CNN: Everyday athletes embracing triathlon

I have found this to be true. Looks of new folks in the area getting into the sport. Much seems to be fueled by a popularity wave. Lots trying it because they want to see what the experience is all about but how many will stick with it after the novelty wears off. The level of commitment is pretty high on a long term basis.

Whatever, it is good for the sport. As an "old veteran" I get to help many out.

There also seems to be more camaraderie among triathletes and I believe that appeals to a lot of people. It is kind of like running was 30 years ago. Every time I swim at the lake and there are other triathletes there everyone always chats a bit or at least says hello.

I'm still fascinated and a little confused by these very high annual incomes for average triathletes articles like this keep quoting.  I know - MAYBE - one guy who has a salary that high and the rest of the triathletes I know have incomes much lower.

But I would be happy to meet more rich triathletes...

I read some of the article to my wife and she said "no wonder you triathletes keep getting hit by cars, too many of you out there".

 I think in large part the growth of triathlon is from the massive media attention celebrities and challenged athletes are getting.  Alot of people see someone on TV that doesn't fit the super athletic image and think, 'if he can do it, so can I'.

I'll be honest, I used to think triathlons were way out of my league until just recently, it was surpising to me you didn't have to have the physical attributes of Dave Scott to finish one.

Wait spud pm too soon and it'll make ya look needy...

Imagine my disappointment when I found out all she wanted to ride was my P4...

not that I am the social butterfly, but of the athletes I know and have trained with, the opposite is true.  but it's LA, so incomes seem to be higher here anyway.  Again though, I think this is about the IM distance athletes.  A lot wider spectrum of folks doing the sprints it seems.  Just look at the IM bike rack...its yuppie-dom for sure.





Edited by sax 2010-11-10 6:45 PM

Triathlon participation is booming. The number of racers grew to 1.2 million U.S. triathletes in 2009, an 11% jump from 2008 and a 50% jump from 2007, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

At independent bike dealers, unit sales of triathlon bikes jumped 24% this year through August, while unit sales of wet suits jumped 40%, according to Leisure Trends Group, a research firm based in Boulder, Colo.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534353188495736.html



everyone can swim bike run....its an individual sport.....as an example i played alot of tennis.  do you know how much of a pain in the a$$ it is to set up matches or practice with other people that work.....not very many people want to play at 6:30 am....i can easily get up get on my bike and start riding....

This quote

"The first year is expensive, because at minimum, you're putting about $1,500 into supplies, plus training, plus race entry fees," says Cozik.

Isn't necessarily true.

I guess it depends where you are coming from. I was already swimming, biking, and walking before I realized I should just do a triathlon. So I already had most of the equipment and a Y membership.

I think that all I've bought for triathlon is a pair of tri shorts, a race belt, and those neato shoelaces.

It totally depends on if you have a bike or not.
Swimming and running are cheap.  If you were 100% a swimmer or a runner before starting tri's, and you knew nothing about bikes, $1500 is on the low end to get started
(knowing nothing about bikes, meaning "your" not going to buy used, and not going to buy a perfectly capable road bike).
Not many tri bikes retailing for under $1500.  Or $1300 if you factor in a $200 wet suit...

When I was at water polo practice yesterday there were only three people in the other pool- one I knew as a triathlete, one in a blue seventy wetsuit (in the warm pool) and the third I spoke to later on and found out was also a triathlete. I just started so I don't know if it's new, but the sport seems to be pretty popular down here...

Very funny, gentlemen

The rich triathlete I know is, in fact, an Ironman, as somebody else mentioned. 

I am reading an educational book right now - published in 1984 - about the "new" sport of triathlon and how much it is growing.  It is written for people looking to complete what is now an Olympic distance tri, and mentions that these strange new shorter tris are popping up (Sprint distance!) but that these are considered "Training Triathlons."

The only mention of cost, so far, is that it will cost some money to participate.  But this was the 80s, and my parents say people had more money then...