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2011-12-29 6:12 AM

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Champion
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Subject: Why the British are better triathletes ...
So, having lived in London the past couple years I have come to a conclusion -- the British are better triathletes. And now I'm going to tell you why.

They take it more seriously. You don't see every Tom, Dick and Harry out there signing up for a triathlon. Yes, it's becoming more popular on this side of the pond, but I find that people here who do sign up for events tend to actually train and train well.

Once they commit to doing a triathlon or other endurance event, there's a much better support network. I think that stems from the fact that triathletes are more rare and therefore the bonds are tighter. The club structure over here is amazing. As an ``independent'' racer people think I'm crazy. They can't fathom that I'm not affiliated with a group, and in fact unaffiliated racers such as myself pay more to sign up for events. Heck, the BBC, which didn't recognize ANY female triathletes (or any female at all, for that matter, or any triathlete at all) this year has an entire section on triathlon: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/triathlon/default.stm

And the training conditions downright suck. Whether it's the crappy weather or the death-defying bike rides on city streets and country roads, training here ain't easy. I see most people on the way home from work running with backpacks on and bikes dodging lorries (trucks) every day. So when they do get to the race venue with closed roads (sometimes) and carrying nothing no backpack, it's like a little vacation for them. A stroll in the park.

Anyway, I wrote an article on it recently, having the good fortune of interviewing all the British female world champs (what a great group of women) and from that and other articles I've read, these are the conclusions to which I've come.

Discuss and enjoy:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-20/british-women-s-triathlon-...


2011-12-29 6:18 AM
in reply to: #3959146

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Champion
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Checkin' out the podium girls
Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
Why do you hate America?
2011-12-29 7:00 AM
in reply to: #3959146

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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
Looking at your article, I don't find the Kardashians in there...how is that supposed to sell and inspire our young people? C'mon, man! Substance!
2011-12-29 7:14 AM
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Champion
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

It really does seem to be a completely different mentality in the UK.  In Canada a lot of the races I entered saw couples or groups of people that would ride/run together and have a jolly time just getting to the finish line, and that doesn't happen here.  Ever.  Even with the women only races that are geared towards beginners it was highly competitive unless immediately before or immediately after the race. 

So why does it seem to be so much more focused/competitive in the UK? 

2011-12-29 7:18 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
I'm trying to care but it's not working.

2011-12-29 7:22 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
Wait, Tony is not illiterate? You learn something new everyday on BT.


2011-12-29 7:32 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
Maybe it has something to do with Americans having to work longer and more hours?
2011-12-29 8:22 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
mr2tony - 2011-12-29 6:12 AM

So, having lived in London the past couple years I have come to a conclusion -- the British are better triathletes. And now I'm going to tell you why.

They take it more seriously. You don't see every Tom, Dick and Harry out there signing up for a triathlon. Yes, it's becoming more popular on this side of the pond, but I find that people here who do sign up for events tend to actually train and train well.


I think that might be true in Europe in general. When I was in Paris on vacation, I met up with an English speaking ex-pat tri club and went on a group run with them.

I’m MOP and not a particularly fast runner and it was a struggle to keep up with them. When it was over, we were hanging out and they asked me about my background. When I told them that I never competed in running, swimming or cycling and that I got into triathlon for fun and to stay in shape, their reaction was almost one of polite bewilderment, like “why would you do something that you’re obviously not that good at?” They weren’t mean or judgmental at all, just curious.

The “my goal is just to finish and have fun” mentality definitely does not exist over there.

I played softball for years, and every so often, you’d see the person with the brand-new glove, who couldn’t catch and could barely hit or throw and who didn’t really know the rules. They made an error every time the ball came to them and never got on base. And I would always wonder, “What is this person getting out of this? Why would you pay money to participate in something that you are so bad at?” It was weird being on the other side of that, because I’m sure that’s what some of them were thinking about me.
2011-12-29 8:59 AM
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2011-12-29 9:06 AM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
OK, I can live with that. Now if you had contended that the French were better...
2011-12-29 9:09 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
FoggyGoggles - 2011-12-29 8:59 AM

Chrissie is in a league of her own. A complete freak of nature. 

Wonder what the ratio of champions (men and women) is between OZ and the UK over the last 5 years?



The British had 13 total (team, triathlete and paratriathlete) world champions in 2011. Amazing.


2011-12-29 9:19 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

So is it more accurate to say that the british are better triathletes, or that only serious athletes in britian compete? It sounds like what you are really saying is that people there who compete are the ones who take it seriously. Sort of like saying that american football players (you remember american football, right?) are better than elsewhere - because no one plays competitively except highly paid professional athletes.

I personally like the idea that we have races that pretty much anyone and their grandmother will just get up and run. It's a shame that more people don't. I think when we talk up the harsh training conditions, we create a mythos around the sport that only these uber-athletic types can compete. But how great is it that we have so many sprint races, that any moderately fit person can compete in? While not as accessible as running alone, I think the triathlons should be seen as more rather than less accessible, at least at the shorter races.

2011-12-29 9:56 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
I had read this on my bloomy terminal and didn't make the connection - nicely done!
2011-12-29 10:36 AM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

Maybe if I start having tea in the afternoon ........

2011-12-29 10:39 AM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

dP



Edited by reecealan 2011-12-29 10:40 AM
2011-12-29 10:41 AM
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Champion
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
reecealan - 2011-12-29 10:36 AM

Maybe if I start having tea in the afternoon ........



I tried that. Doesn't work.


2011-12-29 11:16 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

“They thought I was some kind of strongman. I pull muscles sometimes, but not trucks.”

Awesome end-of-the-story quote!
 

2011-12-29 12:50 PM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

I'm not sure if I see it. British professional triathletes are better than American professional triathletes because British age groupers take the sport more seriously than American age groupers?

I think that there is a difference between correlation and causation.

2011-12-29 1:23 PM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
I was going to start rant that it's due to the years of the US culture where everyone is a winner and just competing is all okie dokie.  But after researching the topic a bit I noticed that's it's most likely since the Brit's don't shower before swimming.
2011-12-29 1:24 PM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
uclamatt2007 - 2011-12-29 12:50 PM

I'm not sure if I see it. British professional triathletes are better than American professional triathletes because British age groupers take the sport more seriously than American age groupers?

I think that there is a difference between correlation and causation.



That's not what I said.

This stemmed from my realization that in the U.S. I'm a MOPer but in England, at least at the smaller races, I'm a BOPer. The age groupers here are better than the age groupers in the U.S. on a general basis, I would contend, because of the reasons I listed above. The story I did and the BBC's entire section on triathlon (find that in a U.S. paper!) made me think about why I'm relatively faster in the U.S. than I am in Britain, so that's the point of this thread, not to compare professionals. Though it's true the the pros from Britain are better, generally, than their American counterparts.
2011-12-29 1:31 PM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
I'll take superior dental hygiene over the podium anyday


2011-12-29 1:32 PM
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Master
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
mr2tony - 2011-12-29 11:24 AM
uclamatt2007 - 2011-12-29 12:50 PM

I'm not sure if I see it. British professional triathletes are better than American professional triathletes because British age groupers take the sport more seriously than American age groupers?

I think that there is a difference between correlation and causation.

That's not what I said. This stemmed from my realization that in the U.S. I'm a MOPer but in England, at least at the smaller races, I'm a BOPer. The age groupers here are better than the age groupers in the U.S. on a general basis, I would contend, because of the reasons I listed above. The story I did and the BBC's entire section on triathlon (find that in a U.S. paper!) made me think about why I'm relatively faster in the U.S. than I am in Britain, so that's the point of this thread, not to compare professionals. Though it's true the the pros from Britain are better, generally, than their American counterparts.

Reading comprehension fail. This is what i get when I try to multi task. I saw the post you made later in the thread and for some reason thought that it was wrapped up in the first post.

I'm going to go sit in the corner now.

2011-12-29 2:33 PM
in reply to: #3959146

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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

I've done a couple of IM races in Europe.  There is definitely a different vibe than races in the US.

In the US, we (talking the global "we") want instant gratification and we don't want to have to earn something before we get the gratification.  I believe in Europe the thought is I won't do "that" (whatever "that" may be), until I can do it well.

Let's take marathon for example.  Not that many years ago the cut off time was generally 6 hours.  That kept me from doing a marathon because at the time, I didn't feel I had the time to train properly to finish in 6 hours.

Now the cut off is generally 8 hours.  When I was into backbacking, it was generally accepted that a backbacker could travel a mile in 20-22 minutes.  Not a forced march pace, but a decent hiking pace.

An 8 hour marathon is about an 18 minute mile.  Just slightly slower than a backpacker's pace and without a loaded backpack.

"We" want the gratification of telling people we completed a marathon because we were able to collect a finisher's medal.  The day after a European IM, you don't see a large crowd of people draped in finisher's shirts, medals, and finisher caps roaming the streets like you do after a US IM.  They got their gratification the day before when they crossed the finish line.

2012-01-03 10:00 AM
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Regular
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...

Good article Tony. As an Englishman who spends too long on this website I would say there is a difference between the attitude of the Brit triathletes and the Americans. The Brits are always looking to beat their time and maybe get to ironman and apart from a couple of the bigger events are not interested in taking part just to take part. There is also a lot of people who take the attitude that they cannot do a triathlon because they aren't fit enough. More of a can do attitude in the US ? You guys seem to be more positive and support anyone who wants to have a go even if it takes them much longer to complete the race than most of the other entrants. This is starting to happen here and I think will continue to do so particularly as the Brit elites seem to be doing rather well at the moment. It rubs off and triathlon is the fastest growing sport in the UK.

Tonys comments about the training is true but more out of necessity than choice. Who wants to dodge traffic to go running or riding. The UK is just too crowded (full of immigrants :-) ) unless you get way out of town. London is not a good place to find a quiet spot to run.

2012-01-03 10:17 AM
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Subject: RE: Why the British are better triathletes ...
I think as a whole, this nation has lost a lot of it's competitive spirit and that shows up in all sorts of areas. 
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