Marvelous Manatees - Stronger than Ever! (Page 32)

Is golf over now?

Good luck getting back to the pool!

We need to find you a swim, bike, golf triathlon!

I hope that Ann-Marie is recovering well (as well as can be expected, that is) and that Robin's surgery goes well today!

Sending all the positive thoughts their way!

Thanks, I think Im recovering well, the Dr will tell me on Wednesday at my follow up visit! Good luck Robin!

I ran across this and thought, "They look like Manatees to me!"

(Nessie.jpg)

Definitely manatees!

I stopped by Slowtwitch today and my eye was caught by a thread with this title:

Newb question: why don't the women go harder at IMWC?

This is based on a very low DNF rate -- I guess 97% of women who went to Kona this year finished the race. 

Maybe it should have been called, why aren't men better at pacing themselves?

I saw that thread too. Then there is the complaining thread that IM has new ways for women to quality for world championships and its efforts to get more women participants. It’s amazing the amount of misogyny on that site. Of course, this attitude is nothing new.

Don't we all know it!

Not to get too deep into this, but the very concept of the thread _why don't women race harder, is sexist. Yes, there were men giving pats on the back to women for racing to completion not trying to get the most out of themselves, but that is also BS statement on its face.  I saw one woman try to chime in with a response and her answer was dismissed out of hand. So a number of men were answering a sexist question with their own reasons. We are so used to this built-in sexism we don't even recognize it anymore!  A couple of men pointed out the sexism inherent in the topic etc. The women's qualification thread is mainly a bunch of men butt hurt that they don't get the same # of qualification spots they used to get and now actually have to share with women who they have decided are less worthy. I certainly don't mean any of this as an attack on you or your observations. You are welcome to stay here 

As far as the popularity of triathlon goes, it definitely has fallen off the last several years. When I first started in 2010 I'd see posts of people having to volunteer at races so they could be on site to get first dibs for next year's race. Races sold out all the time. Now races are open often through race day! 70.3s seem to have overtaken 140.6s in popularity. To me, that makes sense as training for a full is soooooo time-consuming.. The half is much more reasonable. Races are also very expensive, especially when you factor in the multiple-night hotel (or VRBO)stays that are required for those WTC events. Shockingly  the hotels bump up their nightly rates to outrageous proportions which just add to the fun!

Yes, the popularity of triathlon has fallen and a lot if that, I think, has to do with Ironman (the company), itself.  They made the general public think that Ironman IS triatlon and we all know that is not the case.  In fact, the 140.6 distance no longer seems to be the moneymaker for Ironman.  They have successfully "rebranded" the 70.3 distance.

Regarding sexism on ST, that's always been the case. This is a site that created a "The Womens" space which itself is not free of men telling women how things are despite the description "If you are female or if you need the wise counsel of female triathletes, this forum is dedicated to you."  In fairness, I gave up on it years ago after too many men throwing in their two cents on women's gear, bodies, etc.

I am on ST from time to time, but I guess not in the pass week because I didn't see any of these treads.  I have never been on the women's thread on ST so I don't know what is discussed there, but know that the Triathlon thread on ST is dominated by men.

I will say there are few women that give me a run for my money.  I am at the pointy end of the my age group for the men and so when there are women beating me I know that they are in class and competing on a level I can't even comprehend.  The guys on ST who are talking big because they have an 87 composite USAT score might not see many women around them on the course but there are ladies who are coming in right behind them that are getting a USAT scores of 97 and they are much more impressive and inspiring.  They are pacing better, pushing harder, competing at a higher level.  They don't have to "try" hard because as master Yoda taught there is not try.  You do, or do not.  Those ladies are doing.   

Love it!

Yesterday, Ann-Marie commented that I have my 2024 season all figured out!  While I don't agree 100%, I do have a decent outline for the first part of the year and I did load up a TrainerRoad plan yesterday.  What do you plan/hope to do for the rest of this year and the first half of 2024? Do you plan to take some time off to have an "off season?" Do you plan more strength or mobility or yoga during the winter months ore maybe you are switching sports to have a "run season" or "cycling season" -- or "ski season?" 

I'd love to hear what you have in mind!

Good question/s! I have a general idea of what i'd (probably) like to do next year. My immediate goal is to get recovered, get the ok to start running, and then suck up the frustration that will come from trying to get my run back. I know I do better embracing the suck when I have an event that I really want to do, so I am hoping for a May HM in Bryson City. Since it's not on Glory Hound's calendar yet I can't say for sure this is a go. The 2d race is Augusta 70.3. Injury this year made me transfer from Choo to Augusta and then cancel Augusta, so I am contemplating whether I want to try for Augusta in 2024.  I also know I need to commit to doing mobility work, so once I can get into PT I hope I can start in on that. Lastly, I really, really, really need to get my nutrition back on track as this year has been sad in that regard!  I'm sure there will be more things added to the calendar once I know where I am with my recovery.

x2 - love all of the thoughts about 'better pacing' and re-framing the questions. I have a very similar feeling about ST in general - I get the feeling with quite a few of them they want it to only be those guys who are really "serious" about it (ie, the dilution of the Ironman so 'anyone' can finish and always looking for more exclusive things). I agree with Ann-Marie about qualification ... I don't know what the right answer is or if there is one. It's really up to Ironman. It's all made up - and for all except the pro spots, it's a hobby! 

But overall I did keep an eye on the Kona race and just LOVED following along.  Hello, Melanie McQuaid qualifying as a pro at 50!!!? And, she finished even though she tested + for covid the next day. 

I mean, triathlon is a hard sport to get into and to stay in. It's $$ for a bike and other gear, it's $ and time find and get in a pool on a regular basis, it's all the volume. If you do hang around a place like ST you get the feeling that you have to be doing ALL the things in order to make it worth it or why are you trying? It's a lot of logistics to even stay in over time when life gets busy or changes. So i do wonder about how to get people to move up or down the distance as life shifts to stay with it or find ways to come back to. It's not Ironman or nothing ...