Are Triathletes worth the dues they pay toward Masters Swimming?
I say we force all Triathletes to spend one day a week in the sprint lane, one day a week doing stroke (i.e. IM) work, and then make them focus on their starts and turns.
This invasion needs to be controlled.... :-)
John Smith
:)
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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
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?
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.
Allen, I think you just hit the nail on the head there. If you check out Tri entry forms, most of them ask if this is your first triathlon. I imagine it makes the participant feel special to get some sort of recognition or freebee, and may keep you coming back. I swam at a swim meet that lists the first-timers on the first page of the meet program - pretty cool if you ask me.
There are plenty of people who fit the "do a Tri just to have done one" bill - I am one of them. It is quite an accomplishment to do three competitive events back to back like that. There are plenty of folks who wouldn't dare try it - and for the most part, I'd say they're pretty impressed with the folks that do try it.
