A "Triathlons and Marathons are bad for you!" story... (Page 3)

My dad hasn't seen me do a tri yet, but he did show up at a duathlon last year and thought it was amazing. He's a total gadget guy and couldn't get over the tri bikes. Now, this is the guy that got me started running when he quit smoking and I was a fat kid. Two years later I'm a college runner and we're racing together. Did our first marathon together. Now he's 74, had both hips replaced, but is now back on the treadmill with a trainer trying to run a little because he misses it so much.

It's entirely lifestyle. I have very few friends now who aren't active. My family still thinks IM is a little extreme but at least they understand and support my goals. It's all about the people you surround yourself with. When someone says to me "I could never do that," I always say "Of course you can." I'm not a gifted athlete, I'm just an average guy still finding out what I am capable of, and willing to commit to the training required.

Winner - love your story.  You gave me some much needed motivation!

WOW!!!  I am truly amazed at all the negative people that all of you encounter.  My wife and I started running in '77 and we are still at it.  I have never had anyone say anything negative about running or triathlons....NEVER.  Maybe they have said things but I didn't retain it because I could care in the least what others think about my training and I rarely discuss it with anyone other than other athletic friends.  I can understand why you might have to listen to a family member's bs but not friends and co-workers.  Negative people have nothing to offer and you don't need them.

There's good stuff in there.

I have excersized regularly for 40 years. At 53, 6'2" 185 lbs., 16% body fat, BP of 115/65, and triglyceride and cholesterol levels that are ridiculously low, I am fit by any standard.  I am training for my first IM....and also my last. 

I have no idea how many triathlons I have done since I started in the mid 80's......but I can feel them.  Arthritic hip, 3 back surgeries, triple hernia, blah, blah, blah.  I am currently running about 40-45 miles per week and GENTLY ramping up the weekly hours as I add the bike and swim......and truthfully, I don't need to do this to be fit.....not even close. 

For me, it's the last distance to cover....that's all.  There is no way I would say I am more healthy than the person running 20 miles per week and has been at it a long time....or the person who trains for an hour a day to run some sprint tri's (the person I can't wait to get back to).

The training I plan to do for the IM will be long, tiring, and taxing for a guy with a full plate of family and work obligations.......healthy?  In my book, not nearly as much as when I just exercise because I love it.

I don't tell anyone but my family that I'm training for an IM....because I don't want to have to come up with a good reason for doing it.

DP...sorry

AWESOME!  I'll use this one over and over!

Side note:  Who's had anyone ask about your weight?  After weighing 250 pounds and  losing over 100 pounds I had people saying I had cancer and I was on my death bed despite running/working out everyday.  

Love it too.  My previous manager was a lovely man in his 60's with a daughter my age.  He's a lifelong runner - used to do marathons but backed off of them years ago but generally keeps a consistent fitness routine.  Although he has aches and pains a few repetitive stress injuries that flare up every once in a while he's in so much better shape and spirits than many of his peers. I really look up to someone like that.

To Fred's point.  It doesn't have to be the big stuff like Ironmans or marathons - more about consistency, listening to your body and keeping on maintaining your body - whatever that means. It really does seem to improve the quality of life - and it seems to be true 'move it or lose it'

+1. I must live and work with unique people. Whenever people ask me about upcoming races or past events it has always felt positive. I have had fellow runners tell me I am crazy, but in joking way. More like they recognize how much it takes to train for an IM.

I do agree with Fred, there are some negative to training for IM versus a shorter distance but even in the shorter distances there are risks of injury. Just ask the brownlee brothers.

I'm down about 150 lbs. since three years ago - major lifestyle changes.  My goal for this year is to do an Olympic distance, and I'm signed up for two of them.  I do get some shocked stares and questions from the people who know me from back then, and even more stares from people who think they might know me but aren't quite sure.  So, my statements are:

1.  Nothing like an open water swim and the possibility of DYING in a watery grave to focus my workouts.

2.  Yeah, I thought it might be unhealty, but my doctor started doing fist-pumps when I told her I was doing triathlons.  She wanted to make my medical chart into a before/after poster, but then decided HIPPA might object....

3.  I was skeptical too, but then the city gym did a feature story on me for the newsletter calling me a shining example of an elite athlete.

4.  I don't do this because I'm good at it.  I suck it at it.  I do it because it is good for me.

my normal responses are along the lines of:

1) My occupation requires me to be in very good physical shape

2) I like beer and food alot but don't like being fat

3) Sex is MUCH better when you're in shape (wink at your significant other when you bust out this line)

4) and lastly the goal of life is not to arrive quietly at the grave in a well preserved un-used body but to skid in sideways and full speed yelling "what a hell of a ride!"

besides 83% of statistics are made up on the spot, oh and did I mention that I really like #3?

Great quote! I couldn't agree more.

I'm glad that the friends I have are active and enjoy being active. I've had the opportunity to see 2 of my closest friends both lose well over 50lbs a piece and are doing their first 70.3 with me in St George. Couldn't be more proud of their commitment and patience. I feel somewhat responsible for getting them on this path to a healthier lifestyle.

It's well-known that people cling to data that supports their belief systems, and ignore contradictory data.  So yes I've had experiences like this and I wouldn't try to bother to answer or bother to get annoyed. 

However there was one lunch conversation with a co-worker a couple of months ago that I did find annoying.  The guy is about 30 pounds overweight, but more importantly seems soft with poor muscle tone and overall strength.  I think he'd struggle to push a powered lawnmower around a yard, let alone do anything athletic.  He was talking about spending a few months ago trying to "get in shape" just after college, and how much he just HATED the feeling.  Heart racing, out of breath, and so on.  And so he just let nature take its course and now here he is, overweight, soft, a borderline diabetic.  He said he knew he ward off diabetes with diet and exercise, but he'd rather just take pills if at all possible, and not have to work at it.

I can't tell you how much that annoys me.  The guy was being truly honest about how he felt - he hated exercise, and would just rather not bother. 

I've got a neighbor like that who thinks the guy next door to me (runner and crossfitter) and my self (runner and aspiring triathlete) are both nuts. 

Some of his friends have posted high school pictures of him, and, to put it quite bluntly, he was a stud.  He looked like an athlete, ran track, etc.  Now he's conservatively 100lbs. overweight and gets winded walking across the street to come hang out.

I'd hate myself if I let myself get like that.  It's bad enough I'm short and bald.  Don't need to be overweight and out of shape too.