two days and counting - Page 2 - Triathlon Week

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

OK, I'll take the bait and suggest a few "milestones" that would turn you
from a newbie triathlete into a totally-genuine, fair-dinkum,
electrolyte-swilling, iron-willed, home-grown, pavement-pounding triathlete:

1. Completing your second triathlon.

2. Completing any Ironman distance race.

3. DIY major bike repairs and still finishing. Extra brownie-points for
using only tools / parts found on the side of the road.

4. Your gear is held together with duct-tape from too many races.

5. Your gear is brand new and paid for by a sponsor (or several).

6. Hardware (ie. medal / trophy / etc for placing).

7. You think a 5 mile run is the perfect cool-down after a 130 mile ride

8. Your photo adorns a magazine cover.

9. DIY major body repairs and finishing (after a crash or tripping on the
run). Double extra brownie-points for using only surgical implements / body
parts found on the side of the road.

10. Just turning up at a race looking like and feeling like a triathlete.
You'll know when you're there, if you have to ask, then you're just not
ready to assume the mantle...

FWIW - I have passed some, but not all of these milestones myself, but I'm
not sure what that means!

Alan.

"onemarathon" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
> sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
>
> this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
> train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
>
> so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?
>
> any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing this weekend?
>
> i mostly lurk here, BTW.
>
> Cam

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
"Alan Walker" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> OK, I'll take the bait and suggest a few "milestones" that would turn you
> from a newbie triathlete into a totally-genuine, fair-dinkum,
> electrolyte-swilling, iron-willed, home-grown, pavement-pounding triathlete:
>
> 1. Completing your second triathlon.

ok, so i'm a triathlete then, being on my third race.

> 2. Completing any Ironman distance race.

surely, the many sprint or Olympic distance racers are considered
triathletes, even if they haven't gone IM? but i think i know what you
mean.

> 3. DIY major bike repairs and still finishing. Extra brownie-points for
> using only tools / parts found on the side of the road.

HA! ok, i'm getting there with the bike mtc. never touched the bike
prior to tri, but now i'm stripping it down and putting it back.... just
for fun!

> 4. Your gear is held together with duct-tape from too many races.

not yet.

> 5. Your gear is brand new and paid for by a sponsor (or several).

THAT would be a pro triathlete, not just a regular Joe triathlete.

> 6. Hardware (ie. medal / trophy / etc for placing).

i'll soon be collecting a belated First Time Triathlete medal for my
first race last year.... the organizers took a while to come up with
this idea, but hey, better late than never. so i'll have a little
hardware.

> 7. You think a 5 mile run is the perfect cool-down after a 130 mile ride
>
> 8. Your photo adorns a magazine cover.

hmmm.... not quite that, but my runner cartoon was on a website for a
week. and my marathon story appeared in The Running Room Magazine, as
well as at marathonstories.com.

> 9. DIY major body repairs and finishing (after a crash or tripping on the
> run). Double extra brownie-points for using only surgical implements / body
> parts found on the side of the road.
>
> 10. Just turning up at a race looking like and feeling like a triathlete.
> You'll know when you're there, if you have to ask, then you're just not
> ready to assume the mantle...

i know i need a real bike. i'm faking it on that front. from a distance
it looks snappy with the aeros on and some minor tweaking that i did on
my own, but it's a cheapo cycle that i've stripped down but haven't put
much money into yet. i may break down and upgrade this summer.

interesting list, Alan. it got me to thinking... i may not have all the
gear (fancy bike) but i feel like a tri guy inside. i train hard and
take it seriously... while having loads of fun with it all. i live to
train and race.

Cam

> FWIW - I have passed some, but not all of these milestones myself, but I'm
> not sure what that means!
>
> Alan.
>
>
> "onemarathon" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> > i'm primed for my third triathlon ever this Saturday morning. it'll be a
> > sprint distance (500/22.2/5) and i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
> >
> > this is my first race of the season, and i must say that i've learned to
> > train smarter, given that my time to train is limited.
> >
> > so am i still considered a newbie? when does one pass the newbie point?
> >
> > any others out there kinda new to the sport... and racing this weekend?
> >
> > i mostly lurk here, BTW.
> >
> > Cam
>
>

08-23-2004, 07:39 PM

Onemarathon wrote:
> In article <Xns94F1632CFB443seilogramp@216.77.188.18>, "Phil M."
> <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> > Harold Buck <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in news:no_one_knows-news:no_one_knows-
> > [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> >
> > > In article <cam_wilson-BDB17F.18515921052004@nr-
> > > tor01.bellnexxia.net>, onemarathon <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >> OK, nearly all packed for tomorrow. Just want to stretch a little
> > >> and then kick back with a movie to relax tonight. And tomorrow
> > >> after the race: beer and pizza.
> > >>
> > >
> > > For some reason, I'm always in the mood for a giant chicken burrito
> > > after I do a tri. Chipotle, usually, but La Bamba would work, too.
> >
> > What's a "giant chicken" burrito? Is that like an ostrich burrito?
> >
> > Phil M.
> you jest?
> a giant burrito made with chicken.
> but i didn't need to explain, did i? :)
> Cam

Ha, that funny Harold! That is exactly what I had a craving for after my
last tri (Chipotle too)!

--