to me going from not really running at all 1.5 years ago to the level I was 3 -5 months ago, but I ended up needing to drop out.

I find there's a way bigger emotional aspect to me with that than with biking... If I miss a group ride, it's like, "Oh well..." Missing this is just killing my day. I have two friends competing, so I'm cheering them on, but it still sucks.

Cycling is 100% my passion more than running or swimming (Hate swimming,) but damnit, I wanted to compete.

Personal whine over, haha. Just good timing to log on today and see "Failed triathletes..." lol.

I have real mixed feelings about the boom in the number of people doing IM races. I did shorter triathlons for years and gradually did longer races until I felt like I could really "race" at that distance. Not saying I was a pro or anything like that, but I did qualify for Hawaii in my age group (at the time 26-30) and then raced in Kona 8 weeks after my qualifying IM in Canada. So, I guess I feel like I really earned it and I do get annoyed when someone who makes much less of an effort and just wants to finish ends up riding a slow bike ride and walking half of the marathon and then brags about being an Ironman. I'm glad for them on one level, but on another I think people like that undermine the essence of what the event is (or was) supposed to be.

Good post and nice to hear.

This thread needs more bike mounting failures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjqEogQtVQ0

the essence of what the event is is different for everyone that enters it. for some people, its a victory to be able to cross the finish line, for others its a failure if they dont cross it before anyone else. who are you do decide? stop being such an elitist. not everyone is there to beat the other competitors, some are there to crush their own goals.