Would the 'Slow Marathon' debate apply to an Ironman

Kissy Lips

Would just finishing an Ironman competition be good enough? Does time matter in that competition for the average Joe Jogger?

I would be completely satisfied just to get around and get the t-shirt .

Ironman
Distance: The triathlon competition includes 3.8 km (2.4 miles) open water swim, 180 km (111.8 miles) bike ride and a 42 km (26 miles) marathon run.

tunney

Kissy Lips wrote: »

Would just finishing an Ironman competition be good enough? Does time matter in that competition for the average Joe Jogger?

I would be completely satisfied just to get around and get the t-shirt .

Ironman
Distance: The triathlon competition includes 3.8 km (2.4 miles) open water swim, 180 km (111.8 miles) bike ride and a 42 km (26 miles) marathon run.

The official cut off time is 17:00
2:00 swim
9:00 bike
6:00 run

If you feel a 17:00 ironman is a personal achievement then that's all that matters.

Personally I think time would be important for me.
Yes I am fully aware I didn't finish the one ironman I've attempted but I think my reasons were valid enough.

Pisco Sour

tunney wrote: »

yes time matters. Anyone can complete an ironman. Unless you are old, disabled or something similar time matters

The official cut off time is 17:00
2:00 swim
9:00 bike
6:00 run

it's a long day but that's about it.

(yes I am fully aware I didn't finish the one ironman I've attempted but I think my reasons were valid enough)

I disagree, finishing an Ironman in sub 17 hours is a far greater achievement than walking a marathon in 8 hours.

myflipflops

Kissy Lips wrote: »

Would just finishing an Ironman competition be good enough? Does time matter in that competition for the average Joe Jogger?

I would be completely satisfied just to get around and get the t-shirt .

Ironman
Distance: The triathlon competition includes 3.8 km (2.4 miles) open water swim, 180 km (111.8 miles) bike ride and a 42 km (26 miles) marathon run.

Having started the other debate (but offered no opinion on it), I would say that the debate is not applicable in any way to an ironman. The average, healthy joe/joanne on the street would have the ability to get around a marathon walking with absolutely zero training. The swim section of an ironman completely eliminates that and creates a very real challenge in itself.

--amadeus--

Legend (possibly or the urban variety) has it that when the inventors of teh Ironman were cooking it up they took the three toughest events in the disciplines in Hawaii, including a 180 mile bike race.

Thing is they forgot that the bike race was normally over two days...

HardyEustace

I really don't think there's a viable comparison. In misery terms the ironman completely outweighs a "slow marathon".

Izoard

Hasn't Ironman become the "new" marathon?

20 years ago, the barrier-to-entry for a marathon was high, as there were no walkers to speak of.
Now, for many reasons, marathon is open to the average joe who can get around with little or no training.

I think one of the reasons for the increased popularity in Ironman, is that the barrier remains high...you just can't bluff your way around, irrespective of your time goals.

scottreynolds

Izoard wrote: »

Hasn't Ironman become the "new" marathon?

Although I'm not old enough to remeber the pre-populas marathon days. I completely agree with this sentiment. I mean its the same.... its just about training up for the event.. Ironman is the cool popular thing to do. Its cooler than a marathon for the general population.

Saying, "I completed the marathon" is okay -- some people will think thats excellent (at least 5 other people they know will have done it )... but saying "I completed an Ironman" is still pretty beyong the comprehension of the average joe.

I've just belittled all my hard training for the marathon.

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

Hasn't Ironman become the "new" marathon?

20 years ago, the barrier-to-entry for a marathon was high, as there were no walkers to speak of.
Now, for many reasons, marathon is open to the average joe who can get around with little or no training.

I think one of the reasons for the increased popularity in Ironman, is that the barrier remains high...you just can't bluff your way around, irrespective of your time goals.

Oh you can bluff your way around. Once you don't drown in the swim you can bluff your way around. 17 hours is a long time.

http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/08/everyones-winner.html

Anyone who can not drown for the swim and is in good heath can finish an IM distance race in under 17 hours with zero/no preparation.

rovers_runner

tunney wrote: »

The official cut off time is 17:00
2:00 swim
9:00 bike
6:00 run

If you feel a 17:00 ironman is a personal achievement then that's all that matters.

Personally I think time would be important for me.
Yes I am fully aware I didn't finish the one ironman I've attempted but I think my reasons were valid enough.

After all the condescending comments about slow marathoners I was sure you had a chip on your shoulder over something, that or the fumes from the Immac must had gone to your head.

A DNF must hurt a lot, as a slogger unworthy of a place in the same race as mediocre competitors like yourself, I've still finished every event I've started.....

tunney

rovers_runner wrote: »

After all the condescending comments about slow marathoners I was sure you had a chip on your shoulder over something, that or the fumes from the Immac must had gone to your head.

A DNF must hurt a lot, as a slogger unworthy of a place in the same race as mediocre competitors like yourself, I've still finished every event I've started.....

O?T but what comments did I make about slow marathoners that were condescending? I accept the personal achievement of a 6:00 marathon but question the athlete achievement of one?

DNFs happen.

shels4ever

tunney wrote: »

Oh you can bluff your way around. Once you don't drown in the swim you can bluff your way around. 17 hours is a long time.

http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/08/everyones-winner.html

Anyone who can not drown for the swim and is in good heath can finish an IM distance race in under 17 hours with zero/no preparation.

MMMmmmmmm

1.45 mins swim
45 min brunch and a sleep
3.5 hours on the bike
45 mins lunch and sleep
3.5 hours on the bike
45 mins sleep
2.45 half marathon
45 Dinner and a pint.
2.45 half marathon

missed the cut off by 15 mins.

Was going to do this tomorrow but would be 15 mins too slow

HardyEustace

shels4ever wrote: »

MMMmmmmmm

1.45 mins swim
45 min brunch and a sleep
3.5 hours on the bike
45 mins lunch and sleep
3.5 hours on the bike
45 mins sleep
2.45 half marathon
45 Dinner and a pint.
2.45 half marathon

missed the cut off by 15 mins.

Was going to do this tomorrow but would be 15 mins too slow

Eh, 25 mins... you forgot 5 minutes to fix your hair after the swim and 5 minutes to fix your hair after taking off your bike helmet.

Izoard

tunney wrote: »

Oh you can bluff your way around. Once you don't drown in the swim you can bluff your way around. 17 hours is a long time.

http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/08/everyones-winner.html

Anyone who can not drown for the swim and is in good heath can finish an IM distance race in under 17 hours with zero/no preparation.

The opening line of the blog: "Joe Friel's Blog is for the serious endurance athlete..."

Now, if you assume that most of the JF zealots who follow the blog are indeed "serious endurance athletes", it is very interesting to read the comments on that particular post.
At least half are disagreeing with his point....

While I've huge respect for the Crowies, Maccas and Wellingtons of the world, I feel they are doing a different sport to me.

What I can relate to are the stories of the guys & gals who have 2 jobs/ 5 kids etc., who make it to the start line and struggle through.

This is the book that inspired my goal to do an IM....

http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Ironman-Encounters-Ultimate-Endurance/dp/1891369245

shels4ever

HardyEustace wrote: »

Eh, 25 mins... you forgot 5 minutes to fix your hair after the swim and 5 minutes to fix your hair after taking off your bike helmet.

ah crap thats way off now.

One of the lads in work, (not in ireland) just finished an IM in 9:01 thats mental .

HardyEustace

shels4ever wrote: »

ah crap thats way off now.

And you haven't factored in any time for perfecting the "both-feet-off-the-ground" picture <stamps foot> (Obviously all important having viewed the A/R/Tists thread! ).

This lack of attention to detail will be your downfall S.

average_runner

Is all Ironman swimming events done in water deeper than 6 ft?


Remember a traithlon in swords, the swim was in 4ft water, so technically you could walk the swim there

Actually seen people in our pool splashing their arms like they are swimming but are walking! Just weird!

tunney

I think the real problem here and on the slow marathons thread is not the confliction opinions, the different definitions or even the excessive back slapping - it is really, ihmo, the fact that people are looking for external validation of their performances and seem to require the congratulations of strangers and the acknowledgement by all that achievements are fantastic.

If you are happy with your performance then be happy. If you require someone elses opinion to make you happy then you have bigger issues.

For example my finest personal sporting achievement, the pinnacle of everything athlethic that I have ever done and most likely will ever do is in everyone elses eyes a complete and utter failure. But for me I could not have prepared better, I could not have been in better shape, I could not have done a single thing more to be in better shape than I was for this event. I could not have endured more mental, emotional or physical pain that I did for, and in, this event. I pushed myself to my limits of pain and suffering and then went further. I learnt more about myself than I ever thought possible. This event was my proudest moment. I also didn't finish the event. An utter failure by almost all definitions and opinions, but for me my finest moment. One I don't for a moment anyone else to believe was an achievement, but I do.

Everyone rates performances and times based on their backgrounds, their metrics, themselves and the people they know. You might be ashamed to tell people abuot your 3:01 in DCM but there might be many that would take a 3:01 to their grave as their proudest moment. Likewise you might be super proud of a 6:00 marathon but others may be wondering how many legs they'd have to break to do 6 hours.

What does it matter what someone else thinks of your performance and/or time? If you prepared well, performed well, and reached or exceeded your expectations then be happy, (regardless of how many times before and even during the event they were revised), be proud. You achieved your goals so it was an achievement.

aero2k

tunney wrote: »

If you are happy with your performance then be happy. If you require someone elses opinion to make you happy then you have bigger issues.

tunney wrote: »

What does it matter what someone else thinks of your performance and/or time? If you prepared well, performed well, and reached or exceeded your expectations then be happy, (regardless of how many times before and even during the event they were revised), be proud. You achieved your goals so it was an achievement.

Tunney, of all the sensible and to-the-point comments I've seen from you, these are the best.

Ironically, I think that when you give up trying to impress others, it sets you up for the kind of achievements that will do exactly that.