encouragement vs peer pressure (Page 2)

For the past 3+ years, I've been asked when I am going to do an IM and more often than not I get confused stairs when my 1st response is "I don't know, I guess when I really want to; right now is not a big goal of mine". I signed up to do my 1st this year, but honestly it was more for my business (see next paragraph) though also, I knew 6 very fast guys who were going to race in my AG and that competition excited me a lot. Well, all 6 guys placed top 8 in the AG at IMLP but I have to miss the race (and year) due to injury and while I am disappointed about missing the chance to race against them, I am more disappointed I can't train, period. Though I can't to say I am too disappointed for not racing the IM itself!

As a coach, I also get people looking at me funny when I am asked how come I can coach athletes doing IM when I've never done one. It doesn't matter if I've helped athletes finish their 1st IM, PR, place/win their AG, win races or qualify to Kona/Clearwater; what matters is that I've never done an IM

You see this on tri-forums, it is rather common for some athletes to place more weight in the opinions of those athletes that have completed an IM/marathon and even more when those have qualified to the Kona/Boston. That's the current trend, the perception of many is that longer is better, that is you are fast you must know about training and if have qualified for Kona then you are ready to become Wellington's or Alexander's next coach.

At my tri team we have athletes racing different distances, with different background and goals and you now what, we embrace that! We celebrate each one of them the same whether they complete a sprint or an IM. It doesn't matter what distance you do, the bond that bring us together is the sport and our enjoyment for endurance sports and not how long or fast we do it.

Do what makes you feel happy; you can't change the perception other might have but you can prove to them that doing what makes you happy is far more rewarding than following the crowd.

Great points Jorge! ^^^^^^^^^

A lot of people who qualify for Kona/Boston have quite a bit of natural talent and don't know anything about how to teach someone how to get a feel for the water, or how to tweak their running form or how to improve. They were born fast or learned things as a kid and don't necessarily make a good coach. Seems like being a good listener and good observer (as well as a student of a lot of technical subjects) are more important qualities than having completed an IM.

It could have seemed that you were inferring everyone would have an easier time getting a "faster" over "longer" distances as opposed to a "faster" over "shorter" distances since you didn't offer the flip side of the coin. You did talk about you specifically. I was just adding some clarity... maybe

I'd say if you re happy with sprints stick with it.

I recently finished a half-ironman. And after completing, I realized that I wanted to have a life, go out on the weekends, and spend time with my friends. No more, "I gotta train, get up early...I can't" Of course I am also young, have no family, I want to meet people. I'm planning my trip to Vegas, random road trips to cali or what not, hiking to waterfalls...I'm ready for an adventure. I'm perfectly happy with sprints, I can still stay in shape, be competitive and go play beer pong on the weekend. Life is good.

I was really into to doing an Ironman for a while, after finishing the half, I was like not anytime soon. Time to have my life back! I couldn't be happier. 

I hear there is a double deca distance...

I think you should either just speak up, or go with it.  So they want to encourage you....big deal.   It's only peer pressure if you let it be peer pressure.  Despite most of the responses here....IMO, the general consensus in the tri world is that IM distance is the ultimate.  Doesn't mean everyone plans to do it, but I'd bet that most think "Man, it would be awesome to do an Ironman" at some point.

Personally, an IM distance is what I got into the sport for.   I'm taking 3 or 4 sprints/oly/half distances to help prepare me for a full distance next year.  After I finish that race, I can see myself doing more Oly's and 1 IM a year....but I doubt any of those races will be more important to me than that IM.

Whew, gone for the day. Thanks for all your posts!

I didn't mean to give the impression that I don't speak up or know what I like to race. I have emphatically said many, many times that I will NEVER do a 1/2 IM. I know I am having fun learning about how to train and am pushing myself at my own pace. Last year my workout week was 2 days swimming, 2 days running and 3 days riding with my longest ride ever around 33 miles. This year I'm working on 3 days of each s/b/r and I consistently complete a long ride of 40-50 miles every weekend. I'm doing all of this because I like it! There is a lot to learn about nutrition, hydration, injury prevention etc so I'm taking it one step at a time.

I participated in a 1/2 IM in June but only signed up for the aqua/bike. That was all I was ready for and I wanted to test myself on what I knew I could finish without hurting myself. Turns out my swim was a little slower than I had hoped and I got a bad sore spot on my sit bone at mile 50 of the bike. I couldn't even walk right when I got off that bike much less run 13 miles!! Anyway, I was really proud of myself for that day - it was the longest endurance test I've ever done. Of course I heard a lot of trash talk about being a quitter for not completeing the whole race or that I did it the easy way. I really didn't care and I'd like to try that again sometime. Of course I think I can do better  

When I think about it, it's only a few people who like to talk trash and they are not the people I regularly train with. It just seems like most of my tri friends are always pushing themselves to go longer.    

Aquabike is starting to get quite a following at least around the Mid-West, and even has it's own series. They are a blast, because you can really push the bike hard, and not beat yourself up on the run. There is nothing wrong with just sticking to racing the 2 sports.

As far as "upping the distance", it's just the nature of the sport, and it's participants to do more, more, more. Healthier than heroin, it really is also an addiction for many of these athletes, right, wrong or indifferent, you will always get the "what next" from these athletes. It's part of the sport, get used to it.

If you don't want to race further, just tell them they are psycho addicts for wanting to go longer. It'll stroke their ego, and you'll say your peace.

Most people in triathlon are pushing themselves to do better, and each of us have individual definitions for "better".

People are encouraging you when they support your individual goals and listen to you. It's peer pressure when people want you to adopt their goals as your own.

Never say never, BTW. It's a long long time.

LOL - I thought that the other day about Never say Never. I've already done 2/3 of a 1/2 IM this year!! Last year I could not even imagine riding my bike for that long. I've run 13 miles before, I just don't enjoy it all that much

x3

Because I know you, I am coming at this from a different angle.  You are an amazing woman, mother and athlete.  You somehow manage to juggle two small children, a job and a very impressive training schedule better than most people!  Do these other people who are pushing you to go longer have all of this stuff on their plate in addition to the training?  Probably not.  I know that the people who I feel "diss" the sprints do not.

I love doing the sprints and am going to tackle an Oly next week (btw...are you doing that tri?).  If I don't like doing the Oly, I'm not doing anymore.  I'll stick to trying to be the best darn Sprint Triathlete I can be.  My husband, Bob to you, has desires to do an Iron Man someday.  He actually talks about it quite a bit.  But, I do not.  It took him awhile to see my side of it.  I don't have the time to put into training or the desire to put training ahead of EVERYTHING ELSE in my life.  If that is what he and other people want to do, then that is their choice.  But, it is MY choice not to.  At least not at this time....Never say Never, right!

You do what you want to do.  Be happy with that choice.  I love doing the sprint distance races and I would love to see you at more of them...because I miss you!

Hang in there!

Like the earlier poster, I’m more impressed with the effort it takes to win in a sprint or Oly than to finish MOP or BOP in a half or full IM.

Fairly or not, though, even among a lot triathletes (speaking generally, not specifically about anyone), there’s this unspoken idea that unless you’ve completed a half or full IM, you haven’t fully “joined the club” yet. I think part of that has to do with the huge upsurge in the popularity of the sport. It seems as though everywhere you go, you can find someone who’s finished a sprint or Oly tri, so having a half or full IM under your belt demonstrates a level of commitment to the sport that seems to engender in people a greater level of respect, even if, to Jorge’s point, it isn’t necessarily fair or deserved.

I've been doing tris for nine years, and have yet to feel the urge to go any farther than an oly. I've been running since I could walk, and haven't wanted to do any more than a half.

Sprints and IMs; 5ks and Marathons. All different races. I don't race the 100 m. dash, and I don't run the marathon.

The more I train for the HM.....the more I realize I have NO DESIRE to "go long".  It's not the training that gets me.  It's the little things.  I can't fully enjoy my Friday nights with my wife, if I'm worried about how it will affect my long run on Sat. morning.  That's BS.  She didn't sign up for this.  A 5-7mi. run, I can "wing".  An 8-13mi. run....I can't.  I can also "wing" short course training.  I don't feel like I can for a longer event.  I have no desire to be that tied down to a training schedule.

I can do sprints (maybe an Oly, next year.....maybe - but I'd have to up my mileage) running 20MPW and not have it affect my weekends.  I could do the long runs during the week.  Conceded.  But, at 45, I have no delusions of grandeur.  I wanna maintain a healthy body and compete a few times/year.

Do what makes you happy.  Race like hell in the short races.  Hurting like that proves you're alive.