Just curious - was anyone's first tri 70.3 or 140.6?
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sarahz5
Posts: 1,363 Member
I have been seeing a lot of folks posting in random places that they just did their first tri - and it was a half-IM. This is so contrary to my approach to the sport that it blows my mind. Did anyone here take this approach, and if so, what was your reasoning?
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i know some people in my club that have done that. one guy did an olympic first, but only as a warm up for a 70.3 a couple of months later.
it's funny though, the people that have prior athletic experience such as track athletes, and swimmers, tend to go slow and start off with sprints and olys.0 -
People do Ironman as a "life experience". Actually the WTC caters much of their events towards these folks.0
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read an article once that said there are basically two types of Iron Man participants: the bucket list people that want to do one and done; and then you have the guys that train for a respectable time and plan on doing more than just one 140.6.0
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I started with sprints and had no intention of ever doing an IM. Two years later when I bit the bullet to do an IM, it was a 2 year commitment figuring that I'd learn something from the first and would want to make corrections for the second. Not sure if there will be a 3rd next year but it's likely.0
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tri4life854 wrote: »I started with sprints and had no intention of ever doing an IM. Two years later when I bit the bullet to do an IM, it was a 2 year commitment figuring that I'd learn something from the first and would want to make corrections for the second. Not sure if there will be a 3rd next year but it's likely.
between my toddler and all my other race goals, and the fact that i want to come in well under the 17 hour cut-off time, i'm shooting for my first IM in 2019-2020. i'm thinking lake placid.
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As a very late comer to tri's (at age 56) I did three Sprint events last year. Earlier this year, I had a brain cramp and said yes to doing the Timberman 70.3 which is coming up in Aug. I did my first Olympic Distance event in June and have a Sprint set for 2 weeks prior to Timberman. At my advanced age, I have NO plans for doing a 140.6 (at least this year)0
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timberman is supposed to be a great race. enjoy! i plan on doing it next year.0
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70.3s are the best distance. Hard, big crowds, but no 6 hour days on the bike. You can actually have a life outside of sleeping, training, eating, and work.0
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I started out with sprints last year, and have done a sprint and an international this year. First half-iron is in August. I think it was good to learn the basics of tri before bumping up to 70.3. Not even sure I'll ever even try a 140.6.0
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Don't let age stop you. I train with several people who are approaching 70 who do full IM. One is getting ready for Kona. Being retired an having an empty nest, they have time to train and love feeling and looking far younger than their age.As a very late comer to tri's (at age 56) ...At my advanced age, I have NO plans for doing a 140.6 (at least this year)
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[/quote] Don't let age stop you. I train with several people who are approaching 70 who do full IM. One is getting ready for Kona. Being retired an having an empty nest, they have time to train and love feeling and looking far younger than their age.
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I admit to being a bit tongue in cheek about my age as a limiting factor. I do know at least three triathletes in my town who have completed Full IM races while in their 50's.
The fact is, I'm not ready for that level of training commitment, particularly while working a full time job.
While I"ve warmed up to the 70.3 training plan, I don't have the desire to knock out a Full IM distance event, even though my training partner is trying to persuade me.
As you mentioned, though, training for tri's brings significant benefits as we age. I certainly enjoy that part of it, and I REALLY love running races and (sometimes) hanging with or finishing ahead of racers who are 20 -30 years younger than me.
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I built up to the IM distance, I think a lot of people don't realize that there are many distances. I'd rather find a distance I love and do more than 1 than a one and done approach, but I don't fault people for doing the bucket list thing. It's a lifestyle not a checklist item.
Peer pressure is a terrible thing, lol. That's how I ended up doing an IM, many of my tri friends did their first the year before me, then there was a huge push to do IMChoo, so I signed up and only 1 of my other friends did. Oh, man. I loved the race, hated the training (but that was more an issue of scheduling a 6 day a week night shift 10+ hr construction job, a baby under a year old and an 11 year old and then finding time to train). I tell you I nailed the working through the exhaustion aspect of the race.
My friend I did Choo with is now lobbying for IM Louisville 2016, I probably will even though my other training friends will have 2016 as their nonIM year.0 -
I built up to the IM distance, I think a lot of people don't realize that there are many distances. I'd rather find a distance I love and do more than 1 than a one and done approach, but I don't fault people for doing the bucket list thing. It's a lifestyle not a checklist item.
Peer pressure is a terrible thing, lol. That's how I ended up doing an IM, many of my tri friends did their first the year before me, then there was a huge push to do IMChoo, so I signed up and only 1 of my other friends did. Oh, man. I loved the race, hated the training (but that was more an issue of scheduling a 6 day a week night shift 10+ hr construction job, a baby under a year old and an 11 year old and then finding time to train). I tell you I nailed the working through the exhaustion aspect of the race.
My friend I did Choo with is now lobbying for IM Louisville 2016, I probably will even though my other training friends will have 2016 as their nonIM year.
Damn, you are awesome.0 -
I built up to the IM distance, I think a lot of people don't realize that there are many distances. I'd rather find a distance I love and do more than 1 than a one and done approach, but I don't fault people for doing the bucket list thing. It's a lifestyle not a checklist item.
Peer pressure is a terrible thing, lol. That's how I ended up doing an IM, many of my tri friends did their first the year before me, then there was a huge push to do IMChoo, so I signed up and only 1 of my other friends did. Oh, man. I loved the race, hated the training (but that was more an issue of scheduling a 6 day a week night shift 10+ hr construction job, a baby under a year old and an 11 year old and then finding time to train). I tell you I nailed the working through the exhaustion aspect of the race.
My friend I did Choo with is now lobbying for IM Louisville 2016, I probably will even though my other training friends will have 2016 as their nonIM year.
It's not a lifestyle for a lot of people however, and the WTC markets Ironman events as bucket list items hoping they get hooked and continue to come back. Basically the cycle goes see Kona on TV, get inspired, find an Ironman that appeals to you, train, maybe fit your first 70.3 in there somewhere, race, sign up for next year while on site. That is the ultimate WTC marketing model.
I started doing sprints on a dare, did an olympic just because, and swore I'd never do Ironman races. Then I did a 70.3 and thought "I could swim that twice before getting on the bike." So when my friends trained for Ironman Texas in 2012 I tagged along for 90% of the training to see if I could handle it. Then I attended my firs Ironman as a spectator and the atmosphere hooked me. This year I'll do 2 Ironman races, last year I became a USAT certified coach, and I coach a youth team as well.
It's freaking addictive.
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Capt_Apollo wrote: »read an article once that said there are basically two types of Iron Man participants: the bucket list people that want to do one and done; and then you have the guys that train for a respectable time and plan on doing more than just one 140.6.
Yea that pretty much sums it up and Ironman as a brand tries to cater to the one-n-done folks quite a bit. Most of those guys are the ones that get the tattoo. After having done 3 full-distance races already and a 4th one coming up in 4 months, I find the idea of tattooing the m-dot on my leg to be kinda silly. It's just a race to me. A long one, sure, and one that takes a lot of preparation, but it's just a race. I am racing for time at this point, and the distance doesn't scare me at all anymore.0 -
scott091501 wrote: »You can actually have a life outside of sleeping, training, eating, and work.
What is this "life" of which you speak that is outside of sleep, eat, train, and work?
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scott091501 wrote: »You can actually have a life outside of sleeping, training, eating, and work.
What is this "life" of which you speak that is outside of sleep, eat, train, and work?
Hahaha. So true. I'll say this the longest ride I do for a 70.3 is about 3 hours. So if I start as soon as it's light outside I'm done by the time anyone else in my house is really ready to do anything.
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3dogsrunning wrote: »I built up to the IM distance, I think a lot of people don't realize that there are many distances. I'd rather find a distance I love and do more than 1 than a one and done approach, but I don't fault people for doing the bucket list thing. It's a lifestyle not a checklist item.
Damn, you are awesome.
I second the awesome comment. That's no small feat.
I too am trying to find the distance I like best. This year, I'll see if I like the added challenge of managing nutrition and pacing over a longer race.
I'm also looking forward to participating in an Ironman branded race, since I've only done local events previously. At this point, my impression is that the WTC is a well oiled marketing machine. I'm getting almost daily emails with details, tips, etc about the Timberman event. This information may not make me faster, but at least I'll be well read by race day.
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I loved the my FB group for IMChoo, lots of good knowledge there, so if you do plan on doing an event, check out the FB group that goes along with it. I think there is something about IM, yes a well oiled machine, but so too are most year after year events (marathons, charity events, pro events, etc).
As for awesomeness, stupidity and stubbornness is more like it. I asked to be on the job, and it worked, but it wasn't sustainable and I missed out on a lot of baby time and family time. We worked (8-6:30 am) Friday and 2 Saturdays a month, so my weekends were shot. Having a day where you don't sleep but for 2 hr so you can get in a long ride, smrt. I've moved on to the typical work schedule now, and my training has suffered, but I get to see my husband and kids more often.
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I did a sprint with a friend after 6 weeks training the first year (I can always walk the 5 K...it had been a couple of decades since I'd run). Had fun, got hooked, and did an Olympic the next year. My brother and I wanted to race together and he wasn't interested in short course races, so I did a small half-iron the year after that. He greeted me at the finish with, "You'll do an IM someday." I swore to myself, lied down with my feet propped up on a tree, and thought this would be a pleasant place to die. A week later, I joined him and his IM buddies for the "Horribly Hilly Hundreds" ride. The race director wasn't lying. At a rest stop, a buddy said, "Doing an HIM is like climbing to base camp of Everest. You'll always wonder what it's like to go to the top." More unprintable thoughts. Two months later, I signed up for IM Louisville 2014 with plans for IMChoo 2015. 2 months to go...and then?0
