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Does Triathlon discrminate against runners? (Read 335 times)

jingchunyu


    I think that bike leg dominate the race.  If a runner is 10% faster than a cyclist in running  but 10 % slower in cycling, running would just give

    him a roughly 2 minute advantage but lose at least 5 minutes in biking.  A triathlon is mainly for cycling with swimming as warmup and running as cooldown

    paul2432


      As a counterpoint, 10% faster in cycling is more difficult than 10% faster in running due to the greater effect of wind resistance at cycling speeds.

       

      Regardless, the sport discriminates against swimmers, cyclists and runners, favoring triathletes, those who can put it all together.

      Muebele


        I hate the fact that the bike leg is the longest time wise and that I suck at biking, but I do no believe there is as much discrimination as you might thing.  I did find that the past me (a good runner and average/below average biker) tended to hold my own against the opposite.  I think swimmers do tend to get the shaft.  they work their butts off for a few seconds advantage.

         

        I think you have to be good across the board.  But I do agree that if you are going to be the best at one leg, it pays to be an uber-biker.

          Biking is most important (5+ hours for Ironman)

          Running strength is what gets you to Kona (approx top 3 finish in age group).

           

          If your goal is to finish, focus on biking.

          If your goal is to qualify at Kona, you better be an dominant runner and run a marathon much faster in the hot sun than the competition.

           

          Swimming is a great warm up to a long day.  You don't win in the water.  You just need to survive the swim in a respectable time (mid pack).

           

          My experience is that running is incredibly difficult after spending 7 hours doing other stuff (swim and bike).  Starting a marathon at 2pm in 80+ degrees is not easy for anybody.  Good runners can fight through it and finish in a respectable time.  "Non-Runners" can fight through it and finish before midnight.  Great runners can power through it in amazing times (sub 2:40 marathon for elite / professionals, sub 3:10 for Kona bound).

           

          If I were to talk someone into doing Ironman for the sake of finishing, I'd talk to them about the value of the bike and saddle time.  I'd advise them to run a little bit (average 20mpw) with 10 - 15 mile longest run.  But saddle time and willingness to be bored on a bike is most important for most triathletes doing long course.

           

          FWIW... I've done 2 Ironmans...
          Bike time: 5:18 (21mph) may have been top 15%
          Marathon time: about 4:50... run/walk

          (I focus on the bike)

          Overall: sub 12 hour, top 25%

          Life Goals:

          #1: Do what I can do

          #2: Enjoy life

           

           

          jingchunyu


            As a counterpoint, 10% faster in cycling is more difficult than 10% faster in running due to the greater effect of wind resistance at cycling speeds.

             

            Regardless, the sport discriminates against swimmers, cyclists and runners, favoring triathletes, those who can put it all together.

             

            Agreed.  If one to make efforts to improve by 10%, then it is harder for cycling.  But if a runner is naturally 10% better in running

            but naturally 10% worse in cycling than a cyclist, then he will be naturally beaten by the later.

              A long time ago I considered the distances. Cycling is the #1 most important leg. The 3 legs are not equal at all.

              60-64 age group  -  University of Oregon alumni  -  Irreverent and Annoying

                Triathlon is the sport that runners evolve to. for me, the helpful thing about having the bike leg dominate is that it is favorable to old used up runners like myself that are constantly injuring themselves overrunning their training trying to climb the bigger better now latter with either speed and longer distances. I am...and was thankful for this format.

                In order to see the truth, sometimes you have to loose an eye.

                http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Utri/

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 


                Still kicking

                  I'd love to see the disciplines take an equal approximate amount of time. My vote would be for 10K swim, 100K bike, 40K run.

                  I'm also on Athlinks and Strava

                    I think that bike leg dominate the race.  If a runner is 10% faster than a cyclist in running  but 10 % slower in cycling, running would just give

                    him a roughly 2 minute advantage but lose at least 5 minutes in biking.  A triathlon is mainly for cycling with swimming as warmup and running as cooldown

                     

                    Percents don't matter.  Time matters.

                     

                    My PR for Ironman in 11:53:31.

                    My goal is to beat my PR in 2018.

                    I rode faster than I should have for my PR (5:18:53), and my run suffered (4:56:45).

                    I strategically rode faster than I should have because it was a daytime high of 95 degrees that day (5/19/2013), and I knew my run would suffer regardless of how much energy I conserved during my bike.  God bless those fools that tried to PR by running fast that day!  (In Ironman, there's a phrase... PR or ER)

                     

                    In 2018, I plan to ride slower (maybe a 5:35 to 5:40), and plan to run faster than my 4:56:45.  My goal at some stage is to run a 4:20 marathon during an Ironman, but I believe I would have to ride too slow to run that fast, and I wouldn't get my PR.

                    By conserving 15 - 20 minutes on the bike, I might be able to make up "20" to "30" minutes on the run.  Maybe.

                    And those numbers would lead to a new PR.

                     

                    A November race in Florida might be better weather conditions than a May race in Texas.  You have to work with what you have, and you have to be willing to accept what conditions exist.  (A 4:56+ Ironman marathon in the summer might equate to a spring/fall marathon of 3:30 to 3:40 on its own.  In other words, I'm not a "fast" runner but not as slow as the 5 hour marathon shows).

                     

                    After my 1st Ironman, people would ask me "what was the hardest part?"... My response was always the same "the last 1/2".

                    Life Goals:

                    #1: Do what I can do

                    #2: Enjoy life

                     

                     

                      Yes, in the same way that running races discriminate against triathletes.

                      Runners run

                      bulfrog


                      Mr Slowly

                        When you look at the number of athletes who get off the bike in respectable time, and then run/walk/death march the marathon it's hard to say running isn't important.

                         

                        If your only goal is to finish (as in my only ironman) for sure focus on the bike and expect to have a slow/horrible marathon (as I did). But if you have any ambition of being competitive, it's all about the run. Of course the only way you get a good run, is to have the bike fitness to reach T2 feeling reasonably fresh... but that's semantics.

                         

                        Bike for show, run for dough.

                        Ironman, why be slow in 1 sport when you can be slow in 3

                        HermosaBoy


                          Not sure I would agree.  Watching Ironman races, it usually seems that the strong runners can "run down"  some fairly sizable leads that others have gained from the swim and bike.

                           

                          As long as a strong runner can stay within a reasonable range after the bike, they quite often end up on top.

                          And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

                           

                          Rob

                          jingchunyu


                            I'd love to see the disciplines take an equal approximate amount of time. My vote would be for 10K swim, 100K bike, 40K run.

                             

                            Olympic distance or Ironman distances are at least standardized.  But in some sprint distance triathlon, biking course can even be

                            6 times as long as running course

                               

                              Percents don't matter.  Time matters.

                               

                              My PR for Ironman in 11:53:31.

                              My goal is to beat my PR in 2018.

                              I rode faster than I should have for my PR (5:18:53), and my run suffered (4:56:45).

                              I strategically rode faster than I should have because it was a daytime high of 95 degrees that day (5/19/2013), and I knew my run would suffer regardless of how much energy I conserved during my bike.  God bless those fools that tried to PR by running fast that day!  (In Ironman, there's a phrase... PR or ER)

                               

                              In 2018, I plan to ride slower (maybe a 5:35 to 5:40), and plan to run faster than my 4:56:45.  My goal at some stage is to run a 4:20 marathon during an Ironman, but I believe I would have to ride too slow to run that fast, and I wouldn't get my PR.

                              By conserving 15 - 20 minutes on the bike, I might be able to make up "20" to "30" minutes on the run.  Maybe.

                              And those numbers would lead to a new PR.

                               

                              A November race in Florida might be better weather conditions than a May race in Texas.  You have to work with what you have, and you have to be willing to accept what conditions exist.  (A 4:56+ Ironman marathon in the summer might equate to a spring/fall marathon of 3:30 to 3:40 on its own.  In other words, I'm not a "fast" runner but not as slow as the 5 hour marathon shows).

                               

                              After my 1st Ironman, people would ask me "what was the hardest part?"... My response was always the same "the last 1/2".

                              A friend of mine who has finished the las two ironman competitions in sub 11:25hrs does exactly that: more time on the bike and less running/walking. His split is 5:45hr bike and 4:10hrs for the marathon. Although he said on a flat course he could be significantly faster on both.

                              HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)

                               

                              2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!

                              zoom-zoom


                              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                                Do the du.

                                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                     ~ Sarah Kay

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