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Age of Triathletes
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 2005-01-11 1:27 PM |
Member 40 |  Subject: Age of TriathletesI am wondering why tri races are so heavily comprised of people over the age of 30? Im in my early 20's and have completed two marathons and attended a few tri races (but never competed). The tris usually only have a few pre 30 racers (like <20%), why is this? |
| 2005-01-11 1:50 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Elite 3235    San Diego | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes Well, I can't speak for everybody, but when I was 20 the last thing I wanted to do was train. I spent more time studying (yeah right  ) And I also thought every triathlon was an Ironman and wanted nothing to do with that |
| 2005-01-11 1:52 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Elite 2553 Tucson, AZ | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes For me, I had a bunch of major life events taking place in my early 20's like finishing college, getting a job, getting married, building & buying a new house, etc. I'm 27 now and have a lot more free time to train and race. |
| 2005-01-11 1:56 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Master 1210 Saskatchewan | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes Same as above. I spent my twenties playing ice hockey and rugby, I started feeling my age at 29. Running has been great because I don't have to train with anyone if I don't want to...training for a tri is the same. |
| 2005-01-11 1:57 PM in reply to: #102001 |
| Member 40 | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes That was what I thought or maybe people look at themselves and decide to get in shape and use tris as a goal. I do not have time for tri's now either, Im actually sitting in the airport today, have been all morning (delayed). I would just like to attempt one this year for fun to cross it off my list of "things to do" before I go. Edited by Madlevi 2005-01-11 1:58 PM |
| 2005-01-11 2:10 PM in reply to: #102029 |
Pro 4206 Los Angeles, CA | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes A lot of people just do it for fun. I for one am I of them. It's more like a hobby to me, like playing chess or playing tennis; You have to put in time to master it, and it take time to do it. The more time you put into it, the better you will be, as with any sport. But you can do it recreationally (for fun) too. Madlevi - 2005-01-11 10:57 AM That was what I thought or maybe people look at themselves and decide to get in shape and use tris as a goal. I do not have time for tri's now either, Im actually sitting in the airport today, have been all morning (delayed). I would just like to attempt one this year for fun to cross it off my list of "things to do" before I go. |
| 2005-01-11 2:18 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Pro 5153 Helena, MT | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I'm only 23 and I think it's awesome that I have a very small age group! |
| 2005-01-11 2:19 PM in reply to: #102001 |
| Elite 2458 Livingston, MT | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I'm 31, turning 32 this month. In my twenties my two children were born, went to school, and gave special attention to my career. Now, things have settled down some and I can take the time to give attention to my health that I had neglected for the past ten years. |
| 2005-01-11 2:26 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Not a Coach 11473 Media, PA | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes Trained full time in HS & college (rowing). Upon graduation had a job with ungodly hours and no real motivation to seriously train. Then came family, etc. Now that my career is more stable (as is family) I am more than ready for the motivation to train and stay in shape. |
| 2005-01-11 2:33 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Elite 2421 | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes While I doubt there's been any research done on it, I would guess that finances are a reason as well. This sport requires a fairly substantial $$$ investment and in your younger years you typically have less discretionary income (or you are more inclined to choose to spend it on something else). When I was 21, $65 could get enough beer to last me a month, okay a couple weeks, and I sure didn't want to drop that just to pay to swim/bike/run myself into the ground on a Saturday morning. bts |
| 2005-01-11 2:36 PM in reply to: #102001 |
| Member 40 | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes great points, thanks for the feedback. |
| 2005-01-11 2:52 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Expert 795 New Mexico | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes For me it was a number of things...attitude, priorities, finances, geography. I did a few races in college (ages 19 - 20.) I lost interest because I was vain about the equipment and didn't have the coin to get what I thought was good (bike especially,) I was starting out in career oriented jobs that didn't have the flexibile schedule and was often working 2-3 jobs. Also moved to areas where Tris were not that common. I resumed training at 35 not caring what bike I was on, having a job with the flexibility to race, and living in an area where I can at least drive 2-4 hrs. for a race. Most importantly, my wife wanted to do a triathlon...and well...I had to help support and motivate. |
| 2005-01-11 3:55 PM in reply to: #102001 |
| Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes Seems like lots of endurance sports are like that. Check ultramarathons or any run over 50 miles and there are a lot of older athletes and a lot of Ortho docs. On the plus side your chances of winning your age group may never be better! |
| 2005-01-11 4:04 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Expert 717 Utah | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I better recognized my mortality this past year and decided preventive health care was easier and cheaper (yes, even with the equipment) than having to fix things later on. |
| 2005-01-11 4:12 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Extreme Veteran 494 Horse Country | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I think the time it takes to build up an endurance base has something to do with it as well... Look at the elites at Kona... they're all in their late twenties and in their thirties... Natascha Badmann is, what? 37? I think they were making a big deal out of Kate Major being "only" 26 or so? True these guys have been dominating for several years, but you don't see the twenty-somethings on the podium like you do in other sports... Also look at pro Cycling... most of the great contenders are in that same age range, and these are guys who have been training since they could walk. Often it's attributed to the mental maturity required to handle the tactics over hours and hours or weeks and weeks of racing. My guess would be that at the elite level, it really does take decades to build the body AND THE MIND into the shape it needs to be to compete with Lance, Jan, Peter, Normann, Lori, Natascha, etc... At the age group level, I'd bet you find that triathlon (and endurance sports in general) has a "normal" participation among the twenty-somethings and an increasingly high participation in the higher ages, because endurance sports is "lower impact" than, say, football. So as you get older, a lot of folks who used to play impact and team sports gravitate to individual endurance sports because of injury, lack of time to train with a team, or an increased enjoyment of solitude... Just my $.02 |
| 2005-01-11 4:18 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Elite Veteran 777 flatland | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I have to admit when I first saw this post I thought it was a new computer game (think Age of Empires) and spent some time puzzilng thru why anyone would buy that since most of us seem to spend enough time playing with our training schedules as it is.... I'm sorry, I don't actually have anything else to contribute to this thread. I have the same reasons (sans kids) as everybody else, but for me it's also a mental maturity thing...it's taken me a long time to learn to set and work towards goals that take longer than a month or two to achieve. Mind you, I'm still sub 30, but not by much. |
| 2005-01-11 4:25 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Veteran 171 Tampa, Florida | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I'm 22 and just starting out. The reason I never considered it before is because I thought every tri was an Ironman also. I'm glad I'm starting so young. I have a lot to learn and plenty of time to do it. My life is really hectic right now... New Job, New Apt., New City.. But I still find time to train. I love being busy and having a challenge. I wish I could get some of my friends to get interested in it but none, and I mean none want anythign to do with it. -D |
| 2005-01-11 4:32 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Member 44 Bastrop, Texas | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I was chunky in my early 20s and lived in a place in west Texas that didn't have much tri exposure. When imoved to Bastrop, I was overwhelmed by the number of tri's and runs in Austin. I didn't want to solely weightlift any more so I started training for a tri. Now I love the cross training, and will probably work at it for awhile. I'll be the big 3-0 this year and am not looking forward to going into the really competitive age divisions. |
| 2005-01-11 4:34 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Veteran 247 Eagle River, Alaska | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I think alot of you are right, but I am 21 (barely) and working on my second tri. I think that money is a huge issue, I have an old hand me down bike, need a bathing suit for work, and for running well you don't need anything. When you guys talk about spending alot of money on anything to do with the sport, I wonder if I am actually going to be able to enter the races I want, because in my world $50 is still alot of money! Time is an issue too, working and takinng a full credit load, as well as keeping an apartment semi clean, studing and training tend to leave little time for anything else. I have to give major props to the people that add kids to the mix as well! I hope I have that kind of motivation as I move through life! JAmie |
| 2005-01-11 4:53 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Elite 2527 Armpit of Ontario | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I'm 37 and my reasoning for training for the first time was that middle age-thing beginning to creep up on me and realizing that I haven't come close to doing all those things I said I'd do. Triathlon was one of them. I think the late 30's and 40's are an age of beginning to reflect on accomplishments and realizing "I'd better get my a$$ in gear if I'm going to do it". Included in this is the changing of old/bad habits (drinking, smoking) and the beginnings of those new aches and pains that weren't there the year before and the determination to live healthier or just give up. Also, I think there's something to the expense & free time required. The younger the person, chances are they are making less income (to spend on toys, er...training equipment like bikes, wetsuits, etc and to travel to events) and are starting a family which takes time away from training. My wife would have just LOVED me if I had decided to train when I was 25, working only part time, 2 kids in diapers, living paycheque to paycheque and eating Kraft dinner 3 or 4 times a week. Yeah, honey, I'm going to buy me a bike that cost more than what our car is wirth, and oh, I'm going to be at the gym everyday after work while you are home changing diapers...and I'll be away a few weekends in July & August to go play my "games" while you quietly cheer me on from our tiny home with no air conditioning...yeah right. I'm at a time of my life whenre my 3 kids are older, in high school (one out of the house)and an income close to 4x the amount of 10 years ago when I was in my 20's. I can afford the cost of a bike. I can afford to travel to events. I can afford the time to train, which is a big one. And I can do it all without the threat of divorce! Just my 2c Edited by gyanwn 2005-01-11 5:01 PM |
| 2005-01-11 6:12 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Master 1791 Raleigh, North Carolina | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes - Bostic math 30's is generally the time when the fat roll appears for most of us. The nice 155 lbs that I weighed in college went a little like this: This then turns into: The additional 10lbs is all muscle too baby!!!!!!!!!! :p Edited by jkbostic 2005-01-11 6:13 PM |
| 2005-01-11 6:24 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Veteran 276 manitoba, canada | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes My stomach didn't hang over my jeans when I was in my 20's. |
| 2005-01-11 6:27 PM in reply to: #102058 |
| | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes bts I didn't even know there was such a thing as Saturday morning until I was 25!! I thought the day just started at noon. Edited by FoolInTheRain 2005-01-11 6:28 PM |
| 2005-01-11 9:31 PM in reply to: #102001 |
Expert 798 Potomac, Maryland | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes In my 20s I was more concerned with my social life -- at least trying to devleop one. That was a full time endeavor. If I thought triathlon would help me get a date though, I would have been first in line to sign up. The advent of marriage and children helps one reassess the important things in life, and living to be there for your kids is one. That might help explain why fitness events such as triahtlon and running appeal to the old ones like myself - I'm 52 and starting my second century on the planet. Also, as you get older, you can always hope to win your age group if you just hang around long enough to be the only one in it!!! |
| 2005-01-11 9:41 PM in reply to: #102260 |
Veteran 237 | Subject: RE: Age of Triathletes I'm 27 turning 28 yrs old this year. I think a lot of it can deal with personal development. It's that critical "middle-life crisis" point that people hit where they feel the need to do things. Some people hit it in late 20s, some people hit it as late as their 50s. It occurs when we all realize our mortality and want actually take the precious time to realize our dreams. I mean, think about, we're doing things little kids have been doing since the beginning of time. We are swimming, riding a bike, and running. But we find our fountain of youth in doing triathletes. All I know is I kind of had that "epiphany" about two years ago when i realized chasing women and getting piss drunk got monotonous fast. Then I picked up running and found it revitalizing and got back into shape. I find that I do the running and triathlons because of the people, some of the nicest and encouraging people around. The community is so real, down-to-earth, and enlightening (I grew up and live in NYC where things can get hairy sometimes with the social settings). I think for me it's just a maturity process. But I find the most satisfying moments to be those when I see handicap people or those with special needs participating in endurance events because it's so real and puts everything into perspective |
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