Subject: RE: When Did You Become a Triathlete? When I first saw this thread, I thought about the date a finished my first triathlon. Then I read the question and some of the responses. I cannot believe that how fast you finish a race factors into whether you have the right to call yourself a triathlete. I cannot believe that the distance of a race factors in to whether or not you have the right to call yourself a triathlete.
I am fighting chronic running injuries. Why? Not because I like running, but because that is how I get to the finish line in my sport. I train and ride my bike. I do enjoy cycling, but my main goal is to improve my bike split in triathlon. I was once a competitive swimmer. I rarely swim anything but freestyle these days and find myself enjoying the lake more than the pool.
I am a triathlete. Not a professional one, but this is my passion. I spend almost all of my free time, extra cash, and even plan family events and vacations around races. To have someone that I don't know, who has never met me, or just in passing conversation tell me that I can't call myself a triathlete because I am not XYZ fast or completed LMNOP distance is stupid. I refuse to give others the power to tell me what I can or cannot do.
To the OP: If you don't feel comfortable, then don't call yourself one. But don't let anyone else tell you that you can't.
Pam |