This a sport for tiny people

As a "superclyde" I find myself singing the song from Sesame Street a lot: "one of these things, is not like the others, one of these things, doesn't belong."

but I keep going back. I love this stuff.

I'm also a Superclyde, and a couple of my little buddies did a Tri with me on Saturday.

I beat one of them in the half mile swim and was only 4 minutes behind the other one in the swim.

I was 5 and 7 minutes behind them on the bike (Me road bike, them full on TT bike with solid disc rear wheel).

They both KILLED me on the run as I had to run/walk.  Now, if I could only run.....

If you think this sport is for small people train running a marathon.

I find tri people much larger than pure runners

Even though they were all smaller than me, I still beat 3/4 of them out of the water, all but 3 of them on the bike. Not sure I want to talk about the trun (28/40). And placed 13/40 (2/4 in the 40-49 men)

Sure was fun reeling them in and passing them on the bike course.  

Hitmankf

I think "This is a sport for tiny people"  every time I'm 2 miles in on that 5K run after swimming a half mile, and biking 18.

.... and guess what, I keep coming back for more!

Sometimes it's the finisher medal that motivates me, but usually it's the fact that I'm turning 40 this year and I'm in the best shape of my life.

Now go run, bike or swim!  xoxoxoxo

Don't ever let the weight issues deter you from racing! honestly, if you're out there racing and training, for someone like me, it's extremely motivating. I've bounced back and forth in the Clyde range, only racing as one once, but I'm still a bigger dude. 6'1" and ranging between 195-210 throughout the year, and when I see guys (and girls) who are bigger than me, it's inspiring. Nobody out there is judging you one your weight. If I were you, I'd look around at all the people not racing, and ask them what's their excuse? I think you'll find that 95% of the tri crowd is very accepting and are always welcoming newbies no matter their size, shape, or color!

And yes, it is an awesome feeling to scorch some of the 'fit' looking people. I tend to do that on the run.

I don't even know where to start. 

I am a small guy, only weighing 145, we have problems too, I have a problem gaining weight, I have horrible shin splins, I can hardly swim and the run, well that is slow.  What I'm saying is just because we are small, that does not make us fast.  I wish it did!!!

Is is supposed to be a fun sport and for health.  I am competing against myself, I could care less if U are 85 lbs or 385 lbs, male, female, black, white, or green, old or young and I'm 50, male and white.  Ya'll seem to be thinking bad of us just because we are small.  Why do ya'll look down on small people?  Hey I wasn't ever big enough to play football or baskeball, at least ya'll can enjoy this sport.  It shouldn't make you proud to beat a small person just because they are small.  Beat your time.  I  started training this year, having never done a tri, I don't know what to expect but if I was around people like this, I would probably never want to do one.

I think, generally speaking, this sport is easier for smaller people (who are trained, etc).

But, that's why they have the Clydesdale & Athena divisions! 

I agree with you.  I am doing triathlons for myself and my accomplishments.  I never worry about who is in front of me and who I can "beat" even though I am still 30 lbs overweight.  If I'm last, I'm last, but I set a goal and I came through for myself.  

Don't get me wrong, I was a competitive person.  I am a former NCAA athlete, so when I feel the need to compete, I play soccer again.  I have been through the win mentality, I have been through what it takes to be the best at your sport.  I know what it is like to live, eat, and sleep your sport.  I think that is why after college I chose not to move forward with it.  It consumed me and it became about the accolades and the awards.  The trophies and medals.  It defined me, and it broke me at the same time.  

It saddens me to think that so much of our self esteem is wrapped up in being better than someone else.  Finisher medals, t-shirts, race numbers, they should be reminders of an experience where you tried your hardest, but they shouldn't define you or give you worth.   

I like triathlon, because I can do this for myself and no one else.  

who is looking down, i see jealousy maybe. Jealous that typically it is easier for a smaller person in this sport to be faster.  Sorry that you are not having good luck with injuries and such, but i think athletes of all shapes and sizes have that problem from elites all the way to back of packers. it is not just relegated to one person of particular size.

and i read the post you quoted, and he referred to "FIT" not small

your second line makes no sense to me, would you mind being more specific??  The way you worded it makes it seem that racing in the Clyde or Athena category is "easier".

Sorry, no, the opposite.  I meant that it is easier for the smaller folks to do the race (in theory) so they made a separate division for the bigger folks to level the playing field.   

I actually wanted to post today, because I learned a lesson in spades this morning about what this sport is all about.  The finish!  

I started my day extremely positive, and went through my swim and came out of the water feeling amazing.  I was Front of the MOP.  I grabbed my bike, and my T1 was the fastest for me yet.  

I started the bike leg thinking this was going to be the race I had worked so hard training for, but my bike had other ideas.  I crashed around mile 5, causing me a flat and a mechanical (gear) problem.  After being passed left and right I was able to get to the turnaround which was up a 20% grade in only a 1/4 mile.  

Even after all the problems, I came flying down the hill at 30 mph racing one of the volunteer trucks, and never felt so alive in my life.  It was the most amazing feeling.  I finished the bike portion, and made it to T2.  Had a great transition time, and headed out on the 4 mile trail run.  

When I crossed the finish line, it was the most satisfying feeling I had ever had.  I couldn't have cared that I had started out with the potential for the best time race of my life.  I am prouder that I took the setbacks with calmness and didn't give in.  

I could have easily given up, put my bike on the back of the truck and just DNF.  I refused.  I don't care that I was being passed, the coolest part was coming in and all of those same people who saw me crash gave me hugs and high fives.  

Even though I missed my time, I will count this one as the most fun, and the one who taught me that I can and will accomplish my goals.  I think that is what this sport teaches us!   

Let us not hold a triathlon in Camelot. It is a silly place.

Yeah- Triathletes are very welcoming.  (unlike cycling- which tends to be exclusive)

it's a fun sport.  Welcome.

At 5'7 and 133lbs, I didn't have a chance at football or basketball- so it's working for me as well.

At 6'6" I am used to be one of the tallest people around.

When I do runs this is mostly the case, but at the triathlon I did there where a ton of tall people.

I did not feel like a giant any more.

Also reagrding wheight. The guy that won male clyde did the distance (400m, 12mile, 2 mile) in under one hour. This was about apr with the AG first place.

He was not tall, but carried a big belly ahead of him. When runnign towards the finish line he shouted that "he s doing this for all the fat people" (So my wife said).

My point being, lenght or belly circumference are not directly related to speed.

Especially in traithlon, where you have 3 sports and 2 transitions.

The skinny short guys are aerodynamic and little wheight, but have short legs on the run. The big heavy guys have tons of power in the water and on the bike, etc...

I absolutly love the fact that there is a catagory for us bigger fellas.  I actually enjoy the ribbing and shots I take from my friends and family about the "Clydesdale" tag.  Sure the little fellas dont have to drag around as much as we do, but the upside is we burn more calories than they do thus allowing to go a little harder at the "training table".  I got a little annoyed once looking at race results from prior years for an upcoming race that I was going to partcipate in and saw that the same guy had finished top 3 for several years as a Clyde.  I wondered why he did not go AG as his times looked like they would have put him in a top 15 spot, competitive but no podium.  I got annoyed because I looked for the guy to see how big a boy he was and he looked to be a borderline Clyde, (not fully committed like some of us).  So the 205 guy was taking it to the big boys.....  After a little thought, I realized I was big dope and did not really care what that guy did.  As several have pointed out it is about the satisfaction of finishing, improving, and the great sense of accomplishment.  I am not sure if the little fellas get to enjoy the same exact sense of accomplishment, as they are more expected to do well. 

Either way, as some of us bigger fellas get better we get the opportunity to go AG and compete. The Clyde catagory gives us an opportunity to compete now, where without it we may have become more easily disheartened, and lost our enthusiasm if not for the Clyde group.

Love being a Clyde......

Getting ready for my first tri (sprint) and wondering about which class?  I'm 42, 6'-4" and 225.  Although its true about racing yourself and the clock, there's nothing wrong with wanting to place well.  Any thoughts?  I appreciate all the posts, lots of great opinions to sift through.

Also, looking more and more like a wetsuit is in my future.  I've resisted, but I look at pictures of previous races where I'll be swimming (Lake Erie) and EVERYONE has a wetsuit.  I can't stand the constriction idea.  Sleeveless?  Knee length?  Just wondering from those who have been there.