General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM Rss Feed  
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2013-09-20 3:52 PM
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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM

I've done sprints up to IM, back down to sprints, back up to IM.  It is not a one way street.  Just because someone does an IM doesn't mean they have to keep going further.

As has been mentioned numerous times, do watcha want.  Who cares what other people think?

And I noticed you're talking about your first races.  I think it's abnormal to do a sprint and then want to do an IM.  You may think differently in a few seasons, if you hang around.  Or you may not.  Don't take it the wrong way, but I could care less ifyou don't want to do an IM

 



Edited by ChrisM 2013-09-20 3:54 PM


2013-09-20 3:56 PM
in reply to: DanielG

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM

Originally posted by DanielG
Originally posted by badmo77a So why the almost inevitable climb of most begginer triathletes to want to complete a HIM or IM event?
Nope. Most that I've met are a lot like me "Damn, that's some stupid distances" Then realize a few years down the line you'd only need to increase your running a bit and your biking a buttload and you can do one. THEN it becomes "ahh what the hell, let's go" Then "Glad that's done, I'm never doing a marathon again" Then off to the tattoo parlor (a year later in my case)

You missed a step between never again and the tattoo (or somewhere in there...)  Hmmm, maybe I'll sign up again.

Other than that, yeah, this post above.

2013-09-20 5:19 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
So I didn't read the whole thread, but thought I'd respond to the original question anyway.

Just finished 2nd tri season and don't have much desire to go to to even the HIM distance, much less the IM. I could enjoy training and racing that much, but I will never have enough time to train the way I'd want to for a HIM or IM. If I decide to do something, I want to do it well. I like going fast, so sprints, olys, and (mostly) Xterras are the route for me. I love running and really want to qualify for Boston, so I'll do another marathon. After that, I probably won't go back to the marathon. I'll stick with HM and shorter.

Just sayin...I think it's more important to enjoy training while having a life. I need a life outside of my tri workouts (even though I think I'd enjoy a lifestyle and occupation that allowed me to work out for hours each day).

Moving up doesn't have to mean going longer. I think that going faster is moving up as well.

Anyway...that's my .02.
2013-09-20 6:15 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
You can count me among those who won't be doing a full IM anytime soon. Plenty of reasons. The chief one is that I just don't want to take the time it would take to train for it properly. I wouldn't think of doing it unprepared, and I'm a slow biker, so for me, that would mean rides of 7+ hours. I have other things that I need to do with that time or my career, health, and personal life will suffer. I'm sure others can get it together more efficiently or get by on less sleep and I'm happy for them, but I know myself all too well. HIM is pretty much my limit when working full time in the tropics, and that's a push. I also am just not that into biking, and the idea of rides over 3-4 hours makes me want to scream, particularly since there's nowhere safe/attractive to do them around here, and no one to do them with. Even in Oregon, I doubt I'd enjoy the training that much. It's just too much time on a bike.

I did a HIM last year and, while I enjoyed the training and the challenge of finishing the distance, am in no particular hurry to do another. Kind of a silly reason, but.....I realize it's never going to be my strongest event. The bike is a bigger portion of the iron-distance races, and I'm not a fast biker. All that suffering and I don't place as well as in an Oly or sprint. I'll admit, I like winning stuff and the chance of that happening in an IM isn't too high. With sprints and Oly tris and swim-run races, I can do several each year and, if I have a good effort, be competitive. Then there's the amount of recovery time needed after an IM......that also gives me pause.

Not ruling it out someday (if I didn't need to work full-time, lived somewhere more tri-friendly, and had a good group or buddy to do the long rides with) but it's not at the top of my bucket list. Not even sure it's in the top ten.

2013-09-20 6:19 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
I have no interest in IM. HIM, probably, but not IM. I think the training for IM would impact time with family too much. I asked myself, what are my goals - fitness, being active, being a good example to my kids - and I can accomplish that in shorter distances.

My other fear is burnout. I'd rather train at 20-30 hours per month and maintain that without getting burnout, rather than doing 70 hours/ month for a few months and getting so burnout that I stop.

2013-09-20 7:35 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
Chris McCormack talks about this in a recent Triathlete magazine article. Here is the link: http://triathlon.competitor.com/2013/07/training/maccas-musings-the...


2013-09-20 10:25 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM

Is it natural for all runners to want to move up to ultramarathons?

Is it natural for all swimmers to want to move up to 10k+ swims?

Is it natural for all cyclists to want to move up to 250k+ rides?

 

Some people are better at short distance some are better at longer.

Some people like short distance better some like long distance better.

2013-09-21 12:26 AM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM

The great thing about the sport of triathlon is that people are entirely free to do short racing if they like that, or long racing if they like that.  Yes there is some pressure from some quarters to go long, but that's mostly ignorance combined with a typical "more extreme is more better" attitude some people have.

Me, I don't enjoy short course racing nearly as much as long course.  I've completed 4 sprint triathlons, one Olympic, 4 HIMs, and 9 IMs.  And I've done 6 5Ks, 7 half marathons, and 8 full marathons.  So you can see I like long course. Saturday morning (tomorrow) I'm racing another HIM, the Grand Columbian here by Grand Coulee Dam in Washington.

I like the training for longer events a lot more.  Give me a 2 hour Z2 run or a 4 hour 70 mile bike ride any day over some fartlek intervals or a mad all-out-hard-as-you-can 20 miler.  Argh.  Makes me ill just to think of that.  I do fit in some interval training and speedwork, but I don't enjoy that nearly enough to be fast at short distances.

Plus, I'm not naturally fast but I've found I can naturally go long. A 12 hour race day at 150 bpm HR average?  No problem.  A 1:15 sprint at 180 bpm? Makes me want to barf.  Perhaps I could get there, but I have little interest.

2013-09-21 10:46 AM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
Short Course is not a crime. Too many AG triathletes think of the distances as levels in a game to move up in. I have primarily raced short course over the last 13 years but have done 5 70.3 distance events and raced Ironman Whistler this year. I enjoy the challenge of going fast over the short distances. I will do Ironman again in 2-3 years as I have unfinished business in the time goal department (I know sub 10 is possible for me). I knew before I did IMC I would not be back in 2014 because I had already qualified for ITU Sprint Worlds and World Master swimming champs.
2013-09-21 11:38 AM
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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
One of the reasons triathlon has resonated so strongly with me is that it's largely an individual sport. I like other people, but I could give a care about what 99.999999% of the world's population thinks I should do. So no, you don't have to want to do anything longer than a sprint to be a bona fide triathlete. Or you could only do IM and larger. Go nuts.

Edited by disconnect 2013-09-21 11:52 AM
2013-09-21 3:09 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
One of the things I like best about triathlon is the variety of distances. There is a perfect distance for everyone that matches their strengths, and training. I have done over 60 triathlons including 7 full iron distances. I can tell you it was very rewarding to build my way up from a 230 pound couch potatoe to someone who crossed the line at Kona (Lottery Winner in 2007), but that was my personal goal and when it came true it was absolutely amazing. That said it took me about 8 years to figure out the distance I was most competitive at was the Olympic distance. Racing at the Olympic distance, being on the verge of qualifying for USAT Nationals is just as satisfying to me.

Best thing is you can actually race 3 Olympic distance race three weeks in a row, only a few freaks of nature could do that at the iron distance.


2013-09-21 4:33 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
I am the type of person, when I do something I want to do it to the best of my ability and see what I can accomplish. I was a distance runner growing up (distance is relative think 800m to 5k) and excelled, yet never had the desire to even consider a half marathon let alone a marathon. I'm not looking to cross another thing off my list -- I'm looking to do it as best as I can.

Although very new to Tris, I did three sprints this year and plan only to step up to Olympic next year. I don't feel the need to prove to anybody, nor myself, that I can do an HIM or an IM. If a day comes by that I can make no further progress at the Olympic distance, than maybe this will be a different conversation. Besides, the idea of weeks of recovery time aren't appealing to me. Until that day, IM/HIM aren't even a word in my vocabulary except in the conversation that goes a little like this:
Me: "I just did a sprint triathlon."
Someone else: "Wow, so what's next, an Ironman?"
Me: "NO, I am not training NOR doing an Ironman."

Do what makes you happy and what you feel comfortable. Ultimately you need to decide what your overall goals are with Tris -- whether its to excel to the best of your ability or to cross another distance/event off your list.
2013-09-21 10:01 PM
in reply to: Clempson

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
Originally posted by Clempson

nothing wrong with short course racing.  its fun to go fast and still be able to fit in a long ride or run later the same day.


If you do it right, you are absolutely not doing a long ride or run later in the day.
2013-09-22 6:20 PM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Originally posted by badmo77a

So why the almost inevitable climb of most begginer triathletes to want to complete a HIM or IM event?

Selection bias.  Too many insane people here.




I agree.

I think the active people in this BT community do not necessarily represent the norm, but people who tend to train a lot and for longer distances are more likely to post here.

I have lots of local friends who enjoy triathlon and stick to sprint distances.

Incidentally, there seems to be a similar phenomenon in running where new runners tend to get into the sport with the goal to ultimately run a marathon. Lots of them don't appreciate that racing 5Ks and 10Ks can be just as challenging but in different ways.

I guess the difference that for many people the idea of just FINISHING (not racing) a long course presents a significant challenge once the shorter distances are mastered for distance only.
2013-09-22 6:45 PM
in reply to: mmrocker13

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM

Originally posted by mmrocker13
Originally posted by Clempson nothing wrong with short course racing.  its fun to go fast and still be able to fit in a long ride or run later the same day.
If you do it right, you are absolutely not doing a long ride or run later in the day.

Uh, yeah.  I generally agree with this sentiment.  If you want to go for a long ride or run the same day as a sprint or oly, something's not right.

Short course racing hurts in a way that's not experienced in long course races.  Sprints, and even olys to a degree, are like jumping into a fire and staying there for 1-3 hours, while long course racing is more like being in a vise that's slowly tightened for 5-17 hours.

Racing is racing.  It's all hard if you're doing it right.  If you do your best, you should take equal pride in your accomplishments, regardless of the race distance.

2013-09-22 6:59 PM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
I'd NEVER feel like going for a long run after a sprint, though sometimes a very easy 10-20 minute jog actually feels good to flush out the system; sometimes it's all I can do to lie under a tree and try not to puke. As for the ride, it would have to be very slow and very flat, and not terribly long. A one to two hour easy ride actually works really well to get the kinks out. I wouldn't consider it a workout though--we're talking 10-12 mph, max.


2013-09-23 12:55 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
Thanks for all the replies. Fun to come back after the weekend and find a page an half of comments.

I think the best comment above is the one that racing is racing. An ultra short course should allow you pour out 95%-100% perceived effort for 40 minutes or so and be as satistfying and challange as pacing yourself over 5-10 hours.

I also think I need to put some effort into finding a distance I enjoy. Next year will be a fun year for getting a good few more events under my belt.
2013-09-23 2:57 PM
in reply to: mmrocker13

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM

Originally posted by mmrocker13
Originally posted by Clempson nothing wrong with short course racing.  its fun to go fast and still be able to fit in a long ride or run later the same day.
If you do it right, you are absolutely not doing a long ride or run later in the day.

Well if by "do it right" you mean race hard. Some people do not race hard. Are they wrong?

2013-09-23 3:56 PM
in reply to: mrbbrad

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
I submit that IM training need not take more time than training for an Oly or HIM....or even a sprint if you plan to be competitive. Does anyone really think professional or olympic marathoners spend more time training than the guys running 100 meters? I would guess that Olympic triathletes spend just as much time as do triathletes who KQ.

Certainly the training and focus is different but saying "IM training takes too much time" is misleading. The amount of training time a IM, HIM, Oly and sprint triathlons 'require' depends entirely on how competitive your want to be. You can easily finish an IM with 10 hrs/week training (assuming you have a solid base). You are not going to KQ or win your AG but your can finish.

I wanted to do an IM because I like to experience different things. After I got it through my head that it was doable by mere mortals, I wanted to try it.

2013-09-23 4:05 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: Very interested in Triathlon - Care less about IM
only .01% of the population has done a HIM, much more than that that have done triathlons.
70.3 is a long way to go, theres no shame in having no desire to complete anything further than you are comfortable with!
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