Does Triathlon discrminate against runners? (Read 335 times)

MiTi (Michigan Titanium) Triathlon has $445 for a full Ironman distance race.

That's not too bad for a 140.6.

Cheaper than the $750 for the Ironman branded races of same distance, but likely less swag and support than IM brand.

Ironman branding has value, though.  Unbelievable experience.  For the full IM, they treat you like you're a professional athlete.  I don't know that I ever expected that level of professionalism and people rallying me to the finish line every inch of the course.  It was truly an amazing experience, and I have no regrets putting money toward that race.  It brings shivers down my spine today as I recall the event, and the support within the event.

To others point, though... Yes, it is expensive sport.  Yes, it's more expensive than running races.  Yes, maybe it's too expensive, and Yes, maybe people spend too much on triathlon. I fully understand those who critique those who are willing to blow money on triathlon.

My only defense is that it's the most fun I've ever had doing any type of racing.  I wish I had more money, and I wish I started doing this when I was 15 years old.  etc.  etc.

cheaper brands are expensive also.  I don't know anywhere that dropping $1000 to $1500 on anything short of a house or a car is "cheap"

There are cheaper ones here in the UK.

I guess a big part of the problem is that insurance to hold triathlons is so much more expensive than running events, has to be because of the bike leg element.

My only defense is that it's the most fun I've ever had doing any type of racing.  I wish I had more money, and I wish I started doing this when I was 15 years old.  etc.  etc.

I have to agree.  I am so much better at running than I am at swimming and biking (which is sad because I am not a good runner) but I keep coming back to triathlon because it is fun.  It really is a blast that makes all the frustrations go away

Actually, it's been my observation, based on many of the triathlons I've watched, that triathlons discriminate against the non-runners. I've seen so many runners come from behind after the bike and win.

 

What you see in the running can be very  misleading.   Since people start out in difference waves, so swimmers and cyclists running   eventually took over in the running leg are those who started several waves behind and they already passed runners in swimming

and biking,

Yes, I had the pleasure of doing my ironman's as mass start (without waves)...

There isn't anything quite like the mass swim start of Ironman.

They got rid of mass start due to some study related to deaths in triathlon.  Unlike marathon, the deaths occurred during the first portion of the swim due to tight wetsuits, kicking, anxiety, fitness level, lack of warm up, etc.  So, they migrated to wave starts back in 2015, I think.

The best way I could describe the 'problem' with mass swim starts was that the amount of surface area needed to tread water is a whole lot less than the amount of surface area to swim.  To tread water, I need about 3 foot wide by 3 foot.  To swim, I need about 18" wide by 8'.  The problem is that during the "national anthem" portion of the Ironman, most people were lining up forgetting that you need 8 feet instead of the 3'.  So, my arms push down the feet of the person in front of me, and my feet were being pushed down by the arms of the person behind me... Took "30" minutes for us to play nice together in the sandbox and get our space.

And yes, about 5 minutes into the race you begin to ask yourself why you signed up for this event and whether it's worth it and whether you'll live to enjoy it the next day.

 

Back in 2012...I had the awesome experience of a mass start in lake placid. That pretty much served as an equalizer for the whole Damn race, haha. No discrimination there, good or bad swimmer, you're being tested. Not sure if it is even done that way anywhere for big races anymore....anyway, So grateful I got to swim that. Nothing brings you closer to life than the fear of death...haha!

 

Carry on.

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).

I'm 60 days from IM Florida.

I've been thinking about ^ this for weeks.

2018 goals:
Bike 15 - 20 minutes slower (finish about 5:35:00)
Run 25 - 35 minutes faster (finish about 4:20:00)

Net Net = pick up about some some speed over 2013 race.

The truth is that between now and race day afternoon, there will be 100s of factors that cause me to change the Red/Yellow/Green/Yellow/Red bands, and that's ok.

Right now, though, I believe I'm in the red zone if I try to bike faster than a 5:22:30 finish time.  By red zone, I mean that I'll suffer too much on the run in order to hit a sub 4:30 run time.  My testing in that bike speed range tell me that the run will kill me.  While rolling along at slower speeds, I believe I'll have conserved enough energy to be able to run at that 10:00 pace for 4 1/2 hours.  But, I won't know until I try.

 

Good luck.  I am 24 days from IM Chattanooga.  I wish I had your bike speed.  That is a fast bike split you are targeting.  I'm shooting for:

 

Swim - 1:10 (downstream swim!)

Bike - 6:00 (116 miles)

Run - 3:45

 

I'd really love to come in under 11:00 but I am guessing I'll finish in the neighborhood of 11:30.  This is my second IM.  I've already registered for Tremblant in 2019.

There are many ways to slice the event!  I'm shooting for 11:30 as well, but would be happy with anything as long as I finish without major issues (hospital, nutrition issues, injury, crash, etc).

Best wishes on Chattanooga.  PM me your BIB# if you want (or share here).  I find that I follow people on race day for most US races.

Also, Mt Tremblant is high on my radar for 2019.  I watched the entire race this year to scout out the terrain and I think I'm sold on that race.  (Strong desire to race in Canada some day since I was born there.  Minimal desire to race elevation type of bike course.  I think Canada desire > flat course desire.  LOL)