Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: aarondavidson on 2009-04-27 9:38 PM

Just curious on peoples takes here. Especially vs cycling where you race based on your performance and not your age.

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--Aaron
http://www.aarondavidson.com

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: brucemorgan on 2009-04-27 10:46 PM

I've participated in a number of bicycle rides (not races, rides), and participatory events don't run have a clock running.

As I see it, if the clock is running the event it's a race not and thus it has to be at least partially about performance. This is "by definition" to me. I realize there are a lot of events where people "just want to finish" and that's fine but in its own way that's still about performance.

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: ChrisM on 2009-04-27 10:48 PM

False dichotomy.  It's about both for me

And the coffee 
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The only way to get better at climbing hills is climbing hills

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: jtaddei on 2009-04-27 10:56 PM

gonna be a mixed bag of responses for you. 

My personal philosophy is that I don't care where I finish unless I ALMOST do really well (4th AG).  Then i beat myself up.
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RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: trishie on 2009-04-27 10:57 PM



and the post race cookies.
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bite off more than you can chew and c h e w i t.
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consistently consistent

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: eabeam on 2009-04-27 11:03 PM

In the beginning, participation is a performance marker.

It is just part of the progression.

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: tjh on 2009-04-27 11:11 PM

For me it's mostly about participation and improvement.  I don't know that I ever expect to be on a podium, and don't really care.  But I know it's different for others.

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Tim
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No people in history have ever survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies. (Dean Acheson)

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: froglegs on 2009-04-27 11:20 PM

If triathlon was just about participation, I don't think I would enjoy it nearly as much.  It is mostly about performance for me, but to perform you have to participate, and I like to think I measure my performance against my own expectations for myself, and not my placement.  However, being a naturally competitive person, I do pay a little bit of attention to my place in the pack.  Occasionally something surprising happens, like my 3/14 AG finish this past weekend. 

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: Iron_Gus on 2009-04-27 11:44 PM

This applies to me also. It will always be a 'race' but the race is against myself. I try not to get involved in comparing myself to others.

In fact my measurables, if you will, are Participation, Enjoyment, Performance (relative to past perfromances).

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There are 10 types of people; those who understand binary and those that don't.

Floreat Pica

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: supa-powa on 2009-04-28 12:45 AM

I like triathlon because you compete against yourself, I'm not a huge fan of being ultra competitive and winning at all costs etc, I just like to do better than last time and keep improving.

Although if I have a slow race or things go wrong I don't really care, I'm having too much fun anyway.

People ask me how doing exercise for hours on end can be fun but I just love it

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: triboy_20 on 2009-04-28 12:54 AM

if you compete, what's the point of doing the race without performance? Why not save a few bucks and do your own triathlon if you really want to.....that way you can say you've finished a triathlon. but its whatever.
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"It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself."

"The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital."

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: pamiejane on 2009-04-28 1:56 AM



I agree with this.  Initially I did it for participation.  As I have improved I have become to focus more and more on performance.  For me it is definitly a progression.
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RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: gerald12 on 2009-04-28 5:26 AM

This reminds me of what my cross country and track coach from college used to say, "There are participants and there are competitors. Which one are you?". I prefer to compete in races against others. But must say that since I have gone to doing IM's the focus has changed to just trying to better myself. When training and doing shorter distances it means I stay local so it gets competitive with other locals and friends.

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: disturbed275 on 2009-04-28 5:42 AM

The first one was about participation.  After that, it became about performance against my previous times.  Podium finishes are nice, but it really depends on the size of the field and who shows up.  The only real standard to measure against is what I've done in the past and I think that's just one of the aspects that make this sport great.

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: DanielG on 2009-04-28 5:53 AM

Mine's participation more than anything.

I'll use the races to chart how my performance has changed over the year(s) but that's an after the fact look, not the primary reason to do them.

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: pitt83 on 2009-04-28 6:54 AM

Once you pin a number on, the barrier has been crossed.
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"I look pretty young, but I'm just back dated" -Pete Townshend, Substitute
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-Jim Morrison
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RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: tri_d00d on 2009-04-28 7:10 AM

you can say <i>that</i> again...

I go to compete...against others and myself. Others push me harder than I normally would go.

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Strength does not come from physical capacity.
It comes from an indomitable will. - Gandhi

RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: JorgeM on 2009-04-28 7:18 AM

For me it is all about performance; performance against others and performance against myself.
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Jorge
USAT & USAC Coach
E3 Training Solutions
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RE: Is triathlon really about participation and not performance?
BY: SuzanneS on 2009-04-28 7:34 AM



Absolutely 100 % X 2!
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...dear old Clemson we will triumph and with all our might, that the Tiger's roar may echo, o'er the mountain height...