Gender Stereotypes in Triathlons? (Page 2)

I think this is a complete non-issue.  I think women now constitute 40% of triathletes and I don't really even notice us as a minority.  Lots of all women teams and races are sprouting up too.  This is NOT a guy thing like wrestling or boxing may be considered. 

I've never had one issue at a race or training event due to being a woman.  None.

And also, if your issue is weight related -- again, don't worry.  Put the training in to get to the finish, and then get to the finish. Hang out in the Clyde/Athena forum to meet plenty of larger women who have achieved a ton in the sport. 

There probably are differences in sizes depending on the distance of race you are talking about -- I doubt I would be 40% body fat if I put in the time for iron distance or half iron distance, or that many people could be ready for an iron distance at that weight, but I managed to get myself through a sprint just fine even at this weight.  I've experienced nothing but support for my efforts.

Wow, yep! Did that without even thinking about it. Thanks for calling me out. Note to self: think before posting.I'll qualify: SOME guys hate being chicked

I'd say it's a non-issue.

I've done a few sports here and there and triathlon is, by a long shot, the most welcoming of ALL different types of folks and abilities.

Thank you.

I notice you're in Seattle. I'm in Bellevue. So we're neighbors.

As a woman, I'd be more likely to check out your spandex and maybe ride behind you for a while.

X2.I'm a decent swimmer, but only an average cyclist and runner, so I get chicked a lot. I couldn't care less.To the OP, it's very unlikely that you will encounter any gender bias within the sport, but you may with your friends and family who don't get it.

Maybe guys on bikes ( or running ) don't like to be passed by anyone, male / female or overweight / underweight /at weight.

Yeah, I am certainly seeing some stereotyping.

Triathletes seem to be, as a whole, a pretty accepting class of people.  As someone who is *really not a fan* of gender stereotypes in any way, shape, or form, it is a complete non-issue.  Regardless of your gender or ability, you can expect tons of support.

Treated equally?  I ogle the female participants a lot more than the males, but...I'm a guy...  

Body shape?  I can't tell you how many times I've been surprised when a participant turns out to be faster than I expected.  I've also looked at athletes thinking "must be fast" and been pleasantly surprised that I could either hang with them longer than I expected or even pass them.  Now I've also experienced "must be fast" athletes completely smoking me too...

Here are a couple examples: 
I was cranking along at 20+ mph at an OLY and a woman blasts by like I'm standing still.  In the precious few seconds she was close enough, I recognized the graphics from our local club and the tattoo on her back.  Ok...in our club, fast, tattoo...must be XX.  Turns out it was, and I'm not ashamed to be "chicked" by her (she's about 7 years older than I am and world-champ in Xterra off-road triathlon).  (BTW, she's really nice when she isn't competing.) 

The other example comes from the marathon this past weekend.  Natalie (my training partner) and I are walking up a hill during the second loop of the marathon.  A couple women pass us, overhearing us talk about it being our second loop.  The women admit that as they came up behind us, they thought to themselves "those two are SOOOO fit, why are they walking?  She's so thin and fit she should have no problems running up the hill, and he's got HUGE calves to get him up the hill."  It wasn't until they overheard us talking that they realized we were doing more than one loop and walking up the hills was our strategy.  They also didn't realize that even though she's thin and fit, Natalie was doing the marathon with a longest run of 13 miles (not a good training strategy, but our race strategy made it work).  They didn't realize (until we told them) that I was going easy for the marathon because I had a 30-mile trail run the next day (the one woman retracted her statement about us being "smart" at that point). 

So...you never know what is behind someone performing at a race.  Fit and injured?  Fit with a more important race coming up?  Fit and fast?  Deceptively fit and fast?  Not-so-fit but enjoying the day and the camaraderie? 

Get out there and try it! 

Triathlon chicks are icky and I wouldn't touch any of them with a 10-foot pole.

I don't notice any stereotypes among triathletes.  I do notice them from non-athletes.  Guys seem to be fascinated and often start talking about their own fitness dreams or achievements.  I definitely noticed that my husband would make a point of telling all his friends that "my wife" is doing triathlons now.  Other women, not so thrilled/interested.  Plus, non-triathletes seem to think triathlon = ironman, so you can get a LOT of mileage/vanity perks just from surviving a sprint tri.  I've run into a few at work (agressively unfit and boast/moan about it) that gave off vibes like they thought I was was boasting.  I've learned to tone it down around them and just bore my poor husband with workout details.

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I'm not obsessed, I'm dedicated ;-)

I am a mother of 5 children, did my first super sprint May 09 and have my first Half Iron distance in a few days.  Honestly of all sports I think triathlon is the most equal.

The only issues I see is with minor things like clothing (often times built for men) and waves where the assumption is always that women are slower especially if you are over 40.  Being in the last wave sucks in Houston in August but it is what it is.

Before and after the race I treat everyone equal. Men, Women, Seniors, Clydesdales/Athena's, Children, whatever.

In the race I do the same. I want to crush all their dreams equally.

None issue, I do not see it as a problem, I do not like to be passed, by male or female, but there is not much that I can do about it. On the whole I find triathletes a friendly bunch, and male or female does not really matter. I can (this happened to me last weekend) get passed by a girl on the run, and although I will try to keep up with her, its not because she is a girl, she is faster than me and I am using her as pace booty. After the race we had a long friendly chat. The only stereotype I can think of is that we all have a competitive streak in us, even if it just with ourselves.

I do not descriminate. I do not like being passed by ANYONE. Man, woman, child, tortoise, none of them. If within my power to attempt to keep up with someone who has passed me, I will exert some extra effort to get it back. I think maybe somebody applied a personal perspective and it had nothing to do with anything specific about them.

Edited by kajinsky 2010-11-04 9:20 AM

Dude, that's hard core! What if their dream is just to finish?

Personally, I don't like being passed by men, women, children, anyone (esp. on the bike). In fact, I've only been passed one time on the bike when I didn't pass them again later in the race. That doesn't make me fast, it just means I'm getting out of the water after most of the fast bikers... The run is a different story, but it's getting better. I don't like getting passed there either, but there's not a lot I can do about it most of the time!

I haven't noticed any gender stereotypes in the sport.

Thank you so much for all your support! I'm really getting the feeling that this sport is actually one of the most welcoming And we certainly all have that competitive edge to us which is completely understandable.

I just read all the posts in this thread and I noticed that men were the only ones commenting on the bodies of women.  Just to be clear, there are plenty of men for us ladies to ogle and use as pace booty.  In addition, even at my first tri when I was still overweight and horrified that these incredibly fit men would see my fat rolls, I never felt judged by the men or the women.  That helped me feel comfortable sticking with the sport which led to me dropping 30lbs and becoming one of the fit and healthy folks.  Now when I see heavier people at races or out training the only thing I think, after I've checked out their gear, is how awesome they are for getting out there.

Not sure if this falls under the same category as gender stereotypes, but I will say there's a big difference in the atmosphere at a women's only/beginner friendly event like Danskin or SheRox versus a Co-ed tri.  Co-ed tris tend to be a lot more competitive, where the womens races are very much geared toward the 'just trying to finish' competitor.

And yeah, to the body type stereotypes, I get that all the time.  I don't look remotely athletic.  At the start people usually think I'm holding my husband's bike, or that when I say I did a triathlon I must mean 15 years ago. 

At IM Wisconsin last year, I was running along all alone and overheard two male spectators.  One turned to the other and said 'Wow, you really do see all types out here. And faster than you'd think'  I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or offended - lol

Wow.

All I can say is...

Thanks for noticing!!!

Hey when you passed me in that race I wished you good luck, the only thing that bothermed me was the 80+ old lady with the single speed bike the ape hanger handle bars and the pink basket calling out as she passed me going up hill "keep it up young fella you will get the hang of it." 
That was just embarrassing