Obvious race time question

PB said:

So, I would like to try a Sprint distance triathlon by next summer, but
am afraid of embarassing myself. LOL

Do most triathlons simply encourage participation no matter your level
of fitness ?

Not that my time would be THAT bad, but ... oh well.. what are decent
times for Sprint and Olympic distance ? as in not embarassing ?

Or should I not care and just participate ?

Yes, that depends on what embarrasses you, and yes.

Go for it!

Tam

In article <[email hidden]>,

PB said:

Or should I not care and just participate ?

Just do it, and have fun!

--Harold Buck

"Hubris always wins in the end. The Greeks taught us that."

-Homer J. Simpson

Harold Buck said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

PB said:

Or should I not care and just participate ?

Just do it, and have fun!

--Harold Buck

"Hubris always wins in the end. The Greeks taught us that."

-Homer J. Simpson

And if you're really worried, most races have a website which will show
last year's finishing times. You'll be pleasantly surprised - nearly
all races have plenty of first-timers and fund-raisers just trying to
get round, not break any records.

"PB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So, I would like to try a Sprint distance triathlon by next summer, but am
afraid of embarassing myself. LOL

Do most triathlons simply encourage participation no matter your level of
fitness ?

Not that my time would be THAT bad, but ... oh well.. what are decent
times for Sprint and Olympic distance ? as in not embarassing ?

Or should I not care and just participate ?

First question: yes. Second question: there are as many different times as
there are people. It's all over the board. Third question: yes, just go do
it.

It is safe to say that nobody will care about your time except you. Go do
it, have fun, decide if you like it, then worry about your time after you're
hooked.

Welcome to the club.

John

Great thing about our sport - if you participate you win (improved
health/fitness).

Set a time for yourself (as a goal) and shoot for that!

BBB

"PB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So, I would like to try a Sprint distance triathlon by next summer, but
am afraid of embarassing myself. LOL

Do most triathlons simply encourage participation no matter your level
of fitness ?

Not that my time would be THAT bad, but ... oh well.. what are decent
times for Sprint and Olympic distance ? as in not embarassing ?

Or should I not care and just participate ?

booner said:

Set a time for yourself (as a goal) and shoot for that!

Or don't set a time.

I did my first triathlon this last September. My only goal was to improve
my time from the previous triathlon. As there was no previous triathlon,
this was pretty easy ;-)

When it comes to athletic ability, God got me confused with a tree sloth.
I will never be really good in this sport. My inspiration for trying was
that I watched one. There was a fellow there doing his 9th or 10th annual
triathlon who was 30 years older, 80+ pounds heavier and probably a
recovering smoker. At the end he was really hurting, but doggone he was
DOING IT. I figured if he can do it, I can put down the bag of pork rinds
and get off the couch myself.

"If you haven't done these things, you should.
These things are fun, and fun is good."
Dr. Suess

--
Frank Stutzman

Frank Stutzman said:

booner said:

Set a time for yourself (as a goal) and shoot for that!

Or don't set a time.

I did my first triathlon this last September. My only goal was to improve
my time from the previous triathlon. As there was no previous triathlon,
this was pretty easy ;-)

When it comes to athletic ability, God got me confused with a tree sloth.
I will never be really good in this sport. My inspiration for trying was
that I watched one. There was a fellow there doing his 9th or 10th annual
triathlon who was 30 years older, 80+ pounds heavier and probably a
recovering smoker. At the end he was really hurting, but doggone he was
DOING IT. I figured if he can do it, I can put down the bag of pork rinds
and get off the couch myself.

"If you haven't done these things, you should.
These things are fun, and fun is good."
Dr. Suess

--
Frank Stutzman

Good for you! Triathlon has too many monks and not enough
missionaries.

I find that many outsiders have some notion of what a triathlete is
supposed look like, be like. Once you have been around the block a few
times, you start noticing that the field is dominated by weekend
warriors that enjoy an active lifestyle.

I think the myth is perpetuated by elite agegroupers who are fixated
*only* on triathlon, year 'round. That's cool, but many of the folks
in the BOP participate (seasonally) in other sports as well.

Have fun! Consider not even wearing a watch.

rsquared

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I find that many outsiders have some notion of what a triathlete is
supposed look like, be like.

I'm not the most experienced triathlete on rst, but I've been around
the block a few times, 7-years of racing, been in the GB Team 3-times,
done loads of events around the world, been a race organiser,but
nothing could prepare me for volunteering to be a catcher at Ironman
Florida in 2004.

If you want to see what triathlon is really like, forget racing until
you've helped out at a race, any race. Go watch all the novices, all
the first timers, and ignore the arrogant, bulshy, "you cost me
3-seconds in tranistion by gettimg in my way" types.

For those that don't know, catchers at Ironman races are the people at
the finish line who "catch" the finishers and help them away to make
sure the bodies don't pile up 5ft after the finish line...

Watching people of all shapes, sizes and abilities cross the line was
truly inspirational. A few cried once they were finished, I felt like
crying with them, many were ecstatic, very, very few collapsed, and
right up to 17-hours after they started the pride in everyone who
finished face said it all. They didn't care what time they'd done,
didn't care who'd beat them.

You'd expect this at an Ironman race, but funny thing is, go to our
local sprint race, there will be loads of people who are just the same.

Its a great sport, welcome on board and take time to enjoy your first
race!

Sprint distance races in particular tend to attract a lot of beginners. You
shouldn't be embarassed, just go out there, have fun and do your best.

-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr
http://www.factplace.com/triathlon.htm
"PB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So, I would like to try a Sprint distance triathlon by next summer, but am
afraid of embarassing myself. LOL

Do most triathlons simply encourage participation no matter your level of
fitness ?

Not that my time would be THAT bad, but ... oh well.. what are decent
times for Sprint and Olympic distance ? as in not embarassing ?

Or should I not care and just participate ?

That's the spirit!

Aloha,

-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr
http://www.factplace.com/triathlon.htm
"Frank Stutzman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

booner said:

Set a time for yourself (as a goal) and shoot for that!

Or don't set a time.

I did my first triathlon this last September. My only goal was to improve
my time from the previous triathlon. As there was no previous triathlon,
this was pretty easy ;-)

When it comes to athletic ability, God got me confused with a tree sloth.
I will never be really good in this sport. My inspiration for trying was
that I watched one. There was a fellow there doing his 9th or 10th annual
triathlon who was 30 years older, 80+ pounds heavier and probably a
recovering smoker. At the end he was really hurting, but doggone he was
DOING IT. I figured if he can do it, I can put down the bag of pork rinds
and get off the couch myself.

"If you haven't done these things, you should.
These things are fun, and fun is good."
Dr. Suess

--
Frank Stutzman

Tiathletes are super friendly and supportive. I see mountain bikes and
morbidly obsese people
Join a local triathlon club for more support
[email hidden] if you have questions
Jump in enjoy

Tiathletes are super friendly and supportive. I see mountain bikes and
morbidly obsese people
Join a local triathlon club for more support
[email hidden] if you have questions
Jump in enjoy

Tiathletes are super friendly and supportive. I see mountain bikes and
morbidly obsese people
Join a local triathlon club for more support
[email hidden] if you have questions
Jump in enjoy