Why Do Distance Runners Hate Triathletes?

Actually the people here on this board hate everyone. So far Pre, Webb, Ritz, Bob Kennedy, Jim Ryun, Ian Dobson, Lindgren, Billy Mills, Bannister, Steve Scott, every Stanford runner, every Adams State and Western State runner, every Oregon runner, every CU runner, Wetmore, Goucher, Culpepper and on and on and on have all been hated with deep passion here. Being hated I guess is a badge of honor.

This board shows why American distance running sucks. Kenyans pull together and train with each other; Americans sit at home on the internet hating everyone.

Terrible insecurity on this site. I've been on a lot of message boards, but this is numero uno for insecurity. It's amazing.

Bring your wife and your sister buddy , I'll show you whose gay !

wtf is up with this thread?

I have NEVER read such a crock of shit!

What is the deal with everyone trying to use 'run performance' as some kinda baseline measure for athletic ability? So what if a swimmer couldn't run a 6 min mile. Could a runner swim 400m in less than 6 mins?

Some people have serious issues on here. Who cares what someone wears, if it is functional for their sport? Are we all going to diss the sprinters who wear skin suits?

Triathletes are more well rounded athletes than runners. Does that make them better athletes overall? I thought the decathlon was regarded as one of the ways to find out the best athlete within athletics?

What can a runner do athletically wise apart from run?

By the sounds of, many runners aren't getting laid..

Why is everyone so against triathletes? I have been a competitive runner and swimmer throughout my teens, then stopped the swimming to concentrate on getting to the top in running. I have done some triathalons and am very keen to take it up seriously if I fail to become sucessful in just running.

Having been involved in the sport for over thirty-five years, and the thousands of runners I've had the pleaseure to meet, I have never, not once, heard a runner hate, bash or otherwise disparage their cousins-in-sweat: triathletes.

Clearly, the psychological profile of those who compete in our sport has changed.

Probably because Tri Athletes are in overall better condition; tend to look alot healthier; get better sponsors... etc. etc...... Alot of elite distance runners can't really do much more than run fast. I trained as a triathlete for a year. I did'nt run quite as fast but I thought it was a great balance of activities. The variety kept things interesting.... The top Ironman Tri Athletes are truely amazing...

I am a marathoner turned triathlete....Running is clearly my favorite part of the Tri, but the cycling and swimming make racing and training more well rounded and hard core. I can run hard one day swim hard the next...So, I can actually workout harder than simply running. My body fat is less than 5% and wearing tri shorts with a tight tri shirt will pick up more chicks any day over boring silk running shorts...So, get a grip...By the way, I still race marathons to TRAIN for Ironmans....and I am in the top 10% in my age group...so, I do not "suck" at running, cycling or swimming as you suggest all triathletes do....[quote]Vex wrote:

Vex...I just realized I accidentally 'replied' my rant about this thread to you...Sorry about that...I meant to Post a new message...Thanks for sticking up for us!!!

Every sport has it's merits and attractions to those who take part in it. I've always admired Triathaletes especially the Ironmen for what they do. But I do agree those male triathelets who wear them bikinis, well it is kinda disgusting.

Since this is a running forum, anyone kind enough to explain to me the great merits of long distance running?

I love road cycling so I ask what does running have that cycling doesn't besides impact to destroy the joints faster and a tendency to turn the physique into unatractive skinniness and lack of power faster than any other sport I know of? Yes running improves cardio-vascular fitness but so does cycling. In addition cycling improves anerobic capacity, provides thrill of speed, thrill of dicing in a group ride, allows U to travel further on regular training thus enjoying more landscape, requires skill in bike handling especially on fast downhill runs and provides the additional interest and affinity developed in the equipment and the technology. Boyz n their toyz is a common feature in so many male oriented hobbies/sports.

In my younger days in school and in the Army Special Forces when I was forced to run I was always reasonably good at it though I never quite enjoyed it. Also too much running made me skinny which was detrimental to my first choice of sport which was full contact martial arts. It also robbed me of the gym workout physique that I spent time working out on to give me that extra power and the kinda bod the babes would feel more attracted to.

So I'm curious, what are the merits of long distance running that got so many of you hooked on to it?

Kanga the merits that hooked me:

Covering distance in a primitive vehicle (my body). Winning races. Setting personal records. Breaking records. Doing something that very few people even can do.

So you may look too skinny compared to the average american whale or the average meathead who has massive arms from creatine and a beer belly to boot. You worry to much about how it looks.

Why did you start to compete in athletics?

Was it for looks or was it for the joy of the sport?

Boyz n their toyz as you put? If I need something to play with I'll take my Ferrari or 'Vette out.

Cowpoke,

Are you going to race over the summer? what about mileage for cross? If not, what races are you doing this spring, or did you do?

My guess is because the good Triathletes think they can kick all the runners asses running. I ran with a group one day a week in San Diego (Greg Welch included) that would just hammer to try and drop the runners. Thom Hunt would show up (among others) from time to time and put them in their place. Bottom line, we were all athletes, just some folks egos write checks they can't cash.

Durden,

Thanks for a lot for the reply.

You mention the challenges of the sport and setting n breaking records, doing something not many can do. I guess that applies to most sports. In fact the Triatheletes that are being bashed here can logically claim they have 3 times the challenge.

You mention American Whales n beer bellies etc. Why even compare to sedentary people with bad lifestyles? Any serious cyclist, triathelete and many other athletes can make the same comparison to put themselves in a good light. In fact I would go as far to say that it is thanks to this lifestyle in developed countries which promotes widespread over-weightedness that makes running so popular. Running is the fastest, easiest, cheapest most effective way to lose excess weight and keep it off. But once it gets serious there is a loss of muscle mass and anaerobic strength in the process.

Yes talking about doing things not many people can do, almost anyone can jog and gradually improve their distance and speed if they're consistent. That's probably the beauty and attraction of it. I used to race Suprbikes quite succesfully. Also sports like MotoX and all those X'treme Sports; now those are sports that not many people can do.

When I took up bodybuilding when I was 16 years old it was to build some power and body size so I could better play Rugby which I was hooked on and make it to my school's 1st team. I took up full contact martial arts to protect myself against racist bullying I experienced in boarding school, which proved to be very useful right through my life. My gym resistance training is/was a great assett to this sport too. BTW full contact martial arts is one sport that encompasses all the different aspects of physical fitness and skill. ie aerobic n anaerobic fitness and endurance, body flexibility, speed and reflexes and specific skill.

Whilst I am happily married now W/ 4 kids, my physique thro dedicated gym workouts was a great assett during my long bachelorhood. No regrets cuz I have a lot of wonderful memories to reminesce on. So yes the looks aspect from my sports was a very nice icing on the cake.

As for Ferrari and 'Vettes anyone W/ money can buy. But for a more profound interest whether it be that Ferrari or that state of the art bicycle there's a little more to it. I guess any serious cyclist/triathelete since he is doing his/her performance on the bike would develop a more profound interest in his/her equipment, so that's a hobby in itself. Something running doesn't have unless you're looking to the shoes.

Anyway from what I can see, serious runners get a high from what they do and get that satisfaction from meeting their challenges. It still doesn't tell me what merits, if any, it has over cycling for example.

I can kick your ass, or U can kick my ass or somebody else's ass, some Triatheletes can kick some Runners' ass and vice versa. In general top Runners should perform better in running than others. They are after all top runners. Top Cyclists, top Swimmers, top Sprinters, top Gymnasts likewise will kick ass in their respective sport if pitted against athletes from other disciplines.

But even the present best runner of the world will get his ass kicked sooner or later maybe even by a runner who has competed Tri before.

So what's your point???? ..that runners like yourself are the ass kicking masters of the universe???

I hate on triathletes because it is fun to stir up shit.

Out.

4 sure that's a character building trait! :)

over n out.

This is the funniest thread I ever read.

kevin in atlanta wrote:

...That's great that you built your bike over 3 years with race winnings. I don't knock that, What I still don't get is why someone's spending big money on a bike matters to anyone other than the person doing the buying...

Don't you get a kick out of triathlete that spend $6000 to shave 2 lbs. off their bike weight because they think they'll be better, while still carrying around an extra 15 to 20 lbs. on their gut??? As a triathlete I agree with the runners on this thread that the extent to which most triathletes blow money and still suck. I'll give anyone credit for getting out and being active - excercise is a great thing, but most people triathletes out there are worse than the penguins in the marathon.

And now for a side thread, which is worse - triathletes or penguins? Of course the penguins in triathlons are the bottom, but a pure runner penguin, or a MOP triathlete, which do you guys hate more?

triathlete/runner wrote:

but a pure runner penguin, or a MOP triathlete, which do you guys hate more?

Many of the pure runner penguins are future MOP tri-guys, they just havent figured out that they can spend a lot more money and look a lot faster than they do as penguins.