Triathletes

RE: Triathletes

That Guy — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:11:05 GMT

I've been off these forums for the last few months while I focused on triathlons...by continuing to train fly and medley in a pool! There's nothing wrong with entering an event just to finish it. Back in February I saw one of the top triathletes in my area do the 50 and 100 meter fly in a Masters meet. She was a novice at fly (according to this web site, she had never raced fly before) but she completed both races with no DQ. I thought that was pretty cool. Also remember that our nation has an obesity epidemic. Getting some exercise - any exercise - is a good thing. (With that in mind, this is good for a chuckle: www.slate.com/.../) I do poke at the triathletes who debate tangential stuff like how well their practice times in the pool convert to open water times (subtopics: effects of flip turns, hard pushoffs, breathing on open turns, "fast" open turns versus slow ones, wetsuit.... SDK doesn't come up - until I bring it up :)) but then I steer the discussion into constructive territory like using pool swimming to improve conditioning and ingrain technique improvements that can be applied anywhere. Then I poke some more: "But training medley is a better all-around aerobic workout than just crawlstroke!" BTW the only toy at the end of my lane is a kickboard. One of these days I'll do butterfly for the swim leg of a sprint tri just for the shock and awe factor :)

RE: Triathletes

slowfish — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:05:38 GMT

. Sadly in the triathlon that leg has very little impact in the success of the race Not in the UTI races that allow drafting...If you aren't out of the water with the top dogs, you are left behind on the bike and it's all over. My observation from racing tris and road running races is that there is a big difference between racers and participants of these events. Some people are just out to finish and can hold on a converstation though the whole event and some are working their butts off and racing. Cross country races - no fun-runners here...even the last place person who could be 70+ is running so hard they could puke their guts out. you don't show up to these races to jog. Bike racing - there are no "fun riders" at bike races either. The "fun-riders" go out and do centruies. Swim meets- i'm doing my first one here pretty soon and i supsect there are no fun-swimmers here just slogging through. but i'll work my ass off in hopes of just being 2nd to last instead of dead last!

RE: Triathletes

Muppet — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:44:01 GMT

I actually mulled over the idea of doing exactly that, for the excuse to travel among other things. But I just can't wrap my mind around traveling hundreds of miles (and spending a fair amount of time and money) to participate for less than a minute in events I have absolutely zero chance of placing in. And what would I get to say after the fact? "Woo, I swam 50m!! and came dead last." Almost anyone could do that. If that is your attitude, I can see why you would view this as wasting your time and money. I personally have little chance to place in national meets because I compete against guys who've for the most part swum in college. That doesn't stop me from trying. Swimming-wise, I go because I train hard all year and want to swim my best time in one of the country's best facilities against some of the best competition. So what if I am 80th out of 120 (like I was at worlds last summer). It was a personal best, and for that, I was very proud. :wine: Not-swimming-wise, I go to hang out with my friends/teammates, meet other swimmers, and tour a new city. A typical triathlon I can understand: You get to take part for hours; and if you're in any kind of decent shape, you might well not be the last to finish because there are hundreds of others just participating in order to complete. :dunno: There are plenty of zone and national meet participants just doing the same thing. Ask Rich (swimstud). Plus, with a tri, there's always some poor soul who ends up DFL because they got a flat towards the end of their bike race and ends up having to run 50% more than everyone else ;) It's not true of everyone obviously, but enough people seem to take swim meets very seriously for them to be too intimidating, I think, for much of the less-than gifted to participate. And that's probably for the best. I don't think serious masters athletes would want thousands of swimmers of my calibre to clog up the parking lots and change rooms, and otherwise get in the way to make those annoyingly endless meets last *even* longer. Unfortunately, I know many examples of this to be true, and it is, as I said, unfortunate that these people's intensity is viewed as intimidating. Everyone has different goals, and swimming means something different to everyone. Some folks still feel like they have something to prove. To these people, if they flop at a meet, it is the end of the world and they want everyone to feel sorry for them. However, bear in mind that they're missing out on all the fun you're having as long as they're sulking. We STILL make fun of the guy who threw his goggles at the sauna and scared the old ladies inside ;). There are plenty of us who are just happy to have woken up that morning. Bottom line on this is that you should remember that swimming is an individual sport. Don't let someone else turn you off. Be who you are!

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:55:32 GMT

It is amazing to think that so many people will show up for a Tri event when our Nats have about 1000 .I do think it is a totally different mentality for most of them. How many people go to Nats just to say they went to Nats,but I suspect many people do Tri's just to have done them. (If you find a Tri that consists of 50,100 and 200 BR I'll definitely want to go.) I actually mulled over the idea of doing exactly that, for the excuse to travel among other things. But I just can't wrap my mind around traveling hundreds of miles (and spending a fair amount of time and money) to participate for less than a minute in events I have absolutely zero chance of placing in. And what would I get to say after the fact? "Woo, I swam 50m!! and came dead last." Almost anyone could do that. A typical triathlon I can understand: You get to take part for hours; and if you're in any kind of decent shape, you might well not be the last to finish because there are hundreds of others just participating in order to complete. :dunno: It's not true of everyone obviously, but enough people seem to take swim meets very seriously for them to be too intimidating, I think, for much of the less-than gifted to participate. And that's probably for the best. I don't think serious masters athletes would want thousands of swimmers of my calibre to clog up the parking lots and change rooms, and otherwise get in the way to make those annoyingly endless meets last *even* longer.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:55:03 GMT

Most of the tri athletes I advise, do the workouts I lay out for them. I try to give them the idea they will become faster if they set a time they want to do for their event. This time could be 3, 4, 5 or more minutes faster then they can swim now. Then they do repeats to attain that time.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:29:24 GMT

Last night I swam in a lane with a guy who only swam for 20 minutes. He never stopped. I asked him why he did so little during his practice. He said that was all he needed for the triatholon he was goign to be in. What is that all about? I see the exact same thing in the triathletes I am swimming with now. And I keep trying to tell them that there is a much better way to improve their times than just by "completing" the distance in practice. I think they don't believe me. I think because for many the swim portion is a weak link and they have had no true coaching, they are swimming only the minimum to know psychologically that they can finish it. And they run and bike like the wind with a need-for-speed. Swimming needs speed, too, and if they practiced as such, they could obtain it and exit the water much faster and feeling much better. I'd hate to have a terrific bike/run segment but have to come from behind because my swim portion was weak. The group I am swimming with is "getting" it now and I have seen a huge amount of improvement. They just needed guidance from a swimmer and to trust what was said to them. I'm proud of this group I'm swimming with.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:32:51 GMT

Craig- if you ask the 20 minute swimmer, they'll probably tell you that they train bike and run in similar ways; so many don't get that for running and biking, fartlek-type training would improve them greatly, just as a varied interval-based approach would help their swimming. It really has nothing to do with the sport of tri versus the individual disciplines, it more often involves a reluctance to change, a reluctance to strain their brain and often, a reluctance to face the pain that can be felt with sprint-component training, especially if unfamilar.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:57:53 GMT

You can TRI that, you may be first out of the water doing breaststroke. You just never know.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:56:21 GMT

Because in distance just finishing is accomplishment enough, and any workhorse can finish. Sprints take talent. And ADHD. -LBJ

RE: Triathletes

The Fortress — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:39:51 GMT

Fort. I'm not going to say what I'm thinking. I'm just going to sit here:lmao:. Have fun sitting there. :thhbbb: You won't win any races that way. I have no desire to commit to going postal. I have no desire to commit to a 200 fly. I'm doing some quickies with some girl. ;) :thhbbb: Y'all can just finish.

RE: Triathletes

poolraat — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:18:46 GMT

I guess I have a thing for quikies without long term commitments Me too!! :agree: Fort. I'm not going to say what I'm thinking. I'm just going to sit here:lmao:.

RE: Triathletes

Allen Stark — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:38:50 GMT

RE: Triathletes

Muppet — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:21:09 GMT

RE: Triathletes

poolraat — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:39:48 GMT

I'm doing some quickies with some girl. ;) Now I'm :rofl::lmao:.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 06:45:46 GMT

RE: Triathletes

some_girl — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 06:02:03 GMT

And ADHD. -LBJ I thought that was the IMers?

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:58:18 GMT

I read in USAT's official magazine that the College Championship had 1000 college athletes and over 100,000 spectators. Triathlon isn't even a letter sport yet!:thhbbb:

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:55:20 GMT

Sorry, not aimed at you at all. The comment was just a general one about "cyclists" versus, real swimmers and noodlers. My apologies if it was misunderstood.:notworthy:

RE: Triathletes

some_girl — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:46:00 GMT

So..why are there so many open water long distance swims and so few sprint competitions. BTW, same in running. Because in distance just finishing is accomplishment enough, and any workhorse can finish. Sprints take talent.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:38:16 GMT

I guess I have a thing for quikies without long term commitments Me too!! Wow! :blush: :eek: Learning more and more about fellow forumites everyday!

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 08:47:33 GMT

But, I ask, why does USMS have 2 meets a year in the whole country with anywhere near 1000 participants, but the city of Seattle alone has probably over a dozen triathlons with over 1000 participants? I really don't understand it myself. It costs way more than swimming, it can really hurt, and the shortest event is an hour long. To expand a bit on this thought: I love 50m. sprints. I guess I have a thing for quikies without long term commitments :groovy: So..why are there so many open water long distance swims and so few sprint competitions. BTW, same in running.

RE: Triathletes

The Fortress — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:29:15 GMT

To expand a bit on this thought: I love 50m. sprints. I guess I have a thing for quikies without long term commitments :groovy: So..why are there so many open water long distance swims and so few sprint competitions. BTW, same in running. Me too!! :agree: Very few sprint competitions. I'm still waiting for a local pentathlon ... like the one the GA folks are attending. Very few meets in general. During the summer, tons of OW swims. During the winter, everyone is going postal. There is a world championship for aquathlons though.

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:18:23 GMT

they ride bicycles, and are all -- as cyclists -- ipso facto, evil. Funny, I swim, but y'all wouldn't call me a swimmer; I bike, but they wouldn't call me a cyclist; but the last person to finish a 5K in 30+ minutes is refered to as a runner. There is definitely some elitism going on here.:duel:

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:47:05 GMT

Funny, I swim, but y'all wouldn't call me a swimmer; I bike, but they wouldn't call me a cyclist; but the last person to finish a 5K in 30+ minutes is refered to as a runner. There is definitely some elitism going on here.:duel: Sorry, I don't quite get what you mean... I was referring to the almost palpable and completely universal impatience motorists have with "those who dare to ride bicycles on roads," and that category includes cyclists of the Armstrong calibre, a lot of triathletes, as well as lowly commuters like me. But I wasn't aware that that particular label might be so inflammatory!

RE: Triathletes

Former Member — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:50:16 GMT

As someone flirting with "the dark side" myself (I did USMS SCY nationals and two sprint triathlons this summer) I find myself on shaky ground here. But, I ask, why does USMS have 2 meets a year in the whole country with anywhere near 1000 participants, but the city of Seattle alone has probably over a dozen triathlons with over 1000 participants? I really don't understand it myself. It costs way more than swimming, it can really hurt, and the shortest event is an hour long. And, go figure, I want to do more of them...I might actually be able to improve my times next year, and I actually lose weight training for them. And there is something about racing 1000+ people that my competitive nature likes, and I don't have to travel to do it.