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So I'm short, and?.....
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 2009-08-28 11:13 AM |
Member  37  Oregon Coast |  Subject: So I'm short, and?.....I did my first tri this last weekend and did O.K. for my first I think. Hell, I finished and I stayed MOP for the bike and the run, passing quite a few others while on the course. Anyways, after my race, my husband told me that my father in law and a few of my husband's co-workers were skeptical of my ability to keep up with the other athletes given my size. I'm just a bit over 5 foot and that obviously gives me some short legs but it's not like I didn't already know that I don't carry a runner's (or a swimmer's) build. I guess I just never gave much thought to how much more I'd have to work at it to keep up. Anyone have any input on this idea of short folks being disadvantaged to a certain extent in this sport? It WAS obvious when the 6'4 guys were blazin' by me in the run and all but apparently others thought I was sort of nuts doing these events given my height... |
| 2009-08-28 11:19 AM in reply to: #2376395 |
Master 1853   syracuse | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... http://www.gladwell.com/blink/blink_excerpt2.html the book, "Blink" is well worth reading in its entireity, but this may be able to answer the false perceptions your family has. however, perception is reality, right? to answer more specificly, swimmers are usually tall as long and tall goes further and faster in the water than short does. in the end, what Gladwell rights about is the main reason why your family feels this why, as if you asked them, they probably couldnt tell you why it is taller people make better swimmers. |
| 2009-08-28 11:23 AM in reply to: #2376395 |
Master 2802 Minnetonka, Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... All IMO... I think except for Elites, height is not a huge factor. At their level being super short would be a disadvantage in the swim and run, especially for sprints, but also being taller than average doesn't necessarily give you an automatic advantage. Bottom line - tell them they are bunk and challenge them to a Tri! |
| 2009-08-28 11:32 AM in reply to: #2376395 |
Member 37 Oregon Coast | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Well their argument was that with my limited leg "span", I have to run twice as hard as someone who is taller than me just in order to run the same distance...? |
| 2009-08-28 11:35 AM in reply to: #2376395 |
| New user 71 | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... A few years back there was an African runner (I want to say Kenyan) who was 4'11" and 90# who won the NYC marathon. You look at the professional field of a marathon and there plenty of runners in the 5'0"-5'5" range. I watched the ITU in DC several months ago and the vast majority of the women were at least 2-3 inches shorter than me. I'm 5'7". I think that being tall helps you out a lot more in the water because big feet and big hands with good skills can propel you more than small feet and small hands with skills. When it comes to running and biking, taller doesn't necessarily equate to being better. A lot of the TDF racers are shorter than 6'0" (including lance). |
| 2009-08-28 11:39 AM in reply to: #2376395 |
Master 2802 Minnetonka, Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Hard to define "hard".....LOL |
| 2009-08-28 11:44 AM in reply to: #2376459 |
Master 1853 syracuse | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... ifoundit921 - 2009-08-28 12:32 PM Well their argument was that with my limited leg "span", I have to run twice as hard as someone who is taller than me just in order to run the same distance...? based on what? That is just plain silly. TWICE as hard? I dont know for sure, but I beleive of all 3 sports, swimming gives the greatest benefit to being tall. as someone mentioned, short people win marathons all the time. I see plenty of world class runners who are short. ask them how much harder they have to run to cover the same distance..... answer? none of the above, as anyting times their current effort of zero would get them no where. great job on your race and keep working hard. your height has little to do with your potential in this sport ask them , "what would be more efficient for me, a shorter stride or longer one?" I bet you they say longer, which is wrong. But dont argue with them, just smile and walk away..... Edited by cusetri 2009-08-28 11:46 AM |
| 2009-08-28 11:49 AM in reply to: #2376480 |
Member 37 Oregon Coast | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Yes, that is what I was thinking! Less weight, ect. I also brought out the point that I'm also very flexible which inturn gives me a greater advantage over some guy who is 6 foot but can't even touch his toes.  |
| 2009-08-28 12:00 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
| Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... |
| 2009-08-28 12:19 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Veteran 284 | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Tell'em about Rosa Mota. Marathon champion from Portugal. She won all the biggies...Olympic, Boston, London, World Championships, etc. 5 feet 2 inches. About 105 pounds. Didn't seem to slow her down too much. JC |
| 2009-08-28 1:36 PM in reply to: #2376568 |
Master 2372 | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... JC in Cinci - 2009-08-28 12:19 PM Tell'em about Rosa Mota. Marathon champion from Portugal. She won all the biggies...Olympic, Boston, London, World Championships, etc. 5 feet 2 inches. About 105 pounds. Didn't seem to slow her down too much. JC Haile Gebrselassie - 5'3" |
| 2009-08-28 1:36 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Expert 716 | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... You did 100% better then the people who didnt do the race. |
| 2009-08-28 2:06 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Regular 126 Colorado Springs | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... I hate that argument that it's easier when one is tall. Take a quick look at top diastance runners and cyclist, the smaller the better. Top male marathoners are tiny 5-5.7 very few close to 6 feet. Their wts. are crazy light. If you need an example go push a car tire vs a lawnmower tire. More wt/mass = harder to move. At 6'3" I sure move a lot of air on the bike ever while aero. And by the way Matt Carpenter at approx 5'6" beat me to the top of Pikes Peak by an hour at last years PPA. I guess by the taller is fast reasoning he would only take 60 min on the ascent. As to swimming I couldn't say, floating leaves and sticks have passed me. In short(pun intended) for some things size does not matter. Happy training. |
| 2009-08-28 2:15 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
| Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Sounds like the men in your family are d-bags who are trying to get you down cuz you're a girl. Emma Snowsill, the gold medalist in triathlon at the Beijing Olympics is only 5'3". And she SMOKED her competition by the time they got to the run. She got a great lead off the bike and stayed there. Everyone else has already made good points. But for what it's worth, I'm not quite 5'3" and I can keep up with some of the guys on my tri team, in running and swimming. Granted I'm not running with the uber-fasties, but the point is, when I do easy runs with the guys, I'm not working any harder than they are. I also know a couple of faster girls on my team who are about my size, and they often place in their AGs. |
| 2009-08-28 2:27 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Expert 1123 Columbus | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... EDIT: I was talking men's heights - take 2-3 inches off for women. I have read in numerous books and magazines that being tall is NOT an advantage in running. Tall elite distance runners are an anomaly. Even at the sprint distance people comment that Bolt is not a typical sprinter in height. Elite runners from 800 up tend to be about 5'7-5'8". Sprinter are a little taller.
Biking: I don't really know. I am a triathlete b/c I swam and ran competitively and don't know much about biking. My friend Newbz (BT member) is I think 5'6" and would smoke the vast majority of people here on the bike. |
| 2009-08-28 3:55 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Champion 7704 Williamston, Michigan | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... ifoundit921 - 2009-08-28 12:13 PM I did my first tri this last weekend and did O.K. for my first I think. Hell, I finished and I stayed MOP for the bike and the run, passing quite a few others while on the course. Anyways, after my race, my husband told me that my father in law and a few of my husband's co-workers were skeptical of my ability to keep up with the other athletes given my size. I'm just a bit over 5 foot and that obviously gives me some short legs but it's not like I didn't already know that I don't carry a runner's (or a swimmer's) build. I guess I just never gave much thought to how much more I'd have to work at it to keep up. Kind of interesting....as the tall thin peple feel the need to point out what a disadvantage they are at because they are bigger in about 3 dozen threads about OOO I'm 6'5 and 198 should I gain 2# to be a clydesdale or 6' and 148 should I gain 2# to race athena???? At 5'3" there are a lot of people with legs about a foot longer than mine. You gotta paint with the colors god gave you. They are all just jealous theya ren't out there racing Anyone have any input on this idea of short folks being disadvantaged to a certain extent in this sport? It WAS obvious when the 6'4 guys were blazin' by me in the run and all but apparently others thought I was sort of nuts doing these events given my height...  |
| 2009-08-28 3:55 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
| 70 | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Maybe if you race 400 mile running events. It's total BS what they are telling you. You are lighter on your bike, smaller to the wind, burn less energy on the run, and can turn legs over at a higher rate, not to mention you have less to propel thru the H2O...so maybe you are unfairly advantaged, right? If you train just as much as male specimen 'x' who is 6' and you both have the same genetic makeup and mechanical setups, then you are as equal as it can get. Don't buy into this nonsense that height has anything to do with it other than gets you up hills easier. Run your own race and run more to blow the doors off of your 6'4" competitors. nizzracer _6' 165lbs |
| 2009-08-28 4:06 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
| Veteran 585 Kenosha, WI | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... I'd love to be taller, lighter, faster, buy better equipment ect. everyone has their cross to bear. I had a coach that told us once that if we couldn't score more runs than the other team make sure they score less than us. You got what you got ... train hard, race hard... No excuses |
| 2009-08-28 6:33 PM in reply to: #2376501 |
Veteran 223 Ft. Wayne, IN | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... they are dishing complete crap. I am 5'-3" and have done well for myself in my AG. Its in the heart, not the legs. I heard the same crap growing up. I found being shorter makes me a better climber, I can kick up my cadence and climb better than those around me. Keep on training, keep smiling, and show those goof-balls in your family what its about. |
| 2009-08-28 6:49 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Expert 697 Northern CA | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... I'm 5'1" and I think being small and light is an advantage on a hilly bike course. I've also been told I have a runner's body. You can be long and lean for your height so it's not just absolute height that counts. |
| 2009-08-28 6:54 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
| Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Emma Snowsill Height 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) Women's triathlon Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Individual ITU World Championship Gold 2003 Queenstown Individual Gold 2005 Gamagori Individual Gold 2006 Lausanne Individual Silver 2007 Hamburg Individual Commonwealth Games Gold 2006 Melbourne Individual |
| 2009-08-28 7:01 PM in reply to: #2376752 |
Member 57 Buena Vista, CO | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... sand101 - 2009-08-28 12:36 PM JC in Cinci - 2009-08-28 12:19 PM Tell'em about Rosa Mota. Marathon champion from Portugal. She won all the biggies...Olympic, Boston, London, World Championships, etc. 5 feet 2 inches. About 105 pounds. Didn't seem to slow her down too much. JC Haile Gebrselassie - 5'3" x's whatever, look at how dominant the Ethiopians are in middle distance events (there are other factors of course, but still.. ) and they're pretty damn good in long events. I've worked over there quite a bit and they're all fricken short, but at 6am they're all out training in Addis. |
| 2009-08-28 8:29 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Master 2571 Tiger's Den | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... Ok, at the Southeastern Regional Championship Qualifer for USAT this summer, the 10th OA male was a 13 year old boy who is probably right around 5' tall- maybe just a smidge over. He had the 2nd fastest swim split and finished ahead of the women's OA first finisher, who is an age group national champion duathlete. I'd say size doesn't really matter. Yeh, you are short, but it's all about proportion. I think a better indicator is the fact you finished MOP for your first tri. That's pretty good in my book! |
| 2009-08-28 8:42 PM in reply to: #2376395 |
Champion 11989 Philly 'burbs | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... ifoundit921 - 2009-08-28 12:13 PM I did my first tri this last weekend my father in law and a few of my husband's co-workers were skeptical of my ability to keep up with the other athletes given my size. First, congrats on your first finish. Second, to hell with them! Tell them to get their butts out there and we'll see about their ability. |
| 2009-08-29 11:01 AM in reply to: #2377347 |
Member 37 Oregon Coast | Subject: RE: So I'm short, and?..... just for the record, it's the in-laws. And as someone suggested earlier, NO it's not my husband. He's by far by biggest supporter and admirer. |
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